Finding the sweet spot for posting on social media is a tricky task. It seems like you can never find that right time where your post is going to reach the most people, because honestly, you never know when people are going to check their smartphones for social updates.
I’m speaking strictly from my own experiences here, but I’ve found a few optimal times during the day that seem to reach the most people. But even these times aren’t guaranteed to work. It all depends on your target audience, and what social platform you’re posting on. Check out these tips for finding the best times to reach your audience!
Facebook – Optimal Posting Times: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
When Facebook first started in 2004, it attracted a lot of younger people. Overtime, the platform has shifted from the young audience, to an older audience. In fact, 56 millions users (or about 31 percent of total Facebook users) are in the 35-54 age range. Which means that many of these users have day jobs or businesses that they run. So, you have to catch these users when they’re taking a break from work, or when business slows down. Between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. is a perfect range for posting on Facebook.
Twitter – Optimal Posting Times: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Twitter is a little bit different, but has about the same posting range as Facebook. The thing with Twitter is that it’s more geared toward quick info, and multiple postings. With Facebook, you can post during the optimal time and users will still see it later in the day when scrolling through their News Feed. But with Twitter, you don’t really have that option. If you missed something when it was first posted, you’ll have to go back through hours of posts to find what you want. So, post around the same times as Facebook, but stagger your posts so you’re not posting at the same time your Facebook post goes live. And it’s not a problem to tweet the same post at different times during the day.
Instagram – Optimal Posting Times: 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
With Instagram, you have an altogether different beast to tackle. This popular photo sharing app is typically used by the younger crowd, 18-29 year olds, who can spend longer amounts of time going through their feeds. But, unlike Facebook or Twitter, Instagram users typically check out their feeds after work, closer to the time when they would be winding down in the evening and getting in bed. So, posting later in the evening will reach the most people, since they’ll be spending a lot of free time scrolling through posts.
Pinterest – Optimal Posting Times: 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Pinterest is kinda different than the other social platforms as well. Since it’s mostly used to share recipes, DIY projects, and household tips, most people are going to get on Pinterest in their free time. That means that some people might not even get on their Pinterest account until after work, or on the weekends. So, plan your posts accordingly and try to get the info to them during the early afternoon or late evening, when most people will be up and moving around, or looking for something to make for dinner, if your business works in the food business.
LinkedIn – Optimal Posting Times: 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. or 5 p.m. – Late
Since LinkedIn is mainly used for networking between businessmen and women, and people looking for potential employers, most people are going to look at their LinkedIn at the start of their workday. Posting during the early morning or late evening works great for this social platform.
Social media can be finicky, but learning how to use it will do wonders for your company. The best strategy is to experiment with your posts, and see what times work best for your company, and your customers.
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