FT
Analytics

Best Times to Post on Social Media in 2026

Posting at the right time can significantly increase your reach and engagement. The best times vary by platform, audience, and content type.

General Principles

Post when your target audience is most likely to be online and active. Consider time zones if your audience is global. Test different times and track results. Consistency matters more than perfection.

Instagram

Best days are Tuesday through Thursday. Peak times are 10 AM for morning commuters, 1 PM during lunch breaks, and 7 PM during evening scrolling. Reels tend to perform well throughout the day. Avoid posting between midnight and 5 AM.

Twitter / X

Best days are Monday through Wednesday. Peak times are 8 AM for morning news check, noon for lunch browsing, and 5 PM for after-work scrolling. B2B content performs best during business hours.

TikTok

Best days are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Early morning (7 AM), lunch (noon), and evening (7 PM) are peak times. The algorithm favors consistency, so posting 1-3 times daily is recommended regardless of specific timing.

YouTube

Publish Thursday through Saturday for maximum weekend viewing. Upload 2-3 hours before peak viewing time to allow for processing and indexing. Peak viewing is typically 7-9 PM.

Finding Your Best Times

Use our Best Time to Post tool as a starting point. Then check your platform analytics for when your specific audience is online. Run tests posting at different times for two weeks and compare engagement rates.

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