You have put a lot of time and energy into your Instagram posts, but they only receive a few likes and comments. What happened? That is why you need to know the best time to post on Instagram.
To be able to grow as a social media content creator, you need to be familiar with your target audiences. That includes when they are mostly online on Instagram.
However, the best time to post on IG varies depending on multiple factors. Due to that reason, we are going to look at different Instagram posting times in this article. Not only that, we will also talk about how you can find your personalized upload schedule.
To begin, let’s find out why posting on the right time matters.
Why Is It Important to Know The Best Time to Post on Instagram?
To answer why you need to know ideal Instagram posting times, it is important to understand how the social media shows content to its users.
The social platform’s algorithm prioritizes content mainly based on recency and engagement. So, not only do your followers see newer posts first on their feed, they also more likely see posts with many likes and comments upon accessing Instagram.
Considering the strict competition with other content creators from the same industry to attract audiences, pushing your content to show up on top of followers’ homepage is a must. You can increase that chance by knowing the best time to post on Instagram.
As your posts appear early of followers’ feed more regularly, the more likely that they will interact with you as well. In return, the engagement boost will prompt Instagram to suggest your content to other users who have not followed you.
Now that you know why being aware of the best times to post on Instagram matters, let’s take a look at the ideal Instagram post time.
Best Time to Post on Instagram in General
Some sources, including SproutSocial, state that the best day to post on Instagram in general is Tuesday and Wednesday. As studies show more online users, you will be able to get more engagement during those two days.
But when should you post during Tuesday and Wednesday? According to Influencer Marketing Hub, the best Instagram post time on Tuesday is between 4 AM and 10 AM, whereas it is between 7 AM and 11 AM on Wednesday.
Also, while it is not forbidden, you may want to avoid posting on Saturdays and Sundays. Less people check their social media accounts during weekends, which means you will not get as many interactions as on weekdays.
Best Time to Post on Instagram Based on The Day
Is it not recommended to upload content to Instagram on other days? Of course you can still do it. Studies show that engagement level is lower outside of Tuesday and Wednesday, but every day has its best times to post on Instagram.
The followings are the average (global) best time to post on IG for each day:
- Monday: 10 AM – 1 PM
- Tuesday: 9 AM – 2 PM
- Wednesday: 10 AM – 2 PM
- Thursday: 9 AM – 11 AM
- Friday: 10 AM – 12 PM
- Saturday: 8 AM – 10 AM and 4 PM – 5 PM
- Sunday: 8 AM – 9 AM and 7 PM – 8 PM
Read : How to Get Followers on Instagram
Best Time to Post on Instagram Based on Industry
While you can upload posts using the schedule above, you may also pay attention to the average Instagram posting times for different industries:
| Industry | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Consumer Goods | – | 10 AM & 2 PM | – | 2 PM | – | – | – |
| Healthcare | – | 7 AM & 4 PM | – | 1 PM | – | 1 PM | – |
| Hospitality | 12 PM | 10 AM | 11 AM | 12 PM | 10 AM | 8 AM | – |
| Media | 11 AM | 2 PM | 11 AM | 10 AM | 10 AM | – | – |
| Nonprofit | 11 AM | 10 AM & 1 PM | 11 AM – 5 PM | 9 AM | 10 AM | – | – |
| Restaurants | 2 PM & 4 PM | 11 AM | – | – | 10 AM | – | – |
| Education | 3 PM | 11 AM & 1 PM | 12 PM & 3 PM | 10 AM | 7 AM | – | – |
| Travel | 1 PM | 10 AM | 11 AM | – | 7 AM | – | – |
Best Time to Post on Instagram Based on Region
So far we have looked at the best times to post on Instagram by day and niche. If you want more data to consider, you may also decide the Instagram post time based on where most of your audiences live.
According to a research by Later, below are the ideal times to upload Instagram content in various regions:
- Western US & Canada: 9PM – 12AM
- Central US & Canada: 10PM – 12 AM
- Eastern US & Canada: 11PM – 4AM
- South America: 5AM
- UK: 3AM – 4AM
- Western Europe: 4AM – 6AM
- Eastern Europe: 5AM – 7AM
- Africa: 2AM – 3AM
- Middle East: 4AM
- East & Southeast Asia: 6AM – 8AM
- Australasia: 11PM – 12AM
Note that these are only the best time to post on Instagram for large regions. To find a more precise moment to upload Instagram posts, it is best to learn the tips that we will talk about later.
Read : 250+ Engaging Short Captions for Instagram
Best Time to Post Reels on Instagram
Multiple sources claim that reels have a somewhat different optimal posting time compared to regular Instagram content. According to Hootsuite, the best time to post Instagram reels is from Monday to Thursday between 9 AM to 12 PM.
Meanwhile, Later’s study suggests that the best time to post on Instagram for reels is the following:
- Monday: 1 AM, 3 AM – 6 AM, 3 PM, 11 PM
- Tuesday: 2 AM, 4 AM – 6 AM, 8 PM – 9 PM
- Wednesday: 3 AM – 5 PM
- Thursday: 12 AM, 2 AM
- Friday: 3 AM, 5 AM
- Saturday: 1 AM, 5 AM, 10 PM
- Sunday: 3 AM – 4 AM, 7 AM, 10 PM – 11 PM
Now that you know the best times to post on Instagram on average, let’s take a look at how you can fine-tune your upload schedule.
How to Find The Best Time to Post on Instagram?
As we have mentioned, you need to find Instagram posting times that work best for you to get the most engagement out of followers. You can do that by following the steps below:
Know When Your Audience Is Usually Online
One of the steps on how to become a content creator is understanding your audiences’ habits. That includes knowing their peak online time.
How to do that? For business or creator Instagram account owners, you can find the data on the platform’s analytics page by following these steps:
- Open your profile
- Tap the three-line button on the upper right corner and tap Insights
- You can decide the best time to post on Instagram by tapping Total Followers and scroll down until you see a chart under the Followers section that shows when your audience is often online.
- Tap on Days or Hours to change between charts.
But what if you do not have a business or creator account? Do not worry! You can also find out your audience’s online times by using the analytics feature in social media content creation tools, such as Buffer and Iconosquare.
Social media tools often come with post management features and content scheduling. So, you can use them to automatically upload Instagram posts. This function is helpful if your best time to post on Instagram is unfortunately during your night or off-work hours.
Read : Instagram Bio Ideas for Any Niche
Identify Your Competitor’s Posting Time
Many other creators from your niche may already have established their Instagram posting times. Due to that, it is a good idea to observe when their best time to post on IG is.
It is important to remember that not everyone will have the same optimal upload schedule. Nevertheless, you can draw a pattern of posting time among your competitors and use that knowledge to show up with new content around the same moment.
Though, it is commonly advised that you post a few minutes before or after competitors’ best time to post on Instagram. Doing so will save you from competition, thus increasing the chance of receiving more engagement from followers.
Analyze Your Posts
Despite everything that we have discussed in this article, there is no surefire Instagram post time for everyone. At the end of the day, what works for you may not work for others and vice-versa.
On top of that, your optimal posting time will always change because of various circumstances. So, how to face that challenge and stay ahead of the game?
That is why you need to be on the lookout using the built-in Instagram analytics or third-party options. The data from analytics will not only tell you shifts on the best time to post on Instagram but also other important metrics like reach and engagement.
Post Consistently
Trying different approaches to the best time to post on IG is a step forward to gain visibility on social media. Once you find the perfect schedule, do not forget to stick to it. Remember, the more followers see your content, the more they want to interact with it.
What is more important, you need to establish the interval of new posts. But do not upload content too often as it will come as spammy and you will run out of post ideas soon.
The general rule is to upload once a day at the best time to post on Instagram. After a while, followers will notice your schedule and expect to find you during those times.
Last but not least, you should remember to maintain your posts’ quality. Without it, you will not see a significant improvement in audience interaction even if you publish content during peak times.
Read : Best Instagram Follower Trackers in 2023
When is The Best Time to Post on Instagram for You?
Knowing the perfect Instagram posting times lets you grow your following. It is because as you post during your audiences’ time online, they will more likely notice your content and interact with it.
In this article, we have looked at the best times to post on Instagram based on multiple factors, such as day, industry, and region.
Nonetheless, note that the data that we present only shows the average online time across many users. That being said, you may use the examples to see if it works for you. At the same time, check Instagram analytics to establish your best time to post on Instagram for more engagement.
We hope this article helps you to grow as an Instagram creator. Please stay tuned to our blog for more content creation insights!
FAQ about Best Time to Post on Instagram
Does Instagram Posting Time Matter?
It does. Uploading posts when your target audiences are online increases your chance to gain engagement from them.
When is The Best Day to Post on Instagram?
Some sources say that Tuesday and Wednesday are the prime time. However, as it is just the average across global users, you still need to study your audience to find the best Instagram posting times.
When to Not Post on Instagram?
Saturdays and Sundays see the least online activity on the social platform. Thus, you may want to avoid posting during the weekends.
When is The Best Time to Post on Instagram for Reels?
Hootsuite recommends posting reels from Monday to Thursday between 9 AM to 12 PM. While it is good to use that data, make sure you check your reels’ performance using Instagram analytics.
Should I Post Everyday on Instagram?
You should since a regular posting schedule will make the audience accustomed to seeing your content and expect more. Though, do not post too many times in one day as followers will think that you are just spamming.
How to Find The Best Time to Post on Instagram?
Finding your optimal Instagram post time takes patience, but is possible by using Instagram analytics. To access that feature within the Instagram app, you need to have a business or creator account. However, you can also use analytics on social media tools.
