What Is the Best Time to Post on Social Media? [2024’s Update]

Oh, hello!

I guess you being here means you’ve accepted social media’s world dominance. So, you’ve decided to see how you can use it to promote your business… or yourself if that’s your thing.

Now.

There’s probably a question that’s been nagging you for a while.

What is the best time to post on social media? Facebook? Or what is the best time to post on Instagram? How about what is the best time to post on Twitter?

You’ve come to the right place. I can answer all of those.

I can even tell you what is the best time to post on LinkedIn.

Impressed?

Let me impress you even more:

Best Time to Post on Social Media According to the Latest Statistics

• Wednesday gives the highest click-through rate.
• The best day for brands to post on Instagram is Wednesday.
• People are most active on Instagram during lunch break.
• Research shows that Facebook posts get the most engagement on Wednesday at 9 a.m.
• The highest engagement on Twitter happens on Fridays, between 9 and 10 am.
• The best time to post on LinkedIn is between 8 am and 2 pm Tuesday through Thursday.
• The most optimal time to post depends on the industry itself.
• Even though there are no exact statistics that tell what is the best time to send messages via the Messenger app, the Facebook Messenger statistics do say that there are over 20 billion messages exchanged on a monthly basis.

Wanna discover more about what is the best time to post on social media?

*drumroll*

1. Wednesday gives the highest click-through rate.

(Source: CoSchedule)

• There are around 3.34 billion active social media users worldwide.
• 80% of Americans live in the Central and Eastern time zones.
• Social media traffic increases by up to 39% if you post at the right time.

? I am the voice of the next generation

Completely digital?

I found out about this song purely because of this article. And some people claim that social media statistics don’t enrich your life! Please.

Anyway.

Almost all of us are on social media and almost all of us are addicted to it. But in order to get the most from it, you need to know when to post. Posting at the right time increases engagement.

Choosing your target group is the first step. Considering their time zone is the second. Most of the US population is situated in the Central and Eastern time zones. That’s a good enough start.

Now.

Let’s talk about social media posting times.

Best Time to Post on Instagram

Wednesdays or “little Fridays”? Mornings or past lunch? Let’s find out the answers.

2. The best day for brands to post on Instagram is Wednesday.

(Source: Sprout Social)

• However, the best day for global engagement is on weekdays Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Sunday is the worst day for Instagram posts.
• Most Instagram logins are from mobile, so people don’t use the app as much during work hours.
• Media companies should post at 9 AM, 12 PM, and 3 PM

All brands get the most consistent engagement on Thursday. While Wednesday is still the peak day, Thursday is guaranteed to give you results. Why? There’s a theory that Thursday is the “little Friday”, which means that people are more relaxed and willing to shop.

And if you’re wondering why I haven’t listed the days best for B2B and B2C businesses, the answer is quite simple. Instagram is the most popular social media right now. In such a highly competitive environment, you should know exactly who you’re targeting. Sprout Social has done very detailed research about when companies in different industries should be posting on Instagram.

What about the worst time to post on Instagram?

Sunday. The whole of it.

We have yet to discuss what is the best time to post on Instagram, though.

3. People are most active on Instagram during lunch break.

(Source: Oberlo)

• Posting on workdays, between 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. will give you the highest engagement.
• You’ll get the lowest engagement late at night or early in the morning, between 11 pm – 3 am.
• Users spend 272 minutes on average on Instagram monthly.

People are rarely fully conscious before going to bed and right after getting up. Sure, we all browse social media before and after sleep (No? Just me? Liar.). We’re, however, barely adequate.

Now, think about lunchbreak. You go out to eat, either alone or with your colleagues. Either way, at one point you’re on your phone, watching Instagram posts, right? See what I mean? It’s about the only time in our fast-paced daily schedule when we can catch a breath and spend some time on social media.

No wonder Instagram’s peak times are around 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

It’s hands down the best time to engage your audience.

And given that 75% of Instagrammers will purchase something if they are inspired by an Instagram post.

It’s not only Instagram engagement that flourishes during weekdays.

Best Time to Post on Facebook

Weekdays, mornings, avoid Sunday posts on Facebook at all cost!

4. Research shows that Facebook posts get the most engagement on Wednesday at 9 a.m.

(Source: AdEspresso)

• If you post on the weekend, you might wanna do it between 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
• Sunday is the day with the least engagement.
• B2B brands should post between Tuesday and Thursday, around 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• B2C brands should focus on the days between Monday and Wednesday, at 12 p.m.
• On average, there are 1,500 stories that can appear in a person’s FB News Feed.

We’ve already talked about Facebook and how it’s still in the top ranks among social media platforms. That makes it important for business too.

We’ve already talked about Facebook and how it’s still in the top ranks among social media platforms. That makes it important for businesses, too.

As we established, Sunday is the enemy of engagement. Posting during the weekend as a whole is a bad idea. People are either out and about, or home relaxing and very few of them want to deal with targeted posts.

So.

What is the best time to post on Facebook?

Businesses will have the most success on Facebook when posting between Monday and Thursday. The best time of day to post on Facebook, regardless of the day, is around lunchbreak.

At this point, you might’ve accepted Wednesday around lunch break as the perfect time to post, no matter the social media.

Not so fast.

Look:

Best Time to Post on Twitter

Seeking the highest engagement on Twitter? Tweet at 5 pm and avoid Saturdays!

5. 5 pm is the best time for the highest retweets on Twitter.

(Source: Neil Patel)

• Wednesday at 9 a.m. is also a good time to tweet.
• The lowest engagement on Twitter is between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., and the worst day is Saturday.
• B2B brands should post between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. EST on Monday or Thursday, mainly around lunchtime.
• It’s best for B2C brands to post 12 p.m. or 1 p.m. EST, between Monday and Wednesday.

Twitter is all about retweets – if you want to get your tweet to go viral and make an impact. Big brands, too, often use Twitter to up their marketing game. So, what is the best time to post on Twitter? Experts suggest and surveys show that the best time to post on Twitter is 5 pm.

Twitter can be a bit tricky for businesses. It really isn’t the best platform for advertising. However, it’s a great channel for communication. So keep that in mind!

Here’s a great example by ASOS:

All right.

What is the best time to post on Twitter?

Monday through Thursday are the days with the highest engagement for all types of businesses on Twitter. As for the best time of the day to tweet – you can’t get it wrong with lunchbreak, truly.

Except if you’re posting on LinkedIn.

Best Time to Post on LinkedIn

For your LinkedIn posts, save the middle weekdays and up to early afternoon.

6. The best time to post on LinkedIn is Tuesday through Thursday between 8 a.m – 2 p.m.

(Source: Hubspot)

• 88% of users check LinkedIn at least once daily.
• The best day to post on LinkedIn is Tuesday.
• B2B brands should post outside of business hours (9 am – 5 pm).
• B2C brands should post between 11 am – 2 pm.

LinkedIn is often underestimated. Sure, it’s not the best place to convince Generation Z to buy your product. It is, however, a gold mine for B2B advertising.

What is the best time to post on LinkedIn if you’re on the B2B side of things?

Glad you asked.

B2B brands should focus on Tuesday and Wednesday, especially in the mornings.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays around 10-11 Am is also the perfect time to send an email.

But when to post on LinkedIn if you’re B2C oriented?

The best time to post on LinkedIn for B2C business is between Monday and Wednesday. Unlike other social media platforms, LinkedIn gets the best engagement on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, especially between 8-10 a.m.

7. The most optimal time to post depends on the industry itself.

(Source: Hootsuite)

• 91% of retail brands use social media.
• The optimal time to post, in general, is between 9 and 12 a.m. EST.
• The days with the highest traffic are between Monday and Wednesday.

It’s a social media world and I’m a social media girl – I say, as I update my Instagram story.

Don’t judge, my coffee looks good. Especially with a filter on.

Okay, okay, I might be spending too much time on social media.

Now. Let’s sum up this whole ordeal.

Best Days to Post on Social Media

Be it Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, Wednesday wins the title of being the best day to post on social media. It’s the middle of the week. People are more active and attentive – no one has to deal with Monday blues.

The common answer to your ‘what is the best time to post on Facebook’ question will be around 3 pm. And even though this time gains a lot of eyeballs, experts believe that there is another time that can give better results. Research shows that morning brand posts are 39.7% more effective.

Wrapping Up

What is the best time to post on social media?

Every business has its own unique target group. Every social media plays by its own rules. Every group of people has its own demands.

Can you use one formula to rule them all?

No, Sauron. Unfortunately, you cannot.

You see, you can’t post content targeted at new moms at 1 o’clock in the morning. Chances are, they’re trying to get some precious minutes of sleep.

You also won’t succeed if you post content for businessmen around 4 o’clock. They’re most probably at a meeting and not on Facebook.

Wednesday is your best friend. It gets you the highest engagement rates across all social media platforms.

Unless you’re posting on LinkedIn. Then it’s Tuesday.

Thursday, if you want consistent engagement on Instagram.

Friday, if you’re looking for Twitter’s peak time.

But really. You can’t go wrong with Wednesday.

Posting on Sunday is social media suicide. Don’t do it, talk to your social media manager first (if you have one).

The best time to post is hands down around lunch break.

Early in the morning for LinkedIn and Twitter though.

If you have to take one thing from this article, let that be it:

When in doubt, post on Wednesday, during lunch break.

Thank me later.

That’s all, folks. It should now be clear what is the best time to post on Facebook. Or on social media in general.

Keeping my fingers crossed that you found my little tips and tricks helpful too!

Till next time!