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In short: According to WordStream data, Monday to Wednesday between 9am and 12pm is generally the best time to post on social media, and the weekend is the weakest. The ideal time still varies by platform and audience. Below you will find recommendations for each network and how to find your own best time.
Timing affects how many people see a post and how much engagement it gets. Each network has windows when your audience is most active. Posting in those windows gives your content a better start, because algorithms first test new posts with a small part of your audience. Read how that works in our article on social media algorithms in 2026.
Best times at a glance
| Platform | Best time | Best days | Weakest day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9am to 12pm | Monday to Wednesday | weekend | |
| 8am to 1pm | Monday to Thursday | Sunday | |
| 8am to 1pm | Monday to Thursday | Sunday | |
| TikTok | weekdays 2pm to 4pm, weekends 9am to 12pm | Tuesday and Saturday | Sunday |
| YouTube | 12pm to 4pm | Friday | Monday |
| X (Twitter) | weekdays 10am to 2pm, Saturday 8pm to 10pm | Monday and Friday | Saturday and Sunday |
All times refer to your audience’s local time. If you target customers in the UK, plan in UK time.
Is there one best time to post?
Recommendations change constantly, and what worked a year ago may not work now. They also differ by audience. As a rough rule, many people scroll in the morning and early in the week. The marketing experts at WordStream name Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday between 9am and 12pm as the strongest window. Their data comes from several platforms, so it can vary slightly.
Besides the time of day, your audience, content type and platform all matter. Test what works for your followers. Often trial and error is the only way to find out.
Best time: 9am to 12pm. Best days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Weakest days: weekend.
LinkedIn is about work and careers, so its audience is active mainly during working hours, especially in the morning. Monday to Wednesday between 10am and 12pm is ideal. More important than the exact time, though, is the first hour after posting: schedule posts when you can reply to comments yourself. See how we win clients on LinkedIn on our LinkedIn lead generation page.
Best time: 8am to 1pm. Best days: Monday to Thursday. Weakest day: Sunday.
Facebook is active almost around the clock, even though its audience is getting older. Avoid the very early hours between midnight and 4am, especially from Friday to Monday. Meta Business Suite shows in your page insights when your own followers are online.
Best time: 8am to 1pm. Best days: Monday to Thursday. Weakest day: Sunday.
Instagram is part of Meta like Facebook, and many people use both, so the recommended times are similar. You cannot go far wrong posting in the morning, and Monday or Tuesday at 9am is considered the single best slot. Consistent, good content matters even more than the time.
TikTok
Best time: weekday afternoons, weekend mornings. Best days: Tuesday and Saturday. Weakest day: Sunday.
Unlike older networks, TikTok peaks in the afternoon between 2pm and 4pm, and at weekends between 9am and 12pm. Early weekday mornings can work too. It seems many people look for entertainment before and after work.
YouTube
Best time: 12pm to 4pm. Best day: Friday. Weakest day: Monday.
Longer videos are watched mainly in the afternoon and evening. Keep in mind that YouTube needs time to process and categorise a video before recommending it. Friday at 6pm is considered the single best slot, so upload a little earlier.
X (Twitter)
Best time: weekdays 10am to 2pm, Saturday 8pm to 10pm. Best days: Monday and Friday. Weakest days: Saturday and Sunday.
Content on X refreshes very quickly, so posting several times a day pays off. According to Buffer, there are three peaks: early morning, around midday and around 5pm.
How to find your own best time
- Check your platform analytics to see when your followers are online.
- Publish similar content at different times and compare reach and engagement after 24 hours.
- Schedule posts with a tool so you can hit the best windows without extra effort.
- Review the results every few months, because habits and algorithms change.
Conclusion
The best time depends on your audience and platform, and there is no universal rule. Use the times above as a starting point and adjust your schedule based on your own data. Timing is only the beginning, though. Content and consistency decide in the end.
Short on time? We look after your profiles as part of our social media management. Book a free consultation.
Read also: LinkedIn B2B lead generation, Facebook ads cost
Sources: WordStream: best time to post on social media, Buffer: best time to post on X
