Knowing the best time to post on Instagram is crucial for businesses to maximize their social media marketing efforts. Social media platforms can get noisy, making it easy for posts to get buried and not seen by potential customers. For Instagram, a heavy-image platform, it’s essential to have a scroll-stopping post during the times when most of your followers or users, in general, are active to get the desired engagement and impressions.
To help businesses achieve their social media marketing goals, here are the best times to post on Instagram in 2023 for maximum engagement, likes, comments, and shares, expressed in Central Time:
Monday: 11 AM to 1 PM
Tuesday: 8 AM to 10 AM
Wednesday: 11 AM to 1 PM
Thursday: 11 AM to 2 PM
Friday: 7 AM to 2 PM
Saturday: 9 AM to 1 PM
Sunday: 1 PM to 8 PM
Posting during the times when your audience is not actively engaged can lead to social media burnout and little to no results. To avoid this, it’s important to effectively plan your social media content calendar and schedule posts ahead of time. This gives you more time to plan for the following week and double-check your posts for any errors.
According to research, Monday is hailed as the overall best day to post on Instagram, with the highest average engagement occurring for posts published at 6 AM. Posting early in the morning gives your content the best chance of being seen by your audience. However, there are multiple best times for every day of the week, and it’s crucial to determine the best time to post for your business to achieve the desired engagement and results.
In order to achieve maximum engagement on Instagram, it is important to post content at the right time. There are various studies that show the optimal times for posting on Instagram, and it varies according to the industry.
For Tuesdays, the best time to post on Instagram is 9 AM, while for Wednesdays, 11 AM is the best time to post. Thursdays generate the most engagement between 11 AM – 2 PM, and the best time to post on Fridays is at 2 PM. On Saturdays, the best time to post on Instagram is at 9 AM because people check their social media accounts before they start their weekend plans. Finally, Sunday evenings at 7 PM are the best time to post, although engagement is consistent all throughout the afternoon and evening between 12 PM to 8 PM.
For different industries, there are specific optimal times to post on Instagram. For B2B companies, the best time to post is Monday at 4 – 5 PM, while the best time to post for food and beverage industries is Monday at 9 AM to 2 PM and Tuesday at 10 AM to 2 PM.
The best time for travel and tourism or hospitality brands is Thursday 7 – 8 AM and Monday at 11 AM to 4 PM, and for medical and healthcare brands, Monday at 9 – 10 AM, 2 – 3 PM, 5 – 6 PM, Tuesday at 8 AM to 9 PM, and Sunday at 8 AM to 9 PM are the best times to post.
Education brands should post on Thursday at 2 – 3 PM and Friday at 4 – 5 AM, while IT companies should post on Monday at 11 – 12 AM, 8 – 9 PM, Tuesday at 11 – 12 AM, Thursday at 12 – 1 PM, and Friday at 11 AM to 12 PM.
Non-profit organizations should post on Wednesday at 10 AM to 5 PM, 5 – 6 PM, and Thursday 11 AM to 5 PM, while media and entertainment brands should post on Tuesday at 1 – 5 PM, Wednesday at 11 AM to 12 PM, and Thursday 8 – 9 AM.
Lastly, for influencers, the best time to post is Friday at 7 – 8 PM and Sunday at 5 – 6 PM.
Moreover, Instagram Reels are becoming increasingly popular and generating more engagement compared to regular image-based posts. Brands should take advantage of this and post reels during the best time slots, which are Wednesday at 9 AM, Thursday at 12 PM, and Friday at 12 PM.
Research shows that the best time to post on Instagram is from Monday to Friday at 12 PM or from 7-9 PM. During these times, people are more likely to check their social media accounts during lunch breaks or after work when they are relaxing.
However, it is important to note that these times are not fixed and may vary depending on your unique audience. To determine the best time to post on your Instagram account, you can use the following methods:
- Use Instagram Mobile App and Creator Studio: By using Instagram mobile app or Creator Studio, you can access helpful insights about your audience’s demographics, location, and active time on Instagram. This information can allow you to adjust your posting schedule, especially the timezone you’re using.
- Third-party Social Media Analytics: While Instagram native analytics can provide some insights, using third-party social media management platforms such as Sprout Social, HubSpot, or Google Analytics can help you dig deeper into your Instagram metrics. You can review your top post performance and analyze factors that influence engagement from your audience.
- Check Out Your Competitors: Your competitors are most likely doing their research on the best time to post on Instagram. You can keep an eye on their Instagram accounts to see which posts generate the highest engagement rates from their followers and the time they publish them.
In conclusion, a strategic Instagram content marketing strategy is crucial to get the best results from every post you publish. It’s not enough to create engaging and interesting content, timing and consistent posting schedule matter too. Posting at any time won’t give you the engagement you need to convert your Instagram audience into buying customers.