How to schedule a Facebook post on desktop and mobile

When it comes to social media, timing is everything.

For optimal engagement, you need to upload when your audience is most likely to see your content. Unfortunately, that’s not always the most convenient time to create and post, especially if running your socials isn’t a full-time job. If you have a large Facebook audience on the other side of the country, for example, that ideal slot might be hours before you wake up or after you’ve clocked in at work.

Fortunately, Facebook has a built-in feature to overcome this problem. Learning how to schedule Facebook posts allows you to manage content creation when you have the time to do so – meaning you can schedule a day, week, or month’s worth of content well in advance.

3 advantages of scheduling Facebook posts

An estimated 39.8% of the global population visits Facebook every month – that’s over 2 billion active monthly users. Leveraging such a huge platform is an essential part of any good social media strategy. And to make the most of your time on Facebook, you should schedule posts. Here’s why:

1. It improves engagement

Social media is all about consistency. Publishing automated Facebook posts allows you to post when your followers expect new content, even when you’re busy. And when followers become accustomed to your schedule, they’re more likely to be online when you post, boosting comments, likes and shares.

Automation also allows you to cater to your audience and upload content when they’re online – it’s a symbiotic relationship. Posting when followers are at work or asleep will push your content down their feeds, but scheduling during their downtime is a recipe for strong engagement. For example, if your target audience is teachers, it may be wise to post outside school hours during the week and more frequently on weekends.

2. It optimizes your time

Unless you’re a professional social media manager, you likely don’t have the time to post at all hours. Scheduling Facebook posts eliminates the tedious work of manually timing your uploads and means your limited on-screen availability doesn’t hinder your social media game.

Instead of rushing to create and post content multiple times a week, scheduling allows you to brainstorm, plan and draft content well in advance. This is especially useful if you have to write long copy or create engaging visuals for your posts. Set aside a block of time every so often to map out your social media goals and create upcoming posts, then schedule them to upload until you have time to make new content.

3. It complements your content strategy

A great Facebook presence is calculated – that means making informed and intentional content decisions rather than uploading willy-nilly.

Scheduling your content allows you to stay organized and on top of your content strategy. No more late-night posts or missed windows. When you find what works for your audience, you can tweak future posts with ease instead of scrambling to catch up.

How to schedule Facebook posts with Meta Business Suite

Meta Business Suite allows you to schedule content in advance on your computer or mobile device. Here’s how:

Schedule a Facebook post on desktop

When you don’t have the Facebook app to publish content, you can use your desktop. Begin by logging in to your Facebook account on your web browser, then:

1. Select “Pages” at the top left corner of the sidebar menu.
2. Click on “Meta Business Suite.” (Alternatively, you can go directly to business.facebook.com and log in to your account.)
3. In the left sidebar menu, click on “Planner,” then “Schedule” and select “Schedule post.” Set a specific date and time or choose one of the recommended options in “Active times.”
4. Click “Save” in the bottom right corner and create your post.
5. Select “Schedule post” at the bottom right when it's complete.

Schedule a Facebook post on mobile

Before you can schedule posts on mobile, you need to download the Meta Business Suite app. Here’s how to schedule posts from there:

1. Go to the Meta Business Suite app and log in to your account.
2. In the app’s bottom bar, tap the plus icon (+) and tap on “Post.”
3. Choose the page you want to post, write your caption and tap on “Next.”
4. Once on the “Review” page, tap on “Schedule for later.”
5. Choose the date and time, then tap on “Schedule.”

Third-part applications

While Meta Meta Business Suite is useful, it has its limits. If you’re looking for a robust platform to manage your Facebook posts, a number of third-party social media tools also allow scheduling. Here are a few:

• Sprout Social. This platform is excellent for managing and scheduling Facebook posts with multiple team members. Sprout Social allows you to track each post through each stage of your workflow, from brainstorming to the final product. You can even require approval at predetermined progress checkpoints before a piece of content is published to ensure quality and consistency.
• Loomly. Loomly helps you plan your social strategy every step of the way. The tool boasts content ideas, unlimited calendars, and the ability to schedule posts down to the finest details.
• Hootsuite. This tool is both powerful and beginner-friendly. You can use Hootsuite to schedule posts, monitor brand perception, collaborate with team members, and dig into analytics to inform the direction of your content.

How to make the most out of scheduled posts

When done right, scheduling posts ahead of time increases your chances of achieving your social media goals. Here are some tips for using Facebook’s scheduling feature effectively:

Create a content calendar

Plan out content methodically. What dates and times will you post this month? Do you have any seasonal or promotional content to incorporate into your feed? Are you extra busy during a particular week?

A strong content calendar lays out every detail of your posts for the month (or other chosen time frame). That way, you know exactly what content to create and schedule in advance. If you’re struggling to create your first calendar, use a social media management tool to help you organize content planning and posting.

Know your audience

Although it may be tempting to try and reach as many people as possible, the most successful brands and businesses know who their true audiences are and use content to speak directly to them. To narrow in on this group, consider who your content appeals to. Are you a food blogger speaking to fellow foodies? Or maybe a bike store tailored to beginners? Once you’ve identified who you’re trying to reach, position your content so it’s more likely to resonate with your intended audience.

Use analytics

An effective posting schedule shouldn’t be based on guesswork. Facebook Insights provides in-depth information about your page’s performance, showing you factors such as the age of your audience, the type of posts they prefer and the best day and time to post content on Facebook. This data helps you understand what and when to publish to optimize engagement.

FAQs about scheduled posts

Still have questions about how to schedule a Facebook post? Here are the answers to common queries.

Can I schedule content on all of my Facebook pages or groups at once?

Meta Business Suite currently doesn’t allow you to schedule posts on all your Facebook pages simultaneously – you need to schedule posts one page at a time.

Why can't I schedule a post on Facebook?

To schedule posts on Facebook, you must have a business page – not a personal account. Additionally, Facebook will not allow you to schedule posts more than 75 days in advance.

Is scheduling a post with Meta Business Suite free?

Yes. As long as you have a business page – which is free to set up – scheduling posts with Meta Business Suite comes at no cost.

Can I schedule content on multiple social media platforms through Meta Business Suite?

Yes and no. Meta Business Suite only allows you to schedule content on Meta’s two social media platforms: Facebook and Instagram. However, you can schedule the same post to be published on both platforms.

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