What are the best times to post on social media?
Read Time: 5 Minutes
As a social media marketing agency, one question we constantly get asked is what is the best time to post on social media. With the social media landscape ever-changing, we have also questioned it ourselves and discussed it as a team.
Unfortunately, it is a bit of a grey area and something that depends on users, and as we know, the way users interact with content is transforming daily. With the arrival of new platforms like TikTok, it poses the question, when are people on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, the list goes on.
And this is essential since we need people to interact with our posts when they go up on social media. Otherwise, is there a point to posting? Therefore, it is really important to figure out the best times to post and try to keep to that.
So, when are they? Sprout Social recently shared a report for the best times to post content on social media for 2022. Let’s dive into this further below.
Why is timing important?
We mentioned this slightly above, but it only seems right to talk about it in a bit more depth. There are almost 4 billion people on social media across the globe. And these individuals are not exclusively using one platform either. Whether social media is a valuable asset for businesses can no longer be an argument when this is the kind of exposure opportunity available to you.
What’s more, there are so many reports and statistics available to prove exactly that. When it comes down to timing, it matters because you ultimately want as many people to see and interact with your content as possible. Let’s be straight; your team spent a lot of time on the graphics and the copy.
Not only that, but the more exposure means, the more potential customers you could have. If you are a furniture eCommerce store and you post a stunning reel of the different sofas you have for sale, people are likely to see it and question whether they need a sofa upgrade. In the best-case scenario, you get someone who is looking for a sofa just like the one you are selling.
You want to post your content at peak times so you can ramp up as much engagement as possible. It is smart marketing to know when your potential customers are logging on to social media so you can show them exactly what you have to offer. It can make a huge difference to your bottom line if you stick to not only consistently posting but posting at optimal times.
The below times are Irish Time
When should I post content on social media for the best performance?
Now that you understand why you need to post your content at peak times, let’s unravel the data Sprout Social discovered in their recent report.
Beginning with Facebook, they found that the best times to post on Facebook are at 9 am on Mondays through to Friday and at 4 pm and 6 pm on Tuesdays. They also discovered the best days to post on Facebook were Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
Shockingly, they discovered Saturdays to be the worst day to post on Facebook. Their research finds an interesting shift in when there is the most engagement in 2022. These times are likely due to people being at work and on their phones less.
There are also more ‘off’ times for Facebook than last year. Facebook is still a vital social media platform for marketers. It enables them to reach a large and diverse audience, given that it has over 2.6 billion users globally. In addition, you can reach customers that are not on other social media platforms.
Next on the list is Instagram. Sprout Social’s research has discovered the best times to post on the platform are 5 pm on Mondays and between 4 pm and 7 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. For Thursdays and Fridays, 4 pm, and 5 pm are peak performance times.
They found the best days to post content on Instagram were Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while the worst day was Sundays. Instagram now has 2 billion monthly users as of this year, and this is largely due to the platform making changes that ultimately make the platform more appealing to users.
Some of these changes include new features being added in the past few years, like reels which allow for the short-form video that is so sought after on platforms like TikTok. On Instagram, accounts can make a wide range of different, engaging content.
Instagram proves to be an excellent platform for brand, product, and service discovery. It acts as the perfect product to showcase what you can offer customers and your products. There are also so many ways you can engage with your followers on the platform.
When it comes to Twitter, their report finds Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 3 pm is the best time to tweet. The best days to post are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while Sundays are the worst. While some brands do not pay a lot of attention to Twitter, it is a good place to go for breaking news and conversations.
However, it may not be suited to every business and is particularly best suited for those looking to engage in trending topics that are relevant to them. In addition, Twitter can be a valuable customer support option for some brands.
Twitter peak times have seen a significant shift, with people spending more time on the platform during the day. This could be due to looking for news updates and also down to viral Tweets and various other entertaining memes.
Sprout Social’s research found Tuesdays from 4 pm to 6 pm to be the best times to post on LinkedIn. The best days to post are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays overall and the worst days are Saturdays and Sundays.
They found LinkedIn peak times continue to remain consistent with the US workweek, and peak engagement times are mainly during midday and do not drag out to the weekend. This does not mean removing LinkedIn from your strategy, though; it is still a great platform for sharing company updates, introducing team members, and sharing past projects and testimonials.
It is also a great space for employee advocacy, helping you to empower your employees to improve their personal branding and professional development opportunities. You can also highlight your great work culture here and attract vibrant new talent when looking for new team members.
In summary
If you’re seeking brand growth and wish to increase engagement, adhering to these post times may be a step in the right direction. This is especially the case if you notice your posts aren’t getting good engagement. However, do remember when it comes to performing well on social, there’s more to it than knowing when to post.
You also have to create great content that perfectly highlights your offering and resonates with your target audience. In addition, be aware of who exactly your audience is and what your goals are with social media.
If you’re interested in taking your social media strategy to the next level and seeing the true power of social media for businesses, contact us at Social Directions Agency. We will create a social media strategy that is tailored to your business and is results-driven.
Article written by Bronagh Loughlin | 27/04/2022