Best Time to Post on Social Media in 2025
Getting more reach and impressions on social media means more eyes on your content—and ideally, more engagement too. One way to make this happen? Posting when your audience is most active. This is what social media pros mean when they talk about the “best time to post.”
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, though. The best time to post depends on your audience, platform, and how they interact with your content. Some social networks offer general insights, but tracking each profile’s peak times manually can be a headache.
That’s where this guide comes in. We’ll break down the best times to post on social media in 2025, using data from Metricool’s Social Media Studies and other industry sources. You’ll also get a look at how Metricool’s “Best Times” feature works inside the planner, so you can find the right posting times for your audience.
Best Time to Post: At A Glance
Every audience behaves a little differently. But if you’re looking for a general reference point, here’s a quick rundown of the best times to post, based on data from professional accounts:
- Instagram: 8 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays
- Facebook: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays
- Twitter/X: 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
- TikTok: 6 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays
- YouTube: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays
- LinkedIn: 10 a.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays
Best Time to Post on Instagram
Instagram is still going strong, with over 2 billion monthly users. That kind of reach can make timing tricky, but our 2024 Instagram Study found that the best time to post is between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.—with 8 p.m. pulling in the most views. That said, 2 p.m. is also a common high-engagement window.
📌 Top days to post: Wednesday leads the pack, followed by Friday and Monday
🚫 Days to skip: Thursday and Tuesday underperform, with weekends also seeing less activity
Source: Metricool’s Instagram Study
Want the full data breakdown and tips? Grab the 2024 Instagram Study
Inside the Metricool planner, you’ll find Instagram’s “best times” based on your audience’s habits. Darker pink shades highlight higher activity, and you can toggle exact percentages to help decide when to post.
Source: Metricool
Best Time to Post on Facebook
Facebook’s posting behavior is similar to Instagram, especially with cross-posting in play. The sweet spot for general posts is between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., with Monday and Wednesday being the most active days.
But what about Facebook Reels? According to our Short-Form Video Study, the best time to post Reels is midnight on Saturday. Late-night scrollers seem to love this slot.
Metricool also shows your best Facebook posting times, marked in blue. You’ll see when your audience is online and can schedule content accordingly to boost reach.
Source: Metricool
Best Time to Post on X (Twitter)
Metricool’s X Study looked at more than 2 million posts and found that the best time to post is 9 p.m. Users are more active in the evening, while morning posts get less traction.
📌 Best days: Tuesday and Wednesday
🚫 Avoid: Sundays, when views tend to drop
Source: Metricool’s X Study
Download the full X study for free, filled with data, trends, and best practices to grow an account and presence on X.
The “Best Times” for X are shown in gray in Metricool’s planner. This feature is included in Premium plans due to API access, and you can turn on exact percentages for a deeper look.
Source: Metricool
Best Time to Post on TikTok
TikTok thrives on high engagement and fast-moving content. Posting when your audience is active can help push your video to the For You Page. The best time to post is 6 p.m., though 10 p.m. also sees strong engagement.
📌 Top days: Monday, with Tuesday a close second
🚫 Skip: Saturday and Sunday, when activity drops
Once again, your audience might behave differently so it’s worth checking your personalized “Best Times” inside Metricool. TikTok times show up in gray and are available to all users for free.
Source: Metricool
Best Time to Post on YouTube
YouTube is the second-biggest platform after Facebook, with close to 2.5 billion monthly users. Timing matters here (especially with Shorts and long-form content).
According to our data:
- Overall best time for YouTube (Videos + Shorts): 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
- YouTube Shorts: 1 a.m. on Sundays, and 5 p.m. is also popular
- Long-form videos: 9 p.m. sees the most views, with Monday and Thursday being strong posting days
- Another spike: 9 a.m. also performs well for long-form videos
Publishing at the right time on YouTube can make a big difference in views and engagement. While there’s no one-size-fits-all time slot—since activity levels shift throughout the day—Metricool helps you stay ahead by tracking when your audience is most active. You’ll get personalized data to plan and schedule your content more effectively.
Source: Metricool
Best Time to Post on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is built for professional networking, making it a great space for businesses and brands to grow their presence and reach decision-makers. Based on Metricool’s LinkedIn Study, the best time to post is at 10 a.m., when impressions tend to peak.
Wednesday leads in visibility, followed closely by Tuesday and Thursday. These trends can serve as a starting point, but it’s worth checking your own audience data in Metricool to find the times that work best for your brand.
If you want to reach professionals while they’re getting into work mode, morning posts can give you an edge. Check your top posting times for free inside Metricool. And if you want more insights, download our full 2024 LinkedIn Study for updated trends, data, and posting tips.
Source: Metricool
Metricool’s Best Times to Post Feature
You’ll find the Best Times feature in the Metricool planner, available for Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn. The data is personalized to your account, based on your audience’s activity patterns.
To find it, head to the top right of the planner and look for the label “Best times.”
Source: Metricool
From there, you can schedule and auto-publish content when your followers are most likely to be online. It’s a free feature for all Metricool users and a great way to boost reach and engagement without relying on paid ads.
