Timing is everything. On social media, getting your organic posts noticed comes down to getting up great content right when people are eager to gobble it up. That changes based on the platform, but there are solid numbers to help you know when to fire away.
Habits are kind of everything. If you’ve been reading our blogs for the past few years (thanks, Mom) then you know it’s one of the elements of marketing other agencies don’t understand or implement nearly enough. We are what we do every day and habits are what we do without even really thinking. It can take six weeks or more to change behaviors, and for marketers, we’re relying on the habit of scrolling to create a new habit of buying.
Figuring out user habits isn’t too tough. First, think about yourself; you probably have many of the same social media habits and interests as your customers. Then, to get even more scientific about there, there are mountains of digital data with minute details about platform use, timing, and behaviors. You don’t have to do too much guessing; we know when people are online.
Instagram. One of the most flickable, scrollable platforms, Instagram is the most mobile-heavy social media channels. As a result, it’s much less likely to get impressions or engagement during working hours. The best times to post here are between 11am and 1pm, which is the good ol’ fashion lunch window. The next best time is in the evening, typically after 7pm and before 9pm.
One drawback of these peak windows being known is that they tend to get crowded. Mix in posts outside of these peak posting times and you may get just as many eyes because there is less fresh content.
Facebook. Back when everyone worked in offices, you could make your way to the water cooler and probably spot a few co-workers with a Facebook tab open. While it also has a robust mobile app, Facebook is better suited to desktop and therefore fares much better during work hours. It seems to people a go-to for people as their motivation wanes later in the day; Facebook’s best posting times are between 1 and 4pm.
Folks like the ‘book off the clock, too. According to the research, Saturday and Sunday tend to be the best day for posting Facebook content. Of course, there’s one element to posting on the weekend to remember. If you’re offering new services, products, or events that are time sensitive, make sure you have the information out ahead of time, preferably at least once or twice during the week so that customers can plan accordingly.
Twitter. We love Twitter. It’s equally useful on mobile desktop, and its up-to-the-minute content, news, and trends make it a reliable companion throughout the workweek. It should be no surprise that Twitter does best Monday through Friday, with the best time to post between 11 am and noon. Twitter fares poorly over the weekend, however, so stack your posts throughout the workweek. Most brands use the same post two to three times, placing it at different time slots to ensure different time zones have the same information at the right time.
Almost as important as scheduling on Twitter is getting involved in real time. Depending on your brand, being plugged in to current news, topics, and trends can help you earn followers and impressions by establishing a relationship with similar users. Twitter is an excellent platform to be engaging and conversational; take time to ask questions, answer polls, and show some love for your followers, too!
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