In this article we will try to understand when to publish posts on Instagram, knowing the most effective time to get more visibility and have more success.
Publish your content on social networks for many people is an automatic operation, to be done when you have some free time, during the lunch break or in the evening, when you rest a bit after dinner. However, for Instagram the timing, if you want to reach the public effectively, perhaps to advertise a brand or even just to be visible in the best possible way, are very important. In fact, schedules cannot be random, and you need to be aware of when to post on Instagram.
How to understand when to post on Instagram
It is not enough to make eye-catching posts to be successful on this social. It is also necessary that they are viewed by as many people as possible and by the type of users you mainly want to address. In short, the so-called timing is fundamental. And it's not just a matter of times, but also of days of the week. In short, the best times to publish on Instagram also depend on the days. Finally, to be considered is also the type of user: a student will have different schedules than a professional, who in turn will look at social at different times than an employee, or a worker. The general rule suggests that the best time to post on Instagram is during lunch or dinner, when theoretically the number of connected users should be higher. Also according to the general rule of thumb, the days with the best engagement rates are Thursdays and Fridays. Other useful times are between 5 and 11 a.m. and between 3 and 4 p.m.
When to post on Instagram: watch out for the algorithm
However, as mentioned above, there is not only the general rule to follow, but you have to consider a number of things to determine the time to post on Instagram. Starting with the algorithm that runs the platform, which often changes. So, while content posted on Instagram used to be viewable in chronological order, based on when it was posted, Instagram now tends to show content with the most engagement value first. Engagement is the engagement that the post has generated among users, i.e. the number of likes and comments it has generated. For this reason, it is essential that when you post a post you do it at times when it can be viewed by the widest possible audience.
How to determine the best time to post on Instagram
To understand what is the best time to post on Instagram, there are therefore some fairly precise strategies. Starting with identifying what your audience is. So, if each account has a different audience, it will be necessary to evaluate case by case, and use certain tricks that allow you to determine the best time slot possible.
It will then be necessary to make attempts, trying to post at different times of the day, trying to understand what is the target audience. It is also possible to schedule posts on Instagram at previously established times.
So, if you are targeting students it will be necessary to avoid, for example, the morning when they are at school. If you are targeting those who have an ordinary job, with office hours, it may be useful to post early in the morning, before work starts, as many people engage in social media while having breakfast, or during the lunch break, between 12.30 and 14.30. Finally, after 6 p.m., when employees get off work, and until 10 p.m. If you want to interact with businesses, it's best to avoid the weekend, while if you want to reach out to young people, the weekend may be a good choice.
How to know precisely the best times to post on Instagram
If you want to know precisely what the best time is to post on Instagram, you will have to turn to some external applications, such as Prime for Instagram or PostBot, which allow you to determine what are the most appropriate times for your profile.
Another very useful tool is the Instagram Insight, which are made available directly from the social network. This is a series of statistical data, viewable only if you have a business profile, which shows important information about followers, age groups, but also what are the days and times when the profile is followed more.