Obviously, you can post on social media any time your heart desires. But businesses looking to get the maximum ROI should adhere to some best practices.
In this post, we’ll go through some of the research and expert opinions on this topic.
That said, always keep in mind that not every industry is the same, and you should always pay attention to what’s happening in the news cycle. You don’t want to seem out of touch by posting something flippant on social media on a day a tragedy unfolds.
And there are always exceptions to the suggestions. If you’re in the pizza business, any time there’s a football game is a great time to post. In fact, make your posts relevant to what’s happening in the game if possible.
Table of Contents
But Keep One Thing In Mind….
There is no perfect time.
Our concept of time, where and when we use technology, and when we connect with others has changed significantly due to pandemic.
For a while, our lives were digital 24/7.
Now, people are trying to separate from their devices more due to our increased knowledge about the mental health issues related to 24/7 connectivity.
Platforms have arrived, disappeared and rebranded too. Twitter is now X. TikTok is the platform of choice for younger audiences. Pintrist still has value, but only to very specific groups.
That said, there are still some guidelines to help you create content and plan when to post it.
Does the Timing of Posts on Social Media Matter?
Yes. You want people to see posts in real time, ideally. But if that doesn’t happen (it may not), you want to keep algorithms in mind.
On all platforms, timeliness is one of the major elements that play a part in showing your post on social media feeds. The most recent posts are ranked higher on the feeds over hours, days or weeks old posts.
When you think logically about the times your audience is on social media, and do a little research, you can increase the chances for your audience to both see and engage with your posts.
However, this doesn’t mean you will crack the engagement code just by posting at the best times. You need quality content. That’s why at SEO Design Chicago we offer content creation for websites and social media. We know how fast people scroll, and what makes them actually take a closer look at a post. On social media, it’s all about multimedia – photos, videos, and graphics. We also know how to make links shoppable, or direct people to your website to further consider your products or services, or purchase them.
The best times of day to post on social media will help you grab the eyeballs, but from there, the quality of the content you provide to your audience is what makes them take the next step, or not.
Best Times to Post on All Social Media in General
According to research, the best time to post on social media depends on if it’s a weekday or weekend.
From there, this is what studies have found:
- Mondays from 10 a.m. to noon
- Tuesdays from 9am to 2pm
- Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Thursdays 9 a.m. to noon
- Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m.
In general, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are when people use social media the most. Sundays tend to be slower.
Let’s think about why. Mondays are the days we typically associate with the start of work and school. We all have some Monday dread though, so we’re a bit distracted at work and school. Social media is a short way to take a morning break.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays we want to see how people are doing during the week. We can also “research” for most jobs or classes using social media.
Thursdays and Fridays, we start to plan for weekend fun, and maybe reward ourselves for a long week of work by finding things to buy or do.
But these are very general rules. Each platform is different.
Who Uses What Platform
Facebook is one of the leading platforms with the largest audience, although the rate of people joining is slowing as TikTok rises. Facebook members tend to skew older, which is good if you sell products or services that require a fairly solid income. Some people share opinions on controversial topics on Facebook, while others post pictures of food and family fun. Others use Facebook groups to share insights into a specific interest, or sell stuff.
X, formerly Twitter, claims to have 556 million active monthly users. Some dispute that number. People use it more for debating issues than posting “fun” stuff.
LinkedIn is used by professionals and the working community. They use it anytime around the day, depending on the ease of work, breaks, etc. You want to keep your posts here professional, but they can still be fun. It’s a great way to establish that you are an expert in your field.
Instagram is probably the most controversy free of the platforms. It offers shoppable links, a boon for businesses who want to make as few steps as possible from impulse to completed purchase.
TikTok is used by everyone from kids (although they should be 13) to news organizations to law firms. Don’t discount this platform as its use is growing and is used as a search engine by younger people. Embrace video by practicing your skills on TikTok.
What are the Best Times to Post on Facebook?
Facebook is one of the most used social media platforms. According to the latest Facebook statistics, Facebook has 2.91 billion monthly users.
Posts between 1 pm-4 pm are considered to be ideal for the ones targeting more users.
Some experts go further, saying Wednesday at 3 pm is ideal, followed by Thursday and Friday between 1 pm-4 pm.
People shop on weekends. They do fun things like eat out. So businesses in these spaces should post on weekends too.
The worst time to post on Facebook is between 8 pm-8 am for the entire week. Obviously, this is when most people are winding down and sleeping. But if you’re in a field that appeals to night owls, this may not be true.
The only way to know what really works for you is to track and monitor your Facebook analytics to see when your audience and fans are online. You can do this by setting up a business Facebook account and accessing your Insights through your profile. It will show you where your audience lives, their age and many other insights, including what people like and share and click on.
What are the Best Times to Post on Instagram?
Of all the platforms, Instagram (and TikTok) have the most round the clock users.
According to social media statistics, about 6 in 10 Instagram users log in at least once daily. So this means that if you post once a per day on Instagram, your content should make an impression – even if the person just scrolls by it.
Experts say the best times to post on Instagram include weekdays between 6 am-9 am, 12 pm-2 pm, and 5 pm-6 pm. On weekends, posts between 9am-2pm gain the most traction.
Instagram also offers Insights, which you can access easily.
To view account insights:
- Go to your profile.
- Tap the Insights action button.
- You can also go to in the upper right corner, and tap Insights.
- Tap the metrics under the Overview section or specific content you’ve shared for a more detailed breakdown.
X, Formerly Known as Twitter
Of all the platforms, X probably collects the most data about users, so you can really get to know more about your target audience.
According to researchers, the best times to post on X are:
- From Monday to Friday, 9 am-3 pm
- Except for Wednesdays, posting at noon and between 5 pm-6 pm is ideal.
Of all the platforms, be sure to be mindful of world events before posting. People can jump fast on X, and share posts they deem inappropriate.
X offers advanced analytics for ads. They’re deeper than what other platforms offer, and they can be separated into users viewing your ads on mobile devices vs. laptops.
What are the Best Times to Post on YouTube?
You may be thinking, “Wait a second. YouTube isn’t a social media platform.”
But is that true? You can comment on videos, share them, like them or dislike them.
It’s half social media, half search engine
With more than 2.6 billion active users, Youtube has become the second most-used social media/search engine platform in the world.
The best time to post on Youtube on weekdays is between 2 and 4 p.m.
On weekends, later is better, sometime after 7p.m.
Speaking of video, we can’t forget…
What are the Best Times to Post on TikTok?
Appealing to a younger audience that will one day have immense purchasing power, TikTok has drastically changed the social media marketing landscape.
Optimizing your posting time improves the chances of your posts getting seen, liked and shared in the “For You” section.
Fridays at 5 am and between 1 pm-3 pm are great times to post on TikTok.
Weekends are great too, especially all day Saturday.
What are the Best Times to Post on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is largely professional, so you’ll get the most attention during working hours.
That said, work hours vary by industry. And now that there are so many WFH, work is a lot longer than it used to be.
That said, the best times to post on Linkedin are on Tuesdays between 10 am-11 am.
LinkedIn itself suggests not to post late at night or on weekends, but they likely mean that for traditional jobs. .
We can teach you more about how to schedule posts in advance using various tools. Reach out to chat.
Contact Us Today!