How Long Does Your Content Last on Social Media? (Definitive Guide)

How Long Does Your Content Last on Social Media? (Definitive Guide)

Arif Chowdhury
Follow Us

Last Updated on February 12, 2023 by Arif Chowdhury

One of the most critical facets of online marketing is social networking. Strengthened brand and marketplace visibility, interacted with a global audience, boosted traffic, improved search engine optimization (SEO) scores, and more. But do you know the lifespan of social media posts? How long do social media trends last?

It’s interesting to see how long each piece of content you publish on social media platforms lasts. Since the post can last indefinitely, the half-life is a more useful measure. That’s the period it takes for content to get half its cumulative number of engagements.

Unlike blog posts and long-form articles, most of the information you share on social networking sites has a surprisingly limited lifespan.

A limited life, on the other hand, does not often imply a lower value. Check out this guide to learn how long social media posts last on different platforms and how to make the brand’s content last longer.

Content estimated lifespan based on platforms.

Every social media platform has unique algorithms, which is why the content lifespan varies.

So, how long does your content last on social media?

Here is the list for you:

  1. Blog post: 2-3 years.
  2. Facebook post: 5 hours.
  3. Twitter post: 18 minutes.
  4. LinkedIn post: 24 hours.
  5. Instagram post: 21 hours.
  6. Pinterest post: 4 months.
  7. Snapchat story: 24 hours.
  8. YouTube video: 20 days.

There is a significant time difference. However, it also gives you a good idea of how much time and money you should invest in creating content for each social media platform.

Blog Post.

Take, for example, a blog post. It has a two to three years life span. It’s perfect because you can update old content and make it new. You can make it meaningful and high-quality content later on if you want.

Do you know? How long does your content last on social media? Check this out.

You will be able to enjoy a blog post for several years. So let’s put it together slowly. Write blog posts daily. Thus, when reposting, you can choose from a large pool of material.

A well-designed posting schedule, such as weekly or bi-weekly, is an excellent way to stay relevant and remarkable for SEO best practices.

Quick Note: Do you know what platform has the most extended post lifespan? Well, it is Pinterest. Unlike Facebook or Twitter, your post will continue to receive organic traffic as long as the user interacts with it.

Recommended Reading: How Do Beginners Start Social Media Marketing? (Definitive Guide)

Pinterest.

Pinterest is a fantastic example of this. Due to the constantly recycled content and having a lifespan of around four months, it is essential to focus on the quality of content.

Pinterest pin usually lasts around four months. However, its engagement diminishes gradually.

Publish eye-catching photos, highly searchable names, and valuable and engaging captions. And also, external links should be from high-authority and relevant sources.

YouTube.

YouTube holds the same point of view. SEO is the secret to success in the long term. Choosing captions, explanations, headlines, and quickly searchable tags is critical to long-term success.

Check this out; how long does your YouTube video last?

Make an effort to keep your channel well-updated with regular postings. Viewers who have already viewed any of your previous episodes will be more likely to subscribe to continue getting updates from your YouTube channel.

Instagram.

On Instagram, the post continues to be around longer than on Facebook. The estimated lifetime of Instagram posts is 49 hours, with 75% of the overall engagement period for most entries.

While the involvement appears to taper off in the seven-hour period, where most posts earn half their overall feedback, research has revealed that most of Instagram’s best-performed posts require up to 9-12 hours to reach traction.

Facebook.

You should typically expect the content to last five hours on Facebook, with three-quarters of interaction. Most posts get 75% of their cumulative impressions in 2.5 hours. There is a chance that algorithms used by Facebook, such as News Feed algorithms, will negatively affect content’s lifetime. It is because algorithms don’t display content in the order it was originally published.

Recommended Reading: Facebook Marketing: 7 Advanced Ad Targeting Strategies for Business

Snapchat.

Snapchat content, on the other hand, has a shorter lifetime. Snaps are usually 10 seconds long, but they can quickly fade from followers’ feeds. Snapchat Stories, on the other hand, have a much longer lifetime, with an average of 24 hours.

How long does your content last on social media? (Definitive Guide) (Infographic)

Increase the lifespan of your content by creating an engaging post.

How to increase the content lifespan on social media?

If you want to increase the lifespan of your content on social media, then you have to publish engaging content, and here is how you should do it:

  1. First, publish content with detailed info and images.
  2. Identify the optimal time for a post.
  3. Utilize social media ads.
  4. Smartly use the CTA button on your post.

These are the most important factors when creating engaging content on social media. Now, let us give you the details.

1. In-depth image with detailed information is the key.

The photographs on Pinterest differ significantly from those on other social networking sites. Pinterest does it vertically instead of arranging photos horizontally. Post content like infographics. They are often considerably longer than regular photographs — this long picture is what Pinterest wants to promote.

Pinterest usually pins best works when they are long form and vertical.

2. Analyze the optimal time for your post.

Which periods are ideal for posting on Pinterest? Based on our study, Saturdays should be perfect for publishing on Pinterest.

Best time for your Pinterest post.

Additionally, Friday is close to second. Saturday evening from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM is ideal for publishing, whereas Friday from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM is perfect. When most of your audience is starting their weekend, this time, engagement is high.

3. Invoke the power of ads.

Earlier this year, Pinterest rolled out a brand advertising campaign. People use it to connect heavily with social media networks while giving the most value for the lowest cost. Depending on your specialty, demographic, and ad quality, your investment will range from a couple of bucks to thousands.

4. Remember to use the CTA button.

The potency of CTA’s is self-evident. Your content may gain engagement by encouraging your viewers to do an action.

Use the CTA button in your Pinterest post to increase engagement.

How effective are CTAs? A recent study by Quicksprout shows that posts with a CTA see an 80% boost in engagement compared to posts that don’t have a CTA. Call-to-action encourages re-pins and helps to connect your followers.

How to increase the content lifespan on YouTube?

Though YouTube video lifespan is roughly 20 days yet, by following the below guidelines, you can increase your content lifespan on YouTube.

Here it is:

  1. Engage with your audience.
  2. Maintain a regular post frequency.
  3. Encourage your audience to comment, share, and like your content.

Let’s show you more details on these guidelines.

1. Try to engage with your audience as much as possible.

It is essential to keep in mind that you are speaking to people when you create your video. Therefore, act on a screen as you would in person by treating participation the same way. Even if they cannot talk to you, make it as though they could.

Engagement is everything. Try to engage with your audience through your video.
  • Your points should be concise, to the point, and easy to absorb.
  • Emphasize effective procedures or strategies.
  • Provide appropriate humor wherever possible. Less talking and more cheerfulness can improve your performance.
  • Summarize by outlining significant points at the end of the video.

2. Maintain a regular post frequency.

Being a consistent and reliable source of knowledge is a solid and proven strategy for developing and retaining engagement. Once you’ve built an audience, try encouraging them to keep searching for your content. Keep your information fresh, up-to-date, and, above all, helpful.

Recall that hundreds of other influencers are chasing your primary audience. You must satisfy your loyal audience when you have earned a reputation for providing knowledge.

Recommended Reading: 8 Best Social Media Management Tools for Freelancers (Reviewed)

3. Encourage your audience to comment, share, and like your content.

Engagement is mutual and only happens when both parties engage. One of the most valuable lessons we’ve learned in the era of social media is that anyone can express their viewpoint. So why not share the awareness via comments, likes, and shares?

It’s legitimate to mention after the video, “Like this video? Why not share it with your friends?” Communicate to your audience that their feedback is appreciated. And that you are constantly striving to enhance the value of the product you give. It also allows you to improve your audience by using social proof. But if you don’t ask, they may not do it.

How to increase the content lifespan on Instagram?

Instagram content lifespan is roughly 21 hours, but you can increase it by below guidelines:

  1. First, find out the best time to post on Instagram.
  2. Utilize Instagram Stories Stickers.
  3. Discover new content types by analyzing them.

So, if you want to care for more details, read below.

1. Find out the best time to post.

You may reduce engagement by publishing when you have something to post or are not regular in publishing content. Increasing your Instagram engagement is challenging, but it’s as simple as publishing when your community is most engaged.

The algorithm that governs Instagram prefers posts that engage many people quickly, boosting such posts to the top of the followers’ feeds. So monitor and watch your Instagram statistics to discover when your target audience will react to your posts.

2. Utilize Instagram Stories Stickers.

Millions of Instagram accounts utilize Instagram Stories daily, which will continue to rise in 2022.

Use Instagram story stickers to make it last longer.

Stories stickers are an excellent method to get your audience to interact with you and share their thoughts and experiences, which will help you build a devoted fan base loyal to your business.

3. Discover new content types by analyzing them.

Experimentation produces some of the most exemplary Instagram post ideas.

Trying out new types of content on Instagram may be intimidating, mainly if you think you’ve hit on something and are getting much interaction with your existing content strategy. But believe us when we say that trial and error and content trials are essential for staying ahead of the competition and developing a better approach.

How to increase the content lifespan on Facebook?

Facebook posts usually last only for 5 hours. However, you can indefinitely increase this by below guidelines:

  1. Don’t publish colossal content.
  2. Post-quality content.
  3. Utilize colorful and detailed images.
  4. Publish engaging video content.
  5. Go live to attract more audience.

That’s it; why not read further to learn more?

1. Don’t publish colossal content. Make it short.

The great majority of people, around 88%, use Facebook on their mobile devices.

If you want to post engaging content on Facebook, make your post short.

Research conducted by Facebook suggests that consumers who use their mobile devices to browse News Feed spend a mere 1.7 seconds to digest a piece of content.

Even computer users spend just 2.5 seconds on each content item while surfing. The exciting fact is humans can retain information on their temporary memory for a quarter of a second. To capture their attention, though, you must act quickly.

Try to keep your message brief and to the point to grab viewers’ attention and urge them to pause scrolling and participate.

2. Content quality is everything.

People move through information rapidly, so feeble images, videos, and text do not have time to be seen.

If you need more original material for posting, content curation may be an excellent method to keep engaging your audience to share helpful and high-quality information. Quality must be simple and inexpensive. Facebook suggests maintaining specific things with a typical visual style and visible pictures.

3. Utilize colorful and detailed images.

Engagement rates on Facebook posts with photos are more significant than typical. Simple shots are effective. The best practice is a Facebook Product Snapshot or a Consumer Photo.

Try to use a colorful and detailed image to make it easy for your audience to grasp.

You don’t need an expensive camera or photographic equipment to get started; you’ll need your smartphone.

4. Video content is best. Go on live if you can.

Our recent analysis shows that video postings experience significantly better interaction than picture postings. It is because video has many of the same characteristics as photography, and getting started with your cell phone is easy and affordable.

As mobile devices allow for larger video displays, consider vertical video the most space-efficient option.

Facebook live streaming is the new trend. It's even better than regular video and post.

Live videos are the most engaging content on the site, generating 600% more engagements than regular videos, trying to think of a cause to go live. Improvise and be creative.

Quick Note: You can use different tactics on different social media platforms. The truth is – You can use all of these tactics on any platform you like. Just don’t forget to use your common sense.

Conclusion.

Knowing when a post expires is an intelligent way to figure out how much you can publish in different places and how much time you can set aside to produce this content.

Spend up to two hours crafting a tweet that will only last 18 minutes. Likewise, spending only 30 minutes on a blog post that would last for two years or more is a good idea. To get the most out of your social media marketing, pay attention to when and how you should invest your time.