This Morning, the Afternoon, Tonight? When Is the Best Time to Post on Social?
To post or not to post, that is the question. Well, of course, you should post, but when?
Exactly when is the best time to post on social media and your website? It’s definitely a question that we think of when we create our content. From developing your social media posts to adding to your blog page online, we invest valuable time in producing great captivating pieces that we hope results in shareable content. Which is why understanding the best times to post online can help drive performance level.
Here are some suggestions:
Facebook
What is the best time to post on Facebook? 12-4 PM
Most of the latest research suggests that if you want eyeballs, clicks, and comments on your content, you’ll want to post to Facebook between high noon and 4 in the afternoon.
Maybe everyone should be hard at work then, but who are we to judge? Studies I’ve seen consulted showed that Facebook usage and engagement peaks during early- to mid-afternoon hours.
The best day(s) to post: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
The week is almost over and everyone is feeling pretty good. Not only do Fridays account for 17% of all Facebook comments and 16% of all likes and shares, but they also have the highest happiness index of any day of the week at 10%.
User engagement is at an overall high on Fridays, particularly for brands, but Thursdays are a close second.
A recent study by Unmetric found that the number of interactions per post was highest on Wednesdays for brands, although brands post less on Wednesdays on average. So, if you want a great engagement rate, try posting on Wednesdays more often too.
Instagram
What is the best time to post on Instagram? 11 AM-1 PM, 5 PM
Your best bet on Instagram is to plan around peoples’ workdays. Users scroll through images, videos, and Stories on the platform for bits of content they can engage with during the moments they’re not hard at work.
Lunchtime is a peak time for user engagement on IG. Instagram posts published right after working hours tend to get more engagement as well. Many users are checking their feeds on their commutes home or while slowly melting into their couches after work, so aim to push out content whenever most of your target audience are done with their jobs for the day.
The best day(s) to post: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Wednesday is the peak of the week, and it’s also the peak day to post to Instagram if you’re looking to rack up clicks, favorites, and comments. All other weekdays except Tuesdays tend to have solid engagement rates too.
Twitter
What is the best time to post on Twitter? 12 PM, 5-6 PM
Twitter is perfect for posting content when people get a break from their fast-paced days.
With that in mind, it makes sense that engagement with brands’ Twitter posts peaks at noon when everyone’s having lunch and from 5 to 6 PM, right after people clock out from their jobs.
The best day(s) to post: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Generally, putting out Twitter content during the workweek will be your best bet, especially if you’re in the B2B sector. By Friday, a lot of people have already zoned out—and Saturday and Sunday tend to be even worse in terms of Twitter interactions.
Twitter usage and engagement is especially high on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so keep that in mind when planning your next post. Plus, Wednesdays generate the highest clickthrough rates and the greatest number of retweets of any day of the week.
LinkedIn
What is the best time to post on LinkedIn? 8 AM, 12 PM, 5-6 PM
LinkedIn sees the most clicks, shares, and comments occur right before work, after work, and during lunch.
The best day(s) to post: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
People prefer to check their LinkedIn feeds during the week rather than over the weekend. Plus, posts made on Mondays and Fridays just don’t get as much engagement as posts published during the middle of the week.
Maybe people are tired on Mondays and by Friday they’re already dreaming of the weekend.
Whatever the reason for these trends, you should focus your LinkedIn content strategy on the dead center of the week. Tuesdays, in particular, generate the most clicks and shares on the network.
Getting in the zone
When should you post if you’re attempting to reach consumers or businesses in multiple time zones at once? One solution is to post at times that hit peak engagement hours in two or more time zones.
For example, if you want to reach consumers on Facebook at peak times in EST, CST, MST, and PST all at once, you could schedule your post for 4 pm EST. It will then appear in people’s feeds at 3 PM CST, 2 PM MST, and 1 PM PST—all optimal hours for posting.