Why Posting Times Matter
The algorithm measures how much interaction your post receives in the first few minutes after publication. If you post when your target audience is asleep, you'll get little engagement – and the post will hardly be distributed further.
Best Times on Instagram
For Swiss SMEs, the following time windows have proven to be most effective based on experience: Tuesday to Friday between 11 AM and 1 PM (lunch break) and evenings between 7 PM and 9 PM. Monday mornings often perform weaker. On weekends, it depends heavily on the target audience.
Best Times on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is primarily used during working hours. Tuesday to Thursday between 8 AM and 10 AM typically achieves the highest reach. The period from 5 PM to 6 PM (end of the workday) also works well. On weekends and public holidays, LinkedIn is significantly less active.
Your Own Data is Most Valuable
The mentioned times are benchmarks. Your target audience may differ. Look at your analytics tools to see when your followers are most active and adjust your times accordingly.
Use Planning Tools
With planning tools like Buffer, Later, or Hootsuite, you can create posts in advance and have them automatically published at the optimal time. This way, you don't have to be on your phone during lunchtime.
Conclusion
Posting times are an easily optimizable lever for more reach. Invest 15 minutes in analyzing your analytics, and you will see when your target audience is truly active.