Over 70% of businesses in the US currently use Instagram and a majority anticipate that number will rise. Regardless of whether it’s captivating photos or amazing videos, Instagram is the home of visual content.

The main issue is, much like Facebook, it’s getting harder to organically show up in front of your followers. Instagram says over 80% of users follow a business on the app–so why not ensure you’re reaching them as much as possible?

Studies found that 67% of Gen Xers and 60% of millennials said they are most likely to buy from a brand they follow. Don’t miss the opportunity to use these tips to take advantage of Instagram’s awesome potential.

 

Here is a broad set of data gathered across a number of Instagram users:

 

• The best times to post on Instagram are Wednesday at 3 p.m., Thursday at 5 a.m., 11 a.m., and 3 to 4 p.m. and, Friday at 5 a.m.

 

• Overall, Thursday is the best day to post on Instagram.

 

• The most “safe” range of time to post to Instagram is Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 

• Sunday is the least engaging day on Instagram.

 

This data shows some very interesting trends in Instagram engagement.  Such as a portion of the highest engagement being at 5 a.m. Tuesday through Friday.  Most likely from people checking their phones first thing upon waking up in the morning.

 

Other times that showed higher engagement were in the middle of the day on weekdays.  A majority of Instagram users under 25 spend roughly 32 minutes per day on the app–consider all the early afternoon breaks when users are going for the phone to check their feed.

 

Engagement during the weekends is not too far off from that of the weekdays.  Things like brunches, hangouts, and other events have people still actively using their phones throughout the day.  As the weekend winds down however, engagement drops dramatically. Some of the lowest engagement is seen from early Sunday to Monday morning.

 

Best Times to Post on Instagram for Nonprofits

 

A number of nonprofits have looked to Instagram as a way to increase engagement and visually represent their brand.  What we have noticed is that the best times to post for nonprofits is quite similar to the overall peak engagement times seen on Instagram.

 

• The best time for nonprofits to post on Instagram is Friday at 2 p.m..

 

• Other high engagement times are Tuesday at 3 and 9 p.m., Wednesday 3 to 4 p.m., Thursday 2 to 3 p.m. and Friday at 10 a.m.

 

• The most “safe” range of time to post is weekdays from twelve to 5 p.m.

 

• The least engaging day for nonprofits is Saturday.

 

Best Times to Post on Instagram for Consumer Goods

 

Now with Instagram Shopping, brands are able to sell their goods much easier through the app.  Knowing the best times to reach your audience is important. Here is some data we have found across the industry:

 

• The best times to post on Instagram for consumer goods are Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

 

• Wednesday consistently tends to see the most engagement.

 

• The most “safe” range of time to post is each day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

 

• Monday is the least engaging day for consumer goods on Instagram (likely due to people getting up to speed with the work week and spending less time shopping online).

 

Best Times to Post on Instagram for Tech

 

It’s common that tech brands have a hard time seeing themselves on social media.  Be that as it may, there are several ways Instagram can be used to grow your brand and generate engagement.  Familiarizing yourself with Instagram Growth Best Practices is a great place to start with helping your brand make an impression with your audience.  Here is some data we found from a range of several tech brands using Instagram.

 

• The best time for tech brands to post on Instagram is Wednesday at 10 a.m.

 

• The best day to post to Instagram for tech is Thursday.

 

• Generally, the most “safe” range of time to post is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

 

• The least engaging day of the week for tech is Sunday.

 

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