Best Time to Schedule Social Media Posts (Data-Backed Guide)
Discover the best times to schedule social media posts across Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and YouTube. Data-backed optimal posting times to maximize engagement and reach.
The best time to schedule social media posts varies by platform, but data shows peak engagement occurs on weekdays between 9-11 AM and 7-9 PM across most networks—with Instagram and TikTok performing best in evenings, LinkedIn during business hours, and Facebook at lunch. Timing posts correctly can increase engagement by 50-150% compared to off-peak posting.
Most marketers waste engagement by posting whenever it's convenient—8 AM because they just got to work, or 5 PM because they're wrapping up. But your audience isn't scrolling when YOU'RE available. They're scrolling during their commute, lunch break, evening couch time.
According to Sprout Social's research analyzing millions of posts, posts published at optimal times receive 2-3x higher engagement than the same content posted off-peak. The difference between posting at 2 PM (low engagement) vs 8 PM (peak engagement) on Instagram can mean 10 likes vs 100 likes on identical content.
This guide shows the best time to schedule social media posts for every major platform, backed by data, with day-by-day breakdowns so you never guess when to hit publish.
Edited by Jamie Partridge, Founder — Reviewed November 8, 2025
TL;DR: Best Times to Post (Quick Reference)
| Platform | Best Days | Best Times | Worst Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed-Fri | 9-11 AM, 7-9 PM | 3-4 AM | |
| TikTok | Tue-Thu | 6-10 AM, 7-11 PM | 2-5 AM |
| Tue-Wed | 8-10 AM, 12-1 PM | Weekends | |
| Wed-Fri | 9 AM-12 PM, 6-9 PM | Late night | |
| X (Twitter) | Mon-Fri | 8-10 AM, 5-6 PM | 3-4 AM |
| YouTube | Fri-Sat | 2-4 PM, 8-11 PM | Early morning |
General pattern: Weekdays outperform weekends. Morning (9-11 AM) and evening (7-9 PM) beats midday and late night.
Stop guessing when to post: PostEverywhere's smart scheduler analyzes your audience and auto-schedules posts at optimal times. Try free →
Table of Contents
- Why Posting Time Matters for Engagement
- Best Time to Post on Instagram
- Best Time to Post on TikTok
- Best Time to Post on LinkedIn
- Best Time to Post on Facebook
- Best Time to Post on X (Twitter)
- Best Time to Post on YouTube
- Industry-Specific Timing Variations
- How to Find YOUR Audience's Best Times
- Smart Scheduling: Let AI Pick Optimal Times
Why Posting Time Matters for Engagement
Social media algorithms prioritize early engagement velocity—how fast your post gets likes, comments, shares in the first 30-90 minutes after publishing. Posts that get strong early signals get pushed to more feeds. Posts that flop early stay buried.
When you post at the best time to schedule social media posts:
- ✅ More of your followers are online = stronger early engagement
- ✅ Algorithm sees momentum = pushes post to Explore/FYP/Feed
- ✅ Higher reach = compounds into more engagement
- ✅ Better ROI on content creation effort
When you post at random times:
- ❌ Fewer followers online = weak early engagement
- ❌ Algorithm sees poor performance = suppresses reach
- ❌ Low reach = wasted content creation time
- ❌ Inconsistent results = hard to identify what works
Research from Hootsuite's data science team found that posts published at optimal times get 50-150% more engagement than identical content posted off-peak.
Learn more: How social media algorithms work
Best Time to Post on Instagram
Instagram's algorithm favors recency and early engagement. According to Instagram's Creator Account guidelines, posts get most reach in the first 3-4 hours after publishing, making timing critical for visibility.
Optimal Instagram Posting Times
Overall best times:
- 9-11 AM (morning commute and coffee break scrolling)
- 1-3 PM (lunch break)
- 7-9 PM (evening couch/pre-bed scrolling)
Day-by-day breakdown:
| Day | Best Times | Engagement Level |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 9 AM, 11 AM, 8 PM | Medium-High |
| Tuesday | 10 AM, 12 PM, 7 PM | High |
| Wednesday | 9 AM, 11 AM, 8 PM | Highest |
| Thursday | 10 AM, 1 PM, 7 PM | High |
| Friday | 9 AM, 11 AM, 7 PM | High |
| Saturday | 11 AM, 7 PM | Medium |
| Sunday | 10 AM, 8 PM | Medium |
Worst times: 2-5 AM (when most of your audience is asleep)
Instagram Reels vs Feed Posts
- Reels: Evening (7-11 PM) performs best—entertainment mode
- Feed Posts: Morning (9-11 AM) and evening both work well
- Stories: Throughout the day (12-hour visibility)
Read the full deep dive: Best Time to Schedule Instagram Reels
Tool recommendation: Use Instagram scheduling tool to queue posts at optimal times weeks in advance.
Best Time to Post on TikTok
TikTok's algorithm is less time-sensitive (FYP can surface old content), but TikTok Creator Portal research shows initial engagement velocity still matters significantly for pushing videos to more users.
Optimal TikTok Posting Times
Overall best times:
- 6-10 AM (morning scrolling before work/school)
- 7-11 PM (peak entertainment hours)
Day-by-day breakdown:
| Day | Best Times | Engagement Level |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 6 AM, 10 AM, 8 PM | Medium |
| Tuesday | 2 AM, 9 AM, 7 PM | High |
| Wednesday | 7 AM, 9 AM, 11 PM | Highest |
| Thursday | 9 AM, 12 PM, 7 PM | High |
| Friday | 5 AM, 1 PM, 9 PM | High |
| Saturday | 11 AM, 7 PM, 9 PM | High |
| Sunday | 7 AM, 8 AM, 4 PM | Medium |
Worst times: 2-5 AM on weekdays (unless targeting night-shift workers)
Content Type Timing
- Educational content: 7-9 AM (morning learning mode)
- Entertainment/comedy: 7-11 PM (evening relaxation)
- Product reviews: 12-1 PM, 7-9 PM (shopping research mode)
Read the full deep dive: Best Time to Schedule TikTok Posts
Tool recommendation: TikTok scheduling tool lets you queue videos at optimal times without posting manually.
Best Time to Post on LinkedIn
LinkedIn engagement follows professional work patterns. According to LinkedIn's official marketing blog, B2B audiences check LinkedIn during work hours, not evenings/weekends, making weekday posting essential.
Optimal LinkedIn Posting Times
Overall best times:
- 7-9 AM (pre-work check-in)
- 12-1 PM (lunch break)
- 5-6 PM (end-of-day wind-down)
Day-by-day breakdown:
| Day | Best Times | Engagement Level |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 8 AM, 12 PM | Medium |
| Tuesday | 8 AM, 10 AM, 12 PM | Highest |
| Wednesday | 9 AM, 12 PM, 5 PM | Highest |
| Thursday | 9 AM, 1 PM | High |
| Friday | 8 AM, 11 AM | Medium |
| Saturday | Avoid | Low |
| Sunday | Avoid | Low |
Worst times: Weekends, evenings after 7 PM, early mornings before 6 AM
B2B vs Personal Brand
- B2B/Company Pages: Tuesday-Thursday, 8 AM-12 PM
- Personal Brands: Tuesday-Wednesday, 7-9 AM (thought leadership)
- Job Posts: Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10 AM
Read the full deep dive: Best Time to Schedule LinkedIn Posts
Tool recommendation: LinkedIn scheduling tool auto-posts during work hours even if you batch-create content on weekends.
Best Time to Post on Facebook
Facebook's algorithm heavily favors recency. Research from Meta Business Suite shows posts older than 3-4 hours rarely resurface in users' feeds, making timing crucial for organic reach.
Optimal Facebook Posting Times
Overall best times:
- 9 AM-12 PM (morning routine scrolling)
- 6-9 PM (evening relaxation)
Day-by-day breakdown:
| Day | Best Times | Engagement Level |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 9 AM, 11 AM | Medium |
| Tuesday | 10 AM, 12 PM, 7 PM | High |
| Wednesday | 9 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM | Highest |
| Thursday | 10 AM, 12 PM, 8 PM | High |
| Friday | 9 AM, 11 AM, 7 PM | High |
| Saturday | 11 AM, 1 PM | Medium |
| Sunday | 12 PM, 7 PM | Medium |
Worst times: 2-6 AM, late night (12 AM-2 AM)
Content Type Timing
- Video content: 7-9 PM (evening viewing)
- Articles/links: 9-11 AM (morning reading)
- Community questions: 6-8 PM (engagement hours)
Read the full deep dive: Best Time to Schedule Facebook Posts
Tool recommendation: Facebook scheduling tool handles both personal profiles and business pages.
Best Time to Post on X (Twitter)
X moves fast. According to Buffer's X/Twitter research, tweets have a ~15-minute lifespan in feeds. Timing matters, but so does frequency (post 3-5x daily) to maximize visibility.
Optimal X Posting Times
Overall best times:
- 8-10 AM (morning news check)
- 12-1 PM (lunch scrolling)
- 5-6 PM (commute home)
Day-by-day breakdown:
| Day | Best Times | Engagement Level |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 8 AM, 12 PM, 5 PM | Medium |
| Tuesday | 9 AM, 12 PM, 6 PM | High |
| Wednesday | 8 AM, 12 PM, 5 PM | High |
| Thursday | 9 AM, 1 PM, 6 PM | High |
| Friday | 8 AM, 11 AM, 5 PM | Medium-High |
| Saturday | 10 AM, 12 PM | Low-Medium |
| Sunday | 9 AM, 12 PM | Low-Medium |
Worst times: 3-6 AM (unless targeting global/international audiences)
Content Type Timing
- News/commentary: 8-10 AM (when people check news)
- Industry insights: 9 AM-12 PM (work hours)
- Casual/entertainment: 7-9 PM (evening browsing)
Read the full deep dive: Best Time to Schedule X/Twitter Posts
Tool recommendation: X scheduling tool lets you space out tweets throughout the day automatically.
Best Time to Post on YouTube
YouTube Shorts follow mobile entertainment patterns. YouTube Creator Academy guidelines show regular videos depend on subscription notifications and recommended feed surfacing, with timing affecting initial subscriber engagement.
Optimal YouTube Posting Times
Overall best times:
- 2-4 PM (after-school/work viewing)
- 8-11 PM (prime entertainment hours)
Day-by-day breakdown:
| Day | Best Times | Engagement Level |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 2 PM, 8 PM | Medium |
| Tuesday | 3 PM, 8 PM | High |
| Wednesday | 2 PM, 9 PM | High |
| Thursday | 3 PM, 8 PM | High |
| Friday | 3 PM, 9 PM | Highest |
| Saturday | 11 AM, 8 PM | High |
| Sunday | 12 PM, 8 PM | High |
Worst times: Early morning (3-7 AM)
Shorts vs Long-Form Videos
- YouTube Shorts: 6-8 AM, 7-11 PM (mobile scrolling times)
- Long-form videos: 2-4 PM, 8-11 PM (dedicated viewing time)
- Tutorials: 2-5 PM (when people have time to follow along)
Read the full deep dive: Best Time to Schedule YouTube Shorts
Tool recommendation: YouTube scheduling tool lets you publish videos/Shorts at peak times even if you edit during off-hours.
Industry-Specific Timing Variations
The best time to schedule social media posts varies by your industry and target audience:
B2B (Business Audiences)
Best days: Tuesday-Thursday Best times: 8-10 AM, 12-1 PM (work hours) Platforms: LinkedIn > X > Facebook Avoid: Weekends, evenings after 7 PM
B2C (Consumer Audiences)
Best days: Wednesday-Friday Best times: 12-1 PM, 7-9 PM Platforms: Instagram > Facebook > TikTok Avoid: Early morning weekdays (they're commuting)
Creators/Entertainment
Best days: Friday-Sunday Best times: 7-11 PM (entertainment hours) Platforms: TikTok > Instagram > YouTube Avoid: Work hours (9 AM-5 PM Mon-Fri)
E-commerce/Retail
Best days: Thursday-Saturday (buying mode) Best times: 11 AM-1 PM, 7-9 PM Platforms: Instagram > Facebook > Pinterest Avoid: Monday-Tuesday (low buying intent)
SaaS/Tech
Best days: Tuesday-Thursday Best times: 9 AM-12 PM, 2-4 PM Platforms: LinkedIn > X > YouTube Avoid: Weekends
Food/Restaurant
Best days: Thursday-Saturday Best times: 11 AM-1 PM (lunch), 5-7 PM (dinner planning) Platforms: Instagram > TikTok > Facebook Avoid: Late night, early morning
How to Find YOUR Audience's Best Times
Generic "best times" are a starting point. YOUR audience's optimal times might differ based on:
- Demographics: Age, location, occupation
- Time zones: EST vs PST vs international
- Niche: Night shift workers scroll at 3 AM; parents scroll after 8 PM
Step-by-Step: Find Your Best Times
1. Check Platform Analytics
- Instagram: Insights > Audience > Most Active Times
- Facebook: Page Insights > Posts > When Your Fans Are Online
- LinkedIn: Analytics > Visitors > Demographics
- TikTok: Analytics > Followers > Follower activity
2. Run Timing Tests (A/B Test) Post similar content at different times for 2-4 weeks:
- Week 1: Post at 9 AM
- Week 2: Post at 12 PM
- Week 3: Post at 3 PM
- Week 4: Post at 7 PM
Track engagement rates (likes + comments + shares / followers) for each time slot.
3. Look at Top Performing Posts Check your last 20 posts. Sort by engagement. What time did your top 5 perform best? Pattern emerges.
4. Consider Time Zones If your audience is 50% EST and 50% PST:
- Posting at 12 PM EST = 9 AM PST (too early for West Coast)
- Posting at 3 PM EST = 12 PM PST (hits both at good times)
5. Use Smart Scheduling Tools Tools like PostEverywhere analyze your account's historical engagement data and auto-schedule posts at YOUR audience's peak times—no manual testing needed.
Let AI find your best times: PostEverywhere's smart scheduler analyzes your audience activity and auto-posts at optimal windows. Try free →
Smart Scheduling: Let AI Pick Optimal Times
Manually analyzing the best time to schedule social media posts for each platform, each audience, each time zone is exhausting. Smart scheduling tools automate this:
How Smart Scheduling Works
1. Analyzes Your Historical Data
- When did your past posts perform best?
- When is your audience most active?
- Which days/times got highest engagement?
2. Factors in Platform Algorithms
- Instagram's recency bias
- TikTok's long-tail discovery
- LinkedIn's work-hour patterns
3. Adjusts for Time Zones If you have followers across EST, CST, PST—schedules posts to hit multiple zones at good local times.
4. Auto-Schedules You create content. AI picks the optimal time. Posts publish automatically.
Benefits of Smart Scheduling
✅ Saves time: No manual timing analysis ✅ Better results: Data-driven, not guesswork ✅ Consistency: Never miss optimal windows ✅ Multi-platform: Different optimal times per platform automatically handled
Example workflow:
- Batch-create 10 posts on Sunday afternoon
- Add to smart queue
- AI schedules each at optimal time for that platform/audience
- Posts publish throughout the week at peak times
- You spend 0 minutes deciding "when to post"
Learn more: How to schedule social media posts
Ready to post at perfect times without thinking about it? PostEverywhere's smart scheduler handles optimal timing automatically. Start free trial →
Key Takeaways
Best times to schedule social media posts (general):
- ✅ Weekdays > weekends (except YouTube/TikTok)
- ✅ Morning (9-11 AM) and evening (7-9 PM) > midday and late night
- ✅ Tuesday-Thursday > Monday or Friday
- ✅ Avoid: 2-5 AM (unless targeting night workers)
Platform-specific patterns:
- Instagram/TikTok: Evenings (7-9 PM)
- LinkedIn: Work hours (8 AM-1 PM)
- Facebook: Mid-morning and evening
- X: Multiple times daily (8 AM, 12 PM, 5 PM)
- YouTube: Afternoon and prime time (2-4 PM, 8-11 PM)
Industry matters:
- B2B: Work hours, weekdays
- B2C: Lunch and evenings
- Entertainment: Evenings and weekends
Your audience > generic data: Use analytics to find YOUR audience's best times. Start with generic best times, then refine based on your data.
Smart scheduling wins: Let AI analyze your data and auto-post at optimal times when scheduling social media posts. Saves hours, improves results.
Getting Started: Best Time Posting Checklist
Ready to optimize when you schedule social media posts? Follow these 10 steps:
- Audit current posting times — Review last 30 days of posts across all platforms, note which times got best engagement
- Check platform analytics — Instagram Insights, Facebook Page Insights, LinkedIn Analytics, TikTok Analytics, YouTube Studio
- Identify your audience's active hours — Look for patterns by day/time when YOUR followers are most active
- Test the generic best times — Start with 9-11 AM and 7-9 PM as baseline, compare to your historical data
- Run 4-week A/B tests — Post similar content at different times, track engagement rate differences
- Adjust for time zones — If audience spans EST to PST, find compromise times that hit both regions
- Create platform-specific schedules — Instagram 8 PM, LinkedIn 9 AM, TikTok 7 PM (each platform peaks differently)
- Batch-create content weekly — Spend 2-3 hours creating content, then schedule optimal posting times throughout week
- Use smart scheduling tools — Let AI-powered schedulers auto-post at optimal windows based on your data
- Review and iterate monthly — Audience behavior changes; reassess best times quarterly
Pro tip: Don't overthink it. Posting consistently at "good" times (morning or evening) beats posting sporadically at "perfect" times. The best time to schedule social media posts is when you'll actually maintain consistency.
FAQs About Best Posting Times
What is the best time to post on social media?
The best time to schedule social media posts varies by platform: Instagram peaks at 9-11 AM and 7-9 PM, TikTok at 6-10 AM and 7-11 PM, LinkedIn at 8-10 AM and 12-1 PM (work hours), Facebook at 9 AM-12 PM and 6-9 PM, X/Twitter at 8-10 AM and 5-6 PM, and YouTube at 2-4 PM and 8-11 PM. General pattern: weekday mornings (9-11 AM) and evenings (7-9 PM) outperform midday and late night.
Should I post at the same time on all platforms?
No. Each platform has different peak engagement windows. The best time to schedule social media posts on LinkedIn (8-10 AM, work hours) differs from Instagram (7-9 PM, entertainment hours) and TikTok (evening peaks). Use multi-platform scheduling tools to automatically post at optimal times per platform.
Does posting time really matter for engagement?
Yes. Research from Sprout Social shows posts published during peak hours receive 50-150% more engagement than identical content posted off-peak. Timing affects early engagement velocity, which algorithms use to determine whether to push content to more users.
How do I find MY audience's best posting times?
Check your platform analytics: Instagram Insights → Audience → Most Active Times; Facebook Page Insights → Posts → When Fans Are Online; LinkedIn Analytics → Visitors; TikTok Analytics → Followers. Run A/B tests posting similar content at different times for 4 weeks, tracking engagement rates to identify YOUR optimal windows.
What's the worst time to post on social media?
Generally, 2-5 AM is the worst time to schedule social media posts (when most audiences are asleep), unless targeting international time zones. Also avoid: LinkedIn weekends (professionals off-duty), Instagram/TikTok work hours on weekdays (9 AM-5 PM when people are busy), and platform-specific low periods identified in your analytics.
Can I schedule posts weeks in advance?
Yes. Most platforms and third-party scheduling tools allow scheduling weeks or months ahead. Best practice: schedule 1-2 weeks out to maintain flexibility for trending topics while ensuring consistent posting at optimal times even when you're busy.
Does the best time to post change by industry?
Yes. B2B audiences peak during work hours (8 AM-5 PM weekdays, especially Tuesday-Thursday). B2C/entertainment audiences peak evenings and weekends (7-11 PM). E-commerce peaks Thursday-Saturday. Check industry-specific timing strategies for your niche.
Should I post more frequently or at better times?
Quality timing beats quantity. Posting 3x weekly at optimal times (when audience is active) generates better total engagement than posting 7x weekly at random times. Consistency + good timing = best results. Use smart scheduling to hit optimal windows without manual tracking.
How often should I reassess best posting times?
Review quarterly (every 3 months). Audience behavior shifts with seasons, daylight savings, and platform algorithm changes. Check analytics every 90 days: are your current posting times still optimal, or have engagement patterns shifted? According to Hootsuite's research, audience activity patterns can change 20-30% seasonally.
Do scheduling tools help with posting at best times?
Yes. Smart scheduling tools analyze your historical posting data, identify when YOUR audience engages most, and auto-schedule posts at those optimal windows. PostEverywhere's smart scheduler eliminates manual timing analysis, automatically posting at peak engagement times for your specific audience across all platforms.
Deep Dive Guides
Want platform-specific day-by-day breakdowns with industry timing variations?
- Best Time to Schedule Instagram Reels
- Best Time to Schedule TikTok Posts
- Best Time to Schedule LinkedIn Posts
- Best Time to Schedule Facebook Posts
- Best Time to Schedule X/Twitter Posts
- Best Time to Schedule YouTube Shorts
Related Resources
- How to schedule social media posts
- How to schedule posts to multiple platforms
- Social media content calendar
- Start free trial
Pro tip: The absolute best time to schedule social media posts is the time you'll actually be consistent with. Posting at 7 PM every Tuesday beats posting at "perfect" times sporadically. Consistency compounds, one-off viral posts don't build brands.
Jamie Partridge
Founder & CEO of PostEverywhere
Jamie Partridge is the Founder & CEO of PostEverywhere. He writes about social media strategy, publishing workflows, and analytics that help brands grow faster with less effort.