Best Times to Post on Instagram During the Holidays

There are two aspects to studying the best time to post on Instagram. Both of them are explained in brief below-

The General Timing – The general time is the one where all people (an approximate estimation) are free and scrolling Instagram. It could be at night when everyone returns home and takes some ‘me time.’

The Specific Timing – Multiple factors help you know your specific time to post depending upon the niche of your content and the desired audience base.

Continue reading the blog to know more about timings, factors, audiences, days, and everything that will help you know the best time to post on Instagram during holidays.

Figuring out the best time to post is not really about the post but rather the time at which you want people to see your content. However, it is associated with the algorithm that is unique to IG’s each part.

So, when you are posting the content into a specific posting schedule, it is only one part of a more integrated and complex system porting your content all across the platform.

“Instagram’s algorithm and UX changes have made an impact on the effectiveness of posting at specific times. Unless your users are consuming their content in the “following” view, the time your audience will see your content can vary.” – says an Instagram expert

When you follow the Instagram algorithm rightly and keep yourself updated with all new reforms, you will witness maximized engagement impacting strategies and users.

The very first step is to keep up with all the latest social media news. However, the best way to sync with the Instagram algorithm is to keep yourself updated with all the latest news. You must also run tests with your IG posts to understand the latest IG algorithm.

Here are posting techniques that will help you stay in sync with the Instagram algorithm:

• Stay consistent with your posting schedule
• Post at the best times for your audience on IG
• Have consistent timings and a wider test group

Instagram is a hub of multi-niche content where every page has a unique audience that serves specific behavior patterns. This is why every brand has a soft spot for posting on IG.

But, you don’t end here with these said lines. There exist best practices that every social media marketer can follow to yield the best results.

The IG algorithm is tilted toward recency, which means posting when followers are online is the biggest hack. A newer post will always show up higher in the list than an old one. This is one big reason for you to consider time as a crucial factor when posting on Instagram.

There exists an optimal time for a targeted audience, specific regions, and specific business segments. Therefore, there are a variety of factors that determine the best posting times for best results. A few significant factors are discussed below:

#1. Days of the Week

Days of a week have a lot of difference in the time a user spends on social media platforms like Instagram. For instance, Monday to Wednesday is a lot busier, while Thursday and Friday are a little lighter, with Saturdays and Sundays being the best days for traffic on social media.

• Mondays-Wednesday (Low traffic)
• Thursday – Friday (Average Traffic)
• Saturday – Sunday (Best Traffic Days)

#2. Breaks during the Work Day

This is a key factor to understand, especially for posting during the weekdays. Several reports suggest that people use Instagram during their break hours. Thus, you must schedule the post during break hours.

Even on holidays, people like scrolling Instagram when they take a break from moving around places (when on a vacation). No-brainer break hours include:

• Breakfast hours
• Lunch hours
• Tea Times

Dinners are not ideal because people go out or have special dinner plans during holidays and vacations. Also, they are too tired during dinner to interact or engage.

#3. Frequency of Posting

For you to choose the best posting time on Instagram is dependent on the number of posts you have planned for the following day or the week. There are two ways you can go about with the posts on Instagram:

• Spread multiple posts across various timings to upkeep with varied audience segments. (for example – when you are targeting adults, teens, and middle-aged at the same time)
• Focus on quality with one post in a day, being more deliberate about the posting times.

#4. Audience Type

The audience you are targeting on Instagram might not be working in sync with Instagram’s behavioral patterns. Instagram insights offer an exceptional look at your audience type. The more you will be able to understand your audience type, the more accurately you will be able to structure your posting practices.

The list of posting times on Instagram throughout the week is provided below. Utilize the best timings that suit your needs and enhance engagement on Instagram.

Please take note that these hours have been universally accepted:

1. Monday

The best times to post on Mondays are:

• Mornings – Between 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.

• Evenings – 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

The peak hour on Mondays are usually 7 p.m.

2. Tuesday

The best times to post on Tuesdays are:

• Mornings – Between 6 a.m. to 7 a.m.

• Evenings – A slightly lower engagement peak at 6 p.m.

The peak hour on Tuesday is usually 7 a.m.

3. Wednesday

The best times to post on Wednesdays are:

• Mornings – Between 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.

• Evenings – No real peaks in the evening

The peak hour on Wednesday is usually 7 a.m.

4. Thursday

The best times to post on Thursday are:

• Mornings – Between 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.

• Evenings – 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

The peak hour on Thursday is usually 7 a.m.

5. Friday

The best times to post on Fridays are:

• Mornings – Between 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.

• Evenings – 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.

The peak hour on Friday is usually 4 p.m.

6. Saturday

The best times to post on Saturdays are:

• Mornings – Between 7 a.m.

• Evenings – 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

The peak hours on Saturdays are usually 7 a.m.

7. Sunday

The best times to post on Sundays are:

• Mornings – No great engagement hours

• Evenings – 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

The peak hours on Sundays are usually 7 p.m.

There are so many niches to work on and excel in on Instagram; there’s a variety of content present on the platform. We have picked up the top 3 niches on Instagram and suggested the best time to post accordingly.

#1. Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle

• There are so many Instagrammers who have benefitted from Instagram through content creation in the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle segment. This is the most celebrated segment on Instagram.
• Your audience is aged between older teens (16 -19) to 45 years. These people are office going and the best time you will find them active is in the morning between 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and in the evening between 6 p.m. to 8 p.m..
• A very significant crowd is also online from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.

#2. Food & Beverage

• Food is exceptionally loved by all! It is one niche on Instagram that all age groups active on Instagram would find interesting.
• However, for recipes and food ideas, the common audience is stay-at-home women. However, everyone finds it delectable to watch and interact with food content.
• The best time for you to post is in the afternoon from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

#3. Hacks & Memes

• Instagram is a hub for members and hacks. If you are promoting hacks on Instagram, your target audience depends on the kind of hacks you are posting.
• If you are targeting the everyday problems of young adults, then they are the audience you must be considering. In general, memes are popular amongst young and middle-aged adults.
• The best time to post hacks & memes on Instagram is 9 p.m. to 12 midnight!

Instagram promotes posting multiple types of content. It includes posting reels, statistics, stories, and carousels. Each type of post appears differently and makes a unique appeal to people. Hence, understanding the best ways to use the content is knowing the right times to post content-wise.

#1. Instagram Reels

• Reels on Instagram are the trendiest content, and everyone is a fan of them. Whatever time you post the reel, it will work better than other types of content.
• The best time to post reels on Instagram is between 9 a.m.-12 p.m during weekdays. For weekends, you might shift it to 6 p.m.

#2. Instagram Video

• Instagram videos are similar to Instagram reels. Thus, the best time to post Instagram videos remains the same as for IG reels.
• The best time to post IG videos is 9 a.m.-12 p.m. during weekdays. For weekends, it is 6 p.m.

#3. Instagram Story

• Instagram stories go well throughout the day. You can post 4 to 5 Instagram stories throughout the day.
• Whatever BTS (Behind the Scenes) you are capturing, just put it on your stories then and there! Or start posting a poll in the morning and let people engage all through the day.
• There are various features for IG stories and the best part is all hours of the day are amazing to post a story.
• It is one of those Instagram features that is meant for 24-hour engagement.

#4. Instagram Live

• Live sessions on Instagram have to be pre-planned, especially when you have a business account on Instagram.
• You need to fix the date and time 5 days prior, promote it amongst the IG users through statistics and stories, and then go live.
• It is usually at night when people have their leisure time.

#5. Instagram Carousel & Static

• Carousel posts on Instagram are one step forward from static posts. A carousel is a set of multiple static posts in one post. Hence, the peak posting hours for carousels and statics are nearly the same.
• Post your carousels and statics either in the morning (8 p.m.-10 p.m.), in or afternoon (1 p.m.- 3 p.m.), or in the evening (6 p.m.-8 p.m.)

Location can highly influence the social media marketing strategy’s success. Audiences in different locations behave differently as per their time zones. You have a great chance to benefit in terms of traction on posts when you have understood the most active hours of your targeted audience base.

Here’s some data on the best times to post on Instagram spread region-wise as per varying time zones.

#1. North America

• It is observed that the best time to post on Instagram in North America is between 6 to 9 PM. These hours have seen an immense rush in engagement.
• It is no surprise because this is the time when people start writing work and access Instagram soon after they get free from work.

#2. UK and Ireland

• The best time to post on Instagram in Ireland and the UK is from 10 PM to 2 AM. This is the time of maximum traffic in the region.
• It does sound too late, but even when you are working in Ireland and the UK, you will want to use a post-scheduling tool and plan it ahead of time. Otherwise, you will have to log in at 1 AM to post.

#3. Asia-Pacific

• In the Asia-Pacific time zone, the best time to post is 7 -9 PM. These hours have witnessed a huge surge in engagement levels.
• Also, you must be careful about not posting between 5 to 7 PM as those hours have extremely low engagement.

As an Instagram marketer, you must plan a post for festivities! The upcoming bigger occasions include Christmas and New Year’s. Almost the whole of the West is included in holidays and celebrations at this time.

Let’s discuss the best time to post on Christmas & New Year that makes for the best of New Year holidays!

1. Best Time to Post Christmas Wishes

• Christmas is a time when people are engaged in holidays and activities all through the day. For you to put a Christmas post in the afternoon or late evening would not make sense.
• Half your audience might not view and like your Christmas post when you post it later in the day. The best time is between 7 to 9 in the morning.

2. Best Time to Post New Year Wishes

• So many of you already know the best time to post New Year wishes. It has to be at the ticking hour of the clock when it runs 12 midnight.
• Everyone is up & that’s when you should wish the world a ‘Happy New Year’. No other time works better than this. However, if you forget, you might compensate for it the other morning.

Do you have a posting time for your Instagram posts after reading this blog? The answer is definitely a yes! The guide entails information about the best posting hours by your niche, target audience, time zones, and literally everything that pairs and relates with it. The holiday season is a time when your audience is active and also not-so-active. Be very strategic about what you post, how you post, and at what hour you post, and make a master plan for scheduling Instagram posts during the holiday season.