Social media is a great way to boost your brand’s reach and share your services and products through content. However, you can’t just post and expect the likes, shares, and clicks to come rolling in. There are some times of the day that are better for posting than others, so we’ll be looking at the best time to post on social media for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
If not already asking yourself, you’re certainly now wondering what time is the best time to post on social media networks.
Well, there isn’t a definite answer because different people use social media networks differently and more heavily at different times of the day. Also, bear in mind that some of your audience will be online outside of the peak/best times to post. Your individual best time depends on the social media platform, the target audience, region and time zones, and your marketing goals.
Fortunately the data is out there and the best times to post on social media has been studied by CoSchedule, Buffer, Quintly, and others. Helpful lists have been created for posting based on current industry trends. The industries analyzed include:
- B2B
- B2C
- Software
- Media
- Healthcare
- Higher Education
Go ahead and bookmark this post as quick reference when you need to be remembered about the optimal posting times for your accounts.
What is the Best Time to Post on Social Media?
The best times to post are different for each social media network and what type of audience you want to reach. What if you have a global audience? You’re not alone, this is a growing concern for many businesses today.
If targeting the U.S.A., almost half of the population lives in the Eastern Time Zone. Combine that time zone with the Central Time Zone and that accounts for about half of the country’s population. If you’re targeting the U.S., alternate between the two time zones.
If reaching audiences outside of the U.S., you might need to conduct some research to determine the best time and social media channels being used. Luckily, that data is available from multiple sources. You can get started with the Global Social Media Research Summary from Smart Insights and We Are Social’s annually published Digital Global Overview.
Best Time to Post on Instagram
Instagram is a mobile device focused social media platform. In the United States, about 60% of users use the app daily. However, most engage with posts outside of working hours and not during the workday.
- Across all industries, analysis shows that the best times to post are on Wednesdays at 11 AM and Fridays between 10 AM and 11 AM. This means users are most active during lunch.
- Wednesday is the overall best time to post to Instagram.
- Sunday sees the least engagement of the week.
- The late night and early morning hours of 11 PM to 3 AM has the lowest daily engagement.
Best Time to Post on Facebook
Facebook has a wide ranging audience that access the platform on both desktops and mobile devices. Usage also varies widely across an audience.
- Across all industries the best time to post is on Wednesday between the hours of 11 AM and 1 PM. This is when people are on their lunch break.
- Sunday has the least engagement.
- Weekdays from 9 AM to 3 PM sees regular engagement and is a safe time to post.
- Daily engagement is quiet before 7 AM and after 5 PM.
Best Time to Tweet on Twitter
Similar to Facebook, Twitter is used on desktops and mobile devices, and also like Facebook the usage varies widely cross audiences. Twitter users typically use the platform like an RSS feed and peek at recent posts during downtimes.
- The best times to post on Twitter are Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 AM.
- The two days with the most engagement throughout the day are Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- Monday through Friday and between the hours of 8 AM and 4 PM are safe times to post and get engagement.
- Every day between 10 PM and 4 AM Twitter is at its lowest engagement levels.
Best Time to Post to LinkedIn
In the U.S., about 25% of adults are on LinkedIn for professional purposes. This means that users are online and active during weekdays and working hours.
The user count for LinkedIn is smaller than other social media platforms, but its user focus is ideal for some industries, especially B2B.
- LinkedIn sees its highest engagement mid-week on Wednesdays at 9 to 10 AM and then again at 12 PM. Wednesday is overall the best day for posting in general.
- Tuesday through Friday between the hours of 8 AM and 2 PM are safe for reliable engagement.
- As can likely be expected, Sunday is the least engaged day of the week. Daily, the lowest engagement is found between 9 PM to 3 AM because professionals are likely sleeping during those hours.
There you go, the best times to post on social media for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Keep in mind that you audience might differ from the times discussed in this post. Each audience has its own unique characteristics. Also, if you have a video or podcast that’s shared every Saturday at 10 AM and your audience knows the schedule, don’t change the time. You and your audience have an agreement; don’t break their trust.
Let’s Talk About Your Brand
shane@3catslabs.com | Call +65-3159-4231
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