The Best (and Worst) Times to Post on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google +

How do you successfully get the most views to your social media updates? The secret to viral content is in many cases related to identifying the social media time sweet spot. Here, we review the various social media networks, and the best time to post to each.

1. When Should You Post To Facebook?

Towards the end of the week
According to Buffer, many office workers will peruse Facebook when they are in a workday slump, especially towards the end of the week. In fact, engagement rates on Facebook are at about 18% on Thursdays and Fridays – those pesky days that stand in between you and the weekend. This is an optimal time to post your information because it has a higher likelihood of being seen.

2. When Should You Post To Twitter?

Mondays through Thursdays between 1pm and 3pm
Twitter gets the most views Mondays through Thursdays around 1 to 3pm. The worst times to post are every day after 8pm and Fridays after 3pm. Further, Hubspot also points out that posting photos drives interaction. Tweets with photos have a 36% increase in clicks and and 41% increase in retweets.

3. When Should You Post To LinkedIn?

Tuesdays and Thursdays, between 7am and 9am
Because LinkedIn is specifically used for businesses and business professionals, it is often used right before the workday begins and right after it ends, according to Entreprenuer.com. Entrepreneur also says that it is often used on Tuesdays and Thursdays around those times. If you make a post during normal working hours, it is less likely to receive views or bring in any clicks and visits. Try posting your LinkedIn material on Tuesdays and Thursdays specifically at around 7am to 9am local time and avoid posting Mondays through Fridays between 1pm and 5pm.

4. When Should You Post To Google+?

Wednesdays at 9am
G+ is yet another social media site that is best posted to in the morning. Hubspot says that the usual time people are on G+ is between 9am and 10am. The best time to receive the most engagement on your G+ updates is Wednesdays at 9am. You will get more interaction and +1’s for posts made on those days. An important fact about G+ and demographics is, according to Hubspot, it is growing rapidly with people between the ages of 45 and 54 years old. Keep this in mind as you post to G+ and make it friendlier for that demographic.

While these statistics are really helpful, it is wise for you to learn what times work the best for your specific audience. Try earlier, if that doesn’t work, try later. Keep tweaking until you reach the time slot that works the best for you!