Is it important for your business to know when the best time is to post on Instagram?
Yes, of course. It should always be the right time.
This is true not only in your personal life, but also in growing your business, especially with social media marketing.
We all know how loud social media can get when people and businesses post every minute.
If you post too early or too late, your followers, who are potential customers, might not see it.
This is especially true on Instagram, which is a picture-heavy platform where you need a post that stops people from scrolling to get their attention.
But even if you have a great post, if it goes up when most of your followers or users aren’t online, it won’t do you much good.
…it won’t make the impression you want or keep people interested. It will just get lost in all of the other posts in their feed.
So, that’s what we’ll talk about in this post today.
Best time for small businesses to post on Instagram
Here is a summary of the best time to post on Instagram to get more likes, comments, and shares, no matter where your business is
| Day of the Week | Best Time to Post on Instagram |
| Monday | 11AM to 1PM |
| Tuesday | 8AM to 10AM |
| Wednesday | 11AM to 1PM |
| Thursday | 11AM to 2PM |
| Friday | 7AM to 2PM |
| Saturday | 9AM to 1PM |
| Sunday | 1PM to 8PM |
So those are the best, most popular times to post on social media if you want to do well.
If you want more people to interact with your Instagram posts, don’t post them on the spot. Instead, schedule them all at once.
When you should post on Instagram
There are 7 days in a week. On which day do Instagram users interact with posts the most?
Research shows that Monday is the best day to post to your Instagram account overall.
Also, a study by Later of more than 35 million Instagram posts around the world found that posts made at 6 AM get the most engagement on average.
Most likely, this is because people who get up early tend to check their social media accounts and post before starting their day.
This makes the feed more interactive, so more people see posts from brands.
Monday is the best day to post on Instagram as a whole, and posts posted at 6 AM get the most engagement on average.
This supports the idea that “early to rise, early to post” is the best way to get people to interact with you.
By being one of the first people to post each week, you increase the chances that your audience will see your content.
Should you post on Instagram in the morning or at night?
If you want your Instagram marketing to work, you might be wondering when you should post those photos.
Is it in the early morning? Or perhaps on a Friday evening?
Even though we said the best results happen on Monday mornings, that doesn’t mean the same is true on other days of the week.
Every day of the week has more than one best time.
Here is a list of the average best times of the day to post on Instagram.
Monday is the best day to post on Instagram.
In addition to 5 AM, 12 PM is also a good time to post on Instagram on Monday.
Most people start the week off well at work, so checking Instagram at lunch has become a regular part of their break.
Tuesday is the best day to post to your Instagram account.
Tuesday morning at 9 AM is the best time to post on Instagram.
Studies show that engagement is high between 8 and 10 AM, but the best times are between 8 and 9 AM.
Wednesday is the best day to post to your Instagram account.
Wednesday around 11 AM is the best time to post on Instagram. Along with Monday, Wednesday is also a popular day for Instagram users.
Friday is the best day to post to your Instagram account.
Friday at 2 PM is the best time to post on Instagram.
Engagement with posts on Fridays is pretty consistent from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., which is the morning and lunchtime.
Saturday is the best day to post to your Instagram account.
Saturday at 9 AM is the best time to post on Instagram.
This is because most people check Instagram and other social media accounts just before they begin making preparations for the weekend.
Sunday is the best day to post to your Instagram account.
Last but not least, Sunday evening at 7 PM is the best time to post on Instagram.
Engagement on this day is steady all afternoon and evening, from 12 to 8 PM.
This will also provide you with additional time to prepare for the upcoming week and review your work before publishing.
The best time for each industry to post on Instagram
One of the things you need to think about when you schedule Instagram posts or decide when to post is the industry you’re in.
Do you work in the digital marketing services field? Do you run a business that sells to other businesses or to consumers? Or do you work for a non-profit organization?
Even though there is a best time to post on Instagram for everyone, including your industry will help you get more likes, shares, and comments.
Here is a list of the top industries and some important information about when to post on Instagram and when not to.
Instagram Timing for B2B Companies
| Prime Time To Post | Monday at 4 – 5 PM |
| Best Day To Post | Monday |
| Worst Day To Post | Saturday |
| Worst Time To Post | 11 PM to 4 AM |
Instagram Timing for Food and Beverage
| Prime Time To Post | Monday at 9 AM to 2 PM, Tuesday at 10 AM to 2 PM |
| Best Day To Post | Monday |
| Worst Day To Post | Saturday |
| Worst Time To Post | 11 PM to 2 AM |
Instagram for Timing Travel & Tourism or Hospitality Brands
| Prime Time To Post | Thursday 7 – 8 AM, Monday at 11 AM to 4 PM |
| Best Day To Post | Thursday |
| Worst Day To Post | Saturday |
| Worst Time To Post | 11 PM to 5 AM |
Instagram for Timing Medical and Healthcare Brands
| Prime Time To Post | Monday at 9 – 10 AM, 2 – 3 PM, 5 – 6 PM, Tuesday at 8 AM to 9 PM, Sunday at 8 AM to 9 PM |
| Best Day To Post | Monday |
| Worst Day To Post | Saturday |
| Worst Time To Post | 2 AM to 7 AM |
Instagram Timing for Education Brands
| Prime Time To Post | Thursday at 2 – 3 PM, Friday at 4 – 5 AM |
| Best Day To Post | Friday |
| Worst Day To Post | Sunday |
| Worst Time To Post | 11 PM to 3 AM |
Instagram Timing for IT Companies
| Prime Time To Post | Monday at 11 – 12 AM, 8 – 9 PM, Tuesday at 11 – 12 AM, Thursday at 12 – 1 PM, Friday at 11 AM to 12 PM |
| Best Day To Post | Monday |
| Worst Day To Post | Saturday |
| Worst Time To Post | 1 AM to 7 AM |
Instagram Timing for Non-profit Organization
| Prime Time To Post | Wednesday at 10 AM to 5 PM, 5 – 6 PM, Thursday 11 AM to 5 PM |
| Best Day To Post | Wednesday |
| Worst Day To Post | Sunday |
| Worst Time To Post | 2 AM to 5 AM |
Instagram Timing for Media and Entertainment Brands
| Prime Time To Post | Tuesday at 1 – 5 PM, Wednesday at 11 AM to 12 PM, Thursday 8 – 9 AM |
| Best Day To Post | Tuesday |
| Worst Day To Post | Sunday |
| Worst Time To Post | 10 PM to 2 AM |
Instagram Timing for Influencers
| Prime Time To Post | Friday at 7 – 8 PM, Sunday at 5 – 6 PM |
| Best Day To Post | Friday |
| Worst Day To Post | Saturday |
| Worst Time To Post | 5 AM to 9 AM |
When to post Instagram reels at their best
Short videos are becoming very popular on social networks.
Some people will spend hours perusing video-based content, such as cute filters, dance challenges, and viral short clips.
If you know TikTok, which you probably do, then Reels is like that app for Instagram. And Instagram’s algorithm loves it as much as the users do.
Compared to regular image posts, Instagram Reels have been getting more content engagement and maximum reach.
So you as a brand should use it to your advantage!
Here are the best times of day to post Reels to get the most interaction from users.
| Day of the Week | Best Time to Post Instagram Reels |
| Monday | 5 AM, 9 AM, 9 PM |
| Tuesday | 1 AM, 3 AM, *8 AM |
| Wednesday | 6 AM, 7 AM, 10 PM |
| Thursday | 8 AM, *11 AM, 6 PM |
| Friday | *4 AM, 12 PM, 2 PM |
| Saturday | 10 AM, 6 PM, 7 PM |
| Sunday | 6 AM, 7 AM, 3 PM |
All times in this table are expressed in Eastern Standard Time.
The hours marked in an asterisk indicate peak engagement times.
When is the best time to post Instagram Stories?
Instagram Stories aren’t like Instagram Reels, which stay on your feed after you post them. Instead, Instagram Stories only last for 24 hours.
This is the main reason you should be careful about when you post them, especially if you want to get people to interact with them.
The best time to post on Instagram Stories is in the morning, before most of your followers go to work…
…as well as during lunch and the late afternoon, when they have time to scroll and check their Instagram accounts.
You could also get more people to see your Stories by posting during the week…
…instead of on weekends, when people are less likely to look at the Stories of other people or brands.
When on Instagram is the best time to go live
In addition to posting behind-the-scenes content, going live is a great way to give your brand a more personal feel.
Live streaming lets you talk to your audience in real time, which makes them more interested and helps you get more followers.
So, when should you go live on Instagram?
Studies show that Monday through Friday at noon or from 7 to 9 pm is the best time to go live.
This is because, once again, most people use their lunch break to check their social media. As well as after work, when they want to unwind after a long day.
How to figure out what time of day is best to post on Instagram
In general, the hours and days we’ve talked about above do work for businesses.
But just like there is no one way to market your business that works for everyone…
…you still have to do some research to find the best time for you to post. There is no set time for these.
This is true for all of your posts, not just on Instagram, but also on Facebook, Twitter, etc. There is no set time for these.
So how do you figure out when is the best time to post on Instagram? This is how.
1. Instagram mobile app or Instagram Creator Studio
If you run your brand’s Instagram page with the Instagram mobile app or Instagram Creator Studio, you’re one step closer to figuring out the best times to post.
You can find helpful information on your Instagram mobile app or Creator Studio app, such as your:
Find out the age and gender of your audience, where they live, and how often they use Instagram.
If you know these things about Instagram, you can change your posting schedule and the time zone you use.
Accessing Instagram’s built-in analytics requires a business account or a profile as an Instagram Creator.
2. Outsiders Statistics on Social Media
When making your own publishing schedule, Instagram’s built-in analytics are a good place to start. But because it’s free, you won’t be able to get as much out of it.
So, if you want to learn more about your Instagram metrics, the best way to do it is by using third-party platforms for managing social media.
Here are some of the best tools for analyzing social media:
- Sprout Social
- HubSpot
- TapInfluence
- BuzzSumo
- Snaplytics
- Later
- Keyhole
- Google Analytics
- ShortStack
- HootSuite
Keep in mind that most of these tools cost money. We recommend that you sign up for their free trial first (if they have one) to see if it fits your needs before paying for their services.
When you sign up for these social media tools, the first thing you should do is look at how your best posts did.
Here are some questions you can ask to help you get those important answers:
- Which posts have been viewed a lot?
- What kind of posts are these?
- When did you put these posts on your blog?
- Are these different from the posts that get likes?
- If so, what’s the difference between them? Is it the format, the time you post, the number of hashtags you use, or the length of your captions?
These numbers will help you figure out not only the best time to post, but also what makes a post most likely to get people to interact with it.
3. Look at what your rivals are doing.
You could get useful information from other people’s content as well as from what you know about your own audience.
Your research on competitors doesn’t end with your marketing plan. You can also use this to plan when to post on social media.
Most likely, your competitors are doing research on the best time to post on Instagram or have already done so.
This can help you if you keep an eye on what’s working for them.
Since most likely your audience acts the same way…
…look at their Instagram accounts to find out which posts get the most likes and comments from their followers and when they post them.
Take note of this, and since most brands post on the hour (e.g., 5:00 AM, 11:00 PM), you can avoid the competition by posting a few minutes before or after the:00 mark.
Wrapping Up
So now you know when the best time is to post on Instagram!
Now is a great time to step up your Instagram marketing, since more and more brands are competing on this social media platform and organic reach is going down.
It’s not enough to make content that is engaging and interesting. When you post and how often you post also matter.
If you only post when you feel like it, you won’t get the engagement you need to turn your Instagram followers into buyers.
You’ll also lose the money you could have made from the good posts you make.
To get the most out of every Instagram post you make, you need a well-thought-out plan for content marketing.
Check out 1Solutions Instagram marketing services today if you need assistance with this.
