There is a classic communication rule that says people interpret a message through:
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- Facial expression - 55%
- Paralinguistic factors (tone, pitch, volume) – 38%
- Meaning of words – 7%
This rule proposed by psychology professor Albert Mehrabian states that people’s reaction or interpretation of a message has more to do with nonverbal factors and less to do with words. For a time, this concept has been widely observed by marketers and salespeople when communicating with an audience.
But what happens when you’re not physically present to convey your message? How can entrepreneurs and marketers today influence consumers when many transactions and communications are mostly done virtually?
Now that meeting customers and prospects mostly happen on social platforms, the rules of effective communication have changed immensely. While what you say and how you say it used to have dominion over marketing when you say it now plays a major role. In fact, social media posting times can make or break a campaign.
Timing and Why You Should Revamp Your Social Media Marketing
Suppose your target consumers are working women between the ages of 25-45 years old. Your market research revealed that the majority of your audience go online between the hours of 7-9 am or when they’re commuting to work. For your posts to be seen on Facebook or Pinterest, you surmised that the best time to post should also be between these hours.
However, when the numbers are in, it shows that even though your ads have been viewed by many, the response and returns are lower than you expected. A closer look reveals that some social apps reveal higher engagement and activity than others.
A study on The Science of Social Timing by Kissmetrics says that each social channel has its own peak times or times when users are most active. Just because someone is online doesn’t necessarily mean they are engaged or ready for what you have to say. Different target customers also mean that the best days to post on social media can vary between brands.
Another thing to consider is the different algorithms and workings of social channels. Campaigns published on Facebook can keep pulling impressions up to 2 hours of its posting. Twitter, on the other hand, moves much faster with an average Tweet lifespan lasting from 18-24 minutes only.
This illustrates the critical role that timing plays in social media marketing. Although traditional marketing practices still apply (the quality of your content and the means that you convey it), you need to incorporate proper timing into your action plan to get the most of your efforts.
Because of its multifaceted nature, social media marketing can be overwhelming. You need all the help that you can get to harness it and use it to your full advantage. So, how do you stay the course?
For one thing, hiring a social media VA should help you with management. For another, knowing the best time to post on social media should give your campaigns a significant boost.
Here’s a guide to help you out:
The Best Time to Post on Facebook
With more than 2.32 billion active users every month, Facebook has claimed leadership for social media marketing. In the US, almost two-thirds of adults are on Facebook with users spending an average of 35 minutes on the platform.
This vast influence made Facebook pull in 5 million advertisers as of 2017. To stir up interest for your campaigns in such a packed environment, publish content on the best time to post on Facebook for likes, attention, or engagement.
For B2C brands (businesses that sell consumer goods):
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- Best days: Wednesdays and Fridays
- Best times: 1 PM for Wednesday and 11 AM on Friday
- High engagement times: Monday-Friday between 8 AM to 5 PM
For B2B brands (businesses providing services to other businesses):
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- Best days: Wednesday
- Best times: 9 AM to 12 PM, peaking at 10 AM
- High engagement times: Monday-Friday between 8 AM to 2 PM
The Best Time to Post on Twitter
A Web FX study revealed that 53% of consumers admitted Twitter has influenced them to purchase a product. Couple this finding with Twitter’s 326 million active user base and it’s easy to see how the platform is a powerful hub for advertising.
Although Tweets have a 140-character limit, brands can still attach media or links that lead to their eCommerce store or blog. In fact, Tweets with attached media get more attention than those with none. Information in Twitter moves fast, with users only spending an average of 1 minute on the platform, most of whom are on mobile. Use the following data to keep up with this fast-moving channel:
For B2C brands (businesses that sell consumer goods):
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- Best days: Sunday
- Best times: 11 AM
- High engagement times: Sunday between 9 AM to 3 PM or Monday-Wednesday between 12-3 PM
For B2B brands (businesses providing services to other businesses):
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- Best days: Tuesday
- Best times: 9 AM
- High engagement times: Wednesday-Friday between 8 AM to 1 PM
The Best Time to Post on Instagram
From a photo-sharing app, Instagram has been catapulted into an influential branding platform in just a few years. How influential? Out of its active monthly users of 1 billion, 80% of people on Instagram follow a brand. With the majority of its user base being between the ages of 18-29 years old, it is the best channel to find and connect with the younger market.
Although it is originally a photo-sharing platform, Instagram shows higher engagement in videos than images, a Sprout Social report has revealed. Instagram ads are also pricier than Facebook. However, it’s been found that 1 in 4 millennials or teenagers on Instagram look for or view Instagram stories of products that they are planning to buy, with up to 25% of users swiping up or navigating the linked stores or business pages.
This shows how the people on Instagram are using the platform with an intent to buy. Leverage this for your sales advantage by referencing the best day and time to post on Instagram:
For B2C brands (businesses that sell consumer goods):
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- Best days: Wednesday
- Best times: 3 PM
- High engagement times: Monday-Friday between 11 AM to 5 PM
For B2B brands (businesses providing services to other businesses):
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- Best days: Wednesday
- Best times: 6-9 AM
- High engagement times: Tuesday 10 PM, Wednesday 10-11 AM, Friday 7-10 AM, Saturday 7-11 AM
The Best Time to Post on Pinterest
Pinterest may not share the vast user base of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram but it shows great marketing pull. For one thing, the platform isn’t as crowded as the three social channels, so competition isn’t as rife. For another, Pins are more likely to have repeat value rather than a one-time purpose, what with people using Pinterest as a planning and shopping guide.
Out of its 291 million active monthly users, 77% have claimed to have discovered a brand through Pinterest and 98% have tried a new product, project, or brand that they found on the platform. This kind of pull is too important to ignore. Tap on this great sales and marketing hub with this posting guide:
For B2C brands (businesses that sell consumer goods):
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- Best days: Fridays and Saturdays
- Best times: 8-11 PM
- High engagement times: Friday and Saturday between 1-4 PM
For B2B brands (businesses providing services to other businesses):
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- Best days: Saturday
- Best times: 8 AM to 2 PM
- High engagement times: Saturday between 12-4 PM
The Best Time to Post on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is mainly used for professional development and job seeking. Its 590 million active monthly users spend an average of 17 minutes on LinkedIn every month. However, the past years have shown the platform’s marketing potential. How do companies use the platform for their business advantage?
94% of B2B companies use LinkedIn for sharing content. A study from Social Media Today has also found that website traffic delivered from social media is 46% from LinkedIn.
Like Pinterest, it has marketing potential that isn’t fully tapped. Use this to your advantage by referencing the following posting guidelines:
For B2C brands (businesses that sell consumer goods):
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- Best days: Monday-Friday
- Best times: Between 12-1 PM
- High engagement times: Tuesday, between 10-11 AM
For B2B brands (businesses providing services to other businesses):
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- Best days: Wednesday
- Best times: Between 9-10 AM and 12 PM
- High engagement times: Tuesday to Friday, between 8 AM to 2 PM
BONUS:
Collective studies on social media posting times also showed that Sunday is the worst day to post on all platforms for both B2C and B2B brands. Just like other advertising forms, social media marketing can greatly improve by using the right tools. These 5 tools would help you post on the right platforms at the best times.
Final Thoughts:
With the help of your social media VA, test out the same content and publish it on different social platforms in their peak times. The timing makes a huge difference in getting the most engagement and highest returns. Don’t let your marketing efforts go to waste by using this guide for the best time to post on FB, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
Author Bio: Catherine vanVonno
Catherine is the President and CEO of 20four7VA, a US-based remote staffing company serving clients in six continents. She oversees the company’s operations and growth.
