Whether you aim to establish a social media presence for your brand or wish to grow as an independent content creator on Instagram, you are likely interested in discovering the best times to post on the platform.
Early morning on the weekend, particularly Friday, can be confusing when determining the best time to post on Instagram.
Understanding the know-how and proper use of tools for growing your target audience is essential. But when is the best time to post on Instagram to attract new followers? If you need some assistance, here are a few valuable tips for you.
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What is the Best Time to Post on Instagram?
There are two main factors to consider: target audience and timezone.
After understanding your target audience and determining the optimal time to post on Instagram, you should pay attention to your audience’s time zones.
Try to post during peak times
If you’re interested in the best times to post on Instagram, here’s a breakdown of the weekdays and tips on how to determine the optimal posting times:
Understanding the best times to post can significantly enhance engagement on your Instagram account.
Additionally, consider the human aspect of your target audience – When is your audience most likely to scroll through their Instagram feed, and when can you generate the highest engagement?
Upon waking up early in the morning, people often check their feed and scroll through posts from other Instagram users.
This is also very likely to occur during a lunch break, as scrolling is a significant part of most people’s daily routines.
Even in the evening after work, the best time to post on Instagram may not always follow a consistent pattern.
While the optimal time to post on Instagram may vary, there are specific hours that tend to be more effective.
By targeting specific time slots, you can reach a broad audience and capture your followers’ attention in seconds.
Reflect on your own use of social media throughout the day, and you may gain insights and a better understanding of things.
Based on this example, you could also obtain broader audience insights for various audience categories.
Achieving higher engagement on Instagram relies on a clear understanding of the best times to post.
Instagram users living in the same time zones are likely to view the same post on Instagram around the same time.
Consider this when determining the optimal time to post on Instagram. This approach will help your social media posts achieve maximum engagement.
Optimal Times for Posting Reels on Instagram
It’s 2022, and if you’re not leveraging the power of Instagram Reels to grow your account, you could be missing out significantly.
Don’t worry; I’m here to share all the necessary information related to the optimal posting times for Instagram Reels.
By combining a trending sound with captivating content and a strong message, and posting it during a specific time frame, the views on your Instagram reel could rapidly multiply and continue to grow each day.
Instagram’s algorithm has experienced fluctuations, making it challenging to comprehend and stay updated with its changes.
Here are a few important points to consider regarding the optimal times to post reels:
Consider Your Location
Time zones significantly impact the optimal posting time for your reels.
The overall app activity of various audiences can be differentiated based on their geographic location.
Similar to posting a regular image on Instagram, it’s essential to remember one thing: the audience is key. Therefore, if we focus on the audience and the viewers of your content, you should also consider their location.
You may be looking to present and sell your item or service to an audience abroad. Here is a list showing the best times to post an Instagram reel based on your audience’s time zone and location.
Optimal Times for Posting on Weekdays
In addition to considering the time zone and location, you should also take into account the universal factor of availability throughout the day.
User activity will differ between Monday morning and Saturday evening.
Your audience’s age, occupation, hobbies, and lifestyle significantly influence this aspect. Let me illustrate the best times to post a reel throughout the seven days of the week:
Consider the Timezone of Your Audience
I am contemplating the possibility that you are currently reading this article from a specific time zone and would like to share it on Instagram.
To determine the optimal time to post on Instagram, you can conduct some research on your own.
Explore accounts that share a similar audience to the one you aim to build—small businesses, major brands, or influencers in your area or region.
Regarding the Eastern Time Zone, you can post at any time between 6 am and 11 pm. The average social media usage can be observed in this manner; however, remember that your own audience may belong to a specific audience.
Why? Generally, most working individuals and Instagram users are awake and prepared for work in the morning, and later, they are ready to go to bed by 11 PM. Your audience’s time zone and work hours are essential factors in developing a posting schedule.
Many of these individuals check their social media first thing in the morning and are likely to scroll through Instagram feeds while still in bed and preparing to fall asleep. Therefore, it is essential to understand the optimal times to post on Instagram.
Time Zones are Crucial – Is It a Local or Global Community?
You may be creating compelling content, but you might be missing the opportunity for your Instagram posts or Instagram stories to connect with your unique audience at the right time.
Posting times significantly influence attracting your audience and maximizing engagement.
Before you can determine the best time to post on Instagram, you should check your followers’ locations and carefully examine their time zones.
The average user may be checking their feed in the early morning with a cup of hot coffee or tea, but there is a time zone difference among some of your followers.
Creating a Small Local Community
I won’t deny that some creators on Instagram adjust their posting times for a smaller audience. Instagram posts can be tailored to a local area. Creators with a smaller following may handle everything on their own.
In this case, the creator may not pay much attention to determining the optimal time to post on Instagram.
There are no strict rules for posting on Instagram; based on your demands and preferences, you will ultimately decide how much attention and strategy to invest in your Instagram posts.
Building A GLOBAL NETWORK OF FOLLOWERS
As I mentioned earlier, some creators focus on creating Instagram posts to connect with local individuals in their area and gain them as followers. The more time and energy you invest in developing a social media strategy, the higher your chances of attracting more followers.
In this situation, determining the optimal time to post on Instagram is a top priority.
Bigger brands and prominent names across various industries are joining the trend—they recognize the impact that Instagram has. Utilizing social media, in general, can help generate greater income and connect with potential buyers and users worldwide.
This means that they will need to consider potential customers in various time zones across the globe. If you are based in the USA and have a product for a potential customer in Germany, you must keep the time difference in mind.
Make an effort to respond to and engage with your global customers as quickly as possible. While it may not be feasible to answer questions while you are fast asleep, aim to stay on top of your followers’ inquiries.
Building a global community takes time, but discovering the optimal times to post on Instagram can greatly enhance your social presence.
Define Your Instagram Audience
Which age group are you targeting? Much of your research should focus on your audience: statistically speaking, the activity of younger age groups on Instagram will differ from that of older age groups.
Finding the optimal time to post on Instagram requires a deeper examination of the product you are offering and the potential audience it aims to reach.
It is not uncommon for Instagram accounts to organically attract a unique audience through an authentic approach and consistent engagement with their followers.
Age, occupation, hobbies, and interests are all crucial factors in determining the optimal time to post on Instagram.
Just as you tailor your Instagram posts to be engaging for your audience, it’s important to understand the best times to post on Instagram so that your specific audience can discover your feed and video posts.
Are you targeting busy business professionals, or are you directing your product at users who spend more time outdoors?
It is essential to define your primary audience. It is indeed possible to achieve high engagement from specific Instagram followers.
Utilize Social Media Management Tools
You may choose to navigate your research independently, analyzing the market, hashtags, and your audience, along with their time zones, step by step.
Apart from determining the optimal time to post on Instagram – your analytics should also be a priority.
Rather than going the extra mile and doing everything manually, consider downloading and using an app designed specifically to complete this task for you.
A simple way to save time, in this case, is to browse through your app store, as there is a wide variety of apps available for both Android and iOS users.
An app that can assist you in automating and analyzing your target audience’s time zone on Instagram, tailored to your needs and preferences, is undoubtedly Sprout Social.
Keep in mind that having this app may help you figure things out more easily. Discover the optimal times to post on Instagram and gain a deeper understanding of your account’s analytics.
This app provides an overview of all the necessary and important analytics to help you create and build an audience, as well as identify the optimal posting times for your content.
Create a Posting Schedule
If you are exploring social media marketing strategies, you may have noticed that certain apps allow you to input details related to your business or a specific product.
The app will calculate statistics and important odds related to your product, providing you with essential information on how to develop and manage your own strategy for posts on Instagram.
This app can be extremely useful for experienced social media managers, yet it is also beginner-friendly, allowing for easy organization of posting times. It is commonly used for Instagram business accounts, which can lead to positive changes in your Instagram insights.
Instagram’s engagement can be enhanced within a few weeks by posting content. The highest levels of engagement can be achieved even more quickly by implementing a marketing strategy and understanding the optimal times to post on Instagram.
As you can see, even if you are uncertain about the research itself and how to create a plan on your own, it makes sense to utilize these free apps, as they can be a valuable resource, particularly for newcomers.
A social media strategy enables you to schedule posts on Instagram. It helps you create an overview, understand your peak times, and ultimately encourages you to post regularly.
You can effortlessly schedule posts and achieve maximum engagement by identifying the best times to post on Instagram.
Use an App to Schedule Instagram Posts
You might feel easily overwhelmed by all the information available to you at this point. Posting times should be clearly defined, but do you really need an alarm clock to remember the optimal time to post on Instagram?
A social media marketing app can be more convenient if you use a specific app that enables you to preview your feed while scheduling posts with just a few taps.
It enables you to schedule posts for your account. You can effortlessly choose the optimal time to post on Instagram. This can help you save both time and energy.
An app that can be very useful is Planner for Instagram: Preview.
Create Compelling Content
Now that I have helped you determine the timing, let’s not forget to focus on this – quality content.
Even if I have set an hourly reminder for our Instagram stories, an hourly reminder for our Instagram posts, or a daily reminder for Instagram Reels within a well-defined posting time, what should I post?
Try to create engaging Instagram posts that establish a beautiful flow on your feed. Share reels with captivating content to attract the attention of Instagram followers who are in the same time zone as you.
Social media marketers can assist independent creators and brands by providing high-quality, well-crafted content to boost engagement on Instagram.
The data science team can develop an exceptional social media strategy. Additionally, you can explore various Instagram features if you have a business account.
Your feed posts perform better when you provide a product that can directly engage with the viewer. Major brands often post on Instagram, sometimes using simple content, because their design and/or logo are easily recognizable.
Enhance your Instagram presence and achieve greater engagement by developing unique Instagram campaigns based on original ideas.
As mentioned earlier, developing a targeted marketing strategy is an effective way to share content across all social media platforms.
The ideal combination for posting consists of a distinctive set of posts paired with the optimal time to post on Instagram.
Maintain Consistent Engagement
Putting in excessive effort to find the best time to post on Instagram may yield limited results unless you also dedicate the necessary work to creating engaging content that allows your authentic self to shine through.
In addition to being visible on someone’s Instagram feed, strive to maximize engagement. If you have an Instagram business account, you can access your Instagram audience insights, where you will find all the data necessary to better understand your audience’s interactions.
Even after determining the best time to post on Instagram, remember to continue communicating with your followers.
The Instagram Creator Studio Dashboard is a powerful tool. Here, you can view the details of your Instagram followers’ interactions.
Once you have achieved your first and second milestones, it makes sense to continue! Create more and engage more!
To maximize engagement, make sure to react to and reply to your Instagram followers’ comments on your social media posts. Even if you have been struggling with your account, let your Instagram insights work their magic. However, keep in mind that posting regularly is essential for the algorithm.
FAQ
Is it bad to post on Instagram at night?
Yes and no. This depends on your audience. Are you attracting followers who have regular 9 am – 4 pm working hours, and who are likely to be active on Instagram in the evening? In this case, the answer is going to be yes.
When should you avoid posting on Instagram?
Friday evenings are not the best choice if you expect a drastic improvement in your followers list. Let’s just say – most Friday nights are there for having fun post work with family and friends. Don’t expect a significant number of interactions with your posts at this time.
What days are the most active on Instagram?
The most active time on Instagram is on Saturdays and Sundays. Instagram’s user activity will be most present at this time. They will scroll through their feed posts during the days when they don’t have to worry about work, university, or school.
Conclusion
If you are trying to build an online presence and want to gain more followers, it is essential to understand the best time to post on Instagram.
Incorporating the optimal Instagram posting times into your social media marketing strategy will significantly enhance its effectiveness and accelerate the overall process.
Keep in mind that this is just one significant aspect of your posting strategy.
