What is the best time to post on Instagram to make sure a post gets seen?
And what about the best time to post on Instagram for likes, comments, shares, and sales?
The Instagram algorithm prioritizes recency, so posting when your followers are online is key. This means that, if all else is equal, a newer post will show up higher on the newsfeed than an older one.
Recency is honestly one of the quickest, easiest wins when it comes to optimizing a post for success. (Though we have plenty more tips on getting free Instagram likes if you’re interested).
Of course, all businesses and audiences are different, so we’ll also help you calculate your brand’s unique best times to post.
The Hootsuite team partnered with data science agency Critical Truth for a comprehensive study. We analyzed over 1 million social posts — across industries and social networks — and we found the definitive best times to post on Instagram for maximum engagement.
Keep reading for the most recent available data (collected in Q4 of 2024).
Note: Unless stated otherwise, the time of day was localized across 118 countries where sample data came from, i.e. the graphs below are accurate across time zones.
The overall best time to post on Instagram
To find these results, we analyzed data from over 1 million social posts from businesses of all sizes. Then, we consulted with our own social team for insights gained from posting to an audience of 170k followers.
(Drum roll, please…)
The universal best times to post on Instagram are:
- 3 pm to 9 pm on Mondays
- 5 am to 8 am and 3 pm to 7 pm on Tuesdays
- 5 pm to 7 pm on Thursdays
Planning on posting more than once a week? Here’s a breakdown of the best times to post on Instagram for each day of the week.
| Day of the week | Time |
|---|---|
| Monday | 3 pm to 9 pm |
| Tuesday | 5 am to 8 am / 3 pm to 7 pm |
| Wednesday | 5 pm |
| Thursday | 4 pm to 5 pm |
| Friday | 4 pm |
| Saturday | 11 am / 5 pm |
| Sunday | 12 pm to 3 pm |
If you’re just starting off on Instagram and don’t have a lot of past data or audience insights to work with, try posting around these peak times.
As your account grows, we recommend tweaking your posting schedule to fit your specific audience’s activity patterns. Use Hootsuite’s Best Time to Post heatmaps to learn exactly when your audience is online and most likely to engage.
Find out when your audience is online and optimize your posting schedule for maximum engagement. It’s so easy.
Start free 30-day trialBest time to post on Instagram by industry
Your industry defines your audience, and different audiences interact with Instagram content on different schedules. Below, you’ll find the best times to post on Instagram across 10 major industries.
Construction, mining, and manufacturing
According to the most recent data, the best times to post on Instagram in the construction, mining, and manufacturing industry are:
- 3 pm to 6 pm on Tuesdays
- 2 pm to 5 pm on Wednesdays
- 4 pm to 6 pm on Thursdays
Dining, hospitality, and tourism
The best time to post on Instagram in the dining, hospitality, and tourism industry is 11 am to 3 pm on Wednesdays.
Consumer goods and retail
The best times to post on Instagram in consumer goods and retail are:
- 7 am to 11 am on Mondays
- 5 pm to 7 pm on Tuesdays
- 9 am on Thursdays
- 6 am to 10 am / 5 pm to 9 pm on Fridays
Financial services
The best times to post on Instagram for financial institutions are:
- 11 am to 2 pm on Wednesdays
- 11 am to 4 pm on Fridays
Government
The best time to post on Instagram for government agencies and officials is from 12 pm to 3 pm on Thursdays.
Healthcare, pharma, and biotech
The best times to post on Instagram for organizations in the healthcare sector are:
- 1 pm to 3 pm on Mondays
- 9 am to 12 pm on Thursdays
- 8 am to 11 am on Saturdays
Marketing agencies
The best times to post on Instagram for marketing agencies are:
- 9 am to 11 am on Mondays
- 8 am to 10 am on Fridays
Media and entertainment
The best times to post on Instagram in the media and entertainment industry are:
- 1 pm on Sundays
- 7 am to 8 am on Tuesdays
- 5 pm on Wednesdays
- 2 pm to 4 pm on Fridays
Nonprofit
The best times to post on Instagram in the nonprofit sector are:
- 10 am to 1 pm on Wednesdays
- 2 pm to 5 pm on Thursdays
Utilities and energy
The best times to post on Instagram in the utilities and energy industry are:
- 2 PM – 5 PM on Tuesdays
- 1 PM – 3 PM on Thursdays
Best times to post on Instagram for 8 time zones
Arabia Standard Time
The best time to post on Instagram in Arabia Standard Time is from 2 pm to 4 pm on Thursdays.
Atlantic Standard Time
The best time to post on Instagram in AST is from 7 am to 10 am on Thursdays.
Central European Time
The best times to post on Instagram in CET are:
- 7 pm to 8 pm on Mondays
- 4 pm to 6 pm on Thursdays
Central Standard Time
The best times to post on Instagram in CST are:
- 11 am on Wednesdays
- 8 am to 12 pm on Saturdays
Eastern Standard Time
The best time to post on Instagram in EST is 11 am on Saturday.
Mountain Standard Time
The best time to post on Instagram in MST is 9 am on Saturdays.
Pacific Standard Time
The best time to post on Instagram in PST is also 9 am on Saturday.
Coordinated Universal Time
The best times to post on Instagram in UTC are:
- 2 pm to 7 pm on Mondays
- 4 pm to 7 pm on Tuesdays
- 11 am to 4 pm on Thursdays
Factors that influence the best time to post on Instagram
Of course, the best times to post on Instagram are different for every business. It’s not just about your content and posting schedule, but also the habits of your audience, the current social climate, and geographical trends.
Here are a few things to consider when diving into your posting time data.
Your unique audience
Just like every body type is different (and needs different pants) every business audience is different (and needs different attention).
Think about it this way: an online e-commerce business that sells sneakers is going to have a completely different audience than a bank, or a healthcare facility. Sure, there might be some overlap (everyone needs shoes) but trying to target the same audience as a shoe-seller probably won’t work out in the long run.
When your audience is online depends on their unique schedules and habits. People looking for shoes likely do so on weekends or after work. Or, maybe they do it during the weekday while sitting at their desk.
You really can’t know when your audience is most active without looking into your data. Only then will you see what your specific audience tends to do (and not do) online.
Pro Tip: Social listening is one of the best ways to understand your audience.
The built-in Instagram Insights tool will give you some data about when your audience is most online.
Or, you can take advantage of the best time to post on Instagram suggestions and heat maps built into the Hootsuite platform.
As you read through your data, keep an eye on the following:
- Age groups: Younger audiences, like teenagers and young adults, tend to be online late at night and on weekends. Older users might check Instagram early in the morning or during lunch breaks.
- Work schedules: For working professionals, posting during commute times (early morning and late afternoon) or lunch breaks can get you the most engagement.
- Daily routines: Think about what your audience does each day. Fitness fans might check Instagram around their workout times, while parents might be more active during school hours.
The more you know about your audience’s habits, the better equipped you’ll be to reach them when they are most likely to interact with you. And interactions = results (well, most of the time, anyways).
Pro Tip: Use Hootsuite Analytics to learn about your audience’s habits and tailor your posting schedule to fit their routines.
Your industry
Okay, so you understand when your audience is most active online. And you’re already posting at times that are most likely to engage them. Nice work.
Now, it’s time to start thinking of growing that audience — and what better way to do that than to take a peek at your wider industries, and maybe even your competitor’s data.
Your industry will impact the availability of your audience and your best time to post on Instagram data. For example, if you’re a business targeting nurses and doctors, you might see an influx of activity late at night, or super early in the morning.
In the same vein, knowledge workers will be most active before and after work, with a little bump up midday around lunch breaks.
You can use advanced tools like Hootsuite’s industry benchmarking tool to see not only what your audience is doing, but what your competitors’ audience is doing (remember, they might be your audience one day, too).
Use this data to paint a picture of your ideal audience, and begin to learn how to target and engage them with your posting times.
Pro Tip: New to competitor research? Check out our competitor analysis template and guide to dig deep into industry data, trends, and tips.
Time zones
Of course, localization is another important factor in your best time to post on Instagram data. Much of the data we’ve provided in this blog is shown in Pacific Standard Time (PST) but if your business is operating in Eastern Standard Time (EST) or even India Standard Time (IST) you’ll need to convert those times to your specific time zone for accuracy.
If you’re targeting audiences at a global level, this data becomes even more granular.
Consider posting at times that straddle time zones. For example, 6 AM PST is 9 AM EST, which might give you access to both Eastern and Western audiences at the same time. Or, posting at 9 PM PST will reach people in Indian at around 9 AM IST. You get the drift.
Similarly, posting once in the morning for your North American audience, and again in the late evening for your overseas audience, can help open your content up to a more globalized audience.
As always, don’t go about this uninformed. Use your data as a guide to see when your audience is most online, and most engaged.
Algorithm changes
Algorithm changes are the bane of every social media manager’s existence. One day you’re ranking high, and the next you might as well be invisible.
We get it.
But, keeping up with Instagram’s algorithm is key when figuring out the best times to post. The algorithm doesn’t just show posts in order of when they were shared; it prioritizes content it thinks you’ll find most interesting.
Here’s what the Instagram algorithm is prioritizing right now:
- Engagement: Instagram loves posts that get lots of likes, comments, shares, and saves right after being posted. So, posting when your audience is most active can help boost your content.
- Relevance: Instagram decides how relevant each piece of content is by analyzing its fit with trending topics and its timeliness. Posting at peak times ensures that your content is fresh and more likely to appear in their feeds.
- Content type: The algorithm also takes into account the type of content users interact with the most. If your audience prefers videos or Stories, posting these types at optimal times can help your content stand out.
Always stay updated with Instagram’s changes and adjust your strategy accordingly to keep your posts visible.
Geographical events
Geographical events can impact your engagement rate and may require you to revamp your posting time schedule on the fly.
For example, if an earthquake just occurred in your target area and power has been cut, your audience may be on and offline at new hours.
You may also find that a social media crisis, whether related to your brand or industry, or not, can affect how and when your posts are seen.
Holidays, school schedules, and political events can all influence the way people act online, so be on the lookout for any changes in engagement, and adjust your posting times accordingly.
How to find your unique best time to post on Instagram with Hootsuite
Finding your unique best time to post on Instagram is easier than ever with Hootsuite. Use these powerful tools to help you pinpoint the perfect times to share your content for maximum engagement.
Here’s how you can use Hootsuite to find those best time to post on Instagram sweet spots:
Best Time to Publish
Hootsuite’s Best Time to Publish feature takes the guesswork out of scheduling your posts. It analyzes your past performance and audience engagement patterns to recommend the optimal times for your content.
Here’s how to use it in your dashboard:
Navigate to your Hootsuite dashboard and go to Analytics.
From the left-hand menu, choose Best Time to Publish.
Choose the Instagram account you want to see Best Time to Post data on from the dropdown menu.
Here, you’ll see customized heatmaps that dig into your audience’s Instagram habits, plus recommendations on the best days and times to post.
Hootsuite provides specific time slots where your posts are likely to get the most engagement. These insights are based on your unique audience data, ensuring personalized advice.
You can also filter the data by your specific goals, whether it’s for reach, awareness, or engagement. This allows you to tailor the recommendations to what matters most for your Instagram strategy.
Recommended Times in Composer
When you’re ready to create a post, Recommended Times in Composer lets you find out when is the best time to post on Instagram directly in your drafted post.
Here’s how it works:
Start by crafting your Instagram post in the Composer. Add your image, caption, hashtags, and any other elements.
As you’re composing your post, choose Schedule for later in the bottom right corner. Then, select the date and time you’d like your post to go live.
Here, Hootsuite suggests the best times to publish right within the Composer. These suggestions are tailored based on your audience’s activity patterns and your previous post performance.
Choose one of the recommended times, or select a custom time that fits your strategy. With Hootsuite’s data-driven recommendations, you can be confident that you’re posting when your audience is most active.
Save time managing your social media presence with Hootsuite. Publish and schedule posts, find relevant conversions, engage your audience, measure results, and more — all from one dashboard. Try it free today.
