How Social Media Algorithms Work
Algorithms are a calculated method of sorting posts to determine which make it to the top of the feed based on relevancy instead of the time it's posted. This means that an algorithm is used to strategically place the posts you see on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
You may be wondering, “Why is this important?” Algorithms help deliver content to the consumer based on what it determines to be potentially more interesting for the user. This is done as an attempt to filter through the mass amounts of content. Algorithms do tend to favor paid social media over organic social media because of the revenue received from promoting this type of content.
If this is an option for you, paid social media can help boost your posts into a higher-quality category that will allow you to reach a larger audience who share similar interests. Several factors can influence the “best time to post” that can help you reach your desired audience regardless of the algorithm.
Peak Times
There is no perfect time to post on social media but there are better times. Demographics, behavior patterns, and audience types can come into play as factors that will influence the best times for you to post. Your posting schedule will also depend on the type of industry you are in and the target audience you plan to reach.
On average, the best time to post on Facebook for higher visibility is from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Posting between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. is the ideal time for your brand to receive the most shares and interaction.
Most users log on in the morning after they have settled into work. Early mornings through the early afternoon tend to have the most consistent engagement rate because the majority of Facebook’s audience are adults. Weekends are reported as the worst days to post on this platform because of its low interaction rates and lower volume during peak hours.
The best time to post on Instagram falls later in the day with the peak time for engagement being at 11 a.m. Monday through Friday.
Tuesday has become the best day to post on Instagram as users remain the most active and engaged for the longest period. Sunday has become the worst day to post because it has become oversaturated with fun weekend posts from its younger audience.
Audience or Industry
Every audience is unique, but most of the data discussed includes business and individual accounts from different locations. These statistics should serve as a starting point for your brand to understand your audience’s unique social media patterns. As you get a better understanding for when your audience is online and interacting with content, you may need to adjust your posting schedule to fit their peak times.
To set up your posting schedule, start by determining morning commute times, lunch breaks, and other common weekday times that could be beneficial for B2B businesses. Once you start posting, review your social media analytics and engagement rates to see what has worked the best and what has not.
Posting regularly is an important step when trying to determine the best times to post on social media. The number of posts differs depending on your industry, audience, and the specific platform you choose to use.
Facebook, for instance, encourages a business to post at least three times a week, while Instagram’s number of optimal posts is at least once a day. Posting can help you determine what type of posts succeed and at what times engagement is at an all-time high.
