Wondering when the best time to post on Instagram might be for your business? You’re not alone.
While there’s more to achieving success on Instagram than simply hitting the “publish” button at the right time, there’s something to be said for having the right schedule. Instagram’s algorithm – the rules used by the platform to dictate where certain posts appear on the news feed – prioritizes recency.
This means if you want the best chance of finding your target audience and expanding your reach, you’re going to need to get your timing right. Figuring out the best time to publish on Instagram will significantly improve your engagement levels, and ensure you’re connecting with the right followers when they’re most likely to be online.
So, where do you begin?
Why It’s Important To Find The Best Time To Post
There are countless Instagram hacks out there for businesses in search of rapid growth on one of the world’s favorite social media channels. With more than 200 million business accounts already active on Instagram, each company needs the right strategy to ensure they can outshine the competition. Finding the right time to post is one of the best ways to make your company stand out.
When you know the best time to post on Instagram for your audience, you can ensure you’re publishing your most recent and relevant Stories, videos, and photos when they’re most likely to generate engagement.
With a good knowledge of your ideal Instagram schedule, you can even make the most of the Instagram algorithm, scheduling your posts to go out automatically at the right times. There are various tools online to help you with this process.
The more you optimize your timing, the more followers you’ll attract, boosting the momentum of your Instagram growth.
What’s The Overall Best Time To Post On Instagram?
Notably, finding the right time to post on Instagram is a personal process for every business. The exact time when your customers are most likely to be online differs depending on your industry, the content you post, and even your geographical location.
However, there are some reports out there which can give you a good launching point to start with. For instance, Sprout Social regularly analyzes the most valuable posting times for each social media platform on a yearly basis.
As of 2022, they found the best times to post on Instagram were between 11am and 1pm.
Depending on where you look for your insights, this guidance can vary. For instance, Later argues the best time to post on Instagram is always 6am in the local time of your followers.
Best Time To Post For Each Day Of The Week
Notably, your ideal Instagram posting times will also depend on the day of the week. Users are more likely to be active on Instagram at certain times depending on the day. For instance, Sprout Social says the best time to post on a Monday is 11am, while on Thursdays and Fridays, you’re better off timing your posts at between 10am and 11am. Later goes a little deeper into its recommendations when it comes to individual days, suggesting the following times:
- Monday: 6am and 10pm
- Tuesday: 2am, and 9am
- Wednesday: 7am, and 11pm
- Thursday: 9am, and 7pm
- Friday: 5am, and 3pm
- Saturday: 11am, and 8pm
- Sunday: 7am, and 4pm
Though the recommendations from each major social media company vary for Instagram posting times, all of them seem to agree that Sundays are the worst day to post on Instagram. Alternatively, Wednesdays and Thursdays seem to be the best time to generate more engagement.
How To Find The Best Time To Post On Instagram (For Your Audience)
The fact that so many leading technology and social media companies post different recommended times for posting on Instagram just highlights how complex timing your social media posts can be. While there are “general” best time guidelines you can follow, the actual engagement levels of your audience are likely to differ depending on who you’re trying to reach.
To ensure you’re focusing your time and budget on the times that make the most sense to your target audience, make sure you:
Check When Competitors Are Posting
Competitors can be a great source of inspiration for your social media posts. Not only do they give an insight into trending hashtags and topics you can cover, they also help you to see when your target audience is most likely to be online. Find a handful of companies similar to yours, with a matching target audience, and pay attention to when they’re most likely to be online.
If you’re struggling to track posting times manually, there are tools like Preview which allow you to track your competitors and their posting schedules. These tools also allow you to dive into deeper analytics about competitor posts, to see which times generate the most engagement.
Use Analytics
One of the best ways to make sure you’re posting on Instagram at the perfect time, is to dive into your data. You can start on Instagram. If you have a Business Account, you’ll be able to see the demographics of your followers, including their gender, age, and location. This helps you schedule your post in the right time zone, too.
You can dive a little deeper into your analytics by using third-party tools. Social media scheduling and publishing apps will give you an overview of your most popular posts, and when they achieve the highest engagement levels. These tools can also help you to track things like the most valuable hashtags for your campaigns.
Consider Timezone Carefully
Instagram is a global social media channel. If your audience might include people located outside of your home country, then you may need to think about the different time zones in play. Look at the location information about your target audience available in Instagram Insights. If 80% of your followers are located on the other side of the planet, you may need to start posting at 3 or 4am.
If you do have significant timezone issues to worry about, it’s probably a good idea to use an Instagram scheduling tool to take some of the pressure off you. This will ensure you can publish your posts at the perfect time without having to get out of bed.
Research Your Audience
Finally, if you want to succeed with your Instagram strategy, you need to get to know your audience. If you’re targeting specific groups of people, you might find their social media activity varies widely from the average. For instance, college students are more likely to be up late studying than their corporate counterparts.
Mothers and parents might not be active on Instagram during certain times of the day when they’re focusing on looking after their kids, but they may check Instagram when waking up on a morning. Getting to know your audience and the kind of routines they follow can help you to experiment with the right posting strategy.
Make The Most Of Your Instagram Posting Schedule
Finding the best time to post on Instagram can be tough, but it’s well worth the effort. If you can figure out exactly when your audience is most likely to be online, you can leverage the Instagram algorithm, and improve your chances of better online reach.
