As the most-used platform by marketers worldwide and boasting nearly 3 billion monthly active users, there’s no denying the strength Facebook has as a marketing goldmine. And with so many active users available, there’s so much potential to get eyes on your brand’s content. That’s why knowing the best times to post on Facebook can be a huge benefit to your social media content strategy.
For brands who want to take advantage of Facebook’s large audience and opportunity for maximum visibility, it’s important to know when your audience is most active, especially for your industry. With 71% of consumers using social more than they have in years past, brands and marketers need to meet their audiences where they are. And when customers’ expectations are met on social, it benefits every area of a business.
If you’re interested in learning how to identify your best times to post on Instagram and other social profiles, start a free trial of Sprout Social and test our ViralPost® feature with your profiles.
- What are the best times to post on Facebook?
- What are the best times to post on Facebook by industry?
- How to find your own best times to post on social media
- How we gathered the data
Best Times to Post on Facebook
- Best times to post on Facebook: Monday through Friday at 3 a.m., Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and noon
- Best days to post on Facebook: Tuesdays through Fridays
- Worst days to post on Facebook: Saturdays
We’ve seen an interesting shift in when there’s the most engagement on Facebook in 2022. While mid-mornings used to dominate more strongly in years past, which would align with the US workday and people using the app on their commutes to school or work, it now appears early morning hours have taken the lead.
Weekday very early mornings and mid-mornings still show more consistent engagement and have become much more opportune times for brands to get eyes on their content. But there are a few more “off” times for Facebook when reviewing the data, including late evenings or early mornings on the weekends.
Keep in mind that the top times shown are recorded in US Central Time, so these high engagement times shown in the very early mornings plus the traditional US workday reflects Facebook’s significant global audience. What does this mean? Facebook continues to show opportunities in conducting a multi-location or international social media strategy for brands.
Best Times to Post on Facebook by Industry
Being armed with the best times to post on Facebook is a great start to any social media content calendar, it’s important to see how the data translates to your specific industry. With the help of our Data Science team, we were able to capture the best times to post on Instagram within ten industries.
Best Times to Post on Facebook for Consumer Goods
- Best times to post on Facebook for Consumer Goods: Fridays at 10 a.m.
- Best days to post on Facebook for Consumer Goods: Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays
- Worst days to post on Facebook for Consumer Goods: Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays
Consumer goods social media resources
- How to master social media for retail and win more customers
- How to set ecommerce social media up for success
- Mobile commerce: what it is and why you should care
Best Times to Post on Facebook for Education
- Best times to post on Facebook for Education: Mondays from 8 to 10 a.m., Tuesdays at noon, Wednesdays at 9 a.m., and Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m.
- Best days to post on Facebook for Education: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays
- Worst days to post on Facebook for Education: Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays
There was no slowing down for universities, higher education and educational institutions on Facebook. Opportunities for engagement started midmornings and went throughout the day on weekdays, but also saw moderate engagement Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.
From highlighting student life to sharing school updates, a social media strategy for education needs to fulfill multiple functions. Keep in mind that some schools manage multiple social profiles (per college, athletics, etc.) to meet these needs and effectively target distinct audiences at the right time.
Higher education social media resources
- University branding: How to build your school’s brand on social media
- Higher ed playbook: Using social to unite your university
- 12 Ways to use social media for education
Best Times to Post on Facebook for Finance
- Best times to post on Facebook for Finance: Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 11 a.m., Thursdays at 10 a.m. and noon
- Best days to post on Facebook for Finance: Thursdays
- Worst days to post on Facebook for Finance: Saturdays and Sundays
For social engagements with financial institutions, we noticed an interesting shift on Facebook. While in years past we saw a consistent engagement extended throughout the majority of the US workday, we continue to see a more concentrated engagement time this year. High engagement are Tuesdays through Fridays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., which follow a more typical pattern of activity around the US workweek.
Finance social media resources
- 6 Social media tips for banks and financial institutions
- How social media drives cryptocurrency for users & brands
- Navigating social media compliance across regulated industries
Best Times to Post on Facebook for Healthcare
- Best times to post on Facebook for Healthcare: Mondays at 10 a.m., Tuesdays at 10 and 11 a.m., Fridays at 10 a.m.
- Best days to post on Facebook for Healthcare: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays
- Worst days to post on Facebook for Healthcare: Saturdays and Sundays
Healthcare services and institutions have spent the last few years with an overwhelming challenge responding to global audiences. As the pandemic went into its second year, vaccines were being distributed, and virtual learning was still in session for students, engagement with healthcare institutions, especially on Facebook, grew compared to last year.
Similar to last year, the most engagement on Facebook for healthcare was between 9 and 11 a.m. However, engagement expanded to include the afternoons most weekdays until about 3 p.m. With the many healthcare news and updates of 2021, we can assume audiences were looking for answers to their questions.
Healthcare social media resources
- Social media and healthcare: how to prioritize what patients need
- Why healthcare orgs should invest in social listening, stat
- Supporting HIPAA Compliance on social: a cheat sheet
Best Times to Post on Facebook for Hospitality
- Best times to post on Facebook for Hospitality: Wednesdays at noon
- Best days to post on Facebook for Hospitality: Wednesdays and Fridays
- Worst days to post on Facebook for Hospitality: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays
Hotels and hospitality brands saw a significant shift in Facebook engagement times. Engagement used to span across most of the US workday, but we see a huge decline in Facebook engagement data. This could be because of the continuing limitations of travel or a shift in platform preferences.
The current best time to post on Facebook for hospitality is Wednesdays at noon.. There is some Facebook engagement throughout the week and the highest days of Facebook engagement are Wednesdays and Fridays. Hospitality brands appeared to have shifted their social media priorities to Instagram, but that doesn’t mean Facebook should be abandoned either.
Hospitality social media resources
- Sprout for travel and hospitality: Deliver a five-star experience on social
- Social Spotlight: Hilton’s pandemic strategy proves the business value of social
- How Loews Hotels & Co succeeds at scale with Sprout Social’s all-in-one platform
- When to create separate social media accounts for your multilocation business [Free Worksheet]
Best Times to Post on Facebook for Media
- Best times to post on Facebook for Media: Fridays from 5 to 9 a.m., Sundays at 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.
- Best days to post on Facebook for Media: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays
- Worst days to post on Facebook for Media: Mondays
Engagement for media or journalistic industry accounts was higher during US morning hours throughout the week. This could reflect a tendency for audiences to check in for longer, single sessions rather than quick visits throughout the day. However, we see solid Facebook engagement for the media industry Tuesday through Sunday mornings from 5 a.m. through 9 a.m., and the highest engagement specifically on Fridays and Sunday mornings.
Media social media resources
- Social media and journalism: how to effectively reach the public
- How to supercharge your media relations strategy with social
- 9 visual journalists changing the way we tell stories with data
Best Times to Post on Facebook for Nonprofit
- Best times to post on Facebook for Nonprofits: Fridays at noon
- Best days to post on Facebook for Nonprofits: Mondays, Tuesdays Wednesdays, Fridays
- Worst days to post on Facebook for Nonprofits: Saturdays
Nonprofits’ engagement on Facebook shifted significantly this year. Our data for the best times to post on Facebook for nonprofits shows solid Facebook engagement throughout the week during US business hours as well as weekend mornings, but the best times for engagement are Fridays at noon.
Even with this consistent audience engagement, it’s important for nonprofits to test their own best times to post. Whether it’s through AB social testing or using Sprout’s Optimal Send Times feature, you can find what works best for your organization and test which platforms your target audience is on the most.
Nonprofit social media resources
- How Sprout Social helps not-for-profits transform awareness into action
- A strategic guide to social media for nonprofits
- Turning moments into momentum: How nonprofits can leverage #GivingTuesday year-round
Best Times to Post on Facebook for Restaurants
- Best times to post on Facebook for Restaurants: Tuesdays at noon, Thursdays at 1 and 2 p.m.
- Best days to post on Facebook for Restaurants: Thursdays and Fridays
- Worst days to post on Facebook for Restaurants: Sundays
In 2021, restaurants continued to deal with online orders, curbside or delivery services and limited indoor dining. Communicating changes with employees and diners was important as local ordinances fluctuated throughout the year.
Facebook engagement for restaurants and bars were unevenly distributed but saw higher engagement closer to the weekends. Keep in mind that different platforms offer a unique way for businesses to connect with their customers. Offering unique promotions and updates suited for each platform will keep your restaurant in mind for potential customers.
Restaurant social media resources
- The complete guide to social media for restaurants & bars
- Social media marketing for franchise businesses
- How to effectively run a multi-location review management strategy
- Social Spotlight: How Tim Hortons puts people first in its social strategy
Best Times to Post on Facebook for Tech
- Best times to post on Facebook for Tech: Tuesdays at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., Wednesdays at 11 a.m., and Fridays at 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon
- Best days to post on Facebook for Tech: Wednesdays and Fridays
- Worst days to post on Facebook for Tech: Sundays
In the last year alone, tech companies – including SaaS, software and B2B – have seen growth in social media engagement on both Facebook and Twitter. Social platforms are incredibly effective for staying in touch with current customers, allowing brands to create a community around their products and offer meaningful customer care using tools like Facebook Groups.
Tech social media resources
- How to put together a top-tier SaaS marketing strategy
- 5 stats for social media marketers in the software industry
- 4 overlooked B2B market research methods for understanding your customers
Best Times to Post on Facebook for Travel and Tourism
- Best times to post on Facebook for Travel & Tourism: Wednesdays at 9 a.m. and Fridays at 10 a.m.
- Best days to post on Facebook for Travel & Tourism: Tuesdays through Fridays
- Worst days to post on Facebook for Travel & Tourism: Saturdays and Sundays
Travel and tourism industries still saw a solid amount of engagement on Facebook as many travel restrictions were lifted in 2021. Whether it was participating in “virtual” tourism, local exploration or discovering new destinations, our data shows that audiences responded to engagement efforts by travel and tourism brands.
On Facebook, there was significant engagement midday and midweek, especially on Wednesdays and Fridays, as people are getting ready for their weekend destinations.
Travel and tourism social media resources
- How to set up a travel social media marketing strategy
- Hello from the outside: Exploring the great outdoors while staying close to home
- The ultimate social media for museums guide
How to find your own best times to post on social media
Social marketers can plan content more effectively when they’re armed with data on the top times to post across social networks. Still, as platforms evolve with how brands and consumers are using social, there are new ways to innovate interactions all the time. New content formats and trends might help you reach your audience in unexpected ways, or even find new segments and personas you weren’t focusing on before.
More tips for content scheduling and social strategies
- Building your social media marketing strategy for 2022
- How to craft an effective social media content strategy
- 20 social media ideas to keep your brand’s feed fresh
- Creating a 30-day social media plan
While posting at peak engagement times is a go-to strategy, a detailed analysis of your audience might reveal less busy times when your specific audience is active, but competitors are not. A tool like Sprout Social can help you dig into your own analytics and develop tailored findings for your accounts to complement the wide range of data across industries we’ve surveyed here.
With Sprout’s tools like post tagging and cross-channel reporting, you can separate different factors like network or types of media and drill down into how your posting time influenced your social success.
Sprout’s very own ViralPost® algorithm uses the same types of data we’ve looked at across all our customer accounts to determine the best time to post for your individual account. ViralPost® algorithmically determines the results for our Optimal Send Times feature, a publishing option on our Professional and Advanced plans.
With Optimal Send Times, the specific times that your own audience engages the most are identified based on your publishing history. ViralPost® also continually updates and refines to save you time from doing repeated analyses yourself.
Want to see it in action? Sign up for a free 30-day trial of Sprout Social.
If you’re looking for more of our findings from this year’s study of our customer data, see what we learned about the best times to post on social media and across ten industries on these networks:
How we gathered the data
We understand that these reports can raise questions about just where the data is coming from. That’s why we want to be clear about the data we pulled and how we got here.
First off, we were lucky enough to work with Sprout Social’s very own data science team to gather this information from our customers. Joel Booth, a Senior Data Scientist at Sprout, explained how it all works.
“Sprout integrates with the different social media platforms via their API, which allows the application to receive messages on behalf of our customers,” Booth said. “Essentially, this is how we power features such as Sprout’s Smart Inbox and Reports.”
Now’s the time to test your content calendar. Are you posting when your followers are most active? Start your free trial of Sprout Social and discover your best times to post on social media today.
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