The Best Times to Post on Social Media

An analysis of the latest data on social media usage from Sprout Social, Hootsuite and others

During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media grew in popularity as people looked for a way to connect with each other. The pandemic also affected the best times to post on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, as many of us stopped commuting and our schedules changed (and some even joined The Great Resignation).

This means it’s the perfect time to review the best times to post on social media. When audiences pivoted during the pandemic, brands had to as well. The time you post is a key factor in whether or not you have success with your social media marketing campaigns. In this article, we will review the latest data from platforms such as Sprout Social and Hootsuite that they have gathered on social media usage. We will also give you some tips for how to use your own data to find the right time to post for your specific brand. This can help you choose the best time to post on social media to garner the most engagement with your audience.

What Are the Best Times to Post on Social Media?

It’s the million-dollar question: So, what is the best time to post on social media? There are so many different platforms on the internet that you can use for your business: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube and more. You will first need to choose the right social media platform or platforms to use to connect with your audience.

Overall, however, the best time to post on social media is early morning on a weekday. This way, when your audience wakes up in the a.m. and starts scrolling their favorite platform, your post will be one of the top pieces of content in their social media feed. (It’s still pretty much a universal rule that the worst day to post is on Saturdays.)

This information is the most helpful for brand new social media accounts that are working on building a following. Once you do have an audience, however, there are plenty of tools and services you can use to find out the best days and times to post for your own brand, which might be different.

If you are trying to increase engagement rates for your brand, you might want to consider social media advertising. Attend our upcoming virtual workshop to learn more about how to plan, build and launch successful social media advertising campaigns.

What Is the Best Time to Post on Facebook?

Maximizing engagement on Facebook involves more than just creating great content; timing your posts effectively is crucial. Here’s a breakdown of the best times to post on Facebook in 2024 based on data from Sprout Social and Hootsuite.

Optimal times to post on Facebook in 2024:

Based on extensive analysis by Sprout Social, the optimal time to post on Facebook varies throughout the week. Here are the best times to post according to their data:

• Monday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM
• Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM
• Thursday: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM
• Friday: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
• Saturday: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM
• Sunday: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

These times represent peak engagement periods, offering a strategic advantage for maximizing visibility and interaction with your Facebook posts.

Industry-specific posting times:

Optimal posting times can vary significantly by industry. Here’s a general overview of the best times to post based on industry data from Sprout Social:

1. Retail and e-commerce:
   • Best times: Weekdays between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM PST.
   • Reason: Retail audiences often check Facebook in the morning before work or during their breaks to browse products and deals.
2. Technology and software:
   • Best times: Weekdays, mainly Tuesdays and Thursdays, around 9:00 AM PST.
   • Reason: Tech professionals and enthusiasts are often online during these times, catching up on industry news and updates.
3. Healthcare:
   • Best times: Weekdays between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM PST.
   • Reason: Healthcare professionals and patients are likely to engage with content during mid-morning breaks.
4. Travel and Hospitality:
   • Best times: Weekends between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM PST.
   • Reason: People often plan trips and look for travel inspiration during weekends.
5. Education:
   • Best times: Weekdays, especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays, around 8:00 AM PST.
   • Reason: Educators and students are active in the morning as they plan their day or check updates.

Posting at optimal times when your audience is most active boosts engagement, such as likes, comments, and shares. This interaction signals to Facebook’s algorithm that your content is valuable, which improves its visibility and overall performance.

Facebook remains undefeated as the top social media platform in the world, which means that you really can’t go wrong with when you post. Facebook enjoys 24/7 engagement. However, weekdays, evenings and early mornings show the most consistent engagement and opportunities for brands to get eyes on their content.

What Is the Best Time to Post on Instagram?

Though Instagram started as a simple platform to post photos, it has grown into a full-fledged shopping app full of influencers selling products and services for brands.

Maximizing engagement on Instagram requires not only high-quality content but also precise timing. Knowing when to post can significantly enhance your visibility and interaction on the platform. 

Here’s a breakdown of the best times to post on Instagram in 2024 based on Sprout Social and HootSuite data.

Optimal times to post on Instagram in 2024:

According to Sprout Social’s extensive analysis, the optimal times to post on Instagram throughout the week are as follows:

• Monday: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Thursday: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM
• Friday: 11:00 AM
• Saturday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Sunday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

These times represent peak engagement periods, giving you a strategic edge for maximizing your Instagram posts’ visibility and interaction.

Best time to post reels on Instagram

Reels are a powerful tool for boosting engagement and growing your Instagram following. Reels can generate up to 300% more engagement than regular Instagram videos, making them a key component of your Instagram strategy. 

Based on data from Hootsuite, the optimal times to post reels are:

Monday to Thursday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM PST

Posting reels during these hours can maximize visibility and interaction, leveraging peak engagement times when users are most active. Experiment with these times to see how they impact your reels’ performance and adjust based on your audience’s specific behavior.

Best time to post stories on Instagram

While Instagram stories are more about recency and frequent engagement than precise timing, posting stories at the right times can help improve visibility. 

Instagram’s algorithm prioritizes stories based on:

• User engagement: How often users interact with your stories.
• Viewing history: The frequency with which users choose your story over others.
• Closeness: The level of interaction and relationship you have with your followers.

To optimize your stories’ visibility:

• Post regularly: Consistency is key to maintaining audience interest.
• Engage with followers: Build strong relationships through DMs, comments, and other interactions.

Timing is less critical than overall engagement and relationship-building, so focus on creating compelling content and engaging actively with your audience to enhance your Stories’ performance.

Industry-Specific Posting Times:

Different industries experience varying levels of engagement at different times. Here’s an overview of the best times to post based on industry data from Sprout Social:

1. Hospitals & Healthcare:

Healthcare professionals are often active during breaks and lunchtime, engaging with content that educates and informs.

• Best Times:
  • Mondays: 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM
  • Tuesdays: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Wednesdays: 10:00 AM, 3:00 PM
  • Thursdays: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
  • Fridays: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Best Days: Tuesdays through Fridays
• Worst Day: Sundays

2. Restaurants:

Diners typically browse for meal options and promotions during mid-morning and lunchtime breaks on weekdays.

• Best Times:
  • Mondays: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
  • Tuesdays: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Wednesdays: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Thursdays: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
  • Fridays: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
• Best Days: Weekdays
• Worst Days: Weekends

3. Schools & Education:

Engagement peaks in the late afternoon and evening when students and educators are more likely to check for updates and resources.

• Best Times:
  • Wednesdays: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM, 9:00 PM
• Best Days: Wednesdays
• Worst Day: Sundays

4. Travel & Hospitality:

Users often plan their travels during lunchtime and early afternoon, seeking inspiration and information to make decisions.

• Best Times:
  • Wednesdays: Noon – 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM
  • Sundays: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
• Best Days: Wednesdays and Thursdays
• Worst Days: None; all days receive moderate engagement

Instagram is the perfect place for brands to post new content, whether it’s high-quality photos, a fun reel or even infographics. You might consider using professional social media content creation services to help you create Explore page-worthy content for your feed.

What Is the Best Time to Post on Twitter?

X (formerly Twitter) is a key platform for posting up-to-the-minute (or even second!) news updates in small bits of 280 characters or fewer.

Maximizing engagement on X involves more than just crafting compelling tweets; timing your posts effectively is crucial. 

Here’s a breakdown of the best times to post on X  in 2024 based on data from Sprout Social, Buffer, and others.

Optimal Times to Post on X (formerly Twitter) in 2024:

Based on extensive analysis, the optimal times to post on X vary throughout the week. Here are the best times to post according to Buffer data:

• Monday: 11:00 AM, 4:00 AM, 4:00 PM
• Tuesday: 11:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 4:00 PM
• Wednesday: 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 4:00 PM
• Thursday: 12:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM
• Friday: 11:00 AM, 12:00 AM, 1:00 PM
• Saturday: 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
• Sunday: 7:00 PM, 12:00 AM

These times reflect peak engagement periods, offering a strategic advantage for maximizing visibility and interaction with your tweets.

Industry-specific posting times

Optimal posting times can vary by industry and audience behavior. Here’s a general overview of the best times to post based on industry insights:

• Retail and e-commerce:
  • Best times: Weekdays between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM.
  • Reason: Retail audiences often check X during midday breaks and lunchtime for updates on products and promotions.
• Technology and software:
  • Best times: Weekdays, especially on Mondays and Wednesdays, around 11:00 AM.
  • Reason: Tech enthusiasts and professionals are most active during mid-morning as they catch up on the latest industry news and trends.
• Healthcare:
  • Best times: Weekdays between 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM.
  • Reason: Healthcare professionals and patients are likely to engage with content during lunch breaks or mid-day.
• Travel and hospitality:
  • Best times: Weekends between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM.
  • Reason: People often use weekends to plan trips and look for travel inspiration.
• Education:
  • Best times: Weekdays, especially on Mondays and Thursdays, around 10:00 AM.
  • Reason: Educators and students are active in the late morning as they plan their day or check updates.

Since tweets are so fleeting, don’t be afraid to schedule tweets (or type them up at the moment!) at all hours of the day. You can’t over-post on X , like you can on other platforms.

The best time to post on TikTok in 2024

TikTok ranks as the fifth-most popular social media platform, boasting over 1.5 billion monthly active users. It has become a cultural phenomenon, particularly among Gen Z, who flock to the platform for its dynamic and engaging content.

To make the most of your TikTok content, timing is key. Knowing when to post can significantly enhance your engagement rates. 

Here’s a detailed guide on the best times to post on TikTok in 2024, based on data from Buffer and Sprout Social.

Optimal times to post on TikTok in 2024

Based on extensive analysis, the optimal times to post on TikTok vary throughout the week. Here are the best times to post according to Sprout Social’s data:

• Monday: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Tuesday: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Thursday: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Friday: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Saturday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Sunday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Both sources agree that peak engagement often occurs in the late morning to early evening, with Tuesday and Friday afternoons showing particularly high engagement.

Industry-specific posting times

Different industries experience varying engagement patterns. Here’s a breakdown based on Sprout Social data:

• Retail and e-commerce:
  • Best times: Weekdays between 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM PST.
  • Reason: Retail audiences typically browse TikTok in the morning before work or during breaks to check out the latest products and deals.
• Technology and software:
  • Best times: Tuesdays and Thursdays around 9:00 AM PST.
  • Reason: Tech professionals often catch up on industry news and updates during these times, making it ideal for sharing content.
• Healthcare:
  • Best times: Weekdays between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM PST.
  • Reason: Healthcare professionals and patients are more likely to engage with content during mid-morning breaks.
• Travel and hospitality:
  • Best times: Weekends between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM PST.
  • Reason: People often plan trips and seek travel inspiration during weekends, making it an optimal time for travel-related content.
• Education:
  • Best times: Weekdays, especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays, around 8:00 AM PST.
  • Reason: Educators and students are active in the morning as they start their day and prepare for classes.

By aligning your posts with peak engagement periods, you’ll improve your chances of reaching a broader audience and maximizing your content’s impact on TikTok.

What Is the Best Time to Post on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn is a premier platform for professional networking, career development, and industry insights. To make the most of your LinkedIn posts, it’s crucial to post at times when your audience is most active.

Here’s a breakdown of the best times to post on LinkedIn in 2024 based on research from Hootsuite, SproutSocial and other industry insights:

Optimal times to post on LinkedIn in 2024:

Based on extensive analysis, the optimal times to post on LinkedIn vary throughout the week. Here are the best times to post according to Hootsuite data:

• Monday: 11:00 AM PST
• Tuesday: 6:00 AM – 8:00 AM PST
• Wednesday: 9:00 AM PST
• Thursday: 2:00 PM PST
• Friday: 8:00 PM PST
• Saturday: 4:00 AM – 5:00 AM PST
• Sunday: 6:00 AM PST

These times reflect peak engagement periods, providing strategic opportunities to maximize visibility and interaction with your LinkedIn content.

Industry-specific posting times

Optimal posting times can differ by industry and audience behavior. Here’s a general overview of the best times to post based on Sprout Social insights:

• Healthcare and hospitals:
  • Best times: Weekdays between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, with peak engagement on Wednesdays from 10:00 AM to noon and Thursdays from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
  • Reason: Professionals are most active during standard business hours.
• Restaurants:
  • Best times: Wednesdays from noon to 3:00 PM and Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
  • Reason: Engagement peaks during mid-week, as people plan their dining experiences.
• Education:
  • Best times: Tuesdays at 11:00 AM.
  • Reason: Educators and students are active during mid-morning as they check updates and plan their day.
• Travel and hospitality:
  • Best times: Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
  • Reason: Users are planning trips and seeking travel inspiration during mid-week.

By strategically timing your LinkedIn posts, you can enhance engagement and leverage the platform’s professional focus to achieve your business objectives.

However, LinkedIn uses less recency in its algorithm and factors in more quality, relevance and trending content, so the time you post might not matter as much on LinkedIn as it does on other platforms.

Find Your Own Best Times to Post on Social Media

Though it is helpful to know the best times to post on social media generally, a lot of factors can affect the best time to post for your specific business. The best time to post on social media might vary depending on what industry you are in and your audience. You might have to do some data mining and analysis of your own to find out the best times to post on social media for you. Also, it is sometimes helpful to know the peak times to post, so that you can post at an off time and face less competition for engagement.

Here are some tips for determining the best time for you to post on social media:

Track Where Your Traffic Is Coming From

Are you actually getting traffic to your website from social media? You can’t know if you don’t set up website visitor tracking for your site, which is the first step.

Check When Your Audience Is Most Active Online

When is your ideal customer spending the most time online? Many social media algorithms are prioritizing recency and showing users the most recent posts first. The easiest way to get engagement is to post when your followers are actually online. So, look at your Facebook and Instagram analytics to find out when your followers are online and post then!

Find Your Top-Performing Posts From the Past

You already have some answers as to the best time to post online right in your own data. Go check out your last few top-performing posts. What times were they posted? This can give you an idea of the best time to post going forward. If you use a social media scheduling software such as Hootsuite, Sprout Social or Cloud Campaign, this data is probably already available for you and pretty easy to find.

Scope Out Your Competition’s Posts

It’s always a good idea to check out your direct competitors’ feeds and see what they are up to on social media. Just like you do with your own, check out when their top-performing posts were posted (or even complete a full competitive analysis). You might notice some patterns, or you can reverse-engineer their strategies.

Double-Check the Time Zone

This one sounds simple, but is oftentimes overlooked: Make sure you are posting in your audience’s time zone and not your own (if they differ). If the majority of your audience is American, you will do fine posting in the morning or early afternoon. But if your audience is in, say, the United Kingdom, you will want to post at the correct time in Central European Time. If you have a major segment of your audience in a different region, you might even consider creating a separate account or handle specifically for that audience. Or, if you have a global reach, you might want to consider posting around the clock.

Test and Optimize

Once you have done all your research, it’s time to test your data by either scheduling or publishing your posts and see if posting when you think will get you high engagement. You can also try some other ways to test content, like A/B testing, which is when you post the same content at different times to see which time gets the best engagement.

Best Times to Post on Social Media

Though we have certainly done our best to answer this question for you, unfortunately, there is no one universal optimal time to post on social media. But by using our guide and mining your own data, you can optimize your posting schedule, improve engagement, and hopefully increase your social marketing strategy ROI. It is also a good idea to keep in mind that social media trends and the best times to post are always changing.

Join AMA for More Social Media Tips

To learn more about the benefits of posting on social media for your business, consider becoming a member of the American Marketing Association, or AMA. Becoming an AMA member offers you several advantages, like training and certifications, chances to network, and many more. Join the American Marketing Association today!