When To Post On Social Media

The reach of your post is dependent on the level of activity of your audience at the time of posting. This means that posts that are published closer to the time that a user is actively using the system are more likely to be seen and hence liked, shared, re-tweeted, commented on, and actioned. So it is important to know when to post on social media.

When is the best time to post on social media?

The right time varies across different social media platforms. This is largely due to the types of people that are accessing the different platforms and what they are using them for. The best way to understand when to post content on your social media pages is to understand who your target audience is (i.e. who and where are they?) and what social media platform(s) they use.

The infographic below shows times where your posts are likely to get the most traction.

Infographic – Best Times to Post on Social Media

Facebook

Facebook is probably the most used platform at the moment. It has a large range of people and accessed consistency throughout the day. The data shows:

• Generally, the best time period to post is between 1 pm-4 pm.
• Primetime is 12 pm-1 pm on the weekends and 1 pm-4 pm on Thursday and Friday
• The worst time is before 8 am and after 9 pm

People are happier at the end of the working week, so make sure that your Friday posts are Upbeat and Funny. Users are more likely to like or share a post that is in line with their mood. Posting on Facebook at 3 PM gets the most amount of clicks whereas posting at 1 PM gets you the most amount of shares.

Twitter

Twitter is generally used during commutes (181% more likely). Hump day appears to be the best day to post on Twitter either at lunchtime or between 5-6 PM.

Business to Business companies have the most success during business hours. However, Business to Client Companies receive more interaction on the weekend.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is for professionals, so it makes sense that the platform is most commonly used during working hours. Before or After Work is the best time to make your posts.

• Monday and Friday are the worst days to post on LinkedIn as posts tend to have the lowest engagement.
• Tuesday to Thursday are the best days.
• Prime Time is 5 PM-6 PM

Instagram

Users tend to access Instagram during their off-hours.

• The best time to post on this site is between 8 AM-9 AM.
• Unlike the other platforms, 3 PM is the worst time to post on this platform.
• Videos posted at 9 PM get 34% more interaction
• The best Days to post are Monday and Thursday
• Sunday has the lowest engagement time, so avoid posting on this day.

Pinterest

This is a great example of where knowing your ideal client really helps. Pinterest has a very high number of female users. It is accessed during their downtime. So, 8 PM-11 PM is the best time to post on this platform. Saturday is the best day, although it is very dependent on the content you are posting about.

Conclusion

Timing is very important with social media. The above is a great starting point. However, it is important as with any marketing campaign to determine your target audience and understand your unique selling point.  Regular reviews are important to determine the effectiveness of your strategy. Make sure you take the time to understand how to use analytical tools available to determine the effectiveness of your campaigns. As always, our consultants are here to help if you need it.

Happy Posting xxx