Facebook supports several different formats for posting content. The main formats used on Facebook include text, photos, videos, and links. The format you choose depends on the type of content you want to share.
Text Posts
The most basic way to post on Facebook is by writing a text status update. Text posts allow you to share thoughts, updates, and other text-based content with your friends and followers.
When you write a text post on Facebook, you can include things like emojis, tags, and hashtags. Your text posts can contain up to 63,206 characters. If your text is longer than that, it will be truncated with a “See More” link for people to click on to expand the entire post.
Tips for Text Posts
- Keep text posts relatively short and scannable. Posts with 240 characters or less get the most engagement.
- Ask questions to spark conversation.
- Use emojis and tags to add visual interest.
- Include location tags when relevant.
- Use hashtags sparingly. 1-2 per post is ideal.
Photo Posts
Photos are a very popular format for Facebook posts. Visual content tends to grab people’s attention and get higher engagement.
When posting a photo on Facebook, you can upload a single photo, create a photo album, or post multiple photos in a carousel post.
Facebook supports the following photo formats:
- JPEG
- GIF
- PNG
- BMP
- TIFF
- SVG
For best results, photos should be high resolution, at least 720 pixels wide. Landscape orientation works best.
Tips for Photo Posts
- Use high-quality, eye-catching photos.
- Encourage reactions and tags by asking engagin questions in the caption.
- Use relevant hashtags and location tags.
- Tag people who are in the photos.
- Edit/filter photos to make them more vivid.
Video Posts
Video is an extremely effective format on Facebook. Posting video gives you the power of visuals plus audio.
You can upload prerecorded videos to Facebook. The following formats are supported:
- MP4
- MOV
- AVI
- WMV
- FLV
- MPEG
- MKV
For optimal results, Facebook recommends uploading HD video recorded at 720p or higher. The ideal length is between 30 seconds and 5 minutes long.
You can also live stream video on Facebook using Facebook Live. This allows you to share live broadcasts with your audience in real time.
Tips for Video Posts
- Use compelling custom thumbnails to showcase your video.
- Include captions for soundless auto-play.
- Post shortened versions of longer videos to drive traffic to your page.
- Go live to engage your audience in real time.
- Ask viewers to like, comment, and share to boost reach.
Multi-Image Posts
Multi-image posts, also called carousel posts, allow you to share multiple photos in one post. You can include between 2–10 images in a carousel post.
When viewing a carousel post, users can swipe horizontally to view all the images.
Carousel posts work well for things like:
- Event/conference highlights
- Product catalogs
- Tutorials
- Collections
- Photo stories
The same tips for photo posts apply to images in a carousel post.
Link Posts
Links allow you to share content from outside websites on your Facebook feed. This is a great way to drive traffic to your site or other sites you want to promote.
When you add a link on Facebook, it will automatically pull in a preview thumbnail, headline, and description from the webpage to create a rich link post.
You can add a personal message above the link preview to provide context for your audience. Engage your audience by asking questions or including commentary.
Tips for Link Posts
- Comment on why you are sharing the link to add value for your audience.
- Use link-shortening tools like bit.ly to keep posts concise.
- Include relevant hashtags and tags in your personal message.
- Insert emojis, GIFs, or graphics to make link previews more eye-catching.
- Post links to your latest content to boost traffic.
Facebook Post Dimensions
In addition to choosing a format, you also need to consider the dimensions when creating Facebook posts. Photos, videos, and other media will be cropped to fit different areas of the Facebook feed.
The following dimensions work best for Facebook:
| Post Type | Dimensions |
| Shared Link Thumbnail | 1200 x 630 pixels |
| Shared Video Thumbnail | 1280 x 720 pixels |
| Single Photo Post | 470 x 246 pixels |
| Carousel Photo Post | 470 x 246 pixels per image |
Having images and videos that fit these dimensions will help them look their best on Facebook feeds.
Facebook Post Character Limits
In addition to dimensions, Facebook also has character limits for text-based content:
- Personal message with shared link: 300 characters
- Text-only post: 63,206 characters
- Caption for single photo/video: 2,200 characters
- Caption for carousel post: 2,200 characters per image
- Facebook event name: 300 characters
- Comment reply: 8,000 characters
Keeping Facebook posts within these limits ensures the text won’t get cut off on your followers’ feeds.
Optimal Facebook Post Frequency
Finding the right balance between underposting and overposting on Facebook can seem tricky. Post too infrequently, and you risk losing engagement. Post too often, and you may annoy your audience.
So what’s the right posting frequency? While there isn’t one universally ideal number, here are some best practices:
- 1-2 times per day for business accounts
- 5-10 times per week for personal accounts
- 3-5 times per week for organization/brand pages
You can also consider these factors when deciding how often to post:
- Your post engagement rate
- Your audience size and responsiveness
- Your business/organization objectives
- Your content mix and formats
Analyze your Facebook Insights data and experiment to see what works best for your audience. Spread your posts throughout the week and use tools like Hootsuite to queue and schedule content.
Best Times to Post on Facebook
In addition to post frequency, timing also plays an important role in Facebook success. Posting when your audience is most active will lead to higher reach and engagement.
Facebook usage fluctuates throughout the day and by day of the week. Here is an overview of when most people are on Facebook:
- By Day: Midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)
- By Time: Mid-morning and evenings
More specifically, the peak Facebook usage times are:
- Wednesdays at 11 AM – 1 PM
- Thursdays and Fridays at 1 PM – 4 PM
- Mondays and Tuesdays at 7 PM – 11 PM
Use these peak windows to maximize your exposure. You may also gain traction during off-peak times when there is less competition. Experiment with scheduling to identify what performs best for your unique audience.
Facebook Posting Apps
Composing and publishing Facebook posts directly on desktop or mobile can be time consuming. To save time, consider using a social media management tool.
Posting apps allow you to easily plan, schedule, and analyze Facebook content. Here are some top options:
- Hootsuite – Compose, schedule, and publish posts. Monitor engagement. Track performance with analytics.
- Buffer – Schedule posts. Add posts to reuse. Provides engagement insights.
- Sprout Social – Create, schedule and publish Facebook content. Monitor mentions and engagement. Reporting.
- Sendible – Schedule posts and engage with followers. Track clicks and engagement. Monitoring. Analytics.
These tools save time, optimize your workflow, and give you analytics to assess what content resonates best with your audience.
Facebook Post Templates
Creating eye-catching, engaging Facebook posts takes time. To accelerate your content creation workflow, use templates.
Here are some excellent Facebook post templates you can customize:
| Template Type | Great for |
| Engaging question | Driving comments and shares |
| Behind-the-scenes | Showcasing your brand personality |
| List or tips | Presenting useful information |
| User-generated | Showing social proof |
| Recap | Highlighting events or promotions |
Simply plug your own text, images, hashtags, etc. into these formulaic templates for efficient Facebook posting.
Analyzing Facebook Post Performance
To refine your Facebook strategy, analyze the performance of your posts. Facebook Insights provides valuable analytics.
Key post metrics to track include:
- Reach – How many people saw the post
- Impressions – Number of times post was seen
- Engagement rate – Likes, shares, comments divided by reach
- Clicks – Link clicks or taps on post
- Audience retention – How long people interacted with post
- Conversions – Desired actions from post
Review these metrics regularly for recent posts. Identify your best-performing post types, formats, timing, etc. Use these insights to create more engaging content.
Facebook Posting Tips
Here are some top tips for creating engaging, high-impact Facebook posts:
- Post visual content for greater engagement
- Use video to connect with viewers
- Write compelling captions and ask questions
- Use strategically-timed posts to maximize reach
- Respond to all comments and questions
- Check posts on mobile to ensure usability
- Include calls-to-action in posts to drive conversions
- Experiment with different post formats and content types
- Use analytics to identify and recreate your top-performing post formula
Conclusion
Facebook supports a variety of post formats like text, photo, video, carousels, and links. You can use each format creatively to engage your audience. Optimize your posting strategy by using high-quality content, thoughtful captions, strategic timing, and performance analysis. With these tips, you can master the art of Facebook posting.