Decoded: Best time to post on Instagram for maximum engagement

Improving engagement, gaining followers, and increasing conversion rate on Instagram is a growing priority for many businesses. A recent Birdeye survey showed that 60% of businesses consider the platform mission-critical. However, it all boils down to their content strategy and the best time to post on Instagram. 

Our research also shows that 79% of multi-location businesses post social media content centrally and manage content creation, scheduling, and publishing from the corporate offices. Knowing the best times to post on Instagram can significantly increase their engagement rates. 

The best times to post on Instagram are generally the early morning (5 AM- 9 AM local time) on weekdays, noon on Saturdays, and evening on Sundays. But this varies based on content type, industry, specific days of the week, etc. 

This blog post brings you a comprehensive overview of the best times to post photos, videos, Reels, and stories on Instagram for the best results. 

Does Instagram posting time matter? 

Yes, Instagram posting time matters. Even without a chronological feed, the initial engagement from your followers enhances your content’s reach on the platform. 

By choosing the perfect posting time for your business, industry, and location, you:

• Boost the chances of your content engaging your target audience at peak interaction times, enhancing likes, comments, and shares.
• Signal to Instagram through higher engagement rates that your content is relevant, thereby extending its reach to similar users.
• Increase your visibility to a broader audience, which can help you gain Instagram followers, spark interest in your business, and accelerate growth. 

While you can always Google “best time to post on Instagram today”, our next section will help you understand the rationale behind the best times and optimize your social media strategy. 

Best times to post on Instagram (Overall) 

Across all days of the week, the best times to post on Instagram are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9 AM to 1 PM. 

For businesses that don’t post every day on Instagram, these are the times to target. 

Best time to post on Instagram for each day 

As we mentioned earlier, Instagram content tends to do well in the mornings on weekdays and a little later on the weekends. 

However, experts have experimented and analyzed their content to arrive at the best times to post on Instagram each day of the week. 

Here is a breakdown of the best times to post on Instagram from Monday to Sunday: 

Read on to understand what makes these the best times to post on Instagram for your business. 

Best time to post on Instagram on Monday

Multiple studies show that the best times to post on Instagram on Monday are 4 AM, and 7 AM to 10 AM. 

Most social media experts believe people like to start their week catching up on important news and often turn to their mobile devices in the early morning hours. They also tend to scroll Instagram during their morning commute, making it ideal for businesses to post between 7 AM and 10 AM. 

For businesses with a target audience of working professionals, posting content during these windows can bring a surge of engagement. 

Best time to post on Instagram on Tuesday

Continuing the trend of early morning posting, studies show that the best times to post on Instagram on Tuesday are 5 AM and 7 AM to 10 AM. 

These time slots also engage your followers in getting a headstart on their day, catching up on their daily dose of social content during their morning commute or breakfast. 

Best time to post on Instagram on Wednesday

We have reached midweek, and research shows that the best times to post on Instagram on Wednesday are 5 AM – 11 AM and 3 PM. 

This slight variation in the schedule can be attributed to increasing work pressure, fatigue, and Instagram users’ tendency to seek a little break from work to refresh and recharge. Posting during these windows can help you gain their attention quickly. 

Best time to post on Instagram on Thursday

As we head towards the weekend, businesses must note that the best times to post on Instagram on Thursday are:

• 4 AM
• 12 PM
• 5 PM

Your followers will most likely be caught up in their weekday errands, only visiting Instagram during early mornings, lunch hours, or evenings once the day ends. 

Best time to post on Instagram on Friday

Instagram user activity slightly increases to match the anticipation of the weekend and to see what plans are in store. To make the most of this, studies show that the best times to post on Instagram on Friday are:

• 4 AM
• 9 AM to 10 AM
• 2 PM to 3 PM
• 5 PM to 6 PM 

Hitting these slots can help you engage your followers, especially to be a part of their weekend plans. 

Best time to post on Instagram on Saturday

Traditionally, weekends are not ideal for getting the most engagement for your content. But if you need to, the best times to post on Instagram on Saturday are 4 AM and 6 AM to 10 AM. 

Even on weekends, people start the day using their mobile phones, and a notification at the right time can earn you likes, comments, and shares. 

Best time to post on Instagram on Sunday

While Sunday gets some of the lowest user activity, the best times to post on Instagram on Sunday are 6 PM to 8 PM. 

As the weekend ends, Instagram users return to scrolling on the platform and catching up with the world. 

The best time to post on Instagram for each content type 

The best times to post on Instagram also depend on what you’re posting. Instagram users engage differently with videos, Reels, and stories, so the peak engagement times vary for each content type. 

Best time to post videos on Instagram 

Engaging with an Instagram video requires a user to be in a private space where they can play the audio and enjoy it completely. So, the best time to post videos on Instagram is after 7 PM, when they are back from work or done with their daily duties. 

If you need to post a video during the day, we recommend doing so between 12 PM and 1 PM so that you can catch the users in their lunch hour. 

Videos demand continued attention from the user, so it is best to choose a time when you know your target audience would have time and space to engage well. 

Best time to post Reels on Instagram 

To propel your Reel content forward, choose early mornings. lunch hours, or late evenings. This way, you get immediate attention from your audience and join the Reels newsfeed with likes, comments, and shares already logged in. 

Studies tell us that the best times to post Reels on Instagram are 4 AM, 2 PM, and 6 PM-8 PM. 

Best time to post stories on Instagram

According to several studies, the best time to post stories on Instagram is between 11 AM to 2 PM, when users usually scroll through the platform during a break in their day. 

Instagram stories allow businesses to share personal content with their followers, interact via stickers, and boost their reputation via user-generated content. You also get more eyeballs than you would on your posts. That makes choosing the right time even more important. 

Posting during lunch hours can help you capture the attention of your Instagram followers. 

Best time to go live on Instagram 

Watching and interacting with a live Instagram video takes a lot of time and attention, so the best time to go live on Instagram would be in the late evening, between 7 PM and 9 PM. 

That way, you can engage with your followers and present your products, customer stories, and interviews to a more focused audience. 

Best time to post on Instagram: Industry-wise breakup 

As the target audience for each industry varies, the best time to post on Instagram also significantly changes. 

Here is a list of the best times to post for some of the popular industries on Instagram: 

Healthcare companies 

Since the healthcare industry has a target audience of working professionals, the best time for healthcare brands to post on Instagram is early morning, between 9 AM to 10 AM, and in the evenings, 6 PM to 8 PM. 

Weekdays are ideal for maximum engagement and reach, while the worst day is Sunday when people are off social media. 

Professional services 

Businesses in this industry post educational content, driving traffic to their website or chatbots for users looking to engage their services. As it needs a lot of attention, the best time for them to post on Instagram is early morning, 4 AM/5 AM, for maximum engagement. 

Restaurants

Since the hospitality industry mostly posts videos, Reels, and interactive stories, the best time for them to post on Instagram would be between 12 PM to 2 PM or 5 PM to 7 PM. 

This way, your followers can give you ample attention, and your business has a higher chance of converting them into customers. 

Financial services 

Financial companies also majorly post educational content to drive awareness, generate interest in their business, and convert followers into customers. 

Accordingly, the best times to post on Instagram for businesses in the financial services industry are 4 AM, 5 AM, and 7 PM – 8 PM. 

Real estate 

Most Instagram users typically research property management services, real estate agents, or storage companies around the weekend. The best time for real estate businesses to post on Instagram is Saturday mornings between 9 AM and 12 PM or Sunday evenings after 7 PM. 

Best days to post on Instagram

Instagram engagement is inconsistent, so you may not always find the best way to post your content. You may see different results even when you post at the same time every week on the same day of the week. 

However, studies have shown that Instagram users tend to be more active on weekdays, especially in the morning. 

Overall, research shows us that the best days to post on Instagram are Mondays and Wednesdays, as activity peaks during these days. 

However, this may vary according to your industry and target audience (as seen in the previous section), so it is best to post consistently and analyze impressions. 

Worst times to post on Instagram 

Certain days and times are less favorable for posting on Instagram. Sharing content during these periods could significantly lower engagement and visibility for your account. 

Usually, for most business accounts on Instagram, the weekends (Saturday and Sunday) are the worst days to post content. Regarding time slots, refrain from posting content between 11 AM and 3 PM when people are engaged in their work and are unlikely to pay attention to Instagram content. 

Businesses and creators should also avoid posting on Instagram at 7 PM on Fridays as people earmark these for personal time and may not want to engage with branded content. 

How to find your best time to post on Instagram 

The best time to post on Instagram is not the same for every business, influencer, creator, or marketer. It depends on many factors, and it is important that you find the best time for your account before going ahead with your Instagram marketing strategy. 

Here is a breakdown of how you can find the best time to post on Instagram for your specific account: 

Check the Instagram insights for your business account 

For Instagram business accounts, the platform offers insights into followers’ most active periods. This data aids in pinpointing the best posting times for your unique account.

Here are the steps to access Instagram insights:

• Go to your Instagram account and tap the hamburger icon.
• Tap on Insights.
• Next, tap on “total followers”.
• Now, scroll down to see their most active times. You can see this for a week and for each day of the week as well. 

If you have multiple accounts for your business, repeat this activity for each account to understand the best times to post for each Instagram page. 

Analyze the best-performing posts for your account 

The engagement for your content does not just come from followers but from the overall Instagram audience. So, for more accurate information on the best times to post to gain likes, comments, and shares, you must:

• Find the top-performing content for your account 
• Analyze them to understand what made users interact (like, share, comment) with them. 
• Map the posting times to see if there is a pattern you can leverage. 

Birdeye Social helps you identify your best-performing posts across all channels for each social media account. You can easily access insights, reports, and custom dashboards to pick the best times to post on Instagram for your business. 

Check competitor posting times 

If you’re just starting out and lacking Instagram insights or existing content to analyze, try to analyze what your competitors are doing. 

For best results, conduct a social media audit of your competitors’ posts and map their engagement vs posting time. This should give you an approximate idea of your ideal posting times on Instagram. 

Schedule, experiment, and analyze 

Armed with this information, the next step is to create relevant and engaging content to post on your Instagram account. As Instagram engagement fluctuates, businesses must schedule content across various time slots and analyze them to understand the best times to post on Instagram. 

Schedule content like a pro to leverage the best times to post on Instagram 

Knowing the best time to post on Instagram can be extremely valuable in defining your overall content strategy. It allows businesses to create relevant and helpful content without worrying if it will reach their target audience on Instagram.

However, it is difficult to post exactly at the best times if you have a manual process. Work commitments, network issues, or human errors come into play when you do this. 

That is why businesses must adopt an automated solid media content management system that allows you to schedule your content in advance and ensure you always publish at the right time. 

FAQs on the best time to post on Instagram 

Elevate social media scheduling and publishing for your multi-location business with Birdeye 

Are you looking to streamline and bring structure to your social media marketing efforts? An AI-driven social media management tool like Birdeye can help you do it easily. 

Birdeye Social is the ultimate social media tool for multi-location businesses looking to simplify their publishing, scheduling, engaging, and analytical needs across platforms. You can generate social media posts, pick images, hashtags, and so much more with the built-in AI feature. 

Step up your Instagram marketing efforts with Birdeye Social today!