The Best Times to Post on Social Media

While nothing is set in stone and there are variables, I have found that during certain days and times, some of my social media posts receive more activity than others. Of course it also depends upon the content of the post, but if you've ever wondered what times might be best to post a particular book related topic, event, question, etc., it could help to know when the social media pages receive the most clicks.

My Internet research, based upon reading various articles (one in particular that tracked the habits of 14 million social media users), seems to indicate that it's best to post content on Facebook and Twitter in the daytime. Users are more consistently sharing between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. EST, and clicking between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST.

Yes, it showed that most users share on Facebook and Twitter in the morning when at work, and clicking can happen more often in the afternoon, until people get off work. In both cases, traffic is heavier during employee break times. I do believe it's true that more people are on social media while at work than we think, but employees also log on once they get home, some catching up on what they've missed, and some who cannot use their cell phones during work hours, or because they just don't have the time when at work.

As far as peak days of the week, Thursdays are busier on Facebook, and Fridays are busier on Twitter, still at the same times, mornings and afternoons.

Personally, I find that evenings, Monday through Thursday, are good times. Surprisingly, users are engaging during the times when people are also watching popular TV shows, like Scandal and Empire, because so many people are online chatting about it. Friday evenings and weekends are slower, with the exception of maybe Sunday nights.

So, it's really a two-sided coin. Whatever works for you is what you should stick to, but being that visibility in this business is so important, and so much revolves around the Internet and our social pages, I feel this would be a cool thing to think about if you're promoting a new book release or sharing a blog page, or just staying in touch with your social media friends.

The more engaging you are and the more popular your page is, Facebook, in particular, is more likely to see to it that your post spreads among your network. It's all part of the Facebook algorithm, and newer users, or less active users, are less likely to have their posts shared to other feeds. If a post receives a lot of likes, shares, and/or comments, it will bubble up to the surface of other people's feeds.

With Facebook, you obviously want your posts to show up often in the stream or news feed. A new post will do that, but also, an older post will as well if you share it later, plus it moves up to the top of your page. If you post while fewer people are on the site, the chances of people seeing it are obviously slimmer, but also, when someone likes your post, shares it, comments, etc., your post appears in various places of your friends' news feeds. Even likes will allow the post to reappear. Have you ever noticed that as soon as someone likes an older post of yours, others begin to like at and comment as well?

Much of this is not rocket science, but it is social media science, and it's food for marketing thought.

Write on and post on!!