What are the peak hours and days to post on Instagram?

There is no definitive answer to the best time to post on Instagram, as it may vary depending on your audience, location, goals, and content. However, some general trends and best practices can help you optimize your posting strategy for maximum engagement.

According to a web search, some of the factors that affect the best time to post on Instagram are:

The Instagram algorithm

The algorithm prioritizes recency, relevance, and relationship when ranking posts on the feed. This means that newer posts, posts that match the user’s interests and preferences, and posts from accounts that the user interacts with frequently are more likely to appear higher on the feed. Therefore, posting when your followers are online and active can increase your chances of getting more exposure and engagement.

The time zone

The time zone of your target audience can influence when they are most likely to use Instagram. For example, if you are targeting a global audience, you may want to consider posting at different times of the day to reach different regions. Alternatively, you can use tools like Later or Sprout Social to analyze your Instagram analytics and find out where most of your followers are located and when they are most active.

The industry

The industry or niche that you are in can also affect when your audience is most likely to engage with your content. For example, if you are in the fitness industry, you may find that your followers are more active in the morning or evening when they are working out. If you are in the entertainment industry, you may find that your followers are more active during weekends or holidays when they have more leisure time. You can use tools like Hootsuite or Ahrefs to research your competitors and see when they get the most engagement.

The content type

The content type that you are posting can also influence when your audience is most likely to interact with it. For example, if you are posting videos or Reels, you may want to post them during peak hours when more users are online and have more time to watch them. If you are posting images or carousels, you may want to post them during off-peak hours when there is less competition and more attention span. You can use tools like Instagram Insights or Ahrefs Content Explorer to see what types of content perform best for your account.

Based on these factors, some of the web sources suggest the following best times to post on Instagram in 2023:

Hootsuite: The universal best time to post on Instagram is 11 AM on Wednesdays. The best times to post vary by day, but generally fall between 9 AM and 1 PM during work hours mid-day and mid-week.

Later: The overall best time to post on Instagram is 4 AM (calculated in local time across time zones). The best times to post vary by day, but generally fall between 4 AM and 8 AM during early morning hours every day of the week.

Sprout Social: The best times to post on Instagram are Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 9 AM and 1 PM. The best days to post on Instagram are Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The worst days to post on Instagram are Sundays.

Of course, these are only general guidelines based on aggregated data from various sources. The best way to find your unique best time to post on Instagram is to experiment with different posting times and analyze your own results. You can use tools like Later or Sprout Social to schedule your posts in advance and track your performance metrics over time.