What is the best time to post on Instagram?

What is the best time to upload to Instagram? What about the best day in the week to get the most likes? Which day has the most comments? Continue reading to discover the best time to post to Instagram. This universal best time works for everyone. And how to find your own unique best times to post to Instagram (because every business and audience is impressive).

Searching for ideal time to post on Instagram

Each brand may have its own Instagram niche. In addition, each brand targets a different audience with different behavior patterns and social media posts. However, some best practices can be followed that will yield excellent results.

Because the Instagram algorithm prioritizes recency, it is essential to post when your followers are online. If all else is equal, a recent post will appear higher in the newsfeed than an older post.

When it comes to optimizing posts for success, recency is one of the easiest and fastest wins. We have many more tips for getting Instagram likes if you are interested.

It's essential to understand your goals for your Instagram Marketing Strategy. Are you aiming to increase awareness, drive traffic, or get better engagement? How do you define success? When have your posts been successful in the past? Your past success is a guideline for what you should post.

See also how to find deleted Instagram posts.

Best time to post on Instagram

We combined data from over 30,000 Instagram posts by businesses of all sizes with our observations and experiments posting to a 200k-follower audience to find the best time to post to Instagram.

Our research showed that Instagram users are more likely to interact with content in the middle of the week and on the weekends. So it makes sense. It's a great time to scroll and take a break.

Weekends are more popular than weekdays. We believe this is because people are more active outdoors and not on their phones scrolling on Instagram.

Read our article on how to find someone on Instagram by phone number.

Best time to post to Instagram on Monday

The best time to upload to Instagram is at 12:00 PM on Monday. Most Instagrammers like to start the week strong at work, but by lunchtime, they turn to their Instagram feeds to take a break.

Best time to post Instagram photos on Tuesdays

Tuesday is the best time to post an Instagram photo. It is between 9:00 and 10:00 AM. However, engagement peaks at 9:00 AM.

Best time to post on Instagram on Wednesdays

On Wednesday at 11:00 am , the best time to upload on Instagram is Accounts seem to receive the most engagement on Wednesday.

See also how to know if someone screenshots your Instagram story.

Best time to post Instagram photos is on Thursdays

On Thursday, 12:00 PM is the best time to upload on Instagram. Engagement is most vital on weekdays between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.

Best time to post Instagram photos on Fridays

2:00PM Friday is the best day to post to Instagram. Still, engagement is relatively consistent between 7 AM and 2:00 PM throughout the morning and afternoon.

Best time to post on Instagram on Saturdays

Around 9:00 AM, Saturday is the best day to post Instagram photos before people start planning their weekend offline.

Sunday is the best time to publish pictures

Instagram's best time to post is at 7:00 PM on Sunday. Engagement is pretty consistent all afternoon and evening from 12:00 PM to 8:00 pm. Suppose you are just getting started on Instagram and don't have any past data or insights about your audience.

In that case, you might try posting at the times we tested and see if it works. Then, you might adjust your posting schedule as your account grows to best suit your audience's Instagram activity patterns. This is how Hootsuite determines the best times to post to your Instagram account.

See also what does forward mean on Instagram.

Best time to post Instagram Reels

Reels are a great way to increase your Instagram followers' engagement. It's been proven hows Reels get 300% more engagement than regular YouTube videos.

We've found that the best time for Reels to be posted is 9AM and 12PM, Monday through Thursday.

You might want to know how to fit whole picture on Instagram without border.

Additional tips to help you find the best time to post on Instagram

Check out your top-performing posts

Consider the type of performance that you are aiming for. For example, is it brand awareness or engagement? Depending on which one is more important, your approach to timing Instagram posts may differ.

Which of your past posts has received high views? What date did you publish them? Are these different from those that earn likes? Your Instagram analytics will be your best source for truth. You should know that not all analytics tools will be the same. Some social media management tools may help you to avoid heavy data crunching.

Read also how to view Instagram without account.

Find out when your audience is online most active

Next, take a look at your analytics and determine when your followers scroll through their feeds.

Knowing your audience is essential for marketers. For example, you might target basketball fans via Instagram. Their social media habits may differ from the salespeople who wake up at 4AM to go to their running routine.

Take into account when your competition is posting

Your industry may have its calculations and experiments. Social listening, or even a complete social, competitive analysis, helps keep an eye on the audience in your industry.

Tip: Many brands post at the hour mark. Consider posting a few minutes after or before 08:00 to avoid competing for shelf space.

Read also about how to make a group on Instagram.

Post in your audience's time zone

You may have a global audience or are located outside the "usual time zones" (we see you, Mumbai, how you going Sydney?). Your best time to publish might be at 3 a.m.

Instead of setting too harsh alarms, we recommend automating your Instagram posts.

Monitor and adjust

Optimizing Instagram posts for success is not an easy task. It takes more than choosing the right filter. On the other hand, it's easy to make sure your content reaches the right people by crunching the numbers every quarter. It's easier than learning videography and writing skills - though both are highly recommended.

Cohen pointed out that people are less likely to commute or take a break during the pandemic. In addition, B2B customers are more on their phones, as evidenced by the spread of Instagram usage throughout the day.

The world changes, and audience habits change. Hence, make a reminder on your calendar to review your results, make adjustments, and then go.

See also how to make Instagram profile attractive.

Be consistent over the long-term

It's essential to be consistent in your posting to reap the benefits of all that information about your audience. So although you won't notice a dramatic difference by posting an hour earlier than usual, consistent use of the data will significantly impact your audience.

It's a circle that works:

1. Your audience sees your brand popping up on their feeds.
2. They like your content.
3. They interact with it.
4. Being consistent on Instagram builds trust and credibility. It also creates meaningful relationships.

The algorithm will notice if you are authentically connecting with your audience. This will have a positive impact on your bottom line.