In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to learn about the best time to post on Facebook. By the end of this article, you should be equipped with all the information you’ll need to get the best engagement on your Facebook posts.
Even after two decades in the social media scene, Facebook isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. For many people, it is their primary platform for staying connected with friends and family. The platform also serves as a place for them to share updates, and photos, and engage in discussions.
It’s no surprise that Facebook remains the most used social media platform in the world. As of the third quarter of 2023, Facebook has about 3.04 billion monthly users. This is approximately more than one-third of the world’s population.
With these numbers, brand owners can leverage Facebook to promote their business to a wide range of people. But to get the best engagement on Facebook, what you share is as important as when you’re sharing it. When you figure out when to post on Facebook, you increase your chances of reaching more people.
Best Time to Post on Facebook
Overall, the best time to post on Facebook is between 9 am and 11 am on Thursday (expressed in EST) as well as the times outlined below.
The best time to post on Facebook is between 9 am and 11 am on Thursday.
- Monday: 9 am – 11 am
- Tuesday: 1 pm – 3 pm
- Wednesday: 7 pm – 9 pm
- Thursday: 9 am -11 am
- Friday: 1 pm – 3 pm.
- Saturday: 10 am – 12 pm
- Sunday: 7 pm – 9 pm
To get accurate information on the best time to post, it’s advisable to get more insight into your target audience. You can consider using social media management software like HopperHQ, where performance data will be collected to provide you with the best time to post for your Facebook account.
Best Time to Post by Day of the Week
It’s important to note that the best days to post on Facebook in the week might differ from the other person. This is because your audience demographic, location, time zone, and industry will impact your posting time. You should also note that people use Facebook throughout the day of the week differently.
While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, here are the best times to post on Facebook based on several studies:
Best time to post on Facebook on Monday
The best time to share content on Facebook on Mondays is from 9 am to 11 am. This is a perfect time because most people are just settling into their routine for a new workweek.
Best time to post on Facebook on Tuesday
The best time to post on Facebook on Tuesdays is in the early afternoon, between 1 pm and 3 pm. This is a good time to post because people are more likely to engage. Unlike on Mondays, they have more time to spare for social media which makes it a perfect time to share your content.
Best time to post on Facebook on Wednesday
On Wednesdays, the best time to post on Facebook is from 7 pm to 9 pm. This is a perfect time to connect with a more relaxed audience who are looking for a break from their daily work tasks.
Best time to post on Facebook on Thursday
On Thursdays, 9 am to 11 am is the best time to post on Facebook. During this time, most people are likely in the process of planning for the weekend. This makes this period a prime moment to share content that aligns with their weekend plans.
Best time to post on Facebook on Friday
On Fridays, you should consider posting in the afternoon around 1 pm to 3 pm. Most people are about to wind down for the weekend around this time. This makes Friday afternoon a perfect moment to capture your audience’s attention before they get sucked into weekend activities.
Best time to post on Facebook on Saturday
The best time to post on Facebook on Saturdays is usually in the morning from 10 am stretching into 12pm. This is an ideal time for you to grab the attention of your users as most people are in a relaxed state. With the perfect post and timing, your content could easily become a regular part of their weekend browsing routine.
Best time to post on Facebook on Sunday
When posting on Sundays, the best time to share your content on Facebook is in the evening from 7 pm to 9 pm. Around this timeframe, your audience is more likely to be reflecting on their weekend and anticipating the new week.
Best Time to Post Reels on Facebook
Since timing plays a significant role in maximizing engagement and visibility when then is the best time to post reels on Facebook?
Based on our findings, we believe that the best time to post reels on Facebook is in the midday hours specifically from 11 am to 2 pm. This is a sweet spot for posting reels on Facebook because it’s a common time to take a lunch break.
During lunch, most people are looking for a quick dose of entertainment on Facebook before heading back to work.
Aside from posting during midday, or evening, around 6 pm is another good time to share reels on Facebook. This is commonly a time when most people are winding down for the day. For many, it is a relaxation period where they are looking to binge on social media content.
Posting reels on Facebook when users are most active can lead to higher engagement, including likes, comments, and shares. The more engagement your content receives, the more likely it is to be shared within users’ networks, increasing its reach.
Best time to post on Facebook by Industry
When to post on Facebook can also vary depending on the industry you’re in. For this reason, we will share some ideal times for popular industries and company types.
To start if your company is included in one of these, then your best time to post on Facebook may be:
For B2C businesses:
Engage with your customers early in the morning from 7 am to 9 am, around lunchtime from 11 am to 1 pm, or in the evenings after 6 pm when they’re most likely commuting home.
For B2B companies:
the optimal time to catch other businesses online is from 2 pm to 4 pm, which often aligns with when people are looking for a break or feeling that mid-afternoon dip.
For the software industry:
The best times to post in the software or the tech industry are early in the morning from 7 am to 9 am before people start work, and in the evenings from 6 pm to 8 pm after work hours. Additionally, the 2 pm to 4 pm slot can be effective during the typical “brain break” times.
Healthcare professionals:
Most of your audience is active early in the morning from 5 am to 8 am. This trend is primarily because many hospital shifts in the U.S. start at 7 am and end at 7 pm. You may also see some of your target audience online late during the night as people try and find ways to occupy their time during their night shift.
For media companies:
The Key times to engage with audiences in the media realm include the mornings when they wake up, during lunch breaks, and right after they return home from work. In this case, focus on times like 8 am, 12 pm and 5 pm.
Education:
If you’re involved in education then Mondays between 8 and 10 am, and in the morning on weekdays will be the best time for you to post. However, you will need to consider the age of your target audience and in what phase of life they would most likely be in.
Finance:
For the Finance Industry, consider posting on Facebook on weekdays right before people’s lunch break. you may want to consider the times between 10 am and 2 pm. Research has shown that people in finance are more active during their lunch break than at any other time. However, in this case, you’d have to consider time zones and cultural habits. Some regions have lunch later than others.
Best time to post on Facebook groups
The best time to post on Facebook Groups is not easy to specify, there are a lot of factors you’d need to take into consideration. However, the rule of thumb is early morning around 8 am, during lunch breaks, and after 5 pm as people commute back home.
To determine the optimal time to post in Facebook groups, consider these key aspects:
- Timezone: Align your posts with periods when most group members are likely to be online.
- Group Demographics: Take into account factors such as age, location, and profession of the group members to decide the most effective posting times.
- Group Activity: Monitor when the group shows peak activity and member interaction with posts.
- Competitor Analysis: Analyze the posting times of competitors or similar groups to assess whether those times might also work well for your group.
Additionally, experimenting with various posting times and tracking how each affects engagement can provide valuable insights tailored to your specific group.
3 Factors to Consider on When to Post on Facebook
Mastering the art of posting at the right time is important for maximizing audience reach and engagement. In this section, we’ll be discussing three main factors that can affect your posting times on Facebook:
1) Your Audience Demographic
Knowing your audience’s demographics allows you to tailor your content to meet their preferences and needs. It also helps you create content that resonates with your target audience, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion.
Additionally, understanding the demographics of your audience will help you identify the times when they are most active on Facebook. This means that you can post content during peak activity times to increase the chances of your audience engaging with your content.
2) Your Content Type
The type of content you’re creating can significantly influence when you post on Facebook. This is because each content type resonates differently with people.
For instance, sharing educational or informative content, such as industry insights, tutorials, or how-to guides, may perform well during weekdays, especially in the morning when people are looking for information to start their day.
Interactive content that encourages participation, such as polls or contests, may see increased engagement during lunch breaks, afternoons, or evenings. This is because people are more likely to participate in interactive activities when they have time to spare and are not occupied with work.
3) Major Holidays and Significant Events
Major holidays and significant events can have a major impact on how your audience will interact with your Facebook posts. On major holidays, people often prioritize spending time with family and friends, engaging in festivities, or taking a break. As a result, their social media usage patterns will change.
Posting during the peak of holiday celebrations may result in decreased engagement as people are less likely to be active on social media platforms. Therefore, it’s advisable to post holiday-themed content, promotions, or event-related updates in the days leading up to the occasion.
Finding the Best Time to Post on Facebook
Facebook, being one of the most prominent platforms, demands a strategic approach to posting content at the right time. In this section, we will explore two tools you can use to find the best time to post on Facebook today:
1) Using Facebook Insights:
Facebook provides a powerful analytics tool known as Facebook Insights. To access it, navigate to your Facebook Page, and click on the “Insights” tab located at the top. You’ll find valuable information about your audience’s demographics, behavior, and engagement patterns here.
You should focus on metrics such as post reach, engagement, and likes to understand when your audience is most active. You should also identify peak periods in these metrics to discern patterns that indicate the best time to post.
Facebook Insights also offers demographic data like your audience location, age, and gender of your audience. You can use this information to align your posting schedule with the time zones and daily routines of your primary audience.
2) Using Hopper HQ:
Hopper HQ is a social media scheduling tool that allows you to plan and automate your Facebook posts. Our tool integrates with Facebook Insights, helping you make data-driven decisions about the best times to post.
Once you’ve signed up, connect it with your Facebook account to get started. This integration enables Hopper HQ to access your Facebook Insights data and generate personalized recommendations.
Our software also employs a smart scheduling feature that analyzes your historical engagement data, including likes, comments, and shares. It then suggests the best times to post on Facebook for maximum results.
In addition, Hopper HQ allows you to create a content calendar, enabling you to plan and schedule Facebook posts in advance. This feature is great for helping you maintain consistency in your posting strategy.
Wrapping up
When considering the best time to post on Facebook, there are different factors to consider. However, the most important factor is to understand your target audience and when they are most active. Knowing when to post on Facebook will increase your chances of getting better engagement with your Facebook posts.
In addition to this, you should always reassess and adapt your posting strategy based on audience behavior. This will ensure your content remains timely and engaging in the ever-evolving world of social media.
Why not consider trying Hopper HQ for free and find out the perfect time to post your content on each of your social media channels?
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