What are the best times to post on Instagram?

When you’re using Instagram for a business or brand account, you’ll want to see the biggest possible return on your investment. You’ve invested time and creativity into your content and just putting it out there in the hope that your target audience will see it, isn’t enough. One of the best ways of ensuring exposure to your dream clients is to post your content at the optimum time – when most of your target audience is online. You need to be strategic and think about what are the best times to post on Instagram.

So when is the best time to post on Instagram?

Put simply, there isn’t a universal best time to post. There are many ‘best time to post on Instagram’ charts, and while they may reveal the best times to post on average, your content will receive the most benefit when you determine YOUR best time.

Every Instagram account has its own unique audience, often with followers that are located in different time zones, so it’s important to understand when YOUR audience is online. If you have an Instagram account with business settings, you’ll be able to check your Insights to not only understand the best time to post your content, but also the best day to post.

Who sees my content?

Instagram has changed the way it serves content to users. Feeds have changed, so instead of content appearing in chronological order, Instagram now prioritises content for you based upon your usage pattern.

One of the factors that the Instagram Algorithm uses is engagement – the more people that engage with your post, the more people Instagram will serve it up to.

Using strategic times to maximise reach

Now that Instagram prioritises content, it makes sense to post your content at a time when most of your users are scrolling the app.

Essentially, if you post at the wrong time, fewer people will see your content, and if they aren’t seeing it, then they can’t engage with it.

The timeliness of posts is more important than ever.

Don’t post and disappear

Instagram prioritises posts that are receiving engagement, so don’t just post your content and run away. Stay on the app and engage.

When someone comments, reply to their comment. This counts as engagement and will help your content be seen by a wider audience.

Engagement is the end game

Likes, comments, video views, saves and shares all count as engagement.

The more engagement your content receives, the better it will perform.

In addition, once people have engaged with your post, it also increases the chance that future content from you will be served to them.

How to find YOUR best time to post

If your Instagram account is set to “Business Profile’, you will have access to analytics (Insights). Checking these Insights regularly will give you insights into your audience’s online behaviour, and you will be able to use this information to post more strategically. It is advisable that you check your Insights at least once a month as audience behaviour can change. Depending on your niche, your audience behaviour may change according to seasonality, economy or even a global pandemic…

How to check your Audience Insights and find YOUR best time to post

When you are in your Profile:

Tap Menu
Tap Insights
Tap the Total Followers arrow
Scroll to the bottom of the page to see the Most Actives Time section.
You will see a chart that shows the hours and days of the week.
Tap on one of the hour bars eg. 6pm.
A number will appear revealing how many of your audience are online at that time.
Tap Days.
The chart will show the data for what days your audience is online.
Tap on any one of the day bars eg. Mon.
A number will appear revealing how many of your audience are online at that day.

Tips on posting

In addition to knowing YOUR best time to post, there are some generic times that suit particular niches.

Retail

Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 12 noon. To maximise exposure to people scrolling Instagram while on their lunch breaks.

Food & Beverage

On average, Fridays are the best day of the week, for engagement. However, Weds & Thurs evenings, all day Saturday and Sunday pm, are also good for engagement.

Travel & Tourism

Friday is the best performing day for Travel & Tourism content as people are planning their weekends. Sunday evening, Mon & Tues are also strong engagement days as users are looking at places/activities they may have just been/done, or are about to do.

Fitness & Self-Care

Wednesday, when people hit the mid-week slump, or Sunday when people are planning, are the best times for engagement. Mondays and Saturdays also perform well.

Professional Services

Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday from 9-10am.

If you are posting educational content such as blog posts or videos, posting mid-morning usually suits professionals as they often prefer to browse this type of content earlier in their day rather than later at night.