When it comes to posting on social media, timing is everything. The cultural timing of the specific type of content you post, to how often you post, and at what time of day, can make all the difference. From post engagement and clicks to the number of consumers who follow your conversion funnel, the timing of your social media posts has never been more critical to your ROI. Yet, the “perfect” timing of social media posts varies depending on who you ask. So, how does one go about finding the perfect time and frequency to post? And does this timing stay consistent across all social media platforms? Let’s find out.
Quality vs. Quantity
You’ll often hear digital marketers arguing over whether it’s better to post personalized, high-quality social media content or a larger amount of regular content. The debate rages on, but the numbers don’t lie: posting high-quality content more often will generate the most substantial social ROI.
But while this kind of content is—and always should be—the goal, it takes dedicated time and resources to produce a steady stream of it. Without a large enough team or an adequate digital marketing budget, a brand may feel forced to choose between posting solid content infrequently and posting more general content regularly. Instead, we encourage you to step back and re-examine your social media strategy to see which existing social media account has the most active following and engagement—and deserves more focus.
Blogging or Posting?
Blogs can easily be cascaded as posts on social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, making them valuable, multi-faceted content. Building individualized posts for various platforms can result in more effective targeting and helps with creating a following closer to your ideal consumer base. But keep in mind that you shouldn’t rely solely on either blog content or straight social posts to carry your strategy. Instead, the key to a social media account is finding the ideal balance of relevant blogs, brand announcements, and relatable posts. If this is something your team struggles with or doesn’t have time to maintain, consider partnering with an expert social media team for some extra help.
Nailing the Big Three Social Media Platforms
Although new sites are emerging daily, the three main social media platforms currently leveraged by businesses are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If your brand isn’t already active on these platforms, they’re a great place to start. Here are some tips for determining when and how often you should post on social media to see the best ROI.
Every marketer has heard that two posts a day is the way to go. While this is a great way to keep up engagement and get clicks, this strategy only works well if you already have a significant following. If your online presence isn’t as substantial, timing matters less. Instead, focus on posting engaging content. The stronger your content, the longer it stays on top of news feeds, and the more attention it receives. If you know your primary consumer base surfs the web at a particular time—like after the workday is over— it’s wise to schedule your posts around those peak hours.
Research shows the ideal time to post on Instagram is around 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., or over the lunch hour and after the end of the workday. Since Instagram is primarily designed around photo and video content, ensure that your content calendar is planned out accordingly. With constantly changing algorithms and the knowledge that no two consumer bases are the same, nailing down the best day to post can be difficult. For this reason, it’s vital to monitor your engagement rates and note any days and times that show a significant spike in use.
Companies posting tweets hope to receive re-tweets and a high click-through rate. Twitter feeds are often taken in casually and read on the go or during downtime. This makes more informal tweets highly acceptable and also makes Twitter an ideal platform for targeting the younger demographic. But keep in mind that composing smart, informed, and entertaining tweets can take more time than expected. Without a dedicated team or regularly scheduled tweets, Twitter can eat up a surprising amount of time and resources.
Handling New and Emerging Platforms
While Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have dominated social media as primary use platforms for many businesses in recent years, they are far from the only options. New and growing platforms like TikTok, Vero, and Musical.ly should not be ignored, especially when it comes to their increasing value in capturing the attention of younger generations of consumers. Though some marketers see investing in smaller platforms as a waste of time, developing social profiles on these sites now is an ideal way to stay ahead of social media trends and capture traffic that might otherwise be missed.
Master Social Media With Snap
Whether you decide to post high-quality content or a higher volume of (hopefully still high-quality) content, to blog or create specialized posts, and to utilize Facebook or Twitter, having an experienced social media marketing partner in your corner can give you the edge you need. If you know your brand’s social media needs more attention, or want to get something off your too-full plate of responsibilities, contact Snap. We’re eager to help your team revamp or create an effective social media marketing strategy!