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A study of over 30,000 Instagram posts from businesses of various sizes was conducted in order to determine the best time to post on Instagram in 2024.

In recent years, Instagram’s algorithm has changed a lot. With new updates, it’s becoming increasingly challenging for businesses to gain visibility on the platform. 

Nowadays, the algorithm prioritizes posts from users who get the most shares and saves. However, it gives less importance to business content and even reduces the visibility of posts that include external links. 

Thus, to thrive in such a competitive landscape, businesses must learn to master the game of Instagram marketing. And one crucial aspect of this game is timing. It means posting content when your target audience is most likely to scroll through their feeds.

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Therefore, you must consider various factors to strategically find the perfect moments to share your posts on Instagram. This blog will provide insights about the best time to post on Instagram and boost your reach.

Best Times to Post on Instagram by Day

Every business has one goal when posting on Instagram–to drive more traffic to their account.

Users are active on Instagram around the clock. So, you might find yourself wondering, Should I post every day on Instagram?But that might not be the best approach. 

Although you should post regularly, you should base it on the habits of your target audience.

Here the Best times to post on Instagram during weekdays and weekend:

DaysBest Times to Post on Instagram
MondayIt’s the start of the week, so Mondays are usually the busiest for most people. They scroll Instagram around lunchtime or late at night. Therefore, it’s best to post around 12 PM, 3 PM, and between 10 PM and 1 AM.
TuesdayIf you are posting for a B2B audience, it’s best to post around 8 AM to 9 AM. For B2C audiences, you can post from early morning before they sit down to work or before lunchtime, i.e., around 9 AM or 12 PM.
WednesdayThe best day to attract high engagement than any other weekday. Posting between 10 AM to 11 AM and 2 PM to 6 PM typically results in better engagement.
ThursdayAlso, it’s a great day to post on social media for high engagement. It is best to post between 11 AM to 2 PM.
FridayEngagement is constant throughout the day. However, 7 AM and 2 PM are the best times to post.
SaturdaySaturday is the best time to post on Instagram at 9:00 AM. Don’t let people get distracted by their offline weekend plans!
SundayThe best time to post on Instagram on Sunday is 7:00 PM. During the afternoon and evening on Sundays, engagement is fairly consistent. From 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., it remains steady.

Best Times to Post on Instagram on Weekend:

The engagement rate is pretty low on Saturdays. So it is best to post late at night, between 11 PM and 1 AM.

Best Times to Post on Instagram(Pacific Time)

Best Times to Post on Instagram

Pro Tip: Always remember not to post at times that touch the hour mark (xx:00). Most brands and individuals schedule/post at the hour mark. To separate yourself from the crowd, ensure you post at times like 10:57 AM or 11:03 AM. That way, you won’t experience cutthroat competition when you post. 

Best Time to Post Reels and Stories on Instagram for likes, comments, and shares

Over 500 million people view and interact with posts, Reels, and Stories on Instagram daily. These post impressions help the algorithm determine which content to push forward. 

To grow your Instagram followers and engagement, posting Reels is indeed a great way. Brands that post entertaining Instagram Reels can get up to 300% more engagement than regular posts.

You can post Instagram Reels at any time. We’ve found that posting between PST 9 AM and 12 PM, Monday through Thursday, works pretty well. Of course, content quality is a crucial factor in getting likes, comments, and shares.

So, you need to monitor when your target audience is most active and what type of content they interact with.

Best Time to Post on Instagram by Location and Time Zone

Location is another factor that affects visibility on Instagram.

Suppose you live in New York, but your latest post gets directed to your audience in California, the UK, or Australia. It can get tricky as the audience behaves differently in different regions. In that case, finding the ideal posting times may require more effort if your audience is in different time zones.

Best Time to Post on Instagram by Location and Time Zone

Source Image: Later

Here best times to post on Instagram across different time zones:

  • US and Canada (Western):  9 PM-12 AM
  • US and Canada (Central): 10 PM-12 AM
  • US and Canada (Eastern): 11 PM-4 AM
  • South America: 5 AM
  • UK: 3 AM-4 AM
  • Europe (Western): 4 AM-6 AM
  • Europe (Eastern): 5 AM-7 AM
  • Africa: 2 AM-3 AM
  • South Asia and the Middle East: 4 AM
  • East Asia and Southeast Asia: 6 AM-8 AM
  • Australia + Asia: 11 PM-12 AM

Posting according to these local times is a good starting point. However, to maximize engagement, it’s crucial to monitor and post according to your Instagram data.

This is where AI marketing tools like Practina come in handy. It is an excellent way to automate social media post creation and scheduling. Practina picks a time when most of your audience is active and publishes your content for maximum engagement. 

FAQ’S

Q: What is the best day to post on Instagram?

A: Mid-week on Wednesdays and Thursdays, around 11 AM to 12 PM, is the best time for posting on Instagram.

Q: What is the worst time to post on Instagram?

A: Based on our research, posting early in the morning, i.e., 5-7 AM, on the weekend, especially on Saturday, is the worst time. It usually has the lowest engagement rate. 

Most people wake up late on weekends and prefer offline activities with friends and family during the day. Thus, you should avoid posting early in the morning. Post after 7 PM on Sunday or between midnight to 4 AM.

Q: How to figure out the best time to post on Instagram for your business?

A: There’s no one-size-fits-all concept with posting times. So you need to test what works for your business.

Here are a few tips to figure out-

  • Post consistently  
  • Review the engagement rate and impressions on your high-performing posts.
  • Check when your competitors are posting 
  • Check when your target audience is most active
  • Experiment with timings 
  • Monitor and adjust posting times regularly

Q: Should you use AI Automation tools to automate your Instagram postings?

A: As technology is improving, you should try AI Automation tools like Practina. It is a reliable tool that can be a game-changer for your Instagram growth. 

Practina not only publishes posts at the best times but also designs and generates content for them. With Practina, you can sit back and relax while it takes care of your most daunting tasks.

Conclusion

There is an ideal time to post on Instagram, but it’s different for everyone. It changes based on various factors, such as the day, time zone, location, and several other factors. So, you need to be on top of the posting schedule to reach your marketing goals.

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of identifying any of this manually, let Practina handle your Instagram marketing. 

The choice is simple

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