The Social Media Magic Hour: Unlocking the Secrets of Optimal Posting Times for IT Professionals
Ah, social media – the ever-evolving landscape where IT professionals like ourselves must navigate the treacherous waters of engagement, visibility, and, most importantly, finding the perfect time to share our content. It’s a mystery as elusive as the Loch Ness Monster, but fear not, my fellow tech enthusiasts, for I’m about to unravel the secrets of determining the best times to post on social media for IT firms.
Timing is Everything: Deciphering the Social Media Clock
Let’s start with a hard truth: the internet never sleeps, and the best time to post on social media seems to be at every hour of the day. But fear not, we’re going to demystify this myth so your social team can plan, prioritize, and create a successful social media marketing strategy.
With over 5 billion social media users worldwide and across several platforms, social media presents many opportunities for businesses across all industries and sizes. Where social media had once been used solely for brand awareness, the impact of social media on business spans across several teams – customer experience, sales, product development, content, and marketing.
To help you navigate this social media landscape, I’ve delved deep into the data, collaborating with the Sprout Social data science team to review findings and trends in social media usage over the past year. We analyzed over 34,000 of Sprout Social’s customers and their content engagement across various platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok.
Unveiling the Prime Time: Best Times to Post on Social Media
According to our analysis of nearly 2 billion engagements, the best times to post on social media are:
- Tuesdays through Thursdays, generally between 9 AM and 2 PM.
Now, I know what you’re thinking – “That’s it? That’s the magic formula?” Well, my IT-savvy friends, it’s not quite that simple. Each social channel has its own unique quirks and benefits, depending on your goals, campaigns, content type, and target audience. Let’s dive deeper into the nitty-gritty of each platform.
Facebook: The OG’s Optimal Posting Times
It’s true that Facebook is still the most used platform by marketers worldwide at 89%, and by monthly active users at 305 billion (yes, billion). The impact Facebook has on our social media use as consumers and marketers is still ever-present.
Compared to last year, high engagement periods on Facebook are still within mid-mornings during weekdays and matching general business hours. Optimal send times for Facebook are Mondays through Fridays, starting mostly at 9 AM until early afternoon, generally around 2 PM.
What does this mean for marketers? Most users are taking a quick break in their routines for Facebook, making it the best time to schedule posts for target audiences to interact with. With a solid Facebook marketing strategy, businesses can connect with the right audiences with their content, whether it’s keeping audiences informed of products or sharing access to exclusive deals.
Instagram: The Visual Powerhouse’s Optimal Posting Times
Where Facebook was the most-used platform by marketers worldwide, Instagram comes 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 e-commerce and offering frictionless experiences to users.
And even though the competition for short-form video between Instagram and TikTok continues to heat up, Reels still generate more likes and saves than static Instagram posts. The best times to post on Instagram are weekdays, generally between 10 AM and 2 PM, with Tuesdays and Wednesdays’ engagement times extending to 4 PM.
We recommend scheduling posts Tuesdays through Thursdays, between 10 AM and 3 PM, for optimal engagement. It’s wise to test these benchmarks against your current metrics too, as the Instagram algorithm can be quite unpredictable.
LinkedIn: The Professional’s Preferred Posting Times
Unsurprising for this professional-focused social platform, LinkedIn engagement times are consistent with general business hours. High engagement hours are more concentrated midday and don’t extend too far out past the workday hours. Businesses are less likely to get eyes on their LinkedIn marketing efforts on the weekend when engagement and usage drops.
Because LinkedIn content is centered around professional thought-leadership and career growth, it makes sense that a majority of audiences engage with this content throughout their working day. By midday, there’s buzz on the platform, and the best times to post on LinkedIn are Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 10 AM and noon, and Thursdays at 10 AM.
Pinterest and TikTok: The Emerging Platforms’ Optimal Posting Times
While people may associate Pinterest as the visual search engine where users go to research and discover DIY projects and inspiration products, it also presents an opportunity to expand your community and brand awareness. Interestingly, Tuesdays through Fridays at 1 AM and Thursdays at 3 AM are peak times to post on Pinterest.
As the youngest digital platform on this list, TikTok has grown significantly and made waves in half as many years as the others. The best times to post on TikTok are Tuesdays and Fridays from 4 to 6 PM, Wednesdays and Thursdays mornings from 9 to 11 AM, and Thursdays from 2 to 6 PM.
Twitter (X): The Breaking News Hub’s Optimal Posting Times
X, formerly known as Twitter, has consistently been the platform for up-to-the-minute conversations and breaking news. Businesses and brands continuously look to X to participate in trending topics that align with their brand values. The best times to post on Twitter are Mondays through Fridays, beginning at 9 AM and extending until nearly 3 PM.
The Importance of Tailoring Your Posting Times
Now, I know what you’re thinking – “These are all great insights, but how do I apply them to my specific IT firm?” Well, my friends, that’s where the real magic happens.
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 social media data analysis. You may discover that your specific target audience is active near the peak times we’ve outlined or hours earlier.
A social media management tool like Sprout Social 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. Sprout’s patented ViralPost technology uses the same data we’ve used to look at all our customer accounts to determine the best time to post, tailored for your account.
Embrace the Social Media Zeitgeist
Ultimately, the best times to post on social media are a constantly evolving landscape, just like the platforms themselves. As trends come and go, and algorithms shift, it’s crucial for IT firms to stay agile and adaptable in their social media strategy.
By leveraging the data-driven insights we’ve uncovered, combined with your own unique audience insights, you can unlock the secrets to social media success for your IT firm. Remember, the key is to continuously test, analyze, and refine your posting schedule to stay ahead of the curve.
So, what are you waiting for? Dive into the world of social media optimization and start elevating your IT firm’s online presence today!
