Best Times to Post on Social Media
Most of us are on social media posting every day.
Whether it be on Facebook or Instagram, did you know that there are specific posting times that have been proven to get more engagement?
Especially with Instagram and Facebook’s new algorithms, it’s now more important than ever to pay attention to the timing of our posts.
Here are 4 great tips to determine the best times to post on social media so you can get maximum reach and engagement on your Social Media posts.
1.) Figure Out Your Target Audience
Before you figure out what the best time for posting is, you need to figure out who your target follower demographics are.
If you are posting content for adults, many of them work typical 9-5 jobs. This means that during the working hours of the day, they won’t be on social media.
It’s more likely that these adults will check their social media in the morning before work if they have time, and if not, in the early evening when they get home from work.
Teenagers and young adults, on the other hand, are more likely to stay up late, and they have been proven to be more active on Instagram during the later hours of the day.
Many of them, especially college kids, might also be at school during the day.
Once you figure out who you are targeting, it becomes easier to decide the best times for posting on social media.
2.) Take Timezone Differences Into Consideration
Chances are you have followers from all different areas of the world.
However, it has been statistically proven that there are more North Americans on social media compared to any other country.
However, even within the United States, there are many different time zones.
When it’s 7:00 pm your time, it might be 10:00 pm for someone else.
The best way to figure out what areas your followers are in is to look at your statistic demographics, which you can see if you have an Instagram Business account.
If you haven’t switched to an Instagram business account yet, stay tuned for a future article with instructions on how to do so.
3.) Pay Attention to Engagement
You don’t need to have an Instagram business account to do pay attention to engagement.
The next time you post in the morning, compare the engagement on that post to a different post that you made in the evening.
If you notice that your posts in the morning get more likes and comments to your nighttime posts, continue doing that!
4.) Best Times According to Studies and Polls
Through many studies and polls, it was found that in general, there are two best times to post on social media.
This includes lunchtime (11:00 am-1:00 pm) and evenings (7:00 pm to (9:00 pm).
These times were figured out based on when users are the most active on social media, and what times posts get the most likes and comments.
If you post during the times when people are most active on social media, there is a higher chance that they will see your post right away.
To figure out a time that works best for you, you could always switch between posting around lunchtime and evenings to see what performs better.
Or, you could just do both! You don’t have to choose one specific time to post every day, it’s just nice to know what the best times to post are.
If you are busy during lunchtimes or the evening, you could always schedule your Instagram and Facebook posts in advance so it will post automatically.
We use Post Planner to schedule our Facebook, Twitter posts and Later for our Instagram posts.
The Take-Home Message
If you are wondering what the official best times to post on social media are, it’s evenings (7-9 pm) or lunchtime (11-1 pm).
However, just because this is the best time for other people does not mean that it will be the best time for you.
If you have found that when you post at 4 pm your posts get a higher engagement rate compared to anything else, please continue doing that!
There is no “right” time to post. No matter what the research says, you are the only one who truly knows when your followers are most active and when your posts perform best.
So let’s hear from you. Comment below on what works for you when it comes to the best times to post on social media.
