Best Time to Post on Social Media in 2024
Maximizing reach and impressions on social media is essential for increased brand awareness and engagement. Posting at optimal times pushes your content in front of online followers, sparking interactions and further prioritization from algorithms. When marketers or social media professionals mention the “best time to post on social media” they refer to this approach.
Each “best time” differs per account and channel. While many social media networks offer “best times” analytics, this approach can get thrown to the wind when manually tracking each profile’s peak times.
This post will explore the best times to post on social media in 2024 based on Metricool’s Social Media Studies and industry data. Moreover, learn about Metricool’s “Best Times” feature, which provides the “best times” for your specific audience within the planner.
Best Time to Post: At A Glance
While each user’s audience has different optimal times, having a cheat sheet for general “best times” can boost your impressions and engagement. Keep in mind this data is based on professional accounts:
- Best time to post on Instagram: 8 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays
- Best time to post on Facebook: 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays
- Best time to post on Twitter/X: 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
- Best time to post on TikTok: 6 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays
- Best time to post on YouTube: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays
- Best time to post on LinkedIn: 10 a.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays
Best Time to Post on Instagram
Instagram is a social media powerhouse with over 2 billion monthly active users. With such a massive user base, it can be difficult to pinpoint when your followers are more active. However, Metricool’s 2024 Instagram Study found that 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. is the sweet spot, with 8 p.m. sticking out with the most views. However, 2 p.m. is also a popular time on Instagram.
Source: Metricool’s Instagram Study
Wednesday is the leading day to post on Instagram, while Friday and Monday are close behind. The worst day to post is Thursday, followed by Tuesday. Saturday and Sunday are also not optimal for sharing content. Download the full 2024 Instagram Study below to find the best times, trends, data analysis, and best practices:
Metricool offers “best times” for Instagram, calculated from specific users’ follower behaviors. The planner indicates this with pink hues, with darker shades representing better times and lighter shades representing worse times. Users can also toggle on exact percentages to analyze their best time to post.
Source: Metricool
Best Time to Post on Facebook
Facebook’s behaviors are similar to Instagram, especially with cross-posting being a common strategy. The best time to post on Facebook is between 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. with Mondays and Wednesdays being top days.
When isolating Facebook Reels, the data shifts. According to our Short-Form Video Study, the best time to post Facebook Reels is at midnight on Saturdays. While most users are more active throughout the day, late-night scrolling seems to be popular for Facebook Reels.
As for the best times to post for Instagram, Metricool provides “best times” information for Facebook, represented by blue shades. Users can analyze and schedule content when more followers are online to maximize exposure.
Source: Metricool
Best Time to Post on Twitter/X
After analyzing over 2 million X posts, Metricool’s X Study found 9 p.m. to be the best time to post. Posting on X early in the morning is not optimal, as users tend to use the platform in the afternoon into the evening.
What are the best days to post on X? According to our data, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are when users are more active on the platform. Sunday receives the lowest views, suggesting that brands should avoid posting on the weekend.
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.
Best Times for X is available on Metricool, available in Premium plans due to Twitter’s API. This data is represented by gray hues on the platform, with the option to toggle on exact percentages.
Source: Metricool
Best Time to Post on TikTok
TikTok has pioneered short-form video content, driving a highly engaged audience. Posting when more followers are active can push your content on the FYP. The best time to post on TikTok is at 6 p.m. However, 10 p.m. also sees a peak.
Monday is the best day to post on TikTok, with Tuesday not far behind. Saturday and Sunday see the fewest views, suggesting brands should avoid posting on the weekends. However, once again, we recommend analyzing your audience’s unique best times with Metricool’s native feature.
For example, this image shows Metricool’s Best Times to post on TikTok:
Source: Metricool
Metricool’s Best Times to post for TikTok are also represented with gray shades. This is a free feature available in the planner.
Best Time to Post on YouTube
YouTube is the second most popular social media platform after Facebook, reaching nearly 2.5 billion users monthly. Posting YouTube videos and Shorts at optimal times can increase the chances of going viral and boost engagement.
When combining YouTube videos and Shorts, the best time to post on YouTube is at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Metricool’s Short-Form Video Study analyzed long-form videos and Shorts to extract the best times to post on the platform.
- The best time to post YouTube Shorts is at 1 a.m. on Sundays when they receive the highest number of views. However, 5 p.m. is also a popular time to post a YouTube Short, and Monday also garners significant views.
- The best time to post long-form YouTube videos is at 9 p.m., with Monday reigning in the most views. 9 a.m. also sees a peak in views, with Thursday garnering significant visibility.
Schedule your YouTube content at optimal times with Metricool to expand visibility. As you can see above, there isn’t necessarily a single “best time” as platforms see waves of activity. However, Metricool tracks your audience’s online patterns to provide accurate data for scheduling.
Source: Metricool
Best Time to Post on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a professionally oriented platform that allows brands and businesses to leverage their authority and gain high-quality leads. Metricool’s LinkedIn Study extracted the best time to post, with 10 a.m. obtaining the highest impressions on the network.
Wednesday is the day that receives the most visibility on LinkedIn, followed by Tuesday and Thursday. The times below reflect Metricool’s unique best times. We recommend analyzing your brand’s specific best times to schedule and publish content when your followers are most active.
Source: Metricool
Catching professionals at the beginning of their workday can spark motivation and action. Analyze your best times on Metricool for free! Download the 2024 LinkedIn Study to dive into the data, trends, and best practices for scaling your LinkedIn growth.
Metricool’s Best Times to Post Feature
Metricool’s “Best Times” feature is available for Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn. This data is unique to each user and their audience’s behaviors. The exact percentages are based on when followers are online.
This feature is available within the planner, in the top right corner, labeled “Best times”.
Source: Metricool
Users can schedule and auto-publish content when more followers are online, to ensure higher views, engagement, and prioritization from social media algorithms. This feature is FREE for Metricool users and can help leverage organic traffic.
