You work so hard to create a creative social media strategy that's designed to connect with your Instagram audience. But, if you're not considering when is the best time to post on Instagram, you could be doing your social strategy a disservice before you even start publishing content.
In order to make your digital media strategy as effective as it can be, we are going to discuss the best times to post on Instagram for grid posts, Stories, and Reels in order to have Instagram success. Continue reading to learn more.
When is the Best Time to Post on Instagram?
Whether you're scheduling posts through a posting service or directly on the platform, social media marketers need to know the best times to schedule their posts. To help give you a well-rounded knowledge of the best times to post on Instagram, we break down the optimal time windows for posting on Instagram below.
| Early Afternoon | Late Afternoon | Evening |
| 12-3 pm EST | 3-6 pm EST | 6-9 pm EST |
Beyond understanding these as general guidelines, it's also helpful to look a bit deeper at which specific days and times are most effective for posting. Let's review those below so you can optimize your posting schedule.
Best Day to Post on Instagram
After learning how to schedule Instagram posts, it's time to form a deeper understanding of the best times to post on the platform. Reference this helpful chart below on when is the best time to post on Instagram for each day of the week:
| Monday | 3 pm EST |
| Tuesday | 12 pm EST |
| Wednesday | 2 pm EST |
| Thursday | 3 pm EST |
| Friday | 5 pm EST |
| Saturday | 12 pm EST |
| Sunday | 10 pm EST |
Our guide is broken down by each day of the week so that way you have a more specific idea of the best times to post on Instagram.
Saturday is considered the best day to post on Instagram.
While Monday is considered the worst day to post on Instagram, Saturday is considered the best day to post on the social media platform.
While you can't schedule all of your Instagram posts on Saturday, it's a great day to post some of the more important posts you want to receive higher engagement.
Best Time to Post Stories on Instagram
Whether you're wondering how to start a blog on Instagram or simply looking to create an online presence for your brand, there's a lot more to Instagram than just grid posts.
Posting to Instagram Story is a great way to receive higher engagement on top of what you're already posting to your grid.
The best time to post an Instagram Story is Monday through Friday from 11 am to 2 pm EST.
The best time to post on Instagram stories is on weekdays during the typical lunch hour.
These times make sense because they're during the typical workweek lunch break, which would be when most people are seeking a reprieve on social media.
Whether you're engaging in Instagram affiliate marketing or promoting your own products, posting to Instagram Stories is an effective way to interact with your audience on a daily basis.
Best Time to Post Reels on Instagram
As Instagram continues to prioritize video content, Instagram Reels are another great way to boost your engagement and show up more frequently in your followers' feeds.
The best time to post an Instagram Reel is Monday through Thursday from 12 pm EST – 3 pm EST.
How to Find the Best Time to Post on Instagram For You
While guides are a great place to start when crafting your Instagram strategy, you'll also want to dig deeper into your statistics to continue elevating your posting strategies.
Here are a few tips for finding the best time to post on Instagram for your account, whether it's a personal or business account:
- Find your top-performing posts on Instagram and take note of when you posted them: Create a chart that maps out the days, times, and corresponding engagement of your top-performing posts. This can be done by using Instagram Analytics or another analytics software.
- Understand your audience: Knowing when to reach your audience starts by understanding who your audience is and when they're most active. For example, if your Instagram followers are primarily college students, their peak time on the app will probably differ from business executives. This also includes making sure your post times are scheduled in the correct time zone where your audience majorly resides.
- Study your competitors: In addition to knowing your audience, you also need to know your competitors. This includes when they're posting most often and how those posts are performing. For example, if your competitors are always posting exactly on the hour, you can give yourself a slight advantage by posting just before or just after the hour.
How Posting on Instagram at the Right Time Can Benefit You
Posting on Instagram at the right time can benefit your social strategy by:
- Determining where you show up in your audience's feed: Trying out each different time until you find the right one will help you reach maximum engagement with your audience. This will determine whether you show up near the top of their feed or at the bottom after a long time of scrolling.
- Cutting through your competition to reach each follower: Posting at peak hours is a great way to beat your competition for the top spot in your followers' feeds. Even having the advantage of putting your content in front of your audience before your competition could be enough of an edge to win you the sale and beat out your competition.
- Playing by the rules of the Instagram algorithm: As frustrating as it is, social media marketers have to play by Instagram's algorithm when scheduling their content. The more your content meets the criteria their algorithm is looking for, the higher your content will be boosted in your followers' feeds.
- Boosting Instagram engagement: Engagement is one of the most important metrics when measuring your digital marketing efforts. If you can reach your target audience by posting at the right times, you'll have a better chance of boosting your engagement rate.
Improve Your Instagram Marketing by Posting at the Right Time
Now you have a creative social media marketing strategy and the knowledge of when is the best time to post on Instagram; you're ready for Instagram success. Your social media marketing goals will thank you!
The post When is the Best Time to Post on Instagram? appeared first on Niche Pursuits.