In a word, Yes. Don’t wait. Do it today.

Sharing Instagram content to Facebook will improve your reach and ultimately get more eyes on your posts. In fact, we feel so strongly about it, we want you to go to Instagram’s Help Center to learn how to link your brand’s Instagram account to a Facebook Page that you manage. Seriously. Like, today.

But before you do, here are a few reasons why it’s a good idea and some tips to consider to get the best results by creating a positive experience for your customers and fans.

First, know that there are no hard and fast rules that dictate what kind of content Facebook favors.

Getting eyes on your posts is a complicated balance of posting and sharing content that fans engage with, plus a range of other factors like time of day, how many of your fans are online, trending topics and what kind of reputation you have established to date.

While what’s considered engaging can vary dramatically between one business’s fanbase and another’s, there’s no ignoring the overall lift brands get by sharing Instagram posts to its parent network of 1.71 billion users.

Case in point, Peoples Flowers in Albuquerque, NM started sharing images from Instagram to their Facebook page in June. In that short time, and with no real change in their media mix besides the addition of Instagram, their reach has increased by almost 65%.

With a fanbase of 9400 that grows by +/- 150 per month, Peoples is now reaching over 6500 per week – up from under 4000 in June and only 2000 in May.

Besides boosted posts, 7 of Peoples’ top 10 posts with the most likes were images shared to Facebook from Instagram. Long/short, Peoples’ peeps like this content and Facebook is rewarding them for giving the people what they want.

So how to make the most of this opportunity?

Frequency

After you link your Instagram to your Facebook business page, mind the frequency and timing of your posts. Don’t blast people with 10 shots all at once. If you can’t choose between 3-5 of the most amazing pics ever, collage them with a cool app on your phone.

When you’re just starting, go for once a day. Then work up to twice, maybe morning and evening, and then observe results. The response you get via likes and follows will dictate how well you’re doing. You could also opt to only push select content to Facebook if you find you just gotta ‘Gram more than the Facebook community will bear.

Timing

If you are in the moment, and something special is taking place, by all means post it then if it’s a reasonable time. But be strategic. The event you’re working may be rocking at 11:47 p.m. but you may not be as likely to get the best bang for you buck at that time. Check your Facebook insights to see when your fans are most active and post it then. And be sure to tag the location so everyone can see it’s local. Posts with a location receive 79% more engagement.

Be A Pro

Make sure your profile is optimized. 50% of Instagrammers follow brands, so make sure your Instagram account name reflects the name of your business and be sure to link to your website through your profile. Over 1/3 of Instagram users have used their mobile to purchase a product online, making them 70% more likely to do so that non-users. So help them find where they can buy from you, and put the link in a logical place.

Network

Networking and community is an integral part of building your business on Instagram. Once you have a decent representation of your brand, follow as many friends, neighboring businesses and industry partners as possible. They will likely follow you back. The wider your audience the farther your posts will go. Posts that include another handle gain 56% more engagement so tag your partners in your posts.

Use Hashtags

Hashtags make it possible for you to be discovered in search and potentially reach new fans who could become customers. You should definitely use them in your posts.

We suggest a combination of terms that include your business name, your city, a location, a trend, a popular topic or product line. A few examples are #AlbuquerqueWeddings #WeddingsInBloom #HappyMonday #FridayFlowers #SundaySunflowers but you can get way more creative and have a little fun. Check out Hashtags to Watch on Instagram’s Inspiration page.

The Take Away

With 90% of Instagram users under the age of 35 voraciously exploring a visually-driven landscape that offers 10 times higher engagement than Facebook, it only makes sense for businesses who sell beautiful products to show them on Instagram and share them to Facebook. So make the time to do it.

Behind the scenes images that capture the essence of your style, your company’s culture, your employees’ personalities, custom work that needs a place to shine, businesses and events you support – show it all on Instagram and start showing your customers content that tells your story.

**The stats in this post come from a Brandwatch article posted May 6, 2016.