Instagram. One of the coolest yet most frustrating social media networks ever. It can be such a finicky child to figure out, but once you get it, you can actually do quite well when it comes to exposure, followers, and engagement.
One of the things I’ve noticed since moving to Europe is that my typical Instagram posting times (10am and 8pm) has not done me any favors over here. Unfortunately when I post at 10am in the morning it’s 4am back in New York — meaning all my US followers are dead asleep and probably won’t even see my post at all as it’ll be far buried by the time they wake up. Alternatively, if I post at 8pm, it’s 2pm back in the U.S. and most people are right smack dab in the middle of their work day — also no bueno for Instagram exposure.
Why does this matter?
If you’re looking to grow your Instagram and gain exposure, you definitely don’t want your carefully planned and edited pictures to be hidden under mounds of other Instagram posts. That’s just a waste of your time.
So when should you post on Instagram?
Of course it’s dependent on who your target audience is, but for me, I tend to have a lot of US based followers. When I was living in South Korea, New Zealand, and now even Europe, posting whenever during the day in the country I was residing, did not give me the best results. However, if I posted during peak times in the US I received a lot more interaction in comments, follows, and likes.
The best times to post tend to be at 7am, 5pm, and 2am EST. Why? During these times people aren’t working. They’re most likely waking up, getting off work or school, and going to bed. Think about it, that’s when you scroll through your Instagram feed right?
If increasing your Instagram reach and interactions are important to you, definitely give this a try and let me know if it works for you?
The Huffington Post has an in-depth article on this exact topic (they use handy dandy graphs if you’re a visual person). Although I’m no Instagram expert, I’m always learning new things on how to get the most out of my account, and hopefully the things I’ve learned can help you too!
>> Other posts I’ve written on this: 7 Tips to Help Grow Your Instagram
Have any more Instagram tips or suggestions? Voice them in the comments — I’d love to hear!