Best Times to Post on Social Media in 2023
Introduction
Posting at optimal times can dramatically increase your content's reach and engagement. However, the "best" times vary by platform, industry, and your specific audience. This article synthesizes the latest research to help you determine when to post for maximum impact.
Platform-Specific Best Times
2023 research shows these general best times (local time):
- Overall: 11AM-1PM and 7-9PM
- Weekdays: Tuesday 10AM-2PM, Wednesday 9AM-11AM
- Weekends: Saturday 9AM-11AM, Sunday 4-6PM
Reels tend to perform best between 9AM-12PM and 6-9PM.
Optimal posting times:
- Best days: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
- Peak times: 8-9AM, 12-1PM, and 5-6PM
- Weekends: Lower engagement but less competition
With Twitter's fast-moving feed, timing is crucial:
- Best times: 8-10AM and 6-9PM weekdays
- Highest CTR: Noon-1PM on weekdays
- Weekends: 9-10AM and 4-6PM
Professional audience patterns:
- Best days: Tuesday-Thursday
- Peak times: 7:30-8:30AM, 12PM, and 5-6PM
- Content types: Articles perform best early morning, videos at lunch
Industry Variations
Optimal times vary significantly by industry:
| Industry | Best Times |
|---|---|
| Retail/E-commerce | 8-9AM, 7-9PM |
| B2B | 9AM-4PM weekdays |
| Health/Fitness | 5-7AM, 5-7PM |
| Entertainment | 12-3PM, 7-10PM |
Finding Your Optimal Times
While general benchmarks help, your specific audience may have different patterns. Here's how to find your best times:
1. Use Platform Insights
Instagram and Facebook provide data on when your followers are most active:
- Go to your professional dashboard
- View audience insights
- Check "Most Active Times"
2. Conduct Your Own Tests
Experiment by posting similar content at different times and track:
- Reach
- Engagement rate
- Click-through rate
3. Consider Your Content Type
Different content performs better at different times:
- Educational: Morning/early afternoon
- Entertaining: Evening/weekends
- Promotional: Mid-week midday
Pro Tip
Use our Content Scheduler tool to generate a personalized posting schedule based on your specific audience and content type.
Conclusion
While these benchmarks provide a starting point, remember that consistency and content quality ultimately matter more than perfect timing. Use these insights to inform your strategy, but continue testing and refining based on your unique audience data.