Getting your biz set up on social media networks is an excellent, and free way to grow your business and get new customers. Finding awesome content to post might take some thought, but content is all around you andwe have some tips for that. The last piece of the social puzzle is how frequently you should post. Does it change based on which social network you’re using? As with many things in marketing, the answer is – it depends. You’ll need to do a bit of testing on the social networks you’re using to see how your specific followers interact and engage with you, and we’ve got some great tips to inspire your efforts.

Facebook – With over 1 billion accounts Facebook is the place to be. You’ve may have heard that every fan you have on Facebook won’t see everything you post. This is due to Facebook EdgeRank. The more your followers like, share and comment on your posts, the more likely they are to see them in the first place. This is where great content comes into play. Your followers will want to comment, share or like posts that keep their interest, make them laugh or teach them something. As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want to post at least 3 times a week, but every day would be even better. You don’t have to create all the content; share fun pictures, ecards or posts that you think your followers will like. Sharing counts towards EdgeRank and engagement. If 3-5 times a week seems tough to do, remember you can repurpose info from other places. Share your newsletter; share Instagram pictures, posts from your blog, etc.

Twitter – This is a fast moving social network, but it has some very loyal users. Since the Twitter feed moves at a much faster pace than say Facebook, this one will need to be updated more often. You’ll need to post at least once per day, but a couple times a day would be even better. Try to keep your posts spaced out through out the day, you don’t want them all hitting the feed in a short amount of time. And since tweets are limited to 140 characters, your posts will naturally be short, but can still be full of great info. You can share all kinds of things from pictures, links, videos, or links to your newsletters. Pretty much anything you’d share on Facebook can be shared on Twitter, just link to longer content.

Pinterest – Like Facebook, Pinterest has a feed that (most) everyone can see, plus you have your own page that your followers can check out. Since it’s a feed, you’ll want to pin or create new boards on a regular basis to keep your business top of mind. This means pinning at least a couple of times a week. And Pinterest is all about visuals, create boards not just about your products or services, but also about what inspires you and your business, things you like and maybe some fun things. It’s not all about business; keep it fun and interesting. Pinterest has a an information packed business page, if you need more help or inspiration check it out! We’ve also got a helpful guide here.

LinkedIn – There have been many changes to LinkedIn recently and it looks more and more like some of the other social feeds you might be familiar with; Facebook. Unlike Facebook though, you won’t need to post things quite as often, maybe a couple times a week, if you have important things to share. Be sure to participate in groups, they’re great for establishing thought leadership and making connections on your industry. This is a place to network with others in your field and maybe find new business, so share blog posts, events and relevant info for your industry.

The tips shared in this post are merely guidelines. Test and see what kind of content your fans and followers interact with to find your own post frequency sweet spot. And don’t forget, not everyone will see every post, so feel free to reword an earlier post and share again. Keep in mind that your followers may have many different schedules and you may find more comments, shares and retweets happening around 8 pm rather than at noon so give it a try and see what works best.

If you want more help navigating the social media waters, check out our new ebook – The Definitive Guide to Social Media Marketing.

Have you found the ideal posting frequency for your business yet? Share your experience in the comments. http://skadeedle.com/blog/find-the-social-media-posting-sweet-spot/