Social media is a powerful tool that businesses use to expand and grow their reach to a broader audience. How you use it depends on your business model and your audience. Although timing is essential in social media marketing, this is not always the same for all types of businesses and channels. Here are some pointers on the best times to post on major social media platforms.
Facebook offers both paid and free advertising options. Since the free option is free and easy to use, it is a popular choice for many businesses. Facebook gives you complete control of your timeline. This means you can post anytime you please. However, it is highly recommended you post daily.
Knowing when your audience is most active is crucial. Until you have gained some social media presence, you need to know how to advertise on Facebook to get the best results you can. Again, timing is not just about knowing the best times to post for maximum views. You must know your audience to determine the best times to post on Facebook.
You need to know the performance of your posts during the week. For example, if you notice your posts get more interaction on Tuesdays and Thursdays, then you know these are your best days to post. However, if your posts get little interaction, you must change your posting time. When you know this, you can post at the most appropriate times, making your posts more effective.
TikTok
Social media has changed how and where we watch videos. While YouTube still remains a favourite for most, TikTok has gained significant popularity since its launch less than a year ago. TikTok is owned by the popular Chinese app, Bytedance. It has a lot of potential, and it’s estimated to be worth around $58 billion in 2021, which is significant growth from its $30 billion revenue the previous year.
In order to take advantage of this app and its popularity, you must post videos at the most appropriate times. Since TikTok has over 300 million users, it’s important to post during peak hours to take advantage of the number of viewers.
TikTok is most active from 8 am to 10 pm, depending on the day. According to statistics published by the Influencer Marketing Hub, people tend to be more active during the day on Tuesdays with very little activity at night. On other days of the week, the numbers tend to fluctuate, with many users being active around 9 am and then at different times in the evening.
These are the largest spikes in views and likes during these hours. If you post during other times, your posts may get buried under thousands of posts on your “For You” page.
Although there is a lot of overlap between LinkedIn and Facebook, they are still different platforms. Unlike Facebook, LinkedIn is more professional and mainly used by professionals. Even though LinkedIn allows users to post at any time, there are still optimal posting times. The platform’s peak times are typically during office hours when other marketers and professionals are browsing LinkedIn.
Instagram is a popular social media platform that allows users to share and post photos. Since most of your photos are shared with others, you need to ensure they get as many views as possible. Although you can schedule your posts and share them at any time, you should know that posting during peak times has a significant effect on your reach.
The best times to post on Instagram are from 1 pm to 2 pm, 7 pm to 8 pm, and 9 pm to 10 pm. If possible, you should focus on the weekends since a lot of users are online during this period.
BONUS TIPS
#1: Analytics
It is crucial to access analytical data on your social media accounts. Many platforms have in-depth analytic tools to help business owners understand their audience, engagement rates and optimal social media posting times. Facebook offers the Facebook Business Suite, while platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn or TikTok have analytics built into the app.
#2: Scheduling
We get it, running a social media account can feel like a full-time job. Luckily, most platforms have excellent scheduling tools; making social media a breeze *cue singing angels*. For example, our team creates 1-2 weeks worth of content in advance, then schedules that content to automatically post on the corresponding day/time. Not only does this save a BUNCH of time, it means you will never have to worry about missing another crucial posting deadline again.
Conclusion
Knowing the best times to post on social media is important, especially for business owners. If you know when your target audience is online, it only makes sense to leverage this knowledge and post your content during these times. This way, you increase your chances of gaining more views and engagement.
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