How to Optimally Plan Content Frequency on Social Media: Key Tips for B2C and B2B Segments

In today's dynamic world of online marketing, a social media presence has become a fundamental part of the strategy for most companies. According to the latest data conducted by the research company Statista, the global number of social media users has already exceeded 4 billion, representing more than half of the world's population. This huge number of potential customers and the opportunity to connect directly with them makes the effective management of content posting frequency essential for online marketing success.

The changing nature of these platforms is also an extremely important aspect. According to a report by Hootsuite, social media users now spend an average of more than 2.5 hours per day viewing content. What's more, according to data from the Sprout Social platform, 89% of US consumers say that content published by brands on social media influences their purchasing decisions. These figures leave no doubt about the role social media plays in today's marketing.

The key to being effective in this environment is therefore not only to be present on social media platforms but also to skilfully adapt the content posting strategy to the preferences and behaviors of the audience. In this article, we will therefore analyze the key aspects of planning the frequency of content posting on social media, taking into account the differences between B2C and B2B segments, as well as best practices regarding the type of content and optimal publication times.

Classifying the type of content:

In the face of increasing competition and an increasingly demanding audience, the diversity of content published on social media plays a key role. Market analysis data shows that educational content is of particular interest to users. According to a report by HubSpot, educational content generates 131% more interest than other types of content. Therefore, content marketing strategies increasingly rely on the publication of tutorials, infographics, or expert articles that not only engage but also position the brand as an authority in its field.

However, the role of entertaining content cannot be underestimated. According to Socialbakers, this type of content generates 40% more interactions than other types of content. Memes, quizzes, or creative videos capture users' attention and can be an effective tool for building engagement with audiences. Therefore, it is also worth including entertainment elements in your content posting strategy, which can attract the attention and interest of potential customers.

In conclusion, a key element of an effective social media content-posting strategy is diversity. By balancing educational content that positions the brand as an expert in a particular field and entertainment content that engages and captures the attention of the audience, it is possible to build a strong and engaged online community around the brand.

The basic classification may include:

Educational content:

• Guides and instructions: Publishing content with practical tips and advice is an extremely effective way to build trust and authority in your industry. For example, a cosmetics company may regularly share skincare or make-up tutorials, which not only engages existing customers but also attracts new interested parties.
• Infographics and charts: Visual presentations of data are often more accessible and attract more attention than text alone. Therefore, creating infographics with interesting statistics, market trends, or product comparisons can be an effective strategy for many companies.
• Expert articles: Regularly publishing articles written by industry experts allows brands not only to showcase their knowledge and expertise but also to build relationships with other professionals and gain the trust of customers.

Entertainment content:

• Memes and jokes: Publishing funny and humorous content can be an effective way to build a positive brand image and increase user engagement. However, it is worth remembering that this content should be appropriately tailored to the tone and values of the brand to avoid controversy.
• Quizzes and puzzles: Interactive content such as quizzes or puzzles engage users and encourage their active participation. Such forms of communication can be useful both to increase engagement and to collect data about the audience, enabling further marketing activities to be better tailored.
• Creative videos: Video is an increasingly popular format on social media, and creative videos can quickly go viral and reach a wide audience. Brands can use short humor videos, animations, or behind-the-scenes videos to interest and engage their audience.

A well-planned strategy that incorporates a variety of educational and entertaining content will allow companies to reach their audience interestingly and engagingly, helping to build a strong online community around the brand.

Another important element of strategy planning is to match the type of content to the times when your customers are most likely to resonate with it, the most accurate calendar we can build using our company's internal data. But don't forget that daily posting does not help your brand's reach and can even lead to a drop in audience engagement. Here is a statistical look at the best times for your content:

Social media:

• Facebook: Best times: According to data from research companies such as Sprout Social, the best times to publish content on Facebook are typically 9 am-11 am and 1 pm-3 pm on weekdays. Users are most active during these hours, which increases the chances of achieving greater reach and engagement.
• Instagram: Best times: According to Hootsuite's analysis of the platform, the optimal publishing times on Instagram are 11:00-13:00 and 17:00-19:00 on weekdays, as well as 9:00-11:00 on weekends. As Instagram is a platform focused on visual content, it is important to publish content when users are most active and open to viewing photos and videos.
• LinkedIn: Best times for B2B: According to research by Sprout Social, the optimal publishing times on LinkedIn for the B2B segment are 7:30-9:30 am and 12:00-2:00 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. During these times, professionals are most active on the platform, increasing the chances of reaching them with business content.
• Twitter (X): Best times: According to data from Sprout Social, the best times to publish content on Twitter are 9am-11am and 1pm-3pm on weekdays. Twitter is a platform where users are often looking for up-to-date information and discussing current topics, so publishing content during these hours can bring more engagement and interaction.

A well-planned strategy for posting content on different social media platforms, taking into account the optimal publishing times for a particular segment and type of content, will allow companies to reach their audience more effectively and increase user engagement.

Earlier in the article, I distinguished between two basic segments. So how does the posting classification of our content relate to this division? As I mentioned earlier, the frequency of posting is very important, which is why I will now classify it according to the segments mentioned above.

Business-to-consumer :

• Greater flexibility in posting frequency: In the B2C segment, there is more freedom in the frequency of content posting. Individual users tend to be more active on social media and expect interesting content regularly. Therefore, B2C companies can afford to post content more frequently, even several times a day, to keep the attention of their audience.
• More engagement on weekends and evenings: In the B2C segment, especially in the entertainment, fashion, or lifestyle industries, higher user engagement often occurs at weekends and in the evenings. Therefore, it makes sense to adapt your publishing schedule to reach your audience at these precise moments, when they have more time to browse your content and interact with your brand.

Business-to-business:

• Moderate posting frequency: In the B2B segment, there is a need for moderation in the frequency of content posting. Professional users, like companies, tend to be more focused on specific business goals and may react negatively to an excessive amount of advertising content. It is therefore important to adjust your posting frequency so that you do not overdo it and maintain a high level of valuable content for your audience.
• Focus on business hours and days of the week: In the B2B segment, the best times to publish content resemble typical business hours. The highest engagement can be expected on weekdays, especially Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays when professionals are more focused on their business responsibilities. Therefore, it is worth adjusting your publishing schedule to reach your audience at the very times when they are most receptive to receiving business content.

A well-planned content posting strategy that takes into account the differences between B2C and B2B segments will allow companies to reach their audience in a way that is effective and tailored to their needs and online behavior.

This article highlights the key role of planning the frequency of content posting on social media in any company's marketing strategy. We discussed the variety of content types, pointing out the importance of balancing educational and entertaining content to engage and build audience trust. Also, we highlighted the importance of adapting the publication schedule to the preferences and behaviors of users on each social media platform, taking into account the differences between B2C and B2B segments.

It is worth noting that the frequency of content posting is key to keeping audiences engaged and building an online community around a brand. Both excessive and infrequent content publishing can lead to a loss of user interest and reduced brand visibility on social media. Therefore, effectively managing the frequency of content posting requires constant monitoring of analytics data and adapting strategies to changing audience preferences and behaviors.

In today's competitive online environment, brands need to be proactive and consistent in providing valuable content to their audiences on various social media platforms. By consciously planning and optimizing the frequency of content posts, companies can more effectively build their brand, increase audience engagement, and achieve better business results on social media.