You've prepped excellent Instagram content and you’re ready to publish. But have you ever stopped to think if you're doing it at the best possible moment? 

The timing of your Instagram posts is far from trivial. It's a vital component of your social media marketing strategy. And yes—it can make or break your engagement rates in the long term. 

Whether you're an influencer, a solo creator, or a business account looking to get the most out of Instagram marketing, knowing the specific times to post can boost engagement and follower counts.

In this article, you'll learn how to decode your target audience's behaviors using Instagram Insights, why scheduling tools are indispensable, and how experimenting with different types of content and time frames helps you optimize posting for your specific audience. 

Is posting time on Instagram important?

Yes, the timing of your Instagram posts is a deciding factor in maximizing engagement. But it’s not one-size-fits-all. A posting strategy that may work for a tech influencer won't necessarily work for a healthcare non-profit, much less for a solo content creator. Your target audience's demographics, as well as scrolling habits, time zones, and workweek schedules all come into play. 

Plus, being mindful of timing offers a number of advantages. Posting during peak times—when your audience is most active—boosts your post’s visibility, thanks to the Instagram algorithm. This leads to higher engagement rates. But those peak times can vary depending on the type of content. In terms of strategy, for example, Instagram reels may perform better during lunch breaks, while stories may get more traction outside of work hours in the early morning or late at night. 

Employ social media management tools like Hootsuite for scheduling posts across different time zones and types of content. Consistent, well-timed posts don't just amplify your Instagram engagement; they also strengthen your overall social media strategy, whether it's on LinkedIn, TikTok, or any other social media platform.

When is the best time to post on Instagram?

The overall best time to post on Instagram to optimize for views is during the early morning on weekdays. This general guideline comes from research by several different sources, including reports and studies by Influencer Marketing Hub, Later, Sprout Social, HubSpot, HootSuite, and CoSchedule.

But you need to remember to align these general times with the habits of your specific target audience. The worst day to post for one Instagram account may happen to be the best day for another. But it’s hard to find out what those days and times are without incorporating them into your marketing strategy. 

Check out the best time slots for posting.

Best time to post on Instagram on Sunday

On Sundays, Hootsuite suggests the highest engagement times are 1 a.m., 7 a.m., and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Use these times to engage Instagram users who are winding down their weekends or gearing up for the week ahead. 

Best time to post on Instagram on Monday

For Mondays, your go-to times should be 5 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. Research by Hootsuite and Sprout Social strongly suggests people engage more with content during these hours, probably as they're starting their workweek and seeking motivation or breaks. 

Best time to post on Instagram on Tuesday

Tuesdays show high levels of engagement at 9 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m., thanks to research from both Later and Influencer Marketing Hub. You’ll likely capture the attention of those looking for a midday pick-me-up or engaging with content during lunch breaks. 

Best time to post on Instagram on Wednesday

Research from Later suggests Wednesday’s best posting times are 5 a.m., 9 a.m., and 11 a.m. These times align well with typical morning routines and mid-morning work breaks.

Best time to post on Instagram on Thursday

Optimal times for Thursdays, according to Hootsuite and Sprout Social, are from 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. These slots are more likely to offer consistent engagement. This is probably because they coincide with morning productivity and pre-lunch browsing. 

Best time to post on Instagram on Friday

Research from Hootsuite and Later suggests posting your content at 7 a.m., 11 a.m., or 2 p.m. on Fridays. It’s the best time to catch your audience when they're enjoying that end-of-the-week feeling and looking forward to the weekend. 

Best time to post on Instagram on Saturday

Data corroborated by Influencer Marketing Hub and Sprout Social suggests Saturday’s peak time happens around 9 a.m., which makes sense. It’s a later time in the morning, meaning it’s likely when people are waking up and planning their day. 

Best time to post on Instagram by location

Understanding that the ideal time to post on Instagram varies from location to location is crucial for maximizing engagement. Here's a quick rundown of the best times to post on Instagram by time zone according to research from Later:

• West Coast (US + Canada): 9 p.m.–12 a.m.
• Central (US + Canada): 10 p.m.–12 a.m.
• East Coast (US + Canada): 11 p.m.–4 a.m.
• Western Europe: 4 a.m.–6 a.m.
• Eastern Europe: 5 a.m.–7 a.m.

Best time to post on Instagram by industry

According to data by Sprout Social, these are the best times to post by industry: 

• Tourism: Tuesdays at 10 a.m.
• Food and entertainment: Mondays at 2 p.m. and from 4 to 6 p.m.
• Healthcare: Thursdays at 1 p.m.
• Media: Mondays at 11 a.m., Wednesdays at 11 a.m., Thursdays at 10 a.m.

Best times to post Reels on Instagram

Posting Instagram Reels at optimal times can be a game-changer for your engagement levels. Based on the data from the sources mentioned earlier, the best time to post Reels is at 4 a.m. (calculated in local time across time zones).

Mondays have emerged as the most effective day for posting Reels. Posting early gives you the advantage of facing less competition and takes advantage of users scrolling through their Reels feed during their first interaction with the platform for the day.

How to find the best time to post on Instagram? 4 tips

Once you know the general times audiences are scrolling through Instagram, refine your strategy even further by finding the best time to post according to your audience’s engagement. 

Here are four tips to help you start. 

1. Analyze your audience’s behavior

Social media is a game of understanding your audience, which means one of the best things you can do is to take a deeper dive into your Instagram Insights. This analytics tool reveals key demographics of your followers, such as time zone and peak times of activity. 

Consider a few more pointers using Instagram analytics to zero in on when your specific audience is most active. 

• Activate Instagram insights: First things first, switch to a business account if you haven't already. This enables Instagram Insights, which offers a wealth of data about your audience's behavior.
• Check activity metrics: Navigate to the Activity tab in Instagram Insights. Pay attention to metrics like Interactions and Discovery. These provide a good overview of how people engage with your posts and how many new accounts you're reaching.
• Examine audience demographics: The Audience tab gives you valuable demographic data including age range, gender, and location. This information can clue you in on who to target and when they might be online.
• Look at optimal posting times: Under the Audience tab, scroll down to the Most Active Times section. This shows you when your followers are most active on Instagram, both on specific days and specific hours.

Don’t just focus on overall trends. Look at how individual posts have performed. What was their reach? How many impressions did they get? What kind of engagement did they receive? This post-level data can reveal more specific insights into when your audience is most active and receptive.

2. Use social media scheduling tools

While Instagram Insights is great, third-party analytics tools can offer even more granular data. Platforms like Hootsuite or Sprout Social break down your audience behavior in more detail. You can even export reports for further analysis. 

Consider some of the best perks: 

• Explore analytics features: These tools usually offer a dashboard where you can see all sorts of analytics about your posts and audience. Metrics may include engagement rates, optimal posting times, and follower demographics.
• ‍Export data for deeper analysis: Most tools allow you to export data, usually in formats like CSV or Excel. Take advantage of this feature to run your own detailed analysis or to share metrics with your team.
• ‍Schedule posts based on analytics: Use the analytics data to determine your best times to post, types of content that perform well, and hashtags that generate the most engagement. Then schedule posts accordingly, right within the tool.
• ‍A/B testing: Some advanced tools even allow you to run A/B tests. This involves posting similar but slightly different content at various times to determine what resonates most with your audience.
• ‍Monitor real-time performance: After your posts are live, use the tool's real-time analytics to monitor their performance. If a post is doing exceptionally well or poorly, these insights can inform any immediate adjustments you need to make.

📚Read: When are the best times to post on TikTok? A 2023 guide

3. Experiment and A/B test

A/B testing isn't just for email campaigns—it’s a solid strategy in the social media platform ecosystem. Post the same type of content—be it Instagram Stories, Reels, or posts—at different time slots and days of the week and be sure to gather your results. 

If you don’t use a third-party tool to track your numbers, a simple solution like Google Sheets can do the trick. Compare the engagement rate on weekdays versus weekends and strategize when you post accordingly. 

For example, while early morning posts might gain high engagement from Eastern (EST) time zone users, your Pacific (PST) audience might be more active during their workday. Adjust your posting schedule accordingly and don’t be afraid to pivot if engagement numbers change. 

4. Stay consistent and adapt

Staying consistent is critical for your Instagram account's success. The Instagram algorithm rewards consistency with a regular posting schedule. 

However, it’s important to remember that the landscape of social media platforms, including Instagram, is always changing. What might be the optimal time to post content today could be the worst time next month. 

That’s why you should regularly update your social media strategy, incorporating a variety of Instagram content types, like posts, Reels, and Stories, to keep your engagement rates as high as they can be. Monitoring your engagement metrics provides valuable insights for making those adjustments.

Create engaging Instagram posts with Descript

Knowing exactly when to post on Instagram is hard enough—but there’s also content creation to think about. Luckily, tools like Descript make content creation a lot easier. 

If you know how to edit a Word doc, then you know how to edit video clips, reels, TikToks, and YouTube content with Descript. Skip the learning curve and head straight to content creation to ship your Instagram marketing strategy.

Get started using Descript for Instagram today.