Wondering when you should post on Instagram to get the most visibility and engagement?

The best time to post on Instagram isn’t an exact science, but as a general guideline, the best time to post is roughly morning to mid-day. The two most cited studies on the topic are are:

• Later: 9 AM – 11 AM
• Sprout Social: 10 AM – 2 PM

However, every study acknowledges that the best time to post will vary per account.

Why?

Because every business is different, and every audience is different. Depending on your brand, you may appeal more to early risers while another brand appeals more to nighthawks.

When is The Best Time to Post on Instagram Each Day of the Week?

People’s routines change based on the day of the week, which means their social media routines will be impacted too.

According to Sprout Social data, the best times to post on Instagram in 2020 are:

• Sunday: 8 AM – 2 PM (The worst day to post on average)
• Monday: 9 AM – 7 PM (Engagement peaks 11 AM to 2 PM)
• Tuesday: 9 AM – 8 PM (Engagement peaks 10 AM to 3 PM and 7 PM)
• Wednesday: 7 AM – 7 PM (The best day to post on average)
• Thursday: 8 AM – 8 PM (Engagement peaks 10 AM to 2 PM)
• Friday: 7 AM – 4 PM (Engagement peaks 10 AM to 11 AM)
• Saturday: 9 – 11 AM

Why Does it Matter When You Post on Instagram?

Instagram’s algorithm prioritizes new content. Therefore, you will see the best results and gain the most followers if you post content when your audience is currently online.

Factors That Impact The Best Time to Post on Instagram

There are countless factors that could impact your best time to post, but here are some of the most common:

Audience Location

If your audience is in one time zone, finding the best time to post is probably easy with some experimentation. But if you have an international audience, or an audience spread across several time zones, you may want to stagger your posts by hitting the optimal posting time in each key time zone throughout the day.

B2B vs. B2C

If you post B2B Instagram content that’s meant to appeal to people when they are in “work mode”, you should post during core business hours. If you have a wider consumer audience, your post timings don’t need to be as restricted.

Industry

Different industries see different peak engagement times. For example, Hootsuite found that travel and tourism posts fared best on Friday mornings, whereas media and entertainment posts fared between on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

How to Determine The Best time to Post on Instagram

To determine the best time to post for your Instagram account, experiment!

Try posting at different times of the day, and then use a social media analytics tool to track which times of day get the most engagement.