All courses Social Media Marketing

Instagram · Lesson 19 of 43

Posting Schedule

Finding the right time to post your content is just as important as finding the right posts to share.

1 Learn the concept

Finding the right time to post your content is just as important as finding the right posts to share. A good schedule balances consistency with your audience's habits. This lesson shows how to figure out the best times using your insights and how to build a realistic posting rhythm you can maintain.

A bar chart showing average engagement for posts published at morning, noon, evening and nightENGAGEMENT BY POSTING TIME (EXAMPLE)Morning (7 to 9)42 avg. reactionsLunch (12 to 14)58 avg. reactionsEvening (18 to 20)83 avg. reactionsLate night (22 to 24)24 avg. reactions
Test posting times for a few weeks, then keep the best.

2 See it in action

  • Check insights for when your followers are online.
  • Choose a frequency you can sustain.
  • Be consistent so followers know what to expect.
  • Test times for a few weeks and adjust.

Worked example

A four-week test

Week 1: post at lunch. Week 2: evenings. Week 3: mornings. Week 4: back to the best.

Record reactions for each post.

Result in the example: evenings average 83 reactions, so the schedule shifts to 7 p.m.

Check: keep other things equal, and use your own insights, not these numbers.

3 Study an example

Example scenario

A café posts at noon because insights show followers are active at lunch. After a month of tests it finds mornings work better for its audience and moves its schedule.

4 Apply it and download

  1. Find your best days and times from insights.
  2. Choose a posting frequency.
  3. Set your schedule in the 30-day content calendar.

Worksheet 30-day content calendarOpen, print or save as PDF

Ready to get started?

Businesses get matched with vetted marketing interns. Interns get real experience and a mentor. Pick your path and get started in minutes.