Best Times to Post on Social Media (Linkedin, 𝕏, etc.)

Social media is like the Internet’s New York City—buzzing with activity around the clock. No matter the time of day, platforms are constantly filled with new posts, content, and engagements.

Because of this, many believe that any time is a good time to post on social media. The logic is simple: if millions of people use these platforms 24/7, then your content should receive the engagement you need.

Unfortunately, that’s a big misconception.

Certain hours and days see peak engagement, while others are much quieter. For instance, users are often more active on Monday mornings, while engagement tends to spike on Saturday evenings.

It also varies by platform. The peak hours on 𝕏 can differ significantly from those on LinkedIn or Instagram.

So, to improve your social media publishing strategy, we’ll discuss the best times to post on social media in this article.

Best Times to Post on Social Media (Across All Platforms)

As we mentioned earlier, peak engagement hours vary across platforms. However, we can identify some common patterns in how people use these platforms.

Based on research and analysis from sources like Hootsuite, HubSpot, Sprout Social, and SocialPilot, here are the overall best times to post on social media:

Monday (11 AM to Noon)

Monday marks the start of the workweek, so people are more likely to check their emails and work channels first thing in the morning. They typically take breaks around lunchtime, providing an opportunity to check their socials.

Tuesday and Wednesday (9 AM to 2 PM; 3 PM to 4 PM)

Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the heart of the workweek when people are fully focused on their jobs. They are more likely to use social media during breaks within these time windows.

Thursday (9 AM to 2 PM)

As with Tuesday and Wednesday, people will likely engage in social media during breaks around this period. Late afternoon (3 PM onwards) might not be ideal, as many might be hustling to meet deadlines before the Friday cutoff.

Friday (9 AM to 11 AM)

People are more likely to engage in the mornings during Fridays because their afternoons (and nights) are often spent wrapping up tasks or planning for the weekend.

Saturday and Sunday (7 PM onwards)

On weekend mornings, people are usually away from social media to spend time with their families or enjoy outdoor activities. It’s best to post at night when they are winding down. 

These recommendations are based on general user patterns. While following them might work for some, you need to understand that the ideal posting times depend on the specific platform you’re using.

What are the Best Times to Post on LinkedIn?

Best Times to Post: Midday Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (10 AM to noon)

LinkedIn’s user base primarily consists of corporate professionals and career-focused individuals. As such, active engagement on the platform typically occurs during business hours (9 AM to 5 PM).

User engagement typically peaks around midday on weekdays (10 AM to 12 NN). During these times, many users spend their working hours connecting with professionals, posting job openings, marketing their brands, or engaging in conversations with other businesses. 

Of course, afternoon hours on weekdays are pretty active as well. However, it’s best to time your posts around “break hours” (2 PM to 3 PM) when people are more likely to check their socials.

Weekends are a big no-no for LinkedIn posting. Usage drops significantly on weekends, and only a few engage with posted content.

Some research also suggests that Tuesday is the best day to post on LinkedIn. While the exact reason is unclear, many infer that this is because professionals have settled into their work routines by Tuesday, giving them some time to use LinkedIn. 

What are the Best Times to Post on Twitter?

Best Times to Post: Morning Hours (7 AM to 11 AM)

𝕏 (formerly Twitter) is a go-to platform for news, current events, and trending topics. To remain relevant to their target audience, companies often “ride” on these popular topics or join public conversations. 

Morning posts are particularly effective on 𝕏, as people are more engaged on social media in the early hours of the day before they immerse in their daily lives and work routines. People are more likely to engage on 𝕏 during breakfast or their commute than during working hours.

However, a word of caution: don’t post when there’s a major event you can’t tie into. Say it’s the US election, and that’s the trending topic on 𝕏. If you post content that has no connection to this event, it will gain less engagement. Your followers will likely focus on the trending topic rather than your content.

Some research also suggests not posting on Sundays, as engagement is low. Since 𝕏’s user base is primarily young adults (25 to 34 years old), their weekends are usually spent on vacations or relaxing after an exhausting work week. So, chances are they’re also off from socials during this day.  

What are the Best Times to Post on Instagram?

Best Times to Post: Morning Hours from Monday to Thursday (8 AM to 11 AM); Afternoon Hours on Friday (2 PM to 3 PM)

Instagram, which started as an image-centric platform, is now popular for its short-form videos (reels) and videos. This variety of engaging social media content skyrocketed Instagram’s popularity to over 2 billion active monthly users, prompting many brands to prioritize this platform to boost their reach. 

Unlike LinkedIn, IG’s user base is broader in terms of demographics and background. This makes its usage patterns somewhat unpredictable. Some niches or industries have more active audiences during the day, while others engage more at night. 

Many studies suggest morning hours are best on weekdays (except Fridays). People have the luxury of scrolling on their phones in the morning before they start their job. On Fridays, however, people tend to be busier in the morning (to catch up on weekly deadlines), and they begin to wind down in the afternoon.

However, Hootsuite has also found that nighttime can be an ideal time to post for personal brands. IG users are often active at night, so chances are you’ll also gain good engagement during these hours.

What are the Best Times to Post on Facebook?

Best Time to Post: 9 AM to 7 PM

Facebook remains the most prominent social media platform. If you’ve never joined Facebook, you probably live under a rock—or a tiny baby.

Since billions of people use Facebook every day, its usage patterns are as complex as those of Instagram. Engagement peak hours depend on the niche, industry, time zone, and audience demographics.

But there’s one thing we’re sure of: Over half of FB users check their socials multiple times a day. Whether daytime or nighttime, users scroll through their feeds repeatedly as long as they have free time. So, the best time to post on Facebook is generally from morning to early evening. 

However, you might want to post a bit earlier on weekdays. By late evening, people are often tired and are more likely to rest than scroll on their phones.

What are the Best Times to Post on TikTok?

Best Time to Post: Afternoon and night hours (4 PM to 10 PM)

TikTok’s usage pattern is quite different from the other platforms we’ve discussed. Its users tend to be more active later in the day. 

Well, TikTok is more of a “happy, silly corner” of the Internet. It’s more chill and casual than Twitter or Facebook, so people tend to go here to escape their daily stresses. Mornings are usually spent on the “serious” stuff like politics and current events. So, TikTok users typically spend their afternoons (and nights) joining trends, fun challenges, and other gimmicks.

You can start posting on TikTok around 4 PM when people are mostly done with their day jobs and ready to scroll their For You Pages. It’s common for posts not to garner enough engagement immediately since the algorithm usually pushes content within 24 hours of publishing.

What are the Best Times to Post on YouTube?

Best Time to Post: Weekdays (2 PM to 5 PM)

Yes, we know. YouTube is more of a video-watching platform, but it’s still one of the crucial social media platforms for startups and companies looking to gain an online presence, with its 2.70 billion user population. 

Many people are busy throughout the day, so few watch long-form videos (which YouTube primarily offers) from morning to midday. The optimal time to post is when people are taking a break or winding down from their tasks, usually from 2 PM onwards.

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