These TikTok best practices are part of a series we have on Social Media best practices. Included in this series are Facebook best practices, TikTok best practices, Snapchat best practices and LinkedIn best practices.

Platform Information

With 2.3 billion monthly active users, Instagram can be a powerful platform for storytelling and engaging with your community. Its background as an image-first social media channel has since evolved into a video-heavy community where users are looking for authentic, engaging content that isn’t focused on the “hard sell”.

Platform Audience

2023 global Instagram audience demographics.

• 30% are 25-34
• 31% are 18-24
• 16% 35-44
• 48% female
• 52% male

Posting and Cadence Times

This is the optimal cadence and posting schedule for Instagram in 2023.

Cadence

• 5-7 times a week for Reels/feed posts
• 2-7 times a day on Stories

Posting Times

• Feed posts: Monday-Friday, 1 pm-2 pm ET
• Reels: Monday-Thursday, 12 pm, 3 pm ET

(source, source, post cadence may change depending on industry and unique audiences)

Content Formats

We see across all of our clients that video is the preferred content type on Instagram, with videos resulting in 91% higher engagement than still photos.

Ad Recommendations

While the majority of ad impressions on Instagram are from feed posts, 42% are from Stories. Reel ads also offer an opportunity for increased reach and engagement.

Image/Video Specs

• Feed posts: 1:1 (square), 1.91:1 (landscape), 4:5 (portrait)
• Stories/Reels: 9:16

Instagram Hashtag Usage

Hashtags have become less important in 2023, as Instagram and other platforms prioritize SEO for searchability. We recommend keeping to 3-5 relevant hashtags to maximize your post reach.

Instagram Vocabulary

Reels

The most popular form of content on Instagram, Reels are vertical videos of up to 30 seconds which appear in a separate Reels-only feed on the platform.

Feed Posts

The original post on Instagram, “feed posts” are photos uploaded to your profile’s grid, or main page. These posts can have a variety of aspect ratios and offer the opportunity for geotags, captions, and hashtags.

Carousels

A specific type of feed post, carousels are up to 10 photos or videos gathered together in a swipeable post, often generating more engagement on Instagram.

Stories

Created as a way to showcase “raw” or unfiltered content for followers, Stories are photos or videos that expire in 24 hours and are able to be saved permanently as a highlight on your profile.

Broadcast Channels

These are a new feature being rolled out in 2023, which Meta describes as, “a one-to-many messaging tool that allows creators to engage directly with their followers at scale”. These channels allow creators and brands to share content directly with their followers and followers can respond with text, video and photo updates.

Click here to download a PDF version of our Instagram Best Practices.