Is There a Best Time to Post on Instagram? (August 2024 Update)

Many of us have heard that there are certain times of day that you should post on Instagram to maximize the amount of attention your post receives. However, when elements like the algorithm and your audience are constantly changing, how do you know what time is best? And why does timing matter? 

Why Posting Time Matters

So, why – and how much – does posting time matter? 

Instagram's algorithm prioritizes content that generates quick engagement. This means that the more likes, comments, and shares your post receives in a short amount of time, the higher its chance of being shown to more users. You might have experienced this firsthand if something you posted generated comments quickly, and then gained a lot more likes than a typical post of yours does. 

That’s why posting at the right time impacts how well your post performs, leading to better reach, more engagement, and sometimes, more followers. 

General Trends for Instagram Posting: August 2024

Recent studies from Hootsuite and Sprout Social for August 2024 suggest several key trends in terms of when users are most active:

• Peak Engagement Time: According to Hootsuite, the most engagement tends to occur at 8:00 AM EST on Wednesdays. The company found that “users are the most likely to interact with content during work hours midday and mid-week” when they’re taking breaks from work or, let’s be honest, procrastinating. 😂
• Weekends and Evenings: Engagement tends to dip over the weekend, when users have unpredictable schedules, or are more active IRL. However, for those looking to post during the weekends, Sunday evenings between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM EST are recommended by Hootsuite, as users face those Sunday Scaries to prepare for the week ahead.

Consider YOUR Audience

While general trends are certainly helpful, the most effective way to learn when to post on Instagram is to understand your own audience. 

To do so, start with your Instagram Insights to see when your followers are most active. Depending on your audience and time zone, these recommendations might vary from the timing that Hootsuite recommended above.

For example, about a year ago, I was working with one of my clients, Gillian, a nutritionist and intuitive eating coach, to figure out when her followers were online in order to maximize her post times. She had been following the standard "post in the morning" routine but not seeing a lot of engagement on her reels. When we looked deeper into her analytics and timing themes for her specific industry, we found out that most people were looking for content like hers in the early afternoon and Sunday mornings. Why is that? Because that's when people were more likely to figure out what they were going to make for dinner and recipes for the week's grocery shopping trips!

So when it comes to thinking about your own profile, don't forget to also put yourself in the mind of the consumer, in addition to looking at the data 📈

Using Tools to Perfect Your Timing

We already talked about why Instagram Insights is a great tool for learning about when your audience is active. However, there are other tools out there that recommend optimal posting times, like:

• Later or Buffer: These social media scheduling tools analyze engagement data and help pinpoint the best posting times for your account.
• Sprout Social: Offers a comprehensive analytics suite that provides insights on optimal engagement times.
• Hootsuite: Provides “best time to post” heatmaps that tell you when your followers are most likely to engage. 

How Often Should You Reevaluate? 

If your data suggests that the optimal post time is 9:00 AM on weekdays, how often should you reevaluate your posting strategy? 

Well, the best time for you to post will vary depending on changes in your audience as well as changes in season and time of year. Back to the example used above about the user whose audience features teachers on Pacific time, the optimal time for this user to post will be much different in the summer than during the school year.

We recommend checking back in with Instagram Insights or one of the other tools mentioned above if your audience is expected to undergo a shift like that one, or if you experience a dramatic increase in followers that might influence when your audience overall might be most active. 

Got questions about maximizing your Instagram posts – as well as your own time and energy? At The Winfield Creative, this is our specialty. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with questions about social media, or how we can work together.