When is the Best Time to Post on Social Media?
Let's clear up a common misconception right away: there is no universal "best time" to post on social media that works for every brand and business.
Each brand’s audience is unique, with distinct behaviors and interests. This means there’s no one-size-fits-all approach that guarantees optimal results every time you post.
However, "best times to post" guides can be incredibly useful. They highlight broader engagement trends and can serve as a starting point for your own experiments to find the ideal posting times for your specific audience.
You might be posting at 4 PM when 7 AM could be more effective. Reports like these encourage you to consider why different times might work better, what your audience is looking for, and how you can adjust your strategy to better meet their needs.
Yes, it's important to acknowledge that these reports aren't foolproof. Both you and Sprout Social know this, but the data they provide can still be beneficial for planning purposes.
Sprout Social’s latest overview examines when each social media platform sees the most engagement, based on overall trends. Here’s a breakdown of their findings for the top social apps:
Best times to post: Weekdays between 9 AM and midday
Worst day to post: Sunday
Weekday mornings tend to be more active, with another engagement surge around 5 PM to 6 PM when people are heading home. This trend is consistent with Sprout Social’s findings from the previous year. It may seem counterintuitive to post early in the workday, but this is when more people are logging on and interacting.
Best times to post: Weekdays between 9 AM and 2 PM
Least engagement: Fridays and weekends
Best times to post: Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 10 AM and 12 PM for company pages
TikTok
Best times to post: Weekdays from 2 PM to 6 PM
Additional strong engagement times: Between 9 AM and 11 AM on Wednesday and Thursday
X (formerly Twitter)
Best times to post: Weekdays between 9 AM and 3 PM
These guides are based on engagement rates, but remember, individual results will vary. Use these overviews to inform your experiments and help refine your posting strategy. They can prompt new ideas about when to post and what might resonate best with your audience.
For more detailed insights, you can read Sprout Social’s full best times to post report HERE. Happy posting!
