Best Time To Post on Instagram

Are you a social media marketer who feels that despite trying everything from posting high quality content and videos to crafting targeted ads, you do not see the expected engagement rate?

In that case, you should consider posting at optimal times to give your social presence a boost.

Instagram is a land of tremendous opportunities

It’s no secret that social media offers opportunities for many businesses, notably with almost two billion Instagram global users. Although the pandemic reduced in-person interactions, it persuaded people to connect online more than ever before. In fact, during the first wave of the pandemic, social engagement soared by 61%. And in 2022, what appeared to be the ideal time to post something on social media has evolved and become more focused. Businesses and marketers need to meet consumers where they are. Additionally, every department in the business benefits when marketers exceed social media users’ expectations.

Is it important to post on Instagram at an optimal time?

Sharing posts that get more visibility on Instagram has become much more tricky since Instagram’s algorithm over the past few years. It prioritises posts from people’s family and friends, with fewer chances for business posts to be added to the queue. Business posts that contain links that are likely to redirect users away from the Instagram app receive even less weight. If you want to succeed on Instagram, you must understand the nuances well. That includes determining the best time to post on Instagram, aiming for a time when people check their Instagram accounts but does not coincide with the time when most people upload their Instagram content.

Also, it’s important to post when your followers are online because the Instagram algorithm favours recent activity. A newer post will therefore appear higher on the Instagram feed vs an older one, given all other factors remain equal. When it comes to optimising a post for success, one of the simplest and most effective wins is recency.

Factors that we should consider while deciding the best time to post on Instagram

The ideal time to post on Instagram varies quite a bit for every business. It’s because each social media brand caters to a different audience with different behaviour patterns.

Define your goals

It is also critical to have a clear understanding of the objectives behind your Instagram marketing strategy.

What is your specific goal for increasing engagement, popularity, or generating more traffic?

What does success on Instagram mean to you, and when have your posts previously attained it?

Your optimal posting times can also be determined by your prior victories.

Know your audience

Who are your audiences and when are they active on Instagram?

What do they respond to in professional or personal relationships?

Establishing a rapport with your audience is key in today’s market. Relationship-building involves estimating what customers are looking for every day or week on social media. To continue to expand your following, it’s highly essential to post on your social media platform at the right time of day, share interesting and captivating photos, and maintain a unique stance with your consumers. Therefore, your Instagram content calendar needs to be driven by data just like your marketing strategy.

Let’s check out the best time to post on Instagram

As per an analysis done by Hootsuite, the universal best time to post on Instagram is 11 a.m. on Wednesdays.

The probability of Instagram users interacting with your content is far greater during regular working days, particularly during the early morning, middle of the day, and midweek. The reason for that could be the opportunity to take a moment away from work or school and do some browsing, liking, commenting, or sharing. On the other hand, weekends are the least favourable days to publish content as it receives very little engagement. This is due to people being more active in their actual lives rather than spending time scrolling through Instagram.

If your brand needs to publish content on Instagram more than once a week, here are the most optimal times for each day of the week (Hootsuite)

Monday – 12:00 PM

Tuesday – 9:00 AM

Wednesday – 11:00 AM

Thursday – 11:00 AM

Friday – 2:00 PM

Saturday – 9:00 AM

Sunday – 7:00 PM

Keep in mind that the best times for doing business can vary greatly depending on the industry and time zone you are in. Using prior performance as a benchmark and testing at different times to see if that affects how well the post performs.

Here’s a recap of the tips on what is the best time to post on Instagram

• Analyze your most popular posts. Identify which ones have got the highest reach, number of impressions, likes, and when they were posted. Your Instagram insights and analytics are your most reliable source of information.
• Your approach to Instagram scheduling varies based on your goals.

Determine what kind of performance you expect from your content. Is it brand awareness, engagement, or another factor?

• Find the peak times when your audience is active on Instagram. You can check your analytics to identify when your followers are scrolling through their feeds. We need to understand our audiences as marketers. A college student may use social media in a completely different way as compared to a working professional.
• Take into account when your competitors post. Your competitors may be carrying out some of the same estimations and techniques as you. You can keep a tab on what is working for them by engaging in social listening or even thorough social competitive analysis.
• Post in the local time zone of your customers. If your audience is global and it is outside your time zone, you can now automate your Instagram posts with an Instagram scheduler to ensure that your posts are published at the appropriate time every day.
• Track and tweak your posts with analytics. There is a lot more to successful Instagram post optimization than just picking the right filter. But one of the simplest ways to expand your reach is to take some time to review the numbers.
• Your audience will truly appreciate and interact with your content once they become accustomed to seeing your brand appear on their feed. Keeping up with Instagram posting consistently helps you develop authenticity, rapport, and deeper connections with your audience.

The Instagram algorithm recognizes when you have a genuine bond with your audiences, and that ultimately benefits your business.

Bear in mind that even if you post at the best time, if you don’t have amazing content to share, you won’t see the desired results. Therefore, make sure the compelling images and videos you post are interesting enough to appeal to your targeted audience.