When Are the Best Posting Times on Instagram?

Learn when to post on Instagram for optimal engagement (Updated June 2020)

Optimize your Instagram posts by understanding the best posting times and days for maximum exposure and peek engagement with followers.

There are many complex factors to consider when deciding what your best posting times are on Instagram.

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Let’s start with why we care. Timing is important because it can determine whether a greater majority of your followers see your photo or miss it entirely. Choose the optimal times to post on Instagram and you’ll have much greater reach. Choose a “quiet” time and you might miss your traffic. In these challenging days our posts need all the advantage they can get.

If you search the internet you will find dozens of conflicting reports as to when is the best time to post on Instagram. This is due to the fact that there are many factors involved, from what niche you are in to where the majority of your followers reside (time zones), to how old your followers are, etc. It will help if we think about it logically, and then we’ll apply some research.

What is the Best Time to Post on Instagram?

The best way to find your ideal posting times is to test your audience. Since everyone’s audience is unique this is the ideal way. However, it’s not easy to test your audience. Firstly, it is time consuming to conduct the tests. Next, you need to keep track of results. And finally, there’s more time spent interpreting the results. The additional difficulty is that there are many factors at play, not just the timing.

Therefore, the next best method is to understand your audience. Who are they? What are their Instagram habits? You can take a poll in your stories and ask them directly. Do whatever you can to get to know them intimately. The better you know your audience the better you can serve them in all ways.

Best Time to Post on Instagram Each Day of the Week

Sunday

Best Time to Post on Instagram on Sunday is between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm central. Many people tend to take a break on Sundays, making it the slowest day of the week for most audiences.

Monday

  • The best time to post on Instagram on Monday is 11:00 am – 5:00 pm central, but varies depending on your audience, time zone, etc.
  • Generally speaking Mondays are the least active day during the week.
  • People are busy diving into the week.
  • Therefore, overall there is less Instagram activity on Monday than the following days of the week.

Tuesday

  • The best time to post on Instagram on Tuesday also varies of course, but studies show that 5:00 am and 9:00 am – 6:00 pm central are optimal.
  • For some audiences Tuesday is a high traffic day.
  • Activity is definitely increasing from Monday.

Wednesday

  • Best time to post on Instagram on Wednesday is 5:00 am and 11:00 am and 3:00 pm central. It is a big day.
  • For many audiences Wednesday is the best day to post on Instagram.
  • We recommend using your most powerful posts on these days.
  • Be on stories, and never skip Wednesday and Thursday posting.

Thursday

  • The best time to post on Instagram on Thursday is 5:00 am and 11:00 am and 3:00 – 4:00 pm central.
  • For some audiences Thursday tops Wednesday, but both are in the top two days.

Friday

  • The best time to post on Instagram on Friday is 5:00 am and 9:00 am – 4:00 pm central.
  • Activity also starts to lessen in general on Fridays as people make plans, engage with family and friends, and get off their phones.

Saturday

  • The best time to post on Instagram on Saturday is generally speaking around 11:00 am central.
  • Saturday is definitely a slower time for Instagram.

Post on Instagram during Off-Work Hours

  • 8:00- 9:00 a.m. is a good time. People are having coffee and “checking in.”
  • 11:00-12:30 is a good time. People are having lunch, taking a break and peeking at their social media. Fewer posting and more peeking, that means a little less competition.
  • 6:00-9:00 p.m. is a great time. People are starting to relax and finish with the tasks of the day. This is the best time to catch the majority of people checking their Instagram.

Time Zones Are Important to Consider

Don’t assume the majority of your followers are in your time zone. They may or may not be. For example, the best time to post on Instagram Mountain Time might actually be more aligned with the best time to post on Instagram Eastern Time because the majority of followers reside in New York.

How do you find out where the majority of your followers live? There are plenty of tools out there, but the easiest tool to use is the one Instagram provides business and creative account holders. Private accounts do not have these analytics.

How to Find Your Analytics on Instagram

  1. Go to your home page
  2. Tap on the top right horizontal bars nicknamed by developers as “the hamburger”
  3. Tap on “Insights”
  4. Go to “Audience”
  5. Look at “Top Locations” to see where the majority of your followers live
  6. Next, scroll all the way down to the bottom and see when your followers are most active hourly and daily

Knowing the right time to post on Instagram is important. But so is making sure you know everything it takes to succeed on IG. If you’re excited to the most of your precious time and efforts spent on Instagram, we would love for you to join our comprehensive online course called “From Confused to Confident: 6 Steps to Instagram Success.” Learn all the details and sign up for our Instagram success course here.

Understanding Time Zones

  • The optimal posting times I mentioned in this post are based on Central Time Zone.
  • If you are on the East Coast, generally speaking your “version” of these peak times will be on the later end, West Coast a bit earlier.
  • It also depends on when you usually post.

To help you understand (if thinking about time zones is new to you):

  • Best time to post Instagram engagement west coast is two hours earlier than central times listed.
  • The best time to post Instagram engagement east coast is one hour later than central times.
  • And finally, for the best time to post on Instagram Mountain Time is one hour earlier than central.

If your followers are spread across the world try to find times where your top audiences overlap best, and choose those times. This may seem crazy, but if you use draft mode you can have your post ready to post when these key moments occur.

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What Days Are Best?

Many studies have been conducted to determine the best time to post on Instagram and the best days to post on Instagram.

  • The best days to post on Instagram are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
  • When talking days of the week it turns out that the best day to post is Wednesday because it has the highest engagement of any day.
  • Thursday is the highest traffic day.

I used to think weekends were higher, but it turns out not to be true. People plan things and are out of their normal routines. I get less engagement on my posts, but I get more new followers. People tend to “explore” IG a bit more on the weekends.

Understand Your Followers and Understand Your Niche

Your best time to post on Instagram will be different depending on your audience. Are you a business posting to other businesses? Best posting time for business to business is during weekdays. This makes sense because it is part of business and not a leisure activity.

Always consider your audience. For example, if you a photographer, the best time to post on Instagram for photographers generally speaking is probably before the work day 7-9 am and after the workday 5-7 pm.

Understanding your niche is key to understanding when (and how) to post.

How Often Should I Post?

There are a variety of schools of thought, and there are a lot of factors involved in this decision. There are two main elements.

Quality over Quantity

If you don’t have a quality photo in your niche it’s always better to not post. Every post has the power to help or hurt. If it isn’t helping it’s hurting. Instagram is unforgiving and fickle. One post your followers don’t love and a percentage of them may easily hit “unfollow.”

Consistency in Posting is Key

Posting consistently shows you are committed and reliable. Followers like that. So does Instagram. Show your followers they can depend on you, and you will be able to depend on them. It really is almost that simple.

Decide what you can keep up with on a consistent basis and shoot for that. Whether it’s once a day, twice a day, or every other day it needs to work for your life. Never think, “Oh, I haven’t posted in a week. I’ve got some time; I’ll post four to five today and make up for lost time.” This will backfire. Keep those photos ready in draft mode and space them out regularly, once a day at key times.

We discuss the many factors you should consider when deciding when to post on Instagram

How We Determine Our Best Posting Times

Remember your optimal time depends on where the majority of your followers reside. Make sure you know this information. Use Instagram’s analytics to stay on top of this information.

If you have a business account on Instagram, you can use the analytics available in Insights to see where your followers are located. This is where you get a handle on your audience’s top time zones. You can use the charts regarding location, age, gender, and of course activity to help you determine your best times and days to post.

In order to take advantage of Instagram analytics you need to set up an Instagram business account or set up an Instagram creator account.

For more info on best Instagram posting practices read our blog post.

Let’s Summarize When to Post on Instagram

  • Each day has different optimal times.
  • Each time zone has different optimal times.
  • Every particular feed, based on its followers, has its own optimal times.
  • Instagram analytics provide important information that you should use to understand your followers, who they are, their characteristics and habits.
  • Get to know your followers intimately to best serve them.

Best Practices to Post on Instagram

  1. Experiment. Try different times and see how your followers react.
  2. Pay attention. Take note of what times work and what times don’t do as well.
  3. Keep time zones in mind. They are very important.
  4. Think about the natural times that your target audience is checking their phones. Apply logic. When you understand your audience it starts to make sense.
  5. Also, keep in mind that your ultimate times will be when the highest number of your followers is on their phones but not posting.
  6. Once you determine your best times stay consistent. Ultimately you can train your followers to find you based on consistency.

Should I Use a Scheduler to Automatically Post to Instagram?

Here are several reasons why we think posting using a scheduler is a bad idea.

  1. Instagram does not prefer it.
  2. When it is automatic you might not be aware that you just posted.
  3. You might not be on your phone or available to respond to comments in real time.
  4. If you don’t respond to comments in real time you don’t help create motivation for others to comment.
  5. You miss the chance to create real conversation.
  6. If you’re not on Instagram engaging on other feeds as your post goes live you miss the chance to remind people of you and draw them to your post, which is a great strategy to help engagement.

Be Ready for Your Best Time to Post on Instagram

We know life happens, and it’s hard to always be ready to post at just the right moment. Here is what we do that helps us post at the best time all while maintaining our sanity.

Use Draft Mode in Instagram

We recommend creating your post(s) when it is convenient for you. Save your posts in the draft section of your Instagram and you’ll be ready to share.

Key Engagement Tips

We highly suggest making time to manage your comments and stay with your post for at least a half an hour. Ideally, we recommend being on the platform for the first hour. During that time answer your comments as quickly as possible. The goal is for your follower to see that you replied to them. You want to catch them still looking at their phone.

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In addition, your comments should be unique, non-repetitive, engaging, and always more than four words.

While waiting for comments to come in spend time on other feeds leaving genuine, stand-out comments. This activity can make a big difference in your post success.

After the first hour or so just check back multiple times to answer additional comments. Make your best effort to answer as many as you can. The goal isn’t perfection. The goal is simply do what you can.

If you have only ten comments there is no reason why you shouldn’t make a point to answer all ten. If you have 30, you still should be able to make time to answer all 30. But if you have 200, obviously do your best.

Sometimes if I have very high engagement I scroll through and make sure I read, tap the heart so they know I’ve read their comment, and answer all questions. Again, do what you can do. Effort is perceived and always appreciated.

It’s Up to You

So, these are things to consider. Notice how I used the word “optimal” a lot. There isn’t a huge difference between times, although there is some. In the end, it’s simply something to consider. You can take all this information and then do as you please. You can post organically if you have more fun doing it that way.

Jodie and I take the information and sometimes we follow it, and sometimes life happens. If you are working hard to grow your Instagram account and really want all your efforts to pay off as much as possible, follow this advice. If you are here to “just have fun” you can ignore all this analysis. We are huge believers in enjoying the process. If posting “when the mood hits” makes it more enjoyable, then we recommend doing just that.

Finally, we have over 40 Instagram-related posts here on our blog, so be sure to keep reading. If you aren’t already a subscriber, we hope you will join us so you don’t miss the latest posts. Click the box below and receive free bonus material to help you on Instagram.

For more info on when to post on Instagram, read Later Media’s article, “The Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2019, According to 12 Million Posts.”

Also, feel free to comment with questions and let us hear from you if you found this post helpful by commenting below. We absolutely love hearing from you.

Instagram Coaching

So, now you know the best times to post on Instagram for you and your audience. What’s next? Now it’s time to start taking your Instagram account seriously. Sign up to receive our 90-minute Personalized Instagram Audit today. We analyze every aspect of your account, create a clear plan for you, and coach you personally for your ultimate success.

Jodie and I have been helping people reach their Instagram goals for years. Many of our past students are now successful influencers and have grown their brands beyond their wildest imaginations. We are willing to do the same for you.

Now is the time to invest in yourself and your Instagram goals!

jodie & julie

There are many complex factors to consider when deciding your best posting times on Instagram

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Summary
When Are the Best Posting Times on Instagram?
Article Name
When Are the Best Posting Times on Instagram?
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When is the best time to post on Instagram to to grow your engagement? Top tips and tricks to help you grow your Instagram by posting at the right time.
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The Design Twins
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  1. I am a very new blogger and IG user. I had actually signed up for a FB seminar talking about this exact thing. This post has made the world of difference to me and growing my account. Direct and to the point! Love it! Thank you, thank you!

  2. Regina says:

    Jodie and Julie ~ Thank you for this blog it’s very helpful. So much amazing information! I do notice a different posting at different times of the day..I truly appreciate you two gems!

    Regina

  3. Quick question. When you said y’all post twice a day – are you posting the same picture twice that day or two different pictures? Thank you!

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Hi Cindy, We are always posting different pictures. You can check out our feeds on Instagram for clarification and to get a real visual for what and how we post. When we don’t have something new and fabulous to post we may reuse a picture that did well from the past, but only after some time has passed. We try to always make our feeds feel fresh and unique as possible. Thanks for reading and for your inquiry. Best wishes, Julie

  4. Mary says:

    Once again this was very helpful to me . I’m new to instagram and this information is very helpful and informative to me . You both are great ! A true inspiration ????????

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Mary, You are so very kind! We are extremely happy to hear that you found this helpful. What a sweetheart to leave such kind support. We truly hope you will continue to enjoy so we can grow together on this amazing journey. With many blessings, Julie & Jodie

  5. This was so amazingly helpful! I spent all day yesterday researching times and looking at Apps and your post was more helpful the everything I read. I am on the west coast as well and struggle with figuring out the best times to post to get the largest viewing across my audience in different time zones. I’m trying to build up my following and hopefully start a blog soon and you two are so inspirational and helpful!! Thank you ladies!!

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Jessica, Wow! Thank you for sharing that feedback. It really makes us feel good to know that it was super helpful and better than other information you could find. We try very hard to explain things clearly. It helps that we have each other to edit πŸ™‚ That’s definitely the truth! We sure hope you will continue to find our blog inspiring and helpful. With gratitude, Julie & Jodie

  6. Cathy says:

    So very sweet of you guys to post this information. I’m new and all your posts are so helpful.

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Cathy, Well, then you’ve come to the right place. haha! I wish we had all this info when we started πŸ™‚ We learned it the slow way through experience. Good thing we’ve had a ball along the way! And you will too (we hope). Join our Instagram group if you care to called “The Party is On Instagram” ad always ask questions. No question is silly…we were all new once. Welcome! XO ~ Julie & Jodie

  7. Sylvia caruso says:

    Just reading this now!! Thanks for sharing this. Just downloaded the ‘when to post app.’ What a neat app!!

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Sylvia, We are so glad you found this post helpful. And you know we always really appreciate your reply. Many blessings to you, our sweet friend, Julie & Jodie

  8. Carrie says:

    Wanted to say thank you for all the amazing content you share. I just created my IG account a week ago. Its been an intimidating experience for me but you have certainly helped the process immensely. The experience and expertise you share are irreplaceable. Again thank you!!!

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Carrie,
      What a sweet reply. We are so glad you found our posts helpful. Even though much time has passed we still remember being new and insecure and not knowing what was what. I think I’ve mentioned this before but I didn’t even know how to take a screen shot. I timidly messaged someone who had been kind and asked them how. I’ll never forget early kindness and how much it meant. I try to do the same to anyone who reaches out. We hope you will continue to enjoy our blog and we wish you a wonderful journey. Blessings, Julie & Jodie

  9. Nancy says:

    Helpful! Thanks very much. I noticed you used the word “peek” a lot throughout this article and I kept thinking you’d meant to use the word “peak.” Then it occurred to me that you may have been making a little word play thing, peeking at one’s IG account etc? πŸ˜‰ Very clever! Thanks again for the good article.

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Nancy, Haha, that’s funny. I love hearing that you enjoyed this article. Hopefully you’ll continue to enjoy all our Instagram posts as well as the rest of our blog. Wishing you the best, Julie & Jodie

  10. Ann @rekindledsigns says:

    Great info and insight!! Thank you for doing the research and sharing it here. Keep up the good work girls!

  11. Jess says:

    Thank you for writing this and being here xo

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Jess,
      We’re so glad you are here! Seriously, your support means so much. Happy you enjoyed. Wishing you continued success, Julie & Jodie

  12. Sandy says:

    Thanks so much this was very informative!

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Sandy,
      We are so grateful for your kind support. Thank you for taking the time to read and reply. We truly hope our information helps you make the most of your time and your Instagram journey. Never hesitate to reach out to us if you have questions. All the best, Julie & Jodie

  13. Cathy N. says:

    This article is exactly what I needed to read today. Thank you to much for the time you spend on putting this all together. Have a blessed evening.
    Cathy

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Dear Cathy, Well, honestly, nothing could make us happier. Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know. We are so pleased it was what you needed. We hope you enjoy our many other Instagram posts if you haven’t already. Also, be sure to sign up for our email so you won’t miss any of our posts. Wishing you all the best, Jodie & Julie

  14. Sierra says:

    Wow! So much great information! Love it.

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      We are so happy you found it helpful Sierra! And thank you so much for leaving us a reply. It makes our work worthwhile to hear back from you. We hope you sign up to receive our emails and take the time to read our other 40 Instagram help posts. Blessings, Julie & Jodie

  15. Tammie Price says:

    Great post Julie and Jodie! I have recently switched my posting times from late afternoon to 5am my time (mountain) and have seen a huge difference in engagement! (Knock on wood) lol.. Not a huge increase in number of likes, but definitely the number of comments. I am hoping with consistency Instagram will show favor upon me! Lol

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Tammie, That’s awesome. I too have been experimenting with my times. So glad you made it to our blog, My Friend. We hope you are signed up for our emails and that you enjoy our other 40 Instagram posts. We are here to help. Blessings on your journey, Julie & Jodie

  16. Reb Rose Home says:

    Some really good food for thought in this blog post – thank-you both.

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Reb,
      We are so glad you enjoyed this post! You are so welcome my friend! Hope to hear from you again soon.
      Lots of love,
      Jodie & Julie

  17. Jess says:

    Thank you for creating this! It’s so helpful!πŸ’—

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Jess,
      Thank you so much for the love on this post! You are so sweet! Of course, sweet friend. Hope to hear from you again soon!
      Lots of love,
      Jodie & Julie

  18. Lanetta Kiser says:

    I have never gotten this part straight How many photos should you poet at one time? Do you need to always have a story with each post? When posting every day are you posting single photos?

  19. Lanetta says:

    I’ve never understood for sure. 1. How many photos do you post at one time? 2. What percentage of the photos need to have stories? Ian’s 3. If you post every day, how many photos are you posting?

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Hi Lanetta, Well, here is the situation. We don’t know for sure. There isn’t a definitive answer for any of these questions. Let me see if I can help you a bit, though. How many photos do you post at one time? I assume you are talking about using the multiple post “carousel” feature, where you can include multple photos in one post. I like to use this feature sometimes and it can make a post more interesting providing different views of more details of something. It also invites people to spend a little more time on your post so that is good. I don’t understand your question “what percentage of the photos need to have stories”. That doesn’t make sense to me, so you’ll have to rephrase that. You should try to post every day for consistency. So you would be posting a minimum of one photo a day. If you have tons of photos and lots of time you can try to post twice a day. I hope I have helped a little. Wishing you the best, Julie

  20. This is terrific information and so appreciated. I didn’t realize you had all this wonderful IG info here! I’ll be sure to share this with all my IG friends. Thank you!

    • jjdesigntwins says:

      Alicia,
      Thank you so much sweet friend! We are so glad you enjoyed this post and are glad to hear you will share it with others!
      Lots of love,
      Jodie & Julie

  21. […] these times to maximize your reach. Be aware that the best times usually vary from day to day. The best time to post on Instagram, for example, is usually around 5:00 AM on most weekdays, but the 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM window is […]

  22. kayla says:

    Thank you for sharing it here. Keep up the good work.

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