Monday, October 1, 2012

Is Timing Really Everything? The Best and Worst Times to Post on Twitter and Facebook?

Looking for more retweets next week? Tweet on Monday, between 1- 3 pm EST.
How about more likes or shares? Then you better make sure you’re free to post on Wednesday at 3 pm.
This is all according to new data from link shortening and tracking service, bit.ly.
Check out some of their other findings:
Facebook
  • Links posted between 1-4 pm result in highest click-through rates
  • During the week, Facebook traffic peaks between 1-3 pm
  • Links posted before 8 am or after 8 pm are less likely to get shared
Twitter
  • Traffic is at its peak Monday – Thursday, 9-3 pm
  • Tweets posted after 3 pm on Friday or during the weekend are less likely to be retweeted
Bottom Line: While these findings are definitely helpful to keep in mind when managing your social schedule, they are not going to be your secret weapon to social media success. Social media isn’t something that you can set your watch by and as a small business owner, you know how unpredictable customer behavior can be.
Want to really know the best time to post on Facebook or Twitter? Do your own research. Pay attention to when your customers are engaging and don’t worry if those times fall outside of 1-3 pm on a Monday.
(Want to test these findings? Try sharing this post during those peak traffic times and see how your friends engage!)