This is probably the biggest question everyone asks themselves when creating their social media posting plan.
I’ll get right to the point; there is no single BEST time to post on social media. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. If it was that easy, everyone would be doing it, and where’s the variety in that? While the optimal times of day to post on social media may help you attract more attention, the actual fate of the post lies in the quality of the content you provide and what you know about your target audience. It’s best to use these times as a starting point to give your content the best possible chance of success. Whenever you put real effort into creating outstanding content that converts, you want it to be seen by as many viewers as possible. Specific timeslots may see more engagement than others, and this is an important thing to consider when putting together your social media marketing strategy.
Posting your content at the ‘right’ time on social media is not the secret ingredient for success.
If there was a secret ingredient, it would be engagement.
I’m talking likes, comments, shares, and clicks on your posts. The algorithms that rank the feed of every social media platform use audience engagement as signals to predict how much their users want to see specific content. When your content generates lots of engagement, the algorithm flags it as “worthy” which helps it to be shown to more people who will also enjoy it. The algorithm constantly changes to better organize its paid and organic posts. This allows viewers to easily see what the algorithm feels they want to see when they are logged on. The more engagement your content gets, the more likely it is to appear in newsfeeds and the more viewers you are going to receive.
So how does knowing the best time to post on social media play a role in all of this?
Because it all flows together to help your business reach its goals.
- Post at the right time
- Maximize your engagement
- Get noticed by the algorithm
- Show up in more viewer feeds
- Gain more followers who potentially turn into new clients or customers
- Grow your business
Ultimately, the best time to post on social media depends on your audience and when they are the most active.
Each social media platform has its own demographics and usage pattern.
There are days and times that your audience is rarely on social media as well as days and times when they are most active. It’s important as a business to know your audience’s most active times and post when you are confident viewers are logging into their platforms. Understanding which days and times are best for you to post allows you to better target your audience. Maybe your audience is more active in the early morning or evening hours because it’s more accessible through their cell phone, rather than the computer. Maybe they are more active during the mid-day hours during their lunch break.
When planning the best time to post on social media based on your audience, analyze your audience demographics, online behavior, and active times to determine the best days and hours to post content that aligns with their schedule. You can use your platform’s analytics tools to see when your followers and viewers are most engaged and adjust your posting times accordingly.
Here are a few more things to consider when it comes to the best time to post on social media.
Define your target audience.
AND get to know them. The more you understand about your ideal audience’s demographics, interests, and online habits the more successful you will be in making sure your content reaches them. Knowing your target audience means you can align it with your social media goals. Here are some audience scenarios to consider:
- Professional audience: If your audience primarily consists of working professionals, the best time to post on social media is typically during the early morning & afternoon hours of the workweek. This is because most professionals are checking their social media at work during their breaks or early in the mornings before they leave for the day or when they first arrive.
- Global audience: If you have a global audience, consider posting at various times throughout the mid-morning hours during the weekday. This timeframe generally captures a large portion of the world’s active online populations. You may also consider posting in the evening depending on the products and/or services your sell and your audience’s behavior.
- Younger audience: If your target demographic is a younger audience, you may find more engagement later on in the afternoons, evenings and on weekends. These are prime hours when this demographic is most likely to be actively scrolling through their phones, often outside of school or work hours.
Analyze your audience data.
Like I mentioned above, the best way to do this is by using your social media platform’s analytics to see when your audience is most active on the platform. This includes peak hours and days. Knowing this information can help you better understand when the best time is to post on social media for your target audience.
Be sure to consider time zones.
If you have a diverse global audience across different time zones, the best time to post on social media needs to align with where they are. Due to different time zones, posting at a single “best time” won’t reach everyone optimally, so consider planning your posting times to reach a wider group throughout the day to capture various audiences.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with posting times.
Again, nothing about posting on social media is one-size-fits-all. You need to stay open-minded and be willing to test different posting times to see what works best for your audience. Then, you need to optimize your schedule based on the results. Don’t be afraid to check out accounts similar to yours on social media to see what’s working for them. If they’re getting tons of engagement by posting on a Friday afternoon, give it a try!
As you can see, the best time to post on social media is all over the map.
You’ll need to figure out the posting schedule that works for your needs. Consistency is key to a successful social media posting schedule. Aim to post regularly and at consistent times to maintain audience engagement. Ensure that your content is relevant to your audience’s interests and aligns with when they are the most active. And be sure to continuously monitor your analytics and adjust your posting schedules as needed based on your audiences’ response. Remember, viewers become new clients and customers. They may start sharing your products and/or services with others and also make it a point to come back to your platform frequently. Why do they keep coming back? Because they trust that they are going to see new content and they are confident that you are going to provide it.
