The Perfect Time to Post on Instagram in 2021

Learn how to get more likes on Instagram by knowing when to post on Instagram to reach it’s full potential. Content is king but don’t forget that timing is key.

Posting the right content at the wrong time can result in failure/poor performance. There’s no such thing as a “perfect time” for all businesses, as different companies have varying consumer behaviors.

However, you can determine the ‘best time to post’ by posting at different times for about a month and judging by your posts’ performance. Post-performance can be measured by the number of likes and comments garnered by each post. A more scientific approach to it is by judging by the number of likes per minute. 

Understand that the number of likes or comments gotten from each post really depends on the uniqueness of the content; hence you must try to be consistent with each post’s quality. 

In case you do not have the time to conduct your own research, you can make use of this guide to learn when is the best time to post on Instagram. Alternatively, you can use services such as LeoBoost to help you get likes on Instagram instantly.

Guide Outline

• What Time Drives The Most Engagement on Instagram
• Perfect Time to Post on Instagram Each Day
• Perfect Time to Post on Instagram for B2C Brands
• Perfect Time to Post on Instagram for Tech Brands
• Perfect Time to Post on Instagram for Academic Institutions
• Perfect Time to Post on Instagram for Healthcare Organizations
• Perfect Time to Post on Instagram for NGOs
• Final Thoughts

What Time Drives the Most Engagement on Instagram

A random evaluation of post-performance across various sectors for a particular period suggests the best time to post on Instagram is;

• Wednesday at 11 AM and Friday around 10–11 AM (according to Sprout Social).
• Between 2 PM and 3 PM on Thursdays (according to HubSpot).
• Wednesday at 11 AM and 3 PM (according to Expert Voice).

In line with Sprout Social report, the times of the day with the highest engagements are 5 AM, 11 AM, and 4 PM.

With 2–3 PM being the best time of the day to post on IG, the day of the week you choose to post can determine how much engagement your posts drive. The reason for the disparity is an unpredictable change in the mood and activities of consumers. 

Speaking of consumer behavior, these tips can help you increase your Instagram posts’ performance.

• From Tuesday to Friday: post at 5 AM CDT. Why? Most times, Consumers open their Instagram shortly after they wake up.
• On weekdays: post from 11 AM – 3 PM CDT. Why? It’s typical for working-class consumers to check their Instagram when they are stressed or during lunchtime.
• On weekends: post on Saturday at 11 AM CDT. Why? The perfect time to post on the weekend is when people are eating their brunch or chilling with their loved ones.

The Perfect Time to Post on Instagram Each Day

1. Mon: 9 AM to 5 PM (people were more active at 11 AM and 2 PM).
2. Tue: 8 AM to 6 PM (exceptionally high engagement levels were noticed at 7 PM).
3. Wed: 5 AM to 4 PM (people were more active at 11 AM).
4. Thurs: 5 AM, 11 PM to 4 PM (people were more active at 11 PM).
5. Fri: 9 AM – 10 AM, 11 AM – 1 PM, 2 PM – 4 PM (exceptionally high engagement levels were noticed at 5 AM and 11 AM).
6. Sat: 9 AM to 11 AM.

Note: if you desire high engagement all day, schedule your posts between 9 AM and 6 PM from Tuesday to Friday. Post quality pictures under this timeframe and watch your Instagram engagement rise.

The Perfect Time to Post on Instagram for B2C Brands 

• The perfect time to post for B2C brands is Friday at 11 AM and 1 PM.
• The best day and worst day are Wednesday and Sunday respectively.
• For the most impressive engagement, B2C companies are advised to post every day from 10 AM – 3 PM CDT.

The Perfect Time to Post on Instagram for Academic Institutions 

• The best time to post on Instagram for academic institutions is Monday at 8 PM CDT.
• The best day and worst day are Monday and Sunday, respectively.
• To get the most persistent post engagement, Academic Institutions are advised to post on weekdays from 11 AM to 4 PM.

The Perfect Time to Post on Instagram for Tech Brands 

• The perfect time to post for Tech brands is Wednesday at 10 AM CDT.
• The best day and worst day are Thursday and Sunday, respectively.
• For the most impressive engagement, Tech brands are advised to post from Wednesday to Friday (10 AM – 3 PM CDT).

Perfect Time to Post on Instagram for Healthcare Organizations

• The perfect time to post for healthcare organizations is Tuesday at 1 PM CDT.
• The best day is Tuesday. The worst days are Saturday and Sunday.
• For the most consistent engagement, healthcare organizations are advised to post from Tuesday to Friday (9 AM -4 PM CDT).

Perfect Time to Post on Instagram for Non-Profit Organizations

• The perfect time to post content on Instagram for non-profit organizations is Tuesday at 3 PM and 9 PM, Wednesday at 3 PM and 4 PM, Thursday at 2 PM and 3 PM, and Friday at 10 AM and 2 PM.
• The best day and worst day are Tuesday and Saturday respectively.
• For the most impressive engagement, non-profit organizations are advised to post on weekdays from 12 PM to 5 PM CDT.

Final Thoughts  

As we’ve hinted earlier, there’s no “one size fits all” solution when it comes to Instagram post scheduling. Different schedules work for different brands. Play around with different time schedules before settling for a permanent posting routine. Also, look out for public holidays since people would most likely be less busy and online.