Did you know that over 3.5 billion people have some type of social media account?
Have you been wondering why your social media posts are not getting enough engagement? If your posts have not been getting as much engagement as you would like, you should change your social media strategy.
Read on to learn what the best times to post on social media are.
When to Post on Facebook
As part of their algorithm, Facebook favors authenticity for those who want their posts to receive more engagements. If you want to learn when the best times to post on Facebook are, you have to do in when more people interact with your content.
For most industries, engagement starts to rise in the middle of the week before dying down on the weekend. It means that most audiences focus on something else on the weekends rather than engaging with posts.
Those who primarily post content on Facebook can maximize post engagement if they post on Wednesday.
While the best day to post on Facebook is on Wednesday, you should try to post at 11 am and between 1-2 pm. Other great times to post on Facebook include Tuesday and Thursday between 8 am and 3 pm. However, the worst time to post on Facebook is on Sunday.
When to Post on Instagram
As a Facebook-owned company, Instagram has over 1 billion users and is the second social media platform. Because Instagram is part of the parent company, you can expect to see similar patterns as Facebook.
If you want to increase your Instagram engagement, the best time to post on social media is on Wednesday at 11 am, and Friday between 10-11 am. Similar to Facebook, the worst day to post on Instagram is on Sunday.
Those who want to post on secondary days on Instagram can also see a spike in engagement on the weekdays between 9 am and 4 pm. Unlike Facebook, Instagram has a few spots of engagement on the weekends.
However, these times vary slightly depending on your industry and niche.
When to Post on Twitter
Despite all of the other social media platforms, Twitter still remains one of the most relevant destinations. Twitter allows you the opportunity to start the conversation with your audience and participate in conversations.
Similar to Facebook and Instagram, the worst time to post on Twitter is on Sunday. If you want to increase your engagement on Twitter, the best times to post are Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 am on both days.
You will also see peak times Monday through Friday between 8 am and 4 pm. However, you will see a drop in engagement between 10 pm and 4 am.
When to Post on LinkedIn
Unlike all the other social media platforms, LinkedIn attracts professional users looking to make network connections. Because users in various industries often work during office hours, some of the best times to post on LinkedIn are during the week.
Like the other social media platforms, you never want to post on LinkedIn during the weekends, especially on Sundays, as their users disconnect during these times.
If you want to create impressions and engagement on LinkedIn, the best times to post are Wednesday (8-10 am and 12 pm), Thursday (9 am and 1-2 pm), and Friday (9 am).
Secondary times for LinkedIn engagement include Tuesday through Friday between 8 am and 2 pm. Keep in mind that even during the week, engagement drops after working hours.
Other Tips for When to Post on Social Media
Once you learn the best times to post on these social media platforms, you can take into account other metrics. The more you educate yourself, the higher your social media reach will be.
Keep Your Audience in Mind
Although you know the best days and times to post on specific social media platforms, you also need to take into account who your audience is.
For example, if you know the best day to post on Instagram is Wednesday, you need to ask specific questions about your audience.
Who is your audience? Where does your audience live? How old is your audience?
If your main social media platform is LinkedIn, you should also learn what their commute is like.
Test Different Times Slots
Even if research suggests you should post on Wednesday at 11 am on Facebook, you should test different time slots.
To see which time slots work for you, take similar content, and post it at different times. However, you don’t want to randomly choose times to post. Choose the posting slots base on who your audience is.
Keep the Location in Mind
Time zones are also another big factor when it comes to social media engagement. You have to take into consideration where you’re based and where your main audience is.
For starters, if you operate from the east coast, you might not be able to post really early in the morning if your audience is on the west coast.
Take Advantage of Your Tools
To maximize social media engagement opportunities, you should take advantage of all the tools available to you.
With the help of some programs, you will be able to measure and analyze post analytics to maximize engagement.
Check Out the Competition
One of the best ways to maximize post engagement is by checking out what your competition is doing. Take some time to study when your competition posts.
You should study carefully when they get the most shares, comments, likes, retweets, and reactions. If they get the most engagement during the best times to post, it means they know what they’re doing.
However, if they get more engagement during other unlike windows, you should try to figure out why they chose those times.
Test and Optimize
If you want to increase your social media engagement, you have to continue testing and analyzing. Although plenty of market studies predict when you will get the most engagement, trial and error will help find the time that best works for you.
Are You Ready to Post on Social Media?
After reading this post, you now have a better idea of the best times to post on social media.
While the best times to post vary from platform to platform, you can expect to see a peak of engagement during the week and a decrease during the weekend. To maximize your social media engagement, you should also study your competition, use the right tools, and test your strategies.
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