Best Times to Post on Instagram in 2024 for Maximum Engagement
Knowing the best times to post on Instagram in 2024 can make a big difference in your engagement. Posting at optimal times can boost your Instagram marketing results. Instagram’s visual nature makes it a desirable marketing platform for brands to get their offerings in front of as many eyes as possible, and knowing the best times to post on Instagram can be a major benefit to your social media strategy.
Remember: Instagram is a discovery platform for trends, brands, products, and services, so it’s important to get high-quality photos and content in front of potential consumers’ eyes at the right time.
When is the Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2024 for Higher Engagement?
- The best times to post on Instagram are:
- Mondays: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Tuesdays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Wednesdays: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Thursdays: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
- Fridays: at 11 a.m.
- Best days to post on Instagram: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
- Worst days to post on Instagram: Sundays
Where Facebook was the most used platform by marketers worldwide, Instagram came in second at 80%. Interestingly, Instagram ties with Facebook for the social media platforms that offer marketers the highest ROI at 29%. This is because social media continues to evolve with ecommerce and offering frictionless experiences to users. And even though the competition for short-form videos between Instagram and TikTok continues to heat up, Reels still generate more likes and saves than static Instagram posts.
For optimal engagement on Instagram, try posting during peak weekdays, usually between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Engagement times on Tuesdays and Wednesdays stretch to 4 p.m., making them the best days to post on Instagram. Scheduling posts between Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. will give you the best chance at high engagement. Keep testing to find the Instagram posting schedule that works best for your audience
Instagram has evolved from a photo-only app to a platform with 2 billion monthly active users. Now, it supports images, videos, Reels, live streams, and more. This makes it a powerful tool for businesses to reach their audience. It is also an avenue to collaborate and partner with other brands and provides a stream of revenue through its e-commerce capabilities.
The Instagram algorithm is unpredictable. To be successful on the platform, you must maintain a balance of consistently posting high-quality content that will engage and entertain your audiences. That’s a lot to ask for with each piece of content published. However, using that as a guiding post can help you develop your Instagram marketing strategy.
Different industries may see varying engagement times on Instagram. For example, restaurants often get more engagement during lunch hours, while educational institutions may find success in the afternoon. Experimenting with the best Instagram posting schedule based on your industry can help fine-tune your strategy.
Best Times to Post Reels on Instagram in 2024: Increase Your Reach
Are the best times to post on Instagram different for static posts versus Reels? Perhaps there’s a definitive answer to that question, however, our data source is inclusive of posts, Stories and Reels. The information in this article should guide you to uncover the best times to post any content on Instagram to see positive engagement, whether it’s a static post, a Story with polls or a creative Reel.
To get the most engagement on Instagram Reels, aim to post between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays. Engagement peaks on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, extending until 4 p.m. Testing different times will help you find the best posting schedule. Our optimal send time data for Instagram is aggregate for Posts, Reels, and Stories – images and videos.
For that reason, we recommend you test posting Reels at different times to uncover the highest engagement times for you. Keep in mind that several factors go into Reels’ performance, whether it’s using trending sounds, the Instagram algorithm or having an engaging video hook to capture your audience’s attention.
Best Days and Times to Post on Instagram for Higher Engagement
We know the best time to post on Instagram overall, but what about each day of the week?
- Mondays: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Tuesdays: 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Wednesdays: 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Thursdays: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Fridays: at 11 a.m.
- Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Sundays: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
If you’re looking for the best day and time to post on Instagram, read the analysis below:
Best time to post on Instagram on Monday
The best time to post on Instagram on Mondays is between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., coinciding with typical lunch hours, although engagement is good from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Best time to post on Instagram on Tuesday
The best time to post on Instagram on Tuesday is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and engagement is almost double compared to Mondays.
Best time to post on Instagram on Wednesday
The best times to post on Instagram on Wednesdays are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it has the highest engagement period of the week.
Best time to post on Instagram on Thursday
The best times to post on Instagram on Thursdays are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again at 2 p.m. The 1 p.m. hour drops slightly in engagement.
Best time to post on Instagram on Friday
The best time to post on Instagram on Fridays is at 11 a.m., but there’s almost as much engagement the few hours prior and after that peak engagement time.
Best time to post on Instagram on Saturday
The best time to post on Instagram on Saturdays is 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., but weekends generally have less engagement than the rest of the week.
Best time to post on Instagram on Sunday
The best time to post on Instagram on Sundays is 10 a.m. to 12 pm, but similar to Saturdays, we’ve noticed Sundays have less engagement throughout the day.
When is the best time to post on Instagram in the UK?
The best time to post on Instagram in the UK is weekdays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Midweek, engagement rates remain high until 4 p.m. Things are noticeably quieter at the weekend across many social platforms, including Instagram in the UK.
Considering this, the best time to post on Saturday is 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 10 am to 12 p.m. on Sundays. If Instagram is the platform your UK audience engages with most, remember that your industry, business goals, and content will also play a part in the success of your social posts.
What are the best times to post on Instagram by industry?
What works for different industries in Instagram engagement? Restaurants, for example, get more engagement around lunch time, and healthcare providers notice upticks in the afternoons. Optimizing your Instagram posting time by industry can dramatically improve your results.
While there is no exact time stamp for the best time to post on Instagram, data can help. Your industry, audience, objectives, and content type all contribute to successful social media marketing.
Use this industry data to inform your publishing calendar, and feel free to experiment with when the best times are for you!
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Best times to post on Instagram for hospitals & healthcare
- Best times to post on Instagram for Hospitals & Healthcare:
- Mondays: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
- Tuesdays: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Wednesdays: 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
- Thursdays: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Fridays: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Best days to post on Instagram for Hospitals & Healthcare: Tuesdays through Fridays
- Worst days to post on Instagram for Hospitals & Healthcare: Sundays
Hospitals, clinics, and healthcare providers use social media for more than navigating healthcare crises. They use social media to educate the public, help patients feel more comfortable with healthcare visits and doctors’ appointments, promote their programs for aspiring physicians, and establish themselves as pillars in the community.
The best times to post on Instagram for healthcare and hospitals nearly tripled compared to the year prior. Hospitals, healthcare, and clinics see average to above-average engagement every day starting at 8 a.m. and continuing through most of the day, as late as 10 p.m. However, the best times to post on Instagram for hospitals and healthcare are predominantly Mondays through Fridays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. For more specific time frames, see the table above.
Best times to post on Instagram for restaurants
- Best times to post on Instagram for Restaurants:
- Mondays: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Tuesdays: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Wednesdays: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Thursdays: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Fridays: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Best days to post on Instagram for Restaurants: Weekdays
- Worst days to post on Instagram for Restaurants: Weekends
Online orders and delivery service apps saw an increase in use over the last few years, innovating the way restaurants interact with their audiences. And restaurants saw over 2x more engagements on Instagram than last year’s analysis. Target audience and platform goals factor into how businesses connect with their customers, such as offering unique promotions or updates.
Those in the food and beverage restaurant industry see most of their engagement concentrated during the lunch hour on weekdays. Generally, the best times for restaurants to post on Instagram are Mondays through Fridays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Best times to post on Instagram for schools & education
Universities, higher education institutions, and schools saw a significant increase in high engagement times on Instagram compared to last year’s analysis. Remember that some schools manage multiple social profiles (per college, athletics, etc.) to meet these needs and effectively target distinct audiences at the right time.
- Best times to post on Instagram for Schools & Education:
- Wednesdays from 2 to 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.
- Best days to post on Instagram for Schools & Education:
- Wednesdays
- Worst days to post on Instagram for Schools & Education:
- Sundays
High engagement opportunities for schools reflect a typical school day plus evening hours. Mondays through Fridays see consistent engagement from 10 a.m. until about 6 p.m. However, the hours with the highest engagement and the best time to post on Instagram for schools are Wednesdays from 2 to 4 p.m. and again at 9 p.m.
A social media strategy for schools must fulfill various purposes, from highlighting student life to sharing school updates. These include engaging with students past, present, and future and keeping a pulse on brand health.
Best times to post on Instagram for travel & hospitality
- Best times to post on Instagram for Travel & Hospitality:
- Wednesdays from noon to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
- Sundays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Best days to post on Instagram for Travel & Hospitality:
- Wednesdays and Thursdays
- Worst days to post on Instagram for Travel & Hospitality:
- None; all days receive the moderate engagement
The travel and hospitality industries once again doubled their engagement on Instagram compared to last year. Hospitality businesses pivoted their strategies as the post-pandemic spike in travel continued, and they saw a return on their efforts throughout most of the day.
The best times to post on Instagram for travel and hospitality businesses saw average engagement between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. nearly every single day of the week. However, two days saw the highest engagement and are the best times to post on Instagram for travel and hospitality: Wednesdays from noon to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
How to find your own best times to post on Instagram
Social marketers can plan content more effectively when they’re armed with data. As platforms evolve, how brands and consumers use social media will evolve with them, or vice versa. Staying aware of new content formats and trends might help you reach your audience unexpectedly or even find new segments and personas you weren’t focusing on before.
How to find your best time to post on Instagram with Insights
While you may be ready to jump in and post at these provided peak engagement times as part of your strategy, consider pairing this data with your own Instagram analytics. You may discover that your specific target audience is active at different times.
If you have a creator or business account already, find your best times to post with Instagram Insights following these steps:
From your profile, tap ≡ in the top right corner.
- Tap Insights.
Tap the metrics underneath the Overview section or specific content you’ve shared for more details. From here, tap Total Followers and scroll to see their most active times.
How to find your best time to post on Instagram with Pixel2Perfect
A social media management tool like Pixel2Perfect can help you drill into your analytics and develop tailored findings for your brand accounts across all networks, holistically and individually. Gain competitive insights by comparing your performance to your competitors to find new opportunities for engagement.
With features like post tagging and cross-network reporting, you can separate different factors like post author or types of content, and drill down into how your posting time influenced your social success.
At Pixel2Perfect, we don’t rely on any software for scheduling. Our team of experts meticulously manages each post, ensuring it’s published at the optimal time based on your specific niche and our extensive experience. We call this our “ViralPost” approach. While other tools might use algorithms to guess the best posting times, we believe in the power of human expertise to get your content seen by the right audience at the right moment.
With Optimal Send Times, the specific times offered are based on when your audience engages the most using your publishing history. ViralPost® also continually updates and refines to save you time from doing repeated analysis, allowing you more time to craft great content.
How Data Reveals the Best Instagram Posting Times in 2024
The best times to post on Instagram in this article are backed by engagement data from over 400,000 Instagram profiles. These peak times were identified by analyzing likes, comments, and shares across various industries. Posting consistently during these high-engagement periods can significantly improve your Instagram performance.
Incorporating data like this helps refine your Instagram marketing strategy and ensures that you’re using insights to optimize your content’s reach and engagement.