The search for the best social media posting times is as old as social media itself. Everyone wants to know: When to post to make it work? The honest answer is uncomfortable: there is no magic time. But there are patterns. And that's what this is all about. No high gloss, no "studies say" phrases. Instead, a sober classification of how posting times really work, why they are often overestimated - and how you can use them wisely. Dead internet SEO, but useful.
When people talk about the best times to post, most people mean:
more reach
more engagement
better visibility
But: Posting times are not a performance lever, but an amplifier. Good content at the wrong time performs worse. Bad content at the perfect time remains bad.
Algorithms react sensitively to
early interactions
quick reactions after publication
first signals (likes, comments, clicks)
The posting time therefore influences how many people see your content before the algorithm decides whether it should be displayed further.
Before we get to platforms, a simple rule:
👉 Post when your target audience is active - not when studies say they are.
Posting times depend on:
Target audience
time zones
platform
Content type
Average values are a guide, not a guarantee.
Typical patterns:
weekdays
in the morning (7-9 am)
evenings (6pm - 9pm)
Instagram responds strongly to early engagement. When your target group scrolls, reach and engagement rate increase faster.
👉 Especially relevant for:
Reels
Carousels
Content with save or share potential
TikTok works differently:
less follower-dependent
more algorithm-driven
Content can perform with a time delay
Typical time slots:
midday (12-14 o'clock)
in the evening (7 pm - 10 pm)
Here content performance is more important than timing - but bad times slow down the start.
LinkedIn is strongly tied to working hours:
Tuesday through Thursday
in the morning (8-10 a.m.)
early lunch breaks
Visibility drops significantly in the evenings and at weekends - especially in the B2B context.
Facebook shows
lower organic reach
Greater dependence on existing interactions
Typical times:
mornings
early evenings
Without an active community, good timing quickly fizzles out.
platform | Typical good times |
7-9 a.m., 6-9 p.m. | |
TikTok | 12-14 h, 19-22 h |
8-10 a.m. (weekdays) | |
9-11 a.m., 6 p.m. |
👉 These are guidelines, not rules.
Many people hope:
If I post at the right time, I'll get reach.
In reality:
Timing determines the starting conditions
Content determines progression
Posting times help, but they don't save content.
Engagement occurs more frequently
when users have time
when content is understood immediately
when reactions are easy
This explains why:
Breaks
closing time
morning routines
often work better than "random times".
Companies often post
during office hours
for professional target groups
This works for LinkedIn - less so for Instagram or TikTok.
Creators are more oriented towards:
Leisure
entertainment
spontaneous moments of use
Open Insights or Analytics
Check the activity times of your followers
Post content at similar times
Compare reach & engagement
Your own data beats any study.
Blindly copying times
Treat platforms equally
Ignore target group
Do not consider content type
Overestimating individual posts
This leads to false conclusions - despite good data.
The times when your target group is active.
When early interactions are likely.
No. Only average values.
No. Content beats timing.
Via social media analytics and tests.
The best social media posting times are not a hack, they are:
data-based
Target group-dependent
platform-dependent
Posting times optimize performance - but they don't create relevance.
If your content works, good timing will help. If not, even the perfect time won't help.