I posted to Instagram 30 days in a row. Here are my takeaways for every business owner.
As a social media manager, I embarked on a 30-day challenge to post on my business’ Instagram every single day. The goal was to analyze the impact of consistent posting on follower growth, content quality, and overall engagement.
Here's a recap of my experience and the key takeaways from this experiment.
1. The more I posted, the easier it got
I always tell my clients that they don’t need to post every day to see results – and I stand by that. Posting daily can be an overwhelming commitment. However, I noticed that as I continued posting, ideas started coming more easily to me and I began creating content faster (even for me, someone who posts content for a living).
Takeaway: Consistency transforms into habit. Even if you don’t post daily, the more practice you get in, the easier it will be to adapt to different content styles or find your own rhythm.
2. Posting more doesn't mean you'll get more followers
I should clarify: quantity doesn’t get you more followers, quality does. But you still need consistent, quality posts to gain followers.
I did gain followers throughout this challenge, but if I was hoping for an immense amount, then I would’ve been disappointed.
Takeaway: You can’t control whether or not someone will follow you, but you can control your messaging. Focus on creating valuable, engaging content that resonates with your target audience, whether or not the results are immediate.
3. The only way to get better at content is by posting it anyway
There were days when I felt unsure about the content I was putting out. Some posts felt “weak” and I almost didn’t post them at all, until I realized that this self-criticism was holding me back from growth. Sometimes, those “weak” posts even performed the best. Go figure.
Takeaway: Not every post can or will be a huge hit, but every piece of content, no matter how imperfect it seems, is an opportunity to learn, improve, and get in front of your ideal audience.
4. Reels are hands down the best way to reach new people
Most of my posts were reels, but I did have a few static posts and carousel posts here and there. Almost all of my traffic came from reels. Since reels have a longer shelf-life than regular posts (meaning they can continue to circulate and reach new audiences for a few weeks), it’s the perfect way to work smarter, not harder.
Takeaway: You don’t have to only post reels, but reels have the highest engagement rate of any type of Instagram content. You’re missing out by not posting reels regularly.
Conclusion
After my 30-day experiment ended, I saw a 302% increase in accounts reached and a 238% increase in accounts engaged. However, my followers only increased by 2-3%.
Still, I enjoyed very healthy engagement rates, received very positive feedback regarding my account, and even had two service inquiries -- accomplishments that weren’t reflected in my follower count.
Posting daily might not be realistic for busy business owners, but if you’d like to try it for yourself, the key is to focus on creating valuable and engaging content that resonates with your target audience and shows them that you and your business are the solution to their problem.
If you know you don’t have the capacity for frequent posts, create a consistent schedule that you can commit to. Perhaps that’s every Tuesday during lunch, or every Monday and Wednesday after work.
Lastly, get into the habit of tracking your analytics (but don’t obsess over them, just look for patterns over 1-3 months at a time) to help guide your efforts. Regardless of what some social media accounts make you think, it takes time for most businesses to see results. Be patient.
Motivated to get some content up for your business? Download my FREE Five-Day Reels Challenge now for instant access to prompt ideas + explanations, tips, and tricks that I’ve used for dozens of small businesses on Instagram.
