Are your social media posts not getting the engagement you hoped for? It might have something to do with when you post, not necessarily what you post. Many social media experts claim to know the best time to post on your social sites, but it really all depends on what you’re saying and who you’re trying to reach. Once you focus on exactly who your audience is, you’ll start figuring out when the best times to post are. Here are a few tips for taking a deeper look at your individual social media sites.
When using Twitter, you’re forced to keep things short and sweet. You need to remain under 140 characters, which makes for a quick read. This is a big reason why you should post often when you’re using Twitter for social media marketing. Tweets go by fast, which means your followers can easily miss your tweets. In terms of when you should post, Social Media Today explains that the middle of the day is the best time to post, but avoid Fridays. Traffic tends to fade during the week after 3 p.m.
Twitter is a great place to post several times a day because most people check it often. You should try varying your tweets, but try to post Monday-Thursday between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. That might be a small window, but that seems to be the time when Twitter receives the most engagement. If you’re trying to reach a younger audience, Twitter is a good place to reach potential customers.
Post timing for Facebook is important because, according to Constant Contact, a Facebook post receives half of its reach within 30 minutes. You need to know when your audience will be logged in. Since there are so many different age groups on Facebook, you really need to spend time determining your target audience. Who are you trying to reach? When are they most active? When are they most likely to check their Facebook? Many people check their Facebook first thing in the morning, so posting from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. has shown good results for marketers.
The best times to post are in the very beginning of the work day and at the very end, from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. If you want people to interact with your posts, many experts suggest avoiding weekends for important information. Try posting around 2 times a day between these times for best results.
LinkedIn is another social media site that is often checked in the morning. Since it is mostly used by business professionals and job-seekers, it can also be accessed during the work day. It helps to consider when people are most likely to be going to work or waking up early to get ready for work. Keep in mind that any time after 5 p.m. probably isn’t going to get much engagement.
In order to get the most out of LinkedIn, try posting early in the morning around 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. There’s a greater chance of people being at work from Tuesday- Thursday, so consider those times. Since you’re targeting work professionals, avoid posting late at night.
As with all marketing campaigns, figuring out who you’re trying to target matters. The times you’re posting on social media sites should vary based on who you’re attempting to reach. When do you post on social media sites? When have you seen the most engagement? Share with us!