When to Post Content in 2020
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LInkedIn, Twitter - each performs best at different times. Know when to post content in 2020.
When you’re creating content for social media one of the main challenges is reaching your target audience on each platform. It’s difficult to rise above the noise, get your content in front of the right people and make an impact. Especially as social media algorithms are moving away from chronological timelines and towards curated feeds.
Knowing when to post on each social media platform is one way to make sure that you’re getting the best engagement possible on your social media content. But that data is always changing. And there has been a great deal of change this year, since the onset of COVID-19 disrupted the way we’re all working and engaging online.
So, when is the best time to post on social media platforms in 2020? Here is the latest information compiled from research by Sprout Social and Oberlo.
The Best Times to Post on Social Media Platforms
Best Time to Post on LinkedIn in 2020:
Wednesday at 3pm, Thursday between 9 and 10am and Friday between 11am and 12 noon.
Best Time to Post on Facebook in 2020:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 to 11am with the peak being 11am.
Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2020:
Monday, Tuesday and Friday at 11am and Tuesday at 2pm.
Best Time to Post on Twitter:
Friday between 7am and 9am, with the peak being 9am.
Best Time to Post on Pinterest:
Saturdays and Sundays between 8pm and 11pm.
Best Time to Post to YouTube:
Thursdays and Fridays between 12pm and 4pm.
Reviewing Your Own Metrics
At the end of the day, however, there’s a reason that social media is called social media. On each of these platforms you will be part of your own specific community. And each one of those will operate slightly differently in terms of engagement. What that means is that what really matters, is what your own metrics say.
Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a great way to see where traffic is coming into your website and at what times. You’ll see on the demo site below, that most traffic flows through at 9am on Tuesday and 12.5% comes from Facebook with no other social media sites referring.
Other Social Media Analytics
There are lots of other options for determining your own metrics. Some of the best are:
Sprout Social
HubSpot
TapInfluence
BuzzSumo
Snaplytics
Curalate
Keyhole
ShortStack
Any of these options will help you to analyse your own data to ensure that you’re getting information out at peak times for your own clients.
Beyond Metrics
It’s important that you also spend time getting to know your audience and engaging with them. What are their habits and routines. When are they coming into your Facebook groups, or reaching out to you via Insta.
Once you get to know those patterns, you can tailor your content posting to meet them where they are. Additionally, once you are engaging, you’ll be able to directly communicate with your audience and let them know when content of value that they might be interested in will be coming through. They’ll be more likely to check back in when they know something they’re interested in hearing about is on its way.
Just Do It
The TV show Nailed It has taken the world by storm. There’s Nailed It (the original), but there’s also Nailed It Spain, Nailed It Germany, Nailed It Mexico and Nailed It France. The series is essentially a baking competition where three competitors try to replicate cakes, cupcakes, cookies and more to win a $10,000 cash prize.
Across the board, the creations are terrible. They inevitably look nothing like the original concept, and usually taste absolutely awful as well. But at the end of the day, each contestant puts something down on a plate for the judges. And one of them walks away with $10,000.
What does this have to do with your social media content? Well, you can review all the data and metrics you want, but if you aren’t actually putting up any content, all that information is pointless. Trying to work out when to post content is almost a job in itself. It can be distracting, and paralysing even, because it feels all too hard. That makes it easy to give up. To be quite frank, you just need to get it done, and sometimes it doesn’t matter what it looks like. Like the contestants on Nailed It, you’re only going to win if you get something on the plate.
Takeaway
Seth Godin says, ‘My best advice: Get in the habit of winning, of shipping, of having customers that can’t live without you. Once you’ve demonstrated you know how to do the art, then go after the windmills.”
Seth’s advice is great here. Worry about when to post later. Now’s the time to get the content done. Once you’re in a habit of creation and leveraging, then you can focus on the best times to get it out there. In the meantime, just do it.
I’d love to hear your thoughts…
Make it stand out
Jane Anderson is a strategic communications expert, speaker and the author of seven books including the upcoming Catalyst Content. With over 20 years of experience helping people to communicate confidently, she is obsessed with authentic influence and human connection to drive business growth in a world of disruption and automation. She delivers Content Creation Bootcamps (Virtual and Face to Face), Coaching and Keynotes. To inquire about her working with you or your organisation please contact us here.