Best times to post on Instagram

Instagram has truly evolved into a video marketing powerhouse from its original purpose of just a photo-sharing platform. Audiences, time zones, schedules, and algorithms dictate how we should be posting content, and all of this may seem daunting for any creator, regardless of whether they’re just starting out or have years of experience up their sleeve. We get it. This is why we’re here to help you understand and deconstruct the science behind the best times to post on Instagram and, more importantly, we’re giving you some hacks and tips on using just the right tools to save time and create awesome content while at it.

What to consider before posting

Of course, we’re not going to walk you through all the tedious details behind every type of Instagram content format there is, but we do know video and can share some valuable tips. Time is of the essence within any strategy, so our advice is to measure twice and cut once. Actually, scratch that; you can cut as many times as you’d like without worrying about losing your progress. With our online video editing tool, you can work straight from your browser and save all changes. This way, you can test what looks best and revert as many times as you like in a non-destructive way within your video project.

Before we dive right into the nitty gritty, we’ve backtracked our video experience and come up with a couple of tips and tricks and hacks sprinkled here and there to help make your video content creation job a lot easier:

• Automate your workflow as much as possible by using tools like Instagram Ad creators, so you can focus on the creative process more than on technicalities. 
• Pay close attention to social media safe zones. Safe zones for social media are areas that are guaranteed to be visible, without any overlap with the platform’s interface. Place important text and images within the safe zone to ensure that they are always visible, and you can easily repurpose an Instagram Story to other socials. 
• Reuse & repurpose video content by leveraging online tools that automatically resize videos for Instagram to make sure that all audiences, regardless of their preferred platform, have access to the fresh content you’re posting.

We’ve hand-curated extensive research conducted by multiple expert sources such as Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Influencer Marketing Hub, Later and Social Pilot and narrowed down the findings to a simple answer for each day of the week. With tens of thousands of Instagram posts analyzed, there is some convergence in the findings and we’ve carefully selected the times that are the most likely to ensure the highest engagement for your posts. Here’s the rundown:

Best day to post on Instagram

We wish there was a magic formula to have a one-size-fits-all answer to the question of the best day to post on Instagram. Many specialists agree that Wednesday hits the sweet spot, as it’s right in the middle of the week - just the right time for a little digitally-generated energy boost. You can capture your audience’s attention by offering them content that brightens their day. How about creating a funny meme that’s going to be shared by everyone at work? Remember, while this may be a great starting point, be sure to analyze your own data and adjust your posting schedule accordingly to ensure your timing is aligned with your community. 

Monday Momentum

Maximize the Monday momentum and master the new week’s challenges by crafting engaging videos to capture the attention of your audience. Here’s a quick hack: you don’t need to worry about sound copyright infringement if you choose to use a free stock audio library that’s right at your service and guarantees your sound won’t be taken down overnight. 😉

The best time to post on Instagram on Monday is at noon, when everyone’s already caught up on urgent emails, and they’re enjoying their lunch break with a side of light scrolling.

Tuesday Trends

The Monday blues may be gone, but they’re replaced by the Tuesday turmoil of needing-to-get-things-done ASAP. Take it from our experience: turning to trends is a great way to make sure you never run out of Instagram Stories or Reels ideas, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself, as you can easily find inspiration all around the digital world.

The best time to post on Instagram on Tuesday is 9 AM, when everyone’s either commuting to work or getting ready for their day with some digital motivation.
 

Wednesday Wins

By mid-week things have already settled down, translating into steady engagement all over social media. Smooth seas, steady sailing, but definitely no boring social media timelines in sight. Also, a day that’s agreed upon by specialists as being the most popular in terms of engagement when it comes to posting on Instagram, Wednesday is a safe win in terms of posting.

The best time to post on Instagram on Wednesday is 11 AM, when your community is usually taking a break from work or school and recharging their batteries to make it to the weekend.
 

Thursday Thrills

Already running low on energy? Thursdays can use a bit of thrill, and while we love scrolling through the #ThursdayThrowback posts on Instagram, we’re still thinking of ways to make Reel editing easier and faster. Our pro tip is to take advantage of automated captions makers to make your Instagram content even more accessible to everyone effortlessly. 

The best time to post on Instagram on Thursday is at noon, when we all know we’re ready for the weekend and are almost there, so we look forward to a little online pick-me-up content.

Friday Finesse

Kickstarting the weekend engagement with a Friday Flashback session by looking back on the week’s highlights, the classic #TGIF or even a simple #FridayFeeling does the trick at the end of any week. We’re sure you’ve got really great content to share so make sure to test and see which time frame works best for your community.

The best time to post on Instagram on Friday is either 2 PM or 5 PM, as some specialists have concluded that the first interval hits just the right spot, while others argue that the later interval coincides with leaving the office and officially starting the weekend with some Insta inspiration.

Saturday Spotlight

Are you familiar with the “chronically online” phrase? It’s actually more common than you’d think and magically cured on Saturdays, when everyone is out and about. Our best tip for Saturdays is to relax, take it easy, enjoy the start of the weekend, and let the algorithm guide early-morning scrolls to your content.

The best time to post on Instagram on Saturday is in the morning, when everybody is still in bed or getting ready for their day.

Sunday Surprise 

While there seems to be a digital consensus that Sunday is a rest day, you will be surprised to learn the end-of-week strategy behind many popular Instagram accounts. Even in the early morning hours, you will find internet users scrolling through aesthetically-pleasing feeds, so even though it's the weekend, don’t sleep on it and take advantage of Sundays to share content.

The best time to post on Instagram on Sunday is 7 PM, when everyone is going back home, unwinding, and looking for an online cure for the Sunday scaries.

Ready to share your content?

Now that you’ve got all the basics on the best times to post on Instagram, level up your Reels and Instagram Story game by creating aesthetic and meaningful content with a handy, easy-to-use tool. Flixier is an online video editor that can be used by virtually anyone, regardless of their level of experience. What’s even better is that it operates within your browser, so not only do you save time spent on long downloads for intricate software solutions, but you can also resume your work anytime and anywhere. Flixier also boasts a user-friendly interface and numerous features such as effects, transitions, AI features, rich stock libraries, and so much more. Did we mention that most of these are available for free in the trial version?
 

Create your free account today and start Start editing straight from your browser and connect with your Instagram community through stunning video content.