When Is the Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2024?

Most digital marketers know that it is crucial to post on time to get the engagement they want, a reaction, and the success they want on the social media platform. Instagram is one of those social media platforms on which digital marketers want to improve their presence. To achieve that, of course, you need to post at the correct time. Well, what is the correct time?

Ever wondered if there’s a magic hour to score the most likes and comments on your Instagram posts? You’re not alone. Posting at the right time can significantly boost your engagement and reach a wider audience. This guide dives into the best times to post on Instagram in 2024, categorized by day of the week and industry. So, let’s get started!

Is there a best time to post on Instagram?

Before we delve into the Instagram post times, let’s answer this question: Is there a best time to post on Instagram? The answer is, of course, yes. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, research suggests some general timeframes tend to see higher engagement across various audiences.  Understanding your specific audience’s demographics and online habits will further optimize your posting schedule.

In other words, finding the best time to post on Instagram can change according to the industry you work on. However, it is an inevitable fact that Instagram post times can be variable depending on the day, hour, and the niche you are working with. To find the best time to post on Instagram, you should analyze your audience and stay tuned for our next chapters!

Why Does Finding the Best Time to Post on Instagram Matter?

If you have a certain number of followers, you might be thinking why would it matter to post on best time? Well, the Instagram algorithm prioritizes posts with high engagement in users’ feeds. Posting at optimal times increases the likelihood of your content being seen early and can attract more likes, comments, and shares. This snowball effect helps your content gain traction and reach a wider audience organically. Here are some benefits of finding the best time to post on Instagram:

• Increased Visibility in Feeds:  The Instagram algorithm prioritizes posts with high engagement in users’ feeds. When you post at a time when your audience is most active, they’re more likely to see your content early. 
• Higher Engagement Rates:  Posting at optimal times increases the chances of people actually seeing and interacting with your content. When your target audience is actively scrolling through Instagram, they’re more likely to stop, like, comment, or share your post if it appears in their feed at that moment. 
• Building Stronger Relationships: Consistent posting at optimal times helps you stay top-of-mind with your audience. They’ll come to expect your content at specific times, creating a sense of familiarity and trust. 
• Improved Brand Awareness: By reaching a wider audience through strategic posting times, you can significantly increase brand awareness. The more people see your content, the more likely they are to remember your brand and what you offer.

Best Times to Post on Instagram by the Days of the Week

As we said above, finding the best times to post on Instagram can help you gain engagement, visibility, and strong relationships with your audience. If you want to interact with your audience more effectively, in this chapter, we collected the best times to post on Instagram according to the days of the week. Without waiting more, let’s get started! 

The Best Time to Post on Instagram on Monday

Well, on Mondays, people tend to be more focused and willing to work and leave their phones aside. That’s why early hours on Mondays are not great to post on because most people won’t be seeing your content. The best time to post on Instagram on Monday is between 12 pm and 2 pm. Most working people spend their time on social media on their lunch break on Mondays.

The Best Time to Post on Instagram on Tuesday

After losing Monday’s motivation, people tend to get more relaxed and start their mornings with social media. Especially, on Tuesday, the best time to post on Instagram is from 8 am to 10 am. People tend to look at their phones while they are commuting to work. That’s why, the most active hours are 8 am to 10 am. 

The Best Time to Post on Instagram on Wednesday

To our surprise, Wednesday appears to be the day with the highest user activity, especially after 11 a.m. Additionally, as people begin to get bored of their workweek, you can observe an increase in activity during working hours.

The Best Time to Post on Instagram on Thursday

The best time to post on Instagram on Thursday would be around lunch breaks, just like on Mondays. The majority of your target audience is likely to be active between the hours of 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Nevertheless, you must consider your niche, audience, and age to see whether they have the same lunch breaks or not.

The Best Time to Post on Instagram on Friday

On Friday, it might be more sensible to post around 4 pm until 7 pm. As people leave their work and get into the Friday mood, they tend to be on their phones. While they are commuting to their home, they are surfing the internet and interacting with posts. Hence, you should consider posting at the afternoon. 

The Best Time to Post on Instagram on Saturday

While weekends typically see a dip in engagement compared to weekdays, Saturdays still present opportunities for reaching your audience. On Saturday, the best time to post on Instagram is around late-morning and lunchtime since people are getting up late and tend to be lazier. Hence, you should aim to post between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM to catch users during their leisure time. 

The Best Time to Post on Instagram on Sunday

On Sunday evenings, around 5 or 7 p.m., would be the best time to post on Instagram. At this time, people are getting ready for the upcoming week and are probably going to spend their evenings resting or at home.

Best Time to Post on Instagram by Industry

As we said earlier, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to Instagram post-times. Depending on your audience and industry, the times we mentioned above can be different for you. In this section, we will analyze the industries one by one to find the best times to post on Instagram. So, let’s learn about finding best time to post on Instagram based on the industry.

Travel and Tourism

For the travel and tourism industry, optimal posting times vary depending on the target audience and destination. However, in general, here are the best times to post on Instagram if you are in the travel and tourism industry: 

• Weekdays: 10 am to 12 pm and 7 pm to 9 pm.
• Weekends: 9 am to 11 am and 4 pm to 6 pm.

If you are wondering about specific days and time intervals, we can say that the best time to post on Instagram for travel and tourism would be Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Especially at 10 AM, this industry’s audience will be more active and interactive. However, the worst days would be Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. If you are in this industry, please avoid those days to post on. 

Nevertheless, if you are thinking that those days are not working with my audience, there is always a solution. You can always experiment with posting during evenings and weekends when potential travelers are actively researching and planning their next getaway.

Education

Since the industry of education mainly consists of students and teachers, the active hours tend to be on weekdays. Educational content is generally performing well during weekdays, with peak engagement times falling approximately between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM. However, here are the specific time intervals for the education industry: 

• Best times to post on Instagram for Schools & Education:

Tuesdays at 11 a.m. and from 1 to 4 p.m.

Wednesdays at noon and 3 p.m.

Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon

• Best days to post on Instagram for Schools & Education: Tuesdays
• Worst days to post on Instagram for Schools & Education: Sundays

Around those times, you can share informative and visually appealing posts to capture the attention of students, parents, and educators alike.

Ecommerce

As in general, e-commerce brands would benefit most from the evenings since people tend to do their shopping during those hours. Hence, here are the best times to post on Instagram for e-commerce:

• Best Times: 9 PM – 12 AM
• Best Day: Saturday
• Worst Days: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday

People are relaxing and taking a break on weekends. Thus, especially Saturday is the best day to post on Instagram. If you want to increase your sales and engagement, please post on Saturday and avoid weekdays, especially Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. 

Food and Beverage

As we all know, the food and beverage industry thrives on Instagram, with the best posting times occurring during evenings and weekends. You can share mouthwatering images and behind-the-scenes content to entice followers and inspire cravings. Here are the time intervals that you can post on Instagram. 

• Weekdays: 12 pm to 2 pm
• Weekends: 5 pm to 7 pm

If you are looking for the best days to post on Instagram, as we said earlier, weekends are the best days. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are the best days since most people try to find new recipes during their holiday times.

Advertising and Marketing Organizations

There are a ton of alternatives available to advertising and marketing companies on Instagram for uploading content. The best time for posting is during the workday, specifically on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 9 AM to 3 PM. You can avoid spending time on Tuesdays and Fridays. 

• Best Times: 9 AM – 3 PM.
• Best Days: Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
• Worst Days: Tuesday and Friday

Fitness and Wellness

In the fitness and wellness industry, there is a dedicated customer base that seeks inspiration and motivation. It is best to target them in the early morning and late at night when they are getting ready for or finishing their workouts. Especially, 

• Weekdays: 6 am to 8 am and 5 pm to 7 pm
• Weekends: 8 am to 10 am and 4 pm to 6 pm

If you are looking for the best days, Tuesday and Wednesday are the best options in this industry. You can share inspirational quotes, workout routines, and transformation stories to motivate and inspire your followers on those days.

Information Technology

IT companies should post between 6 and 9 PM, after work, just like most other businesses. Saturday is the ideal day to post, but don’t forget to test other times to see what suits your readers best. As we said above, not every audience can act in the same way. So, you can always experience with Instagram posting times and find the best one resonates with your audience. 

• Best Times: 6 – 9 PM
• Best Day: Saturday
• Worst Days: Monday and Thursday

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