The Best Time To Post On Instagram In 2023 [Explained] | Statusbrew (2023)

"When is the best time to post on Instagram?", we get this question asked intermittently by anybody at all. We've compiled the best times to post on Instagram in 2023 that would guarantee you better reach and engagement. Read on to find out the best times and days to post on Instagram, and some secret tips about how to find YOUR best time.

While setting up an Instagram account, most people always desire a Kardashian-style following that allows them to build a brand, promote a product or service, and enter the world of social stardom where people see them as an expert, influencers, and role models.

Knowing the best time to post on Instagram helps you to be seen and known as the rockstar you want. It always works for you and is never against you when trying to make a name for yourself online.

If you are confused about the best time to post on Instagram, don't worry. Most people aren't aware of this info when they first open an account because it's not a knowledge base that Instagram makes readily available to all its users.

It's nearly impossible to get things right on Instagram without timing them perfectly, which is why we have taken the hard work out of your way by compiling the absolute perfect time to post on Instagram by slicing and dicing them into several categories. There you go!

Table Of Content:

• Why Can't I Just Post At Any Time Of The Day On Instagram?
• What Is The Global Best Time To Post On Instagram In 2023?
• What Is The Best Time To Post On Instagram By Industry In 2023?
• What Is The Best Time To Post Reels On Instagram?
• What Is The Best Time To Post Videos On Instagram?
• What Is The Best Time To Post Instagram Story?
• What Is The Best Time To Go Live On Instagram?
• What's The Best Time To Post On Instagram For You?
• How To Find Your Best Time To Post On Instagram?

You can directly jump to a section of your choice or keep scrolling.

Why Can't I Just Post At Any Time Of The Day On Instagram?

You are free to post on Instagram whenever the mood strikes you. However, if increased engagement is your primary goal, you must show up on the platform when your audience does.

Otherwise, you will spend countless hours posting on Instagram only to see no growth. Not only is this a huge bummer, but it can also lead to social media burnout.

Your goal should be to work smarter, not harder. And that requires understanding the best time to post on Instagram according to your time zone & industry.

What Is The Global Best Time To Post On Instagram?

Here's a table summarizing the best time to post on Instagram today by days of the week:

All times are expressed in CST.

If you desire consistency in terms of likes, comments, and shares on your Instagram post, you will want to schedule them for the following times for each day of the week.

Best time to post on Instagram on Monday

11 AM to 1 PM is the best time to post on Instagram on Monday. A consistent engagement starts at morning 8 AM and remains till 8 PM. Instagrammers usage gradually drops after that and is observed lowest from 11 PM to 6 AM.

Best time to post on Instagram on Tuesday

10 AM to 5 PM is the best time to post on Instagram on Tuesday. A significant amount of engagement still prevails until 10 PM at night, after which the engagement rate starts to degrade slowly.

Best time to post on Instagram on Wednesday

Same as Monday, 11 AM to 1 PM is the best time to post on Instagram on Wednesday. A long belt of consistent engagement stays on Wednesday, starting right from morning 6 AM to 11 PM, which is also the longest stride in the entire week.

Best time to post on Instagram on Thursday

11 AM to 12 PM is the best time to post on Instagram on Thursday. A pretty high amount of engagement remains from 10 AM to 4 PM, after which it gradually decreases, achieving its lowest peak from 12 AM to 4 AM.

Best time to post on Instagram on Friday

11 AM to 1 PM is the best time to post on Instagram on Friday. The engagement rate starts early on Friday from 7 AM and dips early at 5 PM. Friday night observes the lowest engagement from 10 PM to 7 AM.

Best time to post on Instagram on Saturday

10 AM to 1 PM is the best time to post on Instagram on Saturday. Saturday is the second-worst day to post on Instagram after Sunday, as even during the peak time, the engagement rate is observed to be low compared to other weekdays. The lowest engagement rate on Saturday is seen from 4 PM to 8 AM.

Best time to post on Instagram on Sunday

9 AM to 4 PM is the best time to post on Instagram on Sunday. However, the quality of Instagram engagement observed on a Sunday is the lowest compared to other weekdays. That's why Sunday is also the worst day to post on Instagram if you want your post to gain the exposure it deserves. 6 PM to 8 AM is the worst time to post on Instagram on Sunday.

What Is The Best Time To Post On Instagram By Industry?

Best time to post on Instagram for IT brands

• Prime time to post on Instagram: Monday 11 AM to 12 AM, 8 PM to 9 PM, Tuesday 11 AM to 12 AM, Thursday 12 PM to 1 PM, Friday 11 AM to 12 PM
• Best day to post on Instagram: Monday
• Worst day to post on Instagram: Saturday
• Worst time to post on Instagram: 1 AM to 7 AM

Best time to post on Instagram for Healthcare brands

• Prime time to post on Instagram: Monday 9 AM to 10 AM, 2 PM to 3 PM, 5 PM to 6 PM, Tuesday 8 AM to 9 PM, Sunday 8 AM to 9 PM
• Best day to post on Instagram: Monday
• Worst day to post on Instagram: Saturday
• Worst time to post on Instagram: 2 AM to 7 AM

Best time to post on Instagram for Education brands

• Prime time to post on Instagram: Thursday 2 PM to 3 PM, Friday 4 AM to 5 AM
• Best day to post on Instagram: Friday
• Worst day to post on Instagram: Sunday
• Worst time to post on Instagram: 11 PM to 3 AM

Best time to post on Instagram for Nonprofit organizations

• Prime time to post on Instagram: Wednesday 10 AM to 5 PM, 5 PM to 6 PM, Thursday 11 AM to 5 PM
• Best day to post on Instagram: Wednesday
• Worst day to post on Instagram: Sunday
• Worst time to post on Instagram: 2 AM to 5 AM

Best time to post on Instagram for Travel brands

• Prime time to post on Instagram: Thursday 7 AMto 8 AM, Monday 11 AM to 4 PM
• Best day to post on Instagram: Thursday
• Worst day to post on Instagram: Saturday
• Worst time to post on Instagram: 11 PM to 5 AM

Best time to post on Instagram for Media and Entertainment brands

• Prime time to post on Instagram: Tuesday 1 PM to 5 PM, Wednesday 11 AM to 12 PM, Thursday 8 AM to 9 AM
• Best day to post on Instagram: Tuesday
• Worst day to post on Instagram: Sunday
• Worst time to post on Instagram: 10 PM to 2 AM

Best time to post on Instagram for Food and Beverage brands

• Prime time to post on Instagram: Monday, 9 AM to 2 PM, Tuesday, 10 AM to 2 PM
• Best day to post on Instagram: Monday
• Worst day to post on Instagram: Saturday
• Worst time to post on Instagram: 11 PM to 2 AM

Best time to post on Instagram for B2B brands

• Prime time to post on Instagram: Monday, 4 PM to 5 PM
• Best day to post on Instagram: Monday
• Worst day to post on Instagram: Saturday
• Worst time to post on Instagram: 11 PM to 4 AM

Best time to post on Instagram for Influencers

• Prime time to post on Instagram: Friday 7 PM to 8 PM, Sunday 5 PM to 6 PM
• Best day to post on Instagram: Friday
• Worst day to post on Instagram: Saturday
• Worst time to post on Instagram: 5 AM to 9 AM

All times are expressed in EST.

What Is The Best Time To Post Reels On Instagram?

Instagram Reels are poised for enormous growth on the platform. Choosing the single best time to post Reels on Instagram can be tricky, but here's what studies have found after analyzing more than 100,000 reels on Instagram to find the best engagement rates.

All times are expressed in EST.
Times marked in asterisk indicate high engagement.

Know more about 7(+1) Tips To Get Discovered On Instagram Reels

What Is The Best Time To Post Videos On Instagram?

9 PM and 8 AM are considered the best time to post videos on Instagram as people are at their homes and have more free time.

A significant engagement rate for video is caught when people are on breaks from work. Between 11 AM and 1 PM, when people are on their lunch breaks, and 7 PM to 9 PM, just after people have left work, are the best times to upload fresh videos on Instagram.

What Is The Best Time To Post Instagram Story?

It goes without saying that knowing your audience and their social habits will also get the highest possible engagement for stories. The hours before work, as well as lunch breaks and late afternoons, bring you the most views and are considered the best time to post an Instagram story.

While people post more stories during the weekend, they are less likely to go through other Instagrammer stories. So if you want more views, the best time to post an Instagram story is during the workweek, around lunchtime.

Know more about Instagram Story Analytics: Understanding Stories Metrics

What Is The Best Time To Go Live On Instagram?

According to deep research, Monday to Friday at 12 PM or from 7 PM to 9 PM is the best time to go live on Instagram. Like Facebook, it's an ideal time to go live on Instagram when most people are on their lunch break. After-work hours are also best for users, as audience members and followers tend to relax and unwind by scrolling through their feeds.

Know more about Four Tips To Increase Engagement On Instagram Live

Best Time To Post On Instagram In India & UK

India is the leading country with a vast audience of 230 million users accessing the photo-sharing and editing app.*

This means that knowing the best time to post on Instagram in India is essential to attract a vast audience base.

In September 2022, Instagram had around 32.3 million users in the United Kingdom (UK). Women drive 40% of all football conversations on Instagram in the UK. Such die-hard fans of football and other Instagrammers would love to see posts in their feed at the best time to post on Instagram in UK.

Here's an estimate of the best time to post on Instagram in India & UK:

What's The Best Time To Post On Instagram For You?

One important aspect of an effective Instagram marketing strategy is knowing when is the best time to post on Instagram.

A general set of guidelines can help your content get discovered. But to stay on top and become a thought leader in your niche, you will need an Instagram marketing strategy tailored specifically for your target audience.

Here are three methods on how you can extract the best time to post on Instagram from your IG account.

Method #1: Use Best Time To Post On Instagram Calculator

Use social media management tools like Statusbrew to analyze all your previous posts once you link your profiles. It will then derives a heat map to calculate the best time to post on Instagram according to your requirements.

After you know your best time, you must ensure that you post at those times. The biggest roadblock here would be shifting to different platforms to find your best time to post and then scheduling it to post consistently. Statusbrew calculates your best time to post on Instagram and schedules posts only during peak hours.

Statusbrew is a multi-purpose platform that ensures your Instagram is updated regularly and that none of the time slots miss out.

Try Statusbrew

Method #2: Experiment With Your Posting Times & Measure Progress

Once you have started posting according to the global research-based times, it's time to analyze all your previous posts and see which ones performed the best (in terms of content, timing, and everything!)

This task can be accomplished by simply putting all data into a spreadsheet and then analyzing the numbers. But, neither is this method accurate nor does it seem appealing to your eyes while visualizing the data.

Image Source: Two Turtle Doves

Method #3: Check Out Your Instagram Insights

Instagram Insights are an excellent way to get into the nitty-gritty of who your posts are actually reaching! Ensure that you need to have a business profile to access Instagram Insights. Here's how to access your best time to post on Instagram from the Insights section!

Step 1: Go to your Instagram Settings. Tap the three bars in the top-right-hand corner. Tap 'Insights.'

Step 2: Tap 'Audience' -> 'Followers.' A figure will appear at the top of each hour bar revealing how many of your followers were online at that time. The hour bar, which is the tallest, is your best time to post on Instagram.

Image Source: Chookapeck

Step 3: Tap 'Days.' The chart will show the data for which days your audience is online. The day bar, which is the tallest, is your best day to post on Instagram.

Combining the data from steps 2 & 3 will give you the best time to post on Instagram in a week.

Know more about How To See Post Insights On Instagram

How To Find Your Best Time To Post On Instagram?

To figure out your best time to post on Instagram, try the below tips:

1. Get insights from Statusbrew Reports
2. Take a look at your ideal buyer persona
3. Post at least 2 image carousels
4. Determine the post type that works best for you (Posts, Stories, Reels, IGTV)
5. Prioritize engagement patterns you noticed
6. Use Hashtags to extend the time on Instagram

Get Insights From Statusbrew Reports

Instagram gathers all the key insights of your Instagram account, including the times your content gets maximum reach and engagement. But the number of metrics on Instagram Insights is limited.

Moreover, other critical features like shareable reports, hashtag insights, team engagement reports, etc. are not available on Instagram Insights. Statusbrew has a competitive edge over other tools on the data analytics front and that's why it's loved by global brands.

Finding your best time to post on Instagram and amending your social media strategy doesn't get easier than with Statusbrew's Social Media Reporting tool.

With Statusbrew, you get access to over 200 metrics that matter the most for your social success, including the insights on the best times and days your Instagram content performs well. Statusbrew's Reports dashboard includes the following metrics and features:

1. Audience demographics
2. Sentiment analysis
3. Reports on optimal time to post for maximum reach, engagement, and performance
4. Create combined reports of all social profiles across networks
5. Build and download customizable reports with metrics in PDF & CSV format and share with the team on-the-go
6. Auto-generated reports to save time
7. Branded agency reports with the ability to add your own logo and share with the clients

The good news is you can try Statusbrew for free with a 14-day trial. Get started now and see your socials reach greater heights!

Try Statusbrew Now!

Take a look at your ideal buyer personas

Identifying your target audience should be the first step toward figuring out the best time to post on Instagram.

If you target people who work in a 9-to-5 job, they might be more likely to look at Instagram in the morning. Whereas if you target college kids, they stay out late and pull all-nighters while remaining slightly more active on Instagram.

Know more about How To Create A Detailed Buyer Persona

Post at least 2 image carousels

When going for carousel posts, posting at least a 2-image carousel is best. Instagram will show the second card to your followers later in the day, thus increasing the chances of getting viewership.

Take care of the time zone differences

If you have got your target audience or followers from all over the world, then posting at fixed times of day is neither your best time to post on Instagram nor will it get you the same results as opposed to if you had followers who mostly live in the same time zone.

Determine the post type that works best for you (Posts, Stories, Reels, IGTV)

Different types of Instagram posts offer various benefits. For instance, 70% of Instagram users view stories every day. This makes stories a great option for brands to share the most crucial information with their followers.

On the other hand, reels are an excellent medium for sponsored posts, also being the best feature for finding new trends. IGTV videos are ideal for educational content, thanks to their extended duration.

Prioritize engagement patterns you noticed

Pay close attention to any increases in interaction (likes, comments, shares) when you post at certain times of the day. What ultimately matters is the behavior of your own followers.

Keeping an eye on the type of post affects your engagement too. The more tracking you do, the more you will start to understand your audience and how they choose to interact with social media.

Know more about how to choose the perfect Instagram username

Use Hashtags to extend the time on Instagram

Instagram thrives on the use of hashtags. Using hashtags in your post increases its chances of getting discovered by your non-followers. Ensure that, aside from your branded hashtag, you are switching up between the usage of different categories of hashtags. This diversifies the feeds you might appear in, which eventually increases your reach significantly over time.

Know more about 300+ Best Hashtags For Instagram In 2022

Perfect Timing Is The Key To Optimized Content Engagement!

Always remember that things take time to show results, and when you are working towards your goal with a clear strategy, you will eventually land there :) Use a social analytics tool like Statusbrew to find out your best time to post on several social networks precisely and schedule content accordingly.

Book a FREE demo today to learn how we can help!

Try Statusbrew

Statusbrew is an all-in-one social media management tool that supports Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and even Google My Business.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is the best to post on Instagram on Christmas Eve?

It's recommended to post in the morning for better success on Instagram on Christmas Eve. People will be occupied with their festive activities if you post in the evening.

Is it good to post on Instagram during holidays?

Holidays are a great time to get high traffic on Instagram. Ensure you promote your offers and deals on Instagram if that is the leading social media platform you use for marketing.

What is the best time to post on Instagram for likes?

According to our study, between 9 AM and 4 PM is the time frame to encourage engagement on Instagram and be seen by your audience. This would in turn boost your likes.

What is the best time to post on Instagram on Black Friday?

You should post about offers in the morning on Instagram. However, you should also keep reminding your Instagram audience about your deals and offers throughout the day with stories. Consider posting again about your deals in the evening.

Data Sources

1. Expert SEO Training Institute

2. Present.ly

3. Influencer Marketing Hub

4. Boosted Lightricks

5. BrandMentions

6. Later

7. Sprout Social

8. Social Followers