We all know what you post matters—but when you post? That’s the quiet MVP of social strategy.
Whether you’re riding a trend, launching a new product, or simply staying top of mind, timing can make or break your results. That’s why we dug into the latest research from Sprout Social to break down the best times to post on every major platform.
Let’s just say: if you’ve been posting in the late afternoon on Sundays… this one’s for you.
Quick Takeaways
🕒 Overall best times to post: Mondays–Thursdays, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
🔥 Best day overall: Wednesday
💤 Worst day: Sunday
📈 Mornings = engagement gold on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
🌆 TikTok, Pinterest & YouTube shine in the early afternoon
Pro Tip: Use this data as a baseline, but always layer in your audience analytics for maximum effect.
Facebook Posting
Best times:
Mon–Tues: 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
Wed: 8–11 a.m. + 3–5 p.m.
Thurs: 8 a.m.–12 p.m.
Fri–Sat: 9–10 a.m.
Sun: 8 a.m.–1 p.m.
Best days: Weekdays
Avoid: Late afternoons and Sundays
Instagram Posting
Best times:
Mon–Wed: 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Thurs: 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Fri: 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.
Sat: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Sun: 10 a.m.–12 p.m. & 3 p.m.
Best days: Monday through Thursday
Avoid: Saturdays (yes, really)
Linkedin Posting
Best times:
Mon: 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Tues: 10 a.m.
Wed: 10–11 a.m.
Thurs: 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Fri: 10 a.m.
Sat–Sun: Minimal engagement
Best days: Tues–Thurs
Avoid: Weekends unless you're a rebel (with great analytics)
Pinterest Posting
Best times:
-
Literally every day at 1 p.m. (no, really)
Best days: Weekdays for higher engagement
Avoid: Weekends if you're chasing peak numbers
TikTok Posting
Best times:
Mon: 12–5 p.m.
Tues: 5 p.m.
Wed: 2–5 p.m.
Thurs: 3–5 p.m.
Fri: 5 p.m.
Sat: 9–11 a.m. & 5 p.m.
Sun: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Best day: Wednesday
Avoid: Sunday night posting
YouTube Posting
Best times:
Every day at 1 p.m.
Wednesday has a bonus slot at 10 a.m.
Best days: Monday through Thursday
Avoid: Saturday (unless you’re going viral with chaos content)
Want to Find Your Perfect Posting Time?
This data is incredibly helpful—but it’s not one-size-fits-all. Here’s how to make it work for you:
- Use your platform analytics (Instagram Insights, Facebook Business Suite, etc.) to identify spikes in your engagement.
- Test + track. Try different times for a month and look for patterns.
- Adapt for trends. Timing may shift during holidays, seasons, or major cultural moments.
If you’ve ever posted something brilliant only for it to fall flat… it might not be the content. It might be the clock.
Optimizing your post timing is one of the simplest tweaks you can make to improve engagement—and when combined with great content, it becomes a game-changer.
Want to dig deeper? You can read Sprout’s full article right here.
