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Does anyone argue that Instagram reels depend on timing?
Even sending emails needs to be at the right time so that the person you want to reach is more likely to see them.
So the best time to post reels on Instagram depends on many factors you realize you are not aware of.
This blog will point out some of the most effective ways of understanding your audience and using Instagram insights to figure out when is the best time to post reels on Instagram.
When Is The Best Time To Post Reels On Instagram?
Knowing the best time to post reels on Instagram for each day can help you plan posts and get more engagement from your target audience. When and why it’s the best time to post reels on Instagram will be discussed on different days of the week.
| Day | Time | Reason |
| Monday | 6 AM, 10 AM, 10 PM | Instagram users check their phones Monday morning on the first day of work, during breaks before bed. |
| Tuesday | 2 AM, 4 AM, 9 AM | Early morning and mid-am engagement is high because people are more engaged before work. |
| Wednesday | 7 AM, 8 AM, 11 PM | Midweek posts do well in the morning and late at night when users are catching up or unwinding. |
| Thursday | 9 AM, 12 PM, 7 PM | Many people check social media during lunch hours and after work hours. |
| Friday | 5 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM | People wind down their work week and plan their weekends, so engagement peaks before the weekend. |
| Saturday | 11 AM, 7 PM, 8 PM | Users are more active on weekends, especially late morning and early evening. |
| Sunday | 7 AM, 8 AM, 4 PM | As they prepare for the week, users engage more in the morning and afternoon. |
Each day has different posting times but the perfect time to post reels is between lunch breaks and after the work week wraps up.
I find myself checking my social media platforms too, winding down and catching up on the latest trends.
Please note that these are general guidelines and may not apply universally. Also, think about how your specific audience behaves. For instance, if you are targeting students mostly, then it would be wise to upload posts after school hours have ended.
What Is The Worst Time To Post Reels On Instagram?
- Monday: 2 PM – 4 PM
- Tuesday: 1 PM – 3 PM
- Wednesday: 2 PM – 3 PM
- Thursday: 2 PM – 3 PM
- Friday: 3 PM – 4 PM
- Saturday: 2 AM – 3 AM
- Sunday: 2 AM – 3 AM
Main Reasons:
- During work and school hours, people are busy with their daily tasks.
- Early morning because most users are asleep.
Avoid these times to maximize engagement on your Instagram reels.
Reels vs. Regular Posts
Although Reels are like normal Instagram posts in certain aspects, there are certain differences between them. Consider this:
- Video content: Reels are all about short-form video content, while regular Instagram posts can include photos, videos, and carousel posts.
- Editing options: Reels come with various editing options, such as music, text, or AR effects. This guide from Influencer Marketing Hub shows you how to make Instagram clips from videos you already have.
- Visibility: Reels are showcased on the Explore page, which means that these post types can reach users who do not follow you. As for traditional posts, they only appear before followers unless shared via hashtags or the Explore section.
- Engagement: Reels can be a great way to increase engagement in response to them earning higher likes, comments, and shares than regular posts usually do.
Now that you know more about Instagram Reels and how they differ from regular social media posts, let’s get to the most important point- the best time to post Reels on Instagram to maximize your reach and engagement! Let’s go!
How To Analyze Your Audience?
In short, analyzing means identifying your target audience and considering time zones, and audience habits.
Step 1: Identifying Your Target Audience
Before you start analyzing your audience, there must be an identification of your target. Who do you want to reach out to with what you produce? Are you limiting it to a specific generation, like Millennials or Gen Z? Or do you have one-of-a-kind users, such as moms who stay home or small business owners? Figure out what time these Instagrammers would be online.
After a while, when you get into the groove, posting during peak engagement times. It might take some time but after doing it over and over again, you’ll establish when are the best posting times for the best results.
Step 2: Considering Time Zones and Audience Habits
Once you’ve identified who your target audience is, begin looking into their habits and behaviors, which could lead to identifying the best scheduling insights regarding reels.
Time zones are another factor to consider when analyzing your unique audience. In the case of a global following, you must also keep in mind the time differences that may exist between the various regions where their followers come from.
For instance, as an influencer based in New York with most of my target audiences based in Asia, I should upload my Instagram Reels at their peak hours; which might be early morning hours or even late at night for me.
Your audience’s habits and behaviors must also be taken into account, along with the time zones.
When do they tend to use Instagram the most?
When do they typically engage with your content? You can tell this from their comments, likes, and replies.
Leveraging ‘Instagram Insights’ (more below) gives you a better chance to understand these habits and behaviors your audience exhibited. This allows you to identify when engagement would be at its peak hence determining the appropriate timing for publication purposes.
For instance, by knowing whom you are targeting, their habits, and even their different time zones; one can design a schedule posts that will reach as many people as possible effectively.
You Need To Leverage Instagram Insights…Why?
Let’s talk about Instagram Insights a social media management tool and the most important part for any business owner – yet the least understood or used section of Instagram.
To access Instagram insights, one has to have a creator account or a business account. To know the best/worst ideal time to post content, we need to analyze engagement data.
If you want my engagement rate on Instagram reels to be maximized, then you need to use Instagram insights.
How can it benefit you?
Instagram Insights lets you know what’s working and what’s not working in terms of your content. This would provide audience demographic data on yourself, and other engagement metrics like reach among others.
Now that we know which is the optimal time for posting on social media (that sweet spot), we’ll be able to make better decisions about the content strategy and improve the engagement rate.
After some time, checking out your insights often gives you an opportunity of even learn how the Instagram algorithm actually works!
Here’s how to navigate your Instagram Insights tool:
To access Instagram Insights, follow these steps:
1. Open the Instagram app and go to your Instagram account profile.
2. Choose the reel on which you want to check the insights.
3. Click the three dots (…) at the bottom right-hand side.
4. Choose “Insights.”
Interpreting Engagement Metrics
Analyze metrics that involve likes, comments, shares, and saves. These stats help you find out what kind of content is resonating with the targeted audience and what isn’t.
In order to get the maximum engagement rate, concentrate on formulating valuable or engaging content that is important to your audience. Examples include user-generated content, tutorials, behind-the-scenes footage, or entertaining skits.
Optimal Posting Times
First, check your audience’s time zone. If your audience is global, post at multiple times to reach different time zones. This requires specified periods, like Monday morning lunch and other internet times. We want every moment!
Second, make content engaging. Discuss your worst day and best day, how you spend your week, etc. Your consumers will look forward to your content every day of the week with this social media strategy, which boosts interaction and yields the finest results.
Third, post regularly. When a favorite creator posts at the same time every day, audiences know when to expect fresh content. This allows for more creative post ideas like Instagram stories, reels, carousels, and posts.
Best Practices For Instagram Reels
One of the most important things to keep in mind when creating Instagram Reels is to make sure that your content is engaging and interesting to your audience. – Ensure visual appeal, clear messaging, and ease of understanding in your reels content
Here are some best ways in which business enterprises as well as social media influencers can fully utilize Instagram reels
- Creating vertical content optimized for mobile viewing
- Using trending and relevant music to enhance the appeal of the Reels
- Adding engaging captions and text to make the content more accessible
- Keeping the Reels concise and under 30 seconds for maximum impact
- Using storytelling techniques in making emotional bonds with readers
- Collaborating with other creators and brands to expand reach and engagement
- Using things that prompt the readers’ feedback, like polls, questions, and countdowns.
- Instagram’s algorithm can be leveraged through the use of hashtags, tagging relevant accounts, and adding location tags to increase visibility and chances of appearing on the Explore page
- Consider the timing and frequency of your posts, as they can significantly impact your engagement levels
- Analyzing insights and metrics to refine content strategy and optimize performance
Creating A Content Calendar. Why Does It Matter?
Content calendars are easily one of the most popular tools to allow us to post consistently and plan our content out in advance.
Incorporating Different Types of Content
As a content creator, you also need to think about creative ideas while deciding when they should be posted on your account for higher engagement. So what type of content are you posting right now? Let me give you some creative ideas!
Based on general trends, engaging content on reels may include:
- Educational or informative videos
- Product demonstrations
- Challenges
- Inspirational content
- User-generated features
- Behind-the-scenes glimpses
- Trend-related content
- Quick tips
- Before & after shots
- How-to’s & tutorials
- Answering questions
- Collaborations with other creators
They have been effective in engaging audiences on Instagram Reels before and therefore might still be relevant even in 2024.
To sum up, a successful Instagram Reels strategy should always include creating a content calendar. That way, your followers will not miss out on anything you have posted, hence keeping them more engaged too.
Check out this link on how to transform your simple idea into an engaging reel!
Wrapping Up
Reels have turned into a powerful tool for gaining more followers on Instagram from influencers and brands.
However, there’s no uniform approach to determining the perfect time for uploading reels onto Instagram; it requires continuous attention to the quality of content, analytics tools, and flexibility in strategy to reach the most engagement.
