You’ve finally done it! You have created the most perfect post in the history of the internet. Now to schedule it for social media. But wait… when should you schedule your Mona Lisa of posts? This is a great question all social media marketers must ask themselves.
Now that you are putting some thought into your timing, a few hurdles come to mind. Sure, you can find out on average when most users are on social media, but how can you tell when your followers are? Are there better times for specific types of posts, such as sales? Are there times when not posting is the better choice?
On average the best time to post on Facebook is on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 9 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm. The assumption is that the less work is on the mind, the more time for Facebook. Luckily for you, Facebook provides a powerful analytical tool so you do not have to rely on an average. On the menu right underneath the search bar is the word “Insights”. Click on that to be taken to some awesome info. If you click on “Posts” on the left hand side you will see info on each day of the week. This is where you will be able to see when your followers are online. On top of that you can see what time of day they are most active. So for example, I check the YMCA of Indiana County’s Facebook page and find that Sunday nights at 9 pm is when my followers are online. I’m going to want to make sure I schedule my most important post of the day for that time be it sales, motivational, or informative. The “Insights” tool is a necessity for any Facebook marketer.
Remember to post wisely. You do not want to over saturate your page. Just because it’s 9 pm Sunday night, I’m not going to throw together a post if I do not have good reason to. Remember social media is about having a conversation, and what did our mothers always say? “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
If you are a business just starting out on Facebook, stick to Thursday through Sunday for your most pertinent posts. Once you have established yourself, “Insights” will become one of your favorite tools. Make sure to use it wisely. How do you think the timing of a post can make or break its reach? If I missed anything you want to add, or you just really want to thank me feel free to comment below. Don’t forget to hit the share button below because gaining knowledge is the first step to wisdom; sharing it is the first step to humanity.