Best times to post on social media
One of the most frequently asked questions I received when I managed multiple brands’ social media profiles was: What’s the best time to post to social media?
It’s an innocent question but it’s one that makes most social media managers want to laugh as there’s no simple answer. Well, the simple answer is: It depends.
Fortunately, most social media channels specifically tell you when your audience is online and more likely to engage with your content. That’s when you should be posting! Even if every social media blog is telling you that 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday is the time to post to Facebook, if your insights show that your particular audience is checking in at 11 a.m., you better be posting at 10:59 a.m.
Use your own data to understand when you should be posting to social media and run tests with your posting times! Maybe you want to see if posting at 11 a.m. on Wednesdays is better than posting at 3 p.m. When you run a social media test, you’ll want to:
- Track your results
- Give your tests enough time to be conclusive
- Share similar content types and posts to not skew the results
If you’re just starting out with social media and want to follow some general guidelines of when you should be posting, try to follow the schedules listed below.
When are the best times to post on social media?
- Facebook: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 – 11 a.m.
- Instagram: Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Twitter: Wednesday and Friday 7 – 9 a.m.
- LinkedIn: Wednesday at 3 p.m., Thursday 9 – 10 a.m., Friday 11 a.m. to noon
How often should you be posting to social media?
- Facebook: 1-2 times per day
- Instagram: 1-2 times per day
- Twitter: 5-10 times per day
- LinkedIn: 1 post per day or every other day
Optimize your social media posts
Get the most mileage out of each post by optimizing them correctly so they perform better in the long run and reach new audiences.
- Hashtags: Use appropriate hashtags on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to help people find your posts
- Graphics: Use images or GIFs with your post to capture people’s attention. When sharing links to blog posts or webpages, each social media network should be able to pull in an accompanying graphic from the website
- Use keywords: Optimize your copy with keywords for people who scan their social media posts
- Use a CTA: Tell your followers what they should do! Whether that’s clicking the link to learn more, signing up for something, entering a contest, or taking advantage of a special offer
Have any other great social media tips and tricks? Share them in the comments below!
