By the end of this tutorial, you'll have:
- A free Buffer account connected to your Facebook, Instagram, and other social profiles
- A posting schedule tailored to your business (3–5 posts per week is plenty to start)
- Your first week of posts already written and queued up
- The Buffer mobile app set up so you can add posts from your phone in 2 minutes
- A simple routine to batch all your social media in one weekly session
What you'll need: A Buffer account (free), your Facebook Page login, your Instagram Business account (or Creator account), and 30 minutes. That's it.
What is Buffer, and why should you care?
Buffer is a social media scheduler. Think of it as a post office for your social media, you write all your posts in one place, tell Buffer when to send them, and then it posts them automatically at the right time, even if you're busy with customers.
Without Buffer, you have to remember to post every single day, open Instagram or Facebook, write something, post it, then do the same thing tomorrow. Most business owners either post sporadically (which hurts your reach) or burn out and stop posting altogether.
With Buffer, you sit down once a week, write 5–7 posts, schedule them, and you're done. Your social media runs itself for the whole week while you focus on your actual business.
Buffer works with Facebook Pages, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, and Google Business Profile. The free plan covers 3 channels, perfect for most small businesses starting out.
Ready to stop posting manually every day?
Buffer's free plan lets you connect 3 social accounts and schedule up to 10 posts per channel. No credit card required.
Try Buffer Free →Affiliate link, we earn a commission if you upgrade. Free plan is genuinely free forever.
How to Set Up Buffer in 30 Minutes
Create your free Buffer account
Go to buffer.com and click "Get started for free." You can sign up with your email address, Google account, or Facebook. Pick whichever is easiest, it takes about 60 seconds.
When Buffer asks what you want to do, select "Publish" (that's the scheduling tool). You can ignore the other features for now.
Screenshot: Buffer homepage with "Get started for free" button highlighted
Connect your social media accounts
After signing up, Buffer will walk you through connecting your channels. Click "Connect a channel" and pick your first social network. For most small businesses, start with Facebook Page and Instagram Business.
For Facebook: Buffer will ask you to log in to Facebook and grant permissions to your Page. This is safe, you're just allowing Buffer to post on your behalf.
For Instagram: You need an Instagram Business account (not a personal account) to schedule posts automatically. If you have a personal account, you can convert it to a Business account for free in Instagram's settings in about 2 minutes.
Screenshot: Buffer "Connect a channel" screen with Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn options visible
Set your posting schedule
Click on one of your connected channels, then click "Posting Schedule." This is where you tell Buffer when you want to post each week.
Buffer will suggest times based on general best practices, but here's a simple starting schedule that works well for most local businesses:
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 9am, people check social media at the start of the workday
- Friday at 12pm, great for weekend specials or promotions
- Saturday at 10am, high engagement for local businesses
You can always add or remove time slots later. Start simple, 3 to 5 posts per week is plenty.
Screenshot: Buffer Posting Schedule with days of week and time slots visible
Write and schedule your first week of posts
Click the blue "New Post" button. You'll see a text box where you write your post, and on the left, you can choose which channels to post to. Type your post content, add a photo (drag and drop works), and click "Add to Queue."
Buffer will automatically slot it into your next open time in the posting schedule. Keep writing posts until you have your whole week covered, this usually takes 15–20 minutes once you get into a rhythm.
Screenshot: Buffer post composer with text box, image upload area, and channel selectors
5 post ideas to get you started:
- A before/after photo of a job you completed this week
- A customer testimonial (ask permission first, or use anonymized feedback)
- A tip related to your industry ("3 signs your pipes need attention before winter")
- A behind-the-scenes photo of your team or workspace
- A promotion, offer, or announcement ("Book before April 30 and save 15%")
Download the Buffer mobile app
Search for "Buffer" in the App Store or Google Play and install the free app. Log in with the same account you just created.
The mobile app is great for capturing moments in the moment, you finish a job, snap a photo, open Buffer, write a quick caption, and add it to your queue. It takes less than 2 minutes. The post will go out at your next scheduled time automatically.
Screenshot: Buffer mobile app showing the post queue with photos and captions
Check your analytics after 2 weeks
After you've had 2 weeks of scheduled posts, click "Analytics" in the left sidebar. Buffer will show you which posts got the most likes, comments, and reach.
Look for patterns: Did the tip posts outperform the before/after photos? Did Friday posts get more engagement than Tuesday ones? Use this information to make more of what's working and less of what isn't.
Screenshot: Buffer Analytics dashboard showing post reach and engagement metrics
Buffer Plans, What Do You Actually Need?
The free plan is genuinely generous. Most small business owners use it for 6–12 months before needing to upgrade.
| Plan | Price | Social Channels | Posts Queued | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free FREE | $0/month | 3 channels | 10 per channel | Getting started, 1-person businesses |
| Essentials BEST VALUE | $6/month per channel | Unlimited | 2,000 per channel | Growing businesses, 3–5 channels |
| Team | $12/month per channel | Unlimited | 2,000 per channel | Businesses with multiple team members |
For most local businesses with 3 channels (Facebook, Instagram, Google Business Profile), the Essentials plan is $18/month total. That's less than a tank of gas and saves you 5–10 hours per month of manual posting time.
How a Salon Owner in Denver Went From "No Time for Social" to 3× Instagram Followers
Priya owns a salon in Denver. She knew she needed to post on Instagram but could never find the time, she'd go 3 weeks without posting, then panic-post 5 things in one day. Her follower count was stuck at 340 for two years.
She set up Buffer on a Sunday afternoon, connected her Instagram and Facebook, and scheduled 5 posts for the coming week (before-and-afters from her camera roll, a tip about hair care, and a "meet the team" post). Then she did the same thing the next Sunday. And the next.
Start scheduling your social media today
Buffer's free plan is all you need to get started. Connect 3 channels, schedule your first week, and see how much easier social media gets when you batch it all at once.
Get Buffer Free →Affiliate link, we may earn a commission if you upgrade. Free plan never expires.
Buffer vs. Hootsuite, Which Is Better for Small Business?
Both tools schedule social media posts. Here's the honest difference:
For a plumber, dentist, restaurant, or salon, Buffer is the right choice. It's simpler, cheaper, and has everything you actually need. See our full Buffer vs. Hootsuite comparison →
3 Tips to Get More Out of Buffer
- Use the "Best Time to Post" suggestion. In your posting schedule, Buffer shows you a "Best Time" recommendation based on when your audience is active. Enable it for one channel and compare engagement to your manual times after a month.
- Connect your Google Business Profile. Buffer can post directly to your Google Business Profile, announcements, offers, event posts. Most businesses don't know this. It's a free way to keep your Google listing fresh and can improve your local search ranking.
- Create a simple content calendar in a notes app. Every Sunday, before opening Buffer, write down 5–7 post ideas in your phone's Notes app. A tip, a before/after, a customer spotlight, a seasonal promo, a question to your audience. Then go to Buffer and turn those ideas into scheduled posts. This 5-minute planning step makes the whole session faster.