Instagram is enjoying unprecedented popularity as one of the most active social networks in the world. Having reached 1 billion users in 2018, it’s come a long way since its humble beginnings. As a result, your content on Instagram can even get lost among the many posts, despite being awesome.
You see, not everyone is checking Instagram at the same time. And hitting the peak times can ensure that your story is read and not buried in a news feed. So is there a formula to determine the best time to post an Instagram story?
Choosing your Day
Maybe you post stories to Instagram every single day. But seriously, you need to take a look at the Instagram metrics.
Take a look at the “days” tab. Which days are the most popular? Some studies say that midweek days are the most popular. But before you plan your posts for Wednesdays and Thursdays, keep in mind that there is also research pointing to the opposite.
In reality, your own metrics may paint the best picture. Just keep in mind that most interactions are shared during the workweek. So whether that means Tuesday and Thursday posts or Wednesday and Friday really depends on you.
One thing that experts generally agree on is that weekend posts are a no-go. But once again, that depends on your followers.
Find your Sweet Spot
Your posting sweet spot may be different than other Instagrammers. That’s why there’s so much conflicting information. Why? Because your optimal time depends on your followers and every brand is unique.
Therefore, getting to know when your followers like to browse the app is a priority. You can play with these general engagement guidelines until you hit the days and time that work best for your brand.
Also, don’t forget that you have Instagram’s own analytic tools at your disposal. Use those to your advantage.
You may also want to check out the location and age data to find out which content works best. And the most time-zone friendly times to post it.
Spot on Time
You already take careful consideration and planning when managing your Instagram account but it’s time to take it to the next level. Yep, time to optimize your posts.
Finding the right time is one step. Check your Instagram analytics to know when your followers are most active.
Simply go to your “My Profile” page and take a look at your metrics. Maybe you have early risers checking your posts by 9 am. When do you see the most traffic? Or perhaps your followers are usually busy and don’t have time to check Instagram until bedtime?
Take these times seriously and consider them as deadline. Schedule your content in a way that you hit these times as much as possible.
Furthermore, keep your most active time zones in mind. You might live in the US, but if the majority of your followers are in India, you may want to post according to their time zone and not your own.
This is especially true if you have many followers around the world. It’s not feasible to hit optimal post times for followers around the world. But you can concentrate most of your energy on the areas with the highest followings.
To make this smooth and easier for you, use Insta Captain to schedule your posts for auto posting. Fill in the day, date, and time and you’re good to go. This Instagram bot also has features like auto follow, auto like, auto dm for you to try out.
Find your Niche
Individual or personal brands may have more leverage when it comes to the best times to schedule stories. However, if you are posting for an organisation, there are some different rules at play.
B2C companies like Saturdays. Remember what we said about posting on weekends? Throw that out the window if you’re a B2C company targeting consumers. They like Saturdays around lunchtime.
You can throw that rule about Monday postings out the window if you’re posting for an educational organisation. The followers tend to like Mondays a lot. In fact, it’s one of their best engagement days with 8 pm being the most optimal time for posts.
As you can see, there are really no hard and fast rules when it comes to the best time for your Instagram stories. In general, if your followers work 9 to 5, many of them probably won’t check their app during the workday. The exception to that audience is lunchtime when many people like to check social media apps.
In addition, after work hours may be another time period to consider. Think of the hours between 7 pm and 9 pm when people are finally home and relaxing with their phone. This may also be a good time to catch your Instagram followers.
