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Timing is everything in social media marketing. What you post, when you post it, and how often you post can make or break your success on these channels. In general, Hootsuite has found that the best time to post on any platform is 10 AM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. This matters heavily on your industry/vertical, your target audience, and your individual following. We recommend doing your own research but it’s also good to know the averages.
Let’s go over some of the top platforms and the best time to post on each:
Facebook is a great platform for businesses to connect with their customers. It’s also the perfect place to share news and updates about your company. The best time to post on Facebook depends on your target audience and what you’re trying to achieve. Generally, though, posts published between 8 AM and 12 PM on Tuesday and Thursdays tend to get the most engagement. According to Statusbrew, posting at 1 PM will get you the most shares while publishing at 3 PM will get you the most clicks.
Instagram is a visual social media platform that’s perfect for businesses with a lot of images and videos to share. The best time to post on Instagram depends on your target audience, but most studies show that posts published at 11 AM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays get the most engagement.
Reels, however, are best posted at 8 a.m. on Tuesdays, 11 a.m. on Thursdays, and 4 a.m. on Fridays. It’s good to keep in mind though that the algorithm for Reels favors timing just as much as it does consistency so it’s important to post regularly.
Since Stories last 24 hours, timing is less important with these but it’s still important to try and capitalize on posting during the weekdays and during business hours for more engagement during peak hours.
Twitter is a great platform for real-time conversations and news updates. The best time to post on Twitter depends on your target audience and the type of content you’re sharing. For example, tweets containing images receive 18% more clicks than those without images. As such, tweets with images are best posted at 8 AM on Mondays and Thursdays.
TikTok
TikTok is a rapidly growing social media platform that’s perfect for businesses with a younger target audience. The best time to post on TikTok depends on your target age group and when they’re most active on the app. Generally, posts published at 9 AM on Tuesday, 12 PM on Thursday, and 5 AM on Friday on TikTok had the highest levels of engagement.
LinkedIn is a great platform for business networking and thought leadership. The best time to post on LinkedIn depends on the type of content you’re sharing. For example, posts that are published during weekday business hours tend to get more views and engagement than those published on weekends. Some marketers even suggest avoiding posting on LinkedIn on the weekends at all costs.
In addition, posts that are published during the morning or evening tend to get more views than those published during the afternoon. The best time, however, is right as people are settling down at work at 9 AM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Pinterest is a great platform for visual content and inspiration. The best time to post on Pinterest depends on the type of content you’re sharing. For example, if you’re sharing infographics, the best time to post is between 8 PM and 11 PM on Wednesdays.
On the other hand, if you’re sharing blog posts, the best time to post is between 8 PM and 11 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. This is because people are more likely to be browsing the internet for content during these hours. The worst time to post anything on Pinterest is between 5 PM and 7 PM on weekdays.
How To Do Research On The Best Time To Post For Your Business
The best way to find out what times work best for your business is to experiment and track the results. Try posting at different times of day and on different days of the week to see what gets the most engagement from your target audience. Once you’ve found a pattern, stick with it! And, be sure to keep an eye on your analytics so that you can continue to fine-tune your strategy.
Here are some things to keep in mind when trying to identify the best timing for your audience:
- Where is your audience located?
- What time is your audience awake?
- What are your audience’s habits?
- How often do you want to post?
- What is your audience’s preferred communication channel?
Tools To Help You Time Your Posts
There are a number of tools that can help you time your posts for maximum engagement. Hootsuite’s Insights tool, for example, provides detailed analytics about the best time to post on various social media platforms. Sprout Social’s ViralPost tool also helps you identify the best time to publish your content based on real-time engagement data. And, if you’re looking for a more general overview of when most people are online, check out this handy chart from CoSchedule. Even Facebook and Instagram’s built-in tools allow you to predict maximum engagement times.
The Bottom Line: Timing Matters
The best time to post on social media depends on your target audience and what you’re trying to achieve. However, there are some general guidelines that you can follow to ensure that you’re reaching your audience at the best time. Keep these tips in mind as you develop your social media marketing strategy!
Still have questions about the best time to post on social media? Reach out to EYStudios and we’ll be happy to help with any of your social media marketing needs.