Instagram has been a part of our lives for over twelve years and in this time, its algorithm has changed. In recent years, the developers of the giant social media platform have made it a lot harder to share visible posts.
Instead, posts made by a user’s friends are given top priority whilst business posts are not being seen as often.
Posts with links that take users away from the app are extremely difficult to share and see. But, this doesn’t mean certain posts are doomed from the outset.
Instead, Instagram users have to be more savvy and play the “Instagram game” well (see also “How To Pin A Comment On Instagram“). This includes choosing the best time to post on the app.
Because of the recent algorithm alterations, users now have to target a time when people are more likely to be looking at their Instagram accounts (see also “What Are The Pros Of Multiple Instagram Accounts?“). However, this needs to be a time that doesn’t coincide with a time when most other users are uploading content.
We have crunched the numbers for you and discovered the best times to post on Instagram, wherever you are in the world (see also “How To See Liked Posts On Instagram“).
It’s important to note, though, that all users, businesses, and audiences differ, so the best times to post may be a little different from one account to the next. But, we will help calculate the best time for you to post on Instagram today.
Is There Actually A Best Time To Post Content On Instagram?
There is a certain art form to using social media successfully. But, the right time for one account may not be the same for another. Each brand tends to have a unique “sweet spot” when it comes to posting on Instagram, or any social media site for that matter.
This is due to the fact that all brands have distinct audiences that have distinctive behavior patterns.
That being said, there are certain methods and practices to follow in order to yield successful results as a social media marketer. The recent algorithm changes prioritize times when users are online.
Therefore, posting when your followers are using the app is critical. By posting when users are online, it means a newer post will have a higher chance of showing up on the top of a news feed rather than an older one.
This is known as “recency.” This refers to the recentness of a post or content on a social media platform and the time elapsed since a post was made and the current time, with newer posts appearing at the top of a user’s feed.
Recency is an important factor that determines the visibility and engagement of a post on social media. Social media algorithms use this as a factor to determine what content to display first to users, with the most recent and relevant content appearing at the top.
As well as this, Instagram users should also have clear goals concerning their marketing strategy. Think about whether you have specific targets to reach regarding a higher engagement or the amount of traffic to your page.
Success on Instagram may look different to you compared to another user. Think about whether past posts have achieved your desired results. If so, revisit what you did and follow those same guidelines.
The Best Time To Post On Instagram
They say there is no secret to success, but there are formulas to help you achieve it! Well, in terms of gaining more likes, comments, and shares on social media anyway.
Analyzing thousands of Instagram posts from users and businesses of different sizes and audiences, we calculated the best times to post on Instagram over a broad spectrum.
Worldwide, the best time to post on Instagram appears to be on Wednesdays at 11am.
This may be surprising as most people are at work at this time. However, Instagram users are more likely to interact with content during their working hours at around midday and in the middle of the week.
This may be because of “hump day” (Wednesdays). This is halfway through the week when workers may feel like taking a break and doing some scrolling to relax.
Various studies have also found that Tuesdays from 4am to 10am and Fridays at 2pm are good times to post and gain more engagement.
The worst times to post are generally on the weekend as this is when you are less likely to achieve much engagement from followers and other users. This may be because people are out and about with their friends and family, rather than sitting and scrolling during their valuable free time.
Of course, posting just once a week on a Wednesday at 11am will not suit everyone, especially businesses. If you plan on posting more than once a week, check out the best times of everyday below.
[All times here are recorded in US Pacific Time]
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
These are excellent times to post, particularly for users who are relatively new to the app or do not have much audience insight or past data to study. But, remember that all accounts and audiences differ.
That is why you should tweak your posting schedule as your account develops. Check your app’s analytics to see your audience’s activity patterns and post around these times.
Tips On Finding The Best Times To Post On Instagram
The times above are just guidelines. As we have stated, your account may require a slightly different time. But, you can do some research and find the exact times to post on Instagram and enjoy the most engagement.
Here are some helpful tips to help you find that sweet spot.
Check When Your Competitors Are Posting
If you run an Instagram account for your business, there’s a high chance that your competitors are using the same calculations as you and experimenting with posting at certain times in a similar manner.
By conducting a full social competitive analysis, you can find out what is working best for other accounts.
You may find that the majority of brands post on the hour mark. If this is the case with your competitors, post a few minutes before the hour to gain a competitive advantage.
Revisit Top-Performing Posts
If you have experience with using Instagram and have posted for a while, you can review older, top performing posts. But, first, you should think about your Instagram goals.
What performance are you aiming for? Are you striving for more engagement or want to up your brand awareness? Your goals may determine your scheduling approach.
Check on previous top performing posts (those with the highest impressions). Review:
When you posted them
If there is anything different about these posts compared to others
Your analytics and insights on the app are like gold dust. They are the best way of finding out what posts work best and the best times to post on Instagram.
Of course, this can take some time as you will need to crunch some numbers. However, there are certain social media management tools to help you.
Monitor Your Audience And Adjust Where Necessary
The process of actually posting a photo and choosing the right filter on Instagram is just a small part of using the app (see also “Best Instagram Analytics Apps“). In truth, optimizing your posts to make them successful requires work and number crunching.
You should look at your top performing posts on a weekly basis and check if there are any insights that can help you adjust your social media strategy.
If your posts are doing well, though, we suggest sticking to your current formula. But, the Instagram algorithm changes so you will need to readjust your times occasionally, too.
In recent years, the pandemic has affected work schedules. Workers have been working from home meaning they commute less and have longer lunch breaks.
This has resulted in B2B audiences spending more time on their phones and their usage of Instagram has been more spread out over the day.
As the world changes, the habits of your social media audience will as well. That is why you should review your results and make any necessary changes regularly.
Review When Your Audience Is Most Active
Again, you need to check your account’s analytics to see when your followers are scrolling through their feeds the most. As an Instagram account holder, you should see yourself as a marketer.
Therefore, you must know your audience. For instance, if you’re targeting sports fans, their social media usage may be very different to someone waking up at 4am for work.
In Summary
Research points to the fact that the best time of the week to post on Instagram is 11am on a Wednesday. But, as we have discussed above, you should monitor your Instagram account and find out when your audience is most active online.
This will give you the best chance of growing engagement with your followers on the app.
Hi, I’m Matt Johnson, and I work as a Digital Marketer. I started out as a PR assistant for a publishing company, and I quickly learned how important digital platforms are for marketing in the modern world.
This is why I started EngageDigital.com, to offer you a behind the scenes look at all of the most popular sites, applications and platforms, from Amazon to Snapchat, Venmo accounts, Instagram, NFTs, to Omegle and Tik Tok.
If you are looking for informative guides about using social media platforms, troubleshooting your devices, gaming, online shopping, and more, I hope to provide all of the answers you need here at EngageDigital.com!
