Timing is Everything: The Best Times to Post on Social Media
Social media is an ever-changing landscape as new innovations are introduced monthly and platforms now have business-centric offerings. Of equal importance to the type of content you post, is knowing the best times and days to post on specific platforms. Activity level and impression rates vary from platform to platform, so posting at peak times will help you get the impressions, link clicks, and website traffic you’re looking for.
As we know, all social media was not created equal, so there are nuances to each platform. Check out our cheat sheet below to learn how and when to post to your preferred social media for maximum engagement, website traffic, and followers.
Facebook is used all day long, at home, at work, on desktop computers and mobile devices. There are numerous studies that indicate the ideal posting times are:
Thursdays & Fridays: 1:00-4:00PM
Saturdays & Sundays: 12:00-1:00PM
Posting one to two times per day is sufficient for this platform, so make sure it falls during the times when you’re most likely to be seen, shared and commented on (1-3PM).
Twitter is also used at work and at home, but its top activity times are around commuting hours and break times. Prime posting times are:
Mondays-Fridays: 12:00-3:00PM
Twitter is all about volume, so posting around five times over the course of a day will keep you on people’s feeds. Although studies indicate afternoon to early evening hours are peak times for Twitter, there are contrasting views that show late evening, such as 11PM, as an opportune time to post for shares and retweets. This is another break time or down time, so consider throwing in a late night tweet and see how your impressions fare.
Instagram is primarily about the visual components, so all posts should include a photo, video, or graphic that is in line with your brand standards. Posting one or two times a day is recommended. The best days and times to post are:
Mondays & Thursdays: 2AM, 8:00-9:00AM, 5:00PM
Avoid posting during the 3:00-4:00 hour during the work week as it is a notoriously slow time on this social platform. Strategically post your content across the work day, as in the morning commute and as people are leaving work to attain the greatest reach.
The recent introduction of Instagram Stories is something to take into consideration, but a good rule of thumb is to post stories along with your regularly scheduled content. These stories disappear, so you won’t want to substitute them for your standard photos and videos post.
Pinterest has been the social media underdog, but no more! If this social platform fits your target demographics, get on it now. Pinterest has significant pull with consumers and has the greatest reach for posts as they are relevant and shared for a much longer time than any other social platform.
Any day of the week: 5:00-10:00PM
Optimum times: Saturday and Sunday mornings – 9:00-11:00AM
Don’t be afraid to pin ten times per day. The sheer volume of posts and repins on Pinterest means you need to do you fair share of posting. Spread your pins out over the course of a few hours, not all at once. Again, you want to remain on people’s feeds without showing up in one big clump.
The beauty of Pinterest, too, is that other users rapidly and easily repin your posts. Your pins have broader reach than other platforms, so ensure your pins include vertical images and captions with a Call to Action. You will certainly see an uptick in traffic with these tips.
Remember why you’re posting to social: to engage and stimulate interaction with your loyal followers. Make your messages noteworthy, informative, fun, so they showcase your business in the best way possible. Consider every post as an opportunity to begin a conversation with your customers. Knowing the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of social media will lead you to heightened brand awareness and customer conversions.
Posts with visual components, either still photography or short videos, have higher rates of engagement and typically garner more shares, likes, retweets, reposts, and repins. Each platform has different specifications for pixel size and video length, so check their blogs frequently for updates in order to stay ahead of any changes.
Lastly, create consistent posting times for each platform so your followers begin to expect and anticipate content at those designates times. It will drive traffic to your social presences and build impressions, shares, and retweets.
Are you using multiple social media platforms? Sign up for our Social Media Marketing tool and streamline your social efforts. You’ll save countless hours per week by posting through one application and be able to monitor metrics to know which content is resonating best with your audiences. Try it today for yourself!