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By Marissa Kasarov
Whether we approach the topic from the perspective of personal or professional use, most of us have a pretty good understanding of the pecking order of our favorite social media outlets.
Even with all of the algorithm changes and threats to business owners, Facebook still reigns as king among social butterflies and marketers alike. Running a close second is Twitter, which is then followed by Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Google Plus.
Using these platforms in a way that maximizes your company’s reach takes practice and dedication, but first, it’s important to understand that each of the social channels has its own peak hours, patterns of use, and user behaviors.
Here’s a roundup of what we know about each platform and how that information affects the way your business should be using social media:
Studies have shown that the best time to post on Facebook falls somewhere between 1:00pm and 4:00pm in your local time zone, because this is when user activity is at its peak. According to FastCompany, it is during these times that workers are struggling to get through their “afternoon slump”, and as it turns out, Facebook is the answer. It’s true! Microsoft and Ipsos have the data to support those claims, and as a result, the act of checking your Facebook account has made its way onto FastCompany’s list of top 4 productivity hacks to help you focus at work.
Twitter is the go-to for workers who are interested in passing the time during lunch hour, and the platform is also more active on Monday through Thursday. If you decide to tweet on Fridays, don’t be shocked when you see little to no engagement. It appears that the twitterverse has better things to do with their weekend!
Interestingly enough, Instagram sees the best rates of engagement at 2:00am and 5:00pm. According to Matt Smith, the founder of the scheduling service, Latergramme, this is when fewer people are actually posting and more people are engaging with what has already been posted. These are great times to catch your target audience, if they happen to fall into Instagram’s most active demographic (which includes over 80% of American upper-income teenaged females, according to BusinessInsider).
This is an easy one! Just about all of the Pinterest-related data that is currently available points to nights and weekends for peak engagement and “pinning’. That’s common sense, right? It’s the best time to try new recipes, crafts, and other DIY activities, which is what Pinterest has come to be known for.
Pay attention to Pinterest, marketers. Experts have identified the platform as the next powerhouse in social media marketing for brands and retailers.
LinkedIn and Google Plus
LinkedIn is known as the network for professionals, which means that when the office closes down for the day, so does this platform. LinkedIn tends to go to sleep outside of normal business hours, which is especially true on Friday afternoons. For maximum engagement, studies have shown that you should post on LinkedIn around noon and 5:00pm mid-week.
Google Plus also appears to be most active during the work week, but unlike LinkedIn, its users tend to check their accounts more in the early mornings (when they are probably also checking their emails).
Social media has become indispensable to businesses and their ability to personalize their products or services. When a plan is put into place, these platforms become even more effective. Pay attention to when your followers are most active and how they respond to the specific messages that you’re sending. Monitoring these insights allows you to fine-tune your efforts and garner the best possible exposure for your brand, regardless of the time of day.
Need help managing your social media channels, writing content for your social media and blog or learning about social media best practices? Contact us today to find out how we can help.
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Image courtesy of Hubspot. Used with permission.
