By now, we all know the importance of a solid social media presence and posting relevant, carefully curated content. But something just as important could be exactly when you are choosing to share this content. While there is no way of pinpointing a PRECISE time that is perfect for everyone, there IS plenty of research available that can point you in the right direction.
Several factors go into finding what the best time to post on social media will be for you: the platform being used, the location you’re targeting, and how your audience interacts. If you’re targeting more than one time zone, research suggests Eastern and Central time reaches the largest audience, as they represent almost 80% of the population. Since the best time to post varies by network, we’ve broken it down for you here.
The 140-character platform is usually accessed during the week, likely on lunch breaks and commutes. According to Twitter, users are 181% more likely to be on Twitter during their commute and 119% more likely to use the network during work and school hours. Weekday hours between 12-3 pm tend to be the sweet spot for engagement, with 5 pm on Wednesdays being the golden hour for retweets.
The king of all social networks is best utilized for feedback, opening dialogue, and content sharing. It’s widely used on mobile phones, making it accessible at all hours of the day. Engagement tends to peak later in the week, maybe because Facebook’s “Happiness index” spikes by 10% on Fridays. Not surprisingly, Monday is the least happy day of the week. Armed with this information, the optimal times to post for the most shares are 12-1 pm on weekends and 1-4pm on Thursday and Friday.
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Marketers rate this network as the top social media lead generation resource. Because LinkedIn’s audience is geared toward business professionals, the platform is accessed primarily during work hours. Data suggests posting content Tuesdays between 10-11 am will get you the most clicks and shares. Additional prime spots are 7-8 am and 5-6 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, with the worst days being Monday and Friday.
Since the photo-sharing app is exclusively used on mobile devices, users access the network any time during the day, from scrolling on lunch breaks to checking in before bed. Engagement stays pretty consistent during the week, with slight rises on Mondays and a minimal drop on Sundays. Post anytime Monday through Thursday except between the hours of 3-4pm. Off-work hours tend to be the optimal window, with Monday and Thursdays between 8-9 pm garnering a slight boost in response from users.
If you haven’t been already, now is a good time to start strategically posting on your social media channels. Try to schedule according to the suggested time frames and then track posts to see if your engagement, likes, and shares increase. Keep tweaking and testing different post times until you find the sweet spot.
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