Instagram has changed its algorithm over the last few years, making it much more difficult for you to share visible posts on Instagram. It gives top priority to posts made by users’ friends and family, with less likelihood of business posts being added to people’s queues. It provides even less weighting to business posts that include links likely to take people away from the Instagram app. To succeed on Instagram, businesses need to play the game well. And that includes picking the best time to post on Instagram, targeting a time when people look at their Instagram accounts, but which doesn’t coincide with the time when most people upload their Instagram content. Are there any apparent trends – a “best” time on a “best day?”
Influencer marketing platforms can also play a crucial role in enhancing your Instagram strategy. Consider leveraging these platforms to collaborate with influencers who can help amplify your brand message during the optimal posting times.
Best Times to Post on Instagram:
- Monday: 5 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 1 PM
- Tuesday: 7 AM, 8 AM, 9 AM, 10 AM
- Wednesday: 5 AM, 6 AM, 9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM
- Thursday: 6 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 1 PM
- Friday: 7 AM, 2 PM, 3 PM, 4 PM
- Saturday: 6 AM, 8 AM, 9 AM, 10 AM
- Sunday: 1 AM, 6 PM, 7 PM, 8 PM
When is the Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2024:
- Free Instagram Post Times Planner
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- The Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2024
- Engagement is Usually Your Number 1 Priority on Instagram
- There is a Big Difference Between Content and Compelling Content
- Studies on the Best Time to Post on Instagram
- Key Considerations When looking for the Best Times to Post on Instagram
- More Detailed List of Best Posting Times
- Frequently Asked Questions
Free Instagram Post Times Planner
We have developed the Instagram Post Times Optimizer Tool, to help you post at the exact right times, so as to maximize your engagement rates based on your most active follower location time zones and research of over 12 million instagram posts. Optimize your Instagram Post Times Here.
The Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2024
You are probably hoping that we can give you a definitive time to make your Instagram posts. Unfortunately, life isn’t that simple – there are too many variables.
Most of the studies we have looked at did pick a “best” time for your Instagram post. Please note, though, these do depend on time zone, and not all posts use the same time zone in their recommendations. The bulk of these surveys stated CT (Central Time US) in their findings.
Although you will presumably post more than once per week, various studies suggest the following times as the best times to post on Instagram:
Best day to post on Instagram: Tuesday and Wednesday
Best time to post to Instagram:
- 7 AM - 10 AM on Tuesdays
- 9 AM - 12 PM on Wednesdays
- 2 PM on Fridays
Considering the variations in the different studies, it is better to look at a wider selection of times, rather than just a best time to post on Instagram – you are going to post more than once a week anyhow if you want to succeed.
Engagement is Usually Your Number 1 Priority on Instagram
Although each firm is different, most businesses aim to build as much engagement as possible on their Instagram account. Traditional Instagram engagement includes likes and comments. More recently, people have begun to add views, shares, and direct messages as well. With the rise in the need for consistent engagement, many businesses are now turning to social media scheduling tools to ensure timely and strategic posts. Then you can further add the above types of engagement of Instagram spin-offs, such as Instagram Stories and IGTV.
This means that there is no longer a clear-cut definition of engagement, but it does include all interactions between your social followers/customers and your business on Instagram.
See our Instagram Calculator to calculate the engagement rate of your account based on the number of followers, category, and average post likes.
HubSpot data shows the surprising fact that the average Instagram post receives 14,869 likes. You might look at your own Instagram account statistics and feel profoundly disillusioned by that fact. However, that number is the mean – heavily influenced by viral posts shared by influencers. HubSpot found that the median number of likes received on an Instagram post is much nearer 100; meaning that half of all Instagram posts receive fewer than 100 likes.
There is a Big Difference Between Content and Compelling Content
One of the most important facts to come from the above figures is that there is little point in creating content for the sake of it. Compelling content can perform superbly and generate exceptional engagement rates. Run-of-the-mill content is scarcely worth the effort of creating it.
But you must add posting times into the mix. You might create compelling content. But if you share it at the wrong time, nobody will see it. If people don’t see it, they can’t like it, share it, or comment on it.
There will have undoubtedly been much amazing content shared on Instagram over the years that have vanished without a trace, simply because nobody got the opportunity to see just how good it was. This is even more relevant now with the current Instagram algorithm.
Studies on the Best Time to Post on Instagram
Several organizations have carried out investigations over the last couple of years to determine the best time to post on Instagram. Naturally, they don’t fully agree with each other, but some clear trends show through.
Among the studies we have looked at are:
- Hootsuite's The Best Time to Post on Instagram Revealed [+ Guide]
- Sprout Social’s Best times to post on Instagram
- Buffer's When's The Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2024?
- Later’s When Is the Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2024?
- Shopify's Uncover the Best Time To Post on Instagram (2024 Guide)
Key Considerations When looking for the Best Times to Post on Instagram
1. Day of the Week
There can be some variation in Instagram engagement, even at the same time of the day on different days of the week. For example, you might be surprised to see 5 AM included in the above list. The reason for this is that people often check their phone for messages as soon as they wake during the working week. This means that people are more likely to check their Instagram early in the morning Monday to Friday than at weekends. But even Monday can have lower engagement, as people are rushing to get the week started, and have less time to look at Instagram before work on a Monday.
2. Breaks in the Workday
You will find that some people check their Instagram during their work breaks, particularly at lunchtime.
Similarly, people’s interest in their work flags in the late afternoon and quite a few turn their attention to Instagram instead.
3. Use Time Zones to Your Advantage
The wider the geographical spread of your audience, the less critical set posting times become. However, if your target audience is in one location, make sure you use that time zone as the basis for setting your Instagram posting times, even if it isn’t your own time zone.
If you want to make an Instagram post at wake-up time, you want to make it the time when the bulk of your audience is just waking and getting up for the day.
4. Follow Your Specific Audience
It’s all okay to follow these “best practice” posting times. But if your audience is different from a typical audience, then these posting times are irrelevant for your account.
If you have a Business Instagram account (as every business and influencer should) you have access to Instagram Insights. Go to the Followers section of Instagram Insights, and you will discover information about when your audience is most active on the platform. It makes sense that you structure your posting practices to match this.
Some of the social media management platforms, such as Later, also include data about when your Instagram audience is online.
5. Frequency of Posting on Instagram
You need to post regularly if you want your Instagram account to appear fresh. This can be as much as one to three posts per day. Share a mix of different post types, making sure that you don’t come across as too interested in just making sales. You need to focus on producing quality posts ahead of bulk quantity, however.
6. Different Sectors Prefer Posts at Different Times
To add to the confusion, your best posting times will depend on the sector in which you operate. For example, data from various sources shows a clear variation:
- Best Times to Post on Instagram for Media Companies: Friday at 3-6 PM, 9 PM - 12 AM
- Best Times to Post on Instagram for Ecommerce Companies: Saturday at 9 PM - 12 PM
- Best Times to Post on Instagram for Educational Organizations: Monday at 9 PM - 12 AM
- Best Times to Post on Instagram for Healthcare Companies: Saturday at 6 PM - 9 PM
- Best Times to Post on Instagram for Electronics Organizations: Thursday at 3 PM - 6 PM
- Best Times to Post on Instagram for IT Companies: Saturday at 6 PM - 9 PM
- Best Times to Post on Instagram for Transportation Companies: Saturday at 9 AM - 12 PM
Day Best Times to Post on IG Monday 5 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 1 PM Tuesday 7 AM, 8 AM, 9 AM, 10 AM Wednesday 5 AM, 6 AM, 9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM Thursday 6 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 1 PM Friday 7 AM, 2 PM, 3 PM, 4 PM Saturday 6 AM, 8 AM, 9 AM, 10 AM Sunday 1 AM, 6 PM, 7 PM, 8 PM
More Detailed List of Best Posting Times
While deciding a single best time to post on Instagram is tricky, and in all honesty, pointless, most of these studies have come up with a series of good posting times. Here are some suggestions (all expressed in Pacific US Times and ignoring sectors):
1. Hootsuite
- Sunday: 6 PM, *7 PM, 8 PM
- Monday: 11 AM, *12 PM, 1 PM
- Tuesday: 8 AM, *9 AM, 10 AM
- Wednesday: 9 AM, 10 AM, *11 AM
- Thursday: *11 AM, 12PM, 1 PM
- Friday: *2 PM, 3 PM, 4 PM
- Saturday: 8 AM, *9AM, 10 AM
Times marked with * offer particularly high levels of engagement.
2. Sprout Social
- Monday at 10 AM - 12 PM
- Tuesday at 9 AM - 1 PM
- Wednesday at 10 AM - 1 PM
- Friday at 9 AM - 11 AM
- Tuesday & Wednesday are the overall best days
3. Later
- Monday: 12 AM, 1 AM, 3 AM - 7 AM
- Tuesday: 12 AM - 9 AM
- Wednesday: 12 AM, 2 AM - 7 AM
- Thursday: 12 AM, 2 AM, 3 AM, 5 AM, 7 AM, 11 PM
- Friday: 12 AM, 5 AM - 8 AM
- Saturday 12 AM, 1 AM, 3 AM, 11 PM
- Sunday: 12 AM - 2 AM, 5 AM - 7 AM, 11 PM
Source: later.com
Unfortunately, as you can see, there is no single best time to post on Instagram. However, you can get a general idea of popular times from the recent studies, and then combine it with your actual data from your Instagram Insights to get a good guide to the Instagram habits of your audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best time to post on Instagram?
There have been quite a few studies on what is the best time to post on Instagram. Most of the reviews we looked at picked a "best" time for your Instagram post. Please note, though, these do depend on time zone. Some of the times suggested by studies are:
- Hootsuit - between 8 AM and 12 PM PST
- Sprout Social - Tuesday and Wednesday between 9 AM and 1 PM
- Later – 9 AM - 11 PM EST
What is the worst time to post on Instagram?
If your followers are "typical" Instagrammers, then the worst time to post on the platform will be in the early hours of the morning (1 am to 5 am). Yet some studies differ on this. Later found good results from posts between 1 am and 4 am. Hubspot found high levels of engagement for 5 am posts, Tuesday to Friday. It all comes back to your specific audience and when they are online.
Is Monday a bad time to post on Instagram?
There can be some variation in Instagram engagement, even at the same time of the day on different days of the week. People are more likely to check their Instagram early in the morning Monday to Friday than on weekends. But Monday can have lower engagement, with people rushing to get the week started, and having less time to look at Instagram before work on a Monday.
Should I post every day on Instagram?
It is always good to be a regular poster on Instagram; however, unlike Twitter, you can easily overdo your Instagram posting. It is more important to have a regular posting schedule than it is to post at specific times. Your followers will learn to expect new posts from you at particular times. You probably should aim to post at least once daily. Some brands post up to 30 times daily. Ideally, you want your followers to see a few posts each day.
Does Instagram have a post limit?
For all practical purposes, Instagram doesn't have a post limit. You can make as many posts as you feel appropriate for your audience. Instagram does have limits for account activity, however. It sets a limit of 200 follows and unfollows per day. You can't make more than 1000 likes per day (although it sometimes warns you for less than this). Instagram also doesn't want you to make more than 180-200 comments per day, and they get particularly unhappy if you continually repeat the same comment.
What is the best time to post reels on Instagram?
The optimal times to post on Instagram Reels are as follows: Mondays at 6 AM, 10 AM, and 10 PM; Tuesdays at 2 AM, 4 AM, and 9 AM; Wednesdays at 7 AM, 8 AM, and 11 PM; Thursdays at 9 AM, 12 AM, and 7 PM; Fridays at 5 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM; Saturdays at 11 AM, 7 PM, and 8 PM; and Sundays at 7 AM, 8 AM, and 4 PM.
See our detailed guide about the best time to post reels on Instagram.
