Best Times to Post on Facebook in 2021 — A Guide For Marketers

Updated January 2021

Imagine gaining an edge on your Facebook competition without spending thousands of dollars on research.

Let’s say someone hands you a report that shows you exactly what times of the day (and week) audiences interact with brands on Facebook.

And, since these times are so unpredictable, imagine that same report includes tips on how to post during COVID’s ever-changing effect on your audience’s schedule.

Now, you’ve got an edge.

In this guide, we share the best times to post in 2021 for your industry, the holidays, your marketing objectives, and even for the unpredictable and constantly-changing pandemic-era workforce.

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Does Facebook Still Matter?

Facebook’s influence is greater in 2021 than at any other time in history, and its 2.7 billion users are highly-receptive to brands.

Here’s why you’ll want to make sure your brand is well-represented on Facebook this year.

According to Hubspot’s State of Marketing report, Facebook performance outshines other social platforms by a longshot:

• #1 social platform for highest ROI (by a landslide)
• #1 social platform for content distribution
• #1 social channel used by marketers
• #1 best ROI on paid advertising

Source: 2020 State Of Marketing report by Hubspot

Facebook also takes the #1 spot for most popular social media network.

Check out more mind-bending Facebook statistics here:
The Ultimate List of 83 Facebook Statistics

Best Times To Post On FaceBook (For Most Brands)

This guide’s information is based on our analysis of a compilation of studies and reports from several sources, including Optinmonster, Influencer Marketing Hub, Hubspot,  TrackMaven, Sprout Social,  Unmetric, Hootsuite, Caylor Solutions, and Robben Media.

In this section, we show you the best general times for brands to post on Facebook.

There’s a catch, however. 

No general posting times can accurately reflect the changing landscape of 2021, but last year’s audience behavior offers some clues about what to expect.

Every day, work-from-home schedules and changes to users’ social activities alter people’s regular routines, affecting the times that users are online and interacting with brands.

If your audience’s daily routine has become unpredictable due to COVID, or if you’re looking for more effective times to post on Facebook during the pandemic, check out our “Best Times To Post During COVID” section below.

The best general posting below times are a great place to start if your company is brand new, or if you don’t have enough previous Facebook Business history to determine when your audience is most likely to interact with your content.

The #1 Best Time To Post On Facebook Is 11 a.m. On Wednesdays

The 11:00 a.m. time slot is a well-proven favorite, consistently showing a peak in usage. 

Combine that with users’ favorite day – Wednesday – and you’ve got the best of the best of the best time to post on Facebook!

Since the 11:00 a.m. time slot is so popular, you might consider publishing your best, most engaging content during this hour.

The Second Best Time To Post On Facebook Is  1-2 p.m. On Wednesdays

The Wednesday lunch hour from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. is an excellent time for most brands to post content on Facebook.

Whether they’re enjoying a quiet lunch while browsing social media or trying to get their “head back in the game” for the rest of the workday, Facebook users flock to the platform, ready to interact during the Wednesday lunch hour.

The Third Best Time To Post On Facebook Is 11 a.m. On Fridays

Fridays at 11:00 a.m. are the third-best time to post on Facebook.

It’s the last day of the traditional workweek, and users’ minds are already leaning into the weekend. 

To kick off their almost-the-weekend celebration, they’re dropping by Facebook — and likely to pay attention and interact with your content!

Use the 11:00 a.m. Friday time slot to publish content that speaks to your audience’s Friday mindset.

The Fourth Best Time To Post On Facebook Is Noon – 3 p.m. On Weekdays

During the weekdays, Facebook brands get a lot of attention in the early afternoons, making it a prime time for brands to publish content.

Chances are, your audience is interacting during their lunch hour. Don’t miss the opportunity to entertain them or to inspire and motivate them to get through the rest of their workday!

The Fifth Best Time To Post On Facebook Is 9 a.m. On Weekdays

Any workday at 9:00 a.m. presents a golden opportunity for brands to reach their audiences on Facebook.

Your followers are just starting their day and guess where they’re headed? 

That’s right — Facebook users love to start their day with news, friends, and great content.

Keep in mind that many of them are on their first cup of coffee, and tailor your content to the morning mindset for best results.

Worst Time To Post On Facebook

Hands down, the absolute worst time to post brand content on Facebook is before 7:00 a.m.

It seems like users need an hour or two before their brains are Facebook-ready!

Consider scheduling your brand’s posts two hours later to land at one of the most popular posting times (see fifth best-time above).

Best Times To Post On Facebook During COVID19

If your team manages to work remotely, or in a socially-distanced office, while sticking to your regular business hours — wow — you all deserve a giant pile of bonus cash!

Please keep in mind that the people who make up your audience (i.e., the rest of the world) probably aren’t on their regular business schedules.

• In many cases, parents must homeschool children during daytime hours, regardless of their business commitments.
• Very few, if any, people are on social media while commuting to work. Those that are commuting are doing so by cars — not buses, trains, or subways as usual.
• If you’re a B2B company, your audience’s audiences are probably on erratic schedules, too, upending generations of previously reliable business hours.
• If you’re a B2C company, your audience is likely missing their favorite tv shows, which have disappeared from daily routines. They frequently look to social media to fill that gap.

Here’s the upside: more than 60% of people ages 18 to 49 are using social media more since the outbreak began, according to recent data from The US Social Media Usage Report published by Business Insider.

Some data also suggest that business audiences now favor Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays over our #1 spot — Wednesdays — and that ideal posting times have shifted to a combination of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 pm.

Here’s the problem with COVID best-posting statistics: By the time you read them, they’re probably outdated because something else (like quarantine lifts or the start of the school year) has changed.

How do you know the best times to post on Facebook when audience behavior is so unpredictable and last month’s analytics don’t reflect this month’s routines?

We’ve got you covered.

Sharelov’s Best Times To Post tool (FREE to subscribers) provides you with recommended posting times updated DAILY.

The Best Time tool instantly provides you with personalized suggestions based on your audience.

Try Sharelov’s Best Times Tool FREE right now.
Signup up for Sharelov today

Another way to find the best times to post for your audience is to pull up your Facebook Insights every day and review your recent analytics. 

Don’t be afraid to try new things.

This is an excellent time to encourage your team’s creativity. Experiment with different types of content at various times of the day. 

Brands that survived last year’s upheaval found ways to meet their audiences where they’re at, emotionally and logistically. 

2021 promises even more unpredictability as communities and nations recover from the pandemic at varying paces. 

In 2021, your team should prepare to adjust to schedules, attitudes, and realities that may change several times without warning.

That means publishing content that meets different needs, depending on what your audience is craving at various times of the day.

If you’re hoping to post at the ultimate best times for your brand, try Sharelov’s Best Times to post tool to discover when your audience is most likely to engage with you on Facebook.

Best Times To Post On Facebook For Holidays

Here are our recommendations for when to post on Facebook for your 2021 holiday promotions.

• The best time to begin promoting holiday sales is eight weeks in advance.
• Begin promoting for November mega sales in early October.
• Begin promoting for December holidays in October or early November. 

According to Facebook Industry Director Dhruv Vohra, economic uncertainty from the events last year caused people to be more careful about what they bought and where they bought it. This is a good point to keep in mind when developing your holiday campaigns.

Vohra says marketers should meet consumers “where they are” to win their hearts and minds, and that “All eyes will be on Mega Sales days, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday.”

3 Things To Know About Holiday Shoppers

1. 73% of Mega Sales Day shoppers are likely to be “high spenders.”
2. The #1 influencer of their purchases is price.
3. Product availability, free shipping, and product choices are also top priorities for holiday shoppers.

Best Types Of Content To Post On Facebook For The Holidays

This season, to connect with your customers, post updates on your latest sales and offers, authentic content, and posts that uplift and entertain your audience.

Source: Facebook

Retail brands might want to check out Facebook’s brand new Live Shopping format.

Facebook’s new Live Shopping feature means you can create your own shopping channel.

TIP for Live Shopping creators: Visit the QVC live shopping channel to discover how it engages live viewers and increases sales. 

Also, be sure to check out our guide to Facebook Live events for ideas, tips, and tricks on promoting and engaging people through live virtual events.

Most Popular Times To Post On Facebook

Afternoon hours are the most popular time for people to post on Facebook.

• 40% of Facebook posts happen between 1:00 – 4:00 pm.

While popularity is a “fun fact,” it, unfortunately, doesn’t do a lot for your marketing goals. 😏

Keep reading to discover the best times to post for real marketing objectives such as leads, engagement, and exposure.

Best Times To Post For Marketing Objectives

Find out the best times to post on Facebook to boost your brand’s leads, engagement, and exposure.

Best Times To Post On Facebook For Leads

According to a State Of Marketing Report by Hubspot, generating leads is currently the top priority of marketers.

If your brand’s #1 objective is leads, consider testing the following time slots, which have the highest average click-through rates (CTR):

• #1 Best time to post for leads: 3:00 p.m. Wednesdays
• #2 Best time to post for leads: 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. weekdays

If you’re serious about generating more leads for your business on Facebook, consider pairing your content efforts with paid advertising.

Learn everything you need to know about advertising on Facebook!
Facebook Advertising Handbook

Best Times To Post On Facebook For Engagement

If your brand’s primary marketing objective is engagement, try publishing your posts during the following time slots:

• #1 Best time to post for engagement: Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. OR between 1:00 – 2:00 pm
• #2 Best time to post for engagement: Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 pm

Keep in mind that your audience’s routines may differ, so it’s a good idea to frequently review your Facebook insights or use a service like Sharelov that makes Facebook analytics quicker and easier than you can imagine.

Best Times To Post for Maximum Exposure

If your goal is maximum exposure, don’t be afraid to experiment with weekend posts!

According to a report by Ignite Visibility, Saturdays and Sundays are excellent days to post on Facebook for exposure. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are also good days.

Regardless of what day you post, the best times for max exposure are:

• #1 best time slot for exposure: 1:00 pm
• #2 best time slot for exposure: 3:00 pm

TIP: Experiment with hashtags in Facebook posts to increase your organic reach. 

Facebook really wants you to use hashtags, especially since TikTok made hashtag challenges famous.

Source: Twitter

Facebook’s newly-designed interface encourages hashtag browsing with a fun and refreshing makeover of its hashtag feed. 

For example, the #HappyFriday hashtag feed includes upbeat posts that include dancing and user challenges. 

Branded #HappyFriday messages are sprinkled throughout the hashtag feed. 

For example,  “Don’t let anyone treat you like free salsa. You are guacamole baby” from GoPure Skin Care.

Hashtag feeds are waaaaay more fun since businesses and users began leaning toward more upbeat posts. The platform’s new design also contributes to a much better hashtag feed browsing experience

We wouldn’t be surprised to see Facebook’s hashtag feed become more popular as people discover how entertaining it can be.

Include hashtags in your posts to expand your reach, and consider joining in on or creating your own Facebook hashtag challenge.

Best Times to Post Photos on Facebook

More than 250 billion photos have been uploaded to Facebook – the equivalent of 350 million images per day!

Adding photos to your posts boosts engagement, and data indicates it could get you 50% more likes and DOUBLE the comments. 

What’s the best time to post your brand photos?

The best times to post photos on Facebook are:

• #1 Best time to post photos: Weekdays 10:00 – 11:00 am
• #2 Best time to post photos: Weekdays 1:00 – 2:00 pm
• #3 Best time to post photos: Weekdays 3:00 – 4:00 pm

TIP: Keep in mind that people aren’t able to gather in groups as they did before, so consider posting photos sensitive to the times.

For example, Victoria Beckham canceled last year’s London Fashion Week catwalk show because she said it “didn’t feel appropriate,” given the current situation. 

Instead, Beckham presented her collection to small groups of visitors in an art gallery.

Best Times to Post Videos on Facebook

Videos are the best way to engage users on Facebook. 

According to a report by Buzzsumo, “It’s not even a close call — video dominates based on average engagement rate.” Facebook video posts get nearly 60% more engagement than other formats.

The best times to post videos on Facebook are:

• #1 best time to post videos: Noon – 1:00 pm
• #2 best time to post videos: 9:00 – 10:00 am

Whether you’re posting behind-the-scenes videos, product videos, webinars, Q& A sessions, live videos, or something entirely different — videos have a greater chance of engaging your audience than any other type of Facebook format.

39% of people have discovered new brands or products
as a result of watching mobile video
– Facebook for Business

Fun facts about Facebook videos:

• 4 billion + videos watched per day
• 500 million viewers per day
• 65% of views come from mobile
• 85% of videos watched with the sound off

Did you know? 👉👉👉 Adding captions to video ads increases view duration by an average of 12%.

Best Times to Post Facebook Live Videos

The #1 best way to engage audiences on Facebook is with Facebook Live videos.

The best time to broadcast your Facebook Live videos differs for each audience, but here are a couple of tips to help you get your videos noticed:

• Launch live videos during your peak times (which you can discover using Facebook Insights or Sharelov’s super-easy Best Times tool).
• Promote your live video event in advance, across several platforms, to drive more viewers to your live broadcast.
• Check out our Guide To Facebook Live Events For Brands for tips, ideas, examples, and step-by-step instructions on planning, promoting, and launching engaging Facebook Live videos.

If you haven’t broadcast live events before, 2021 is an excellent time to start! People are turning to Facebook for a connection to the world around them, and Live video makes that happen.

Sample screenshots from a Starbucks Facebook Live event

Across all platforms, real-time live videos grab viewers’ attention up to 20X longer than pre-recorded content.

Best Times to Post On Facebook for Your Industry:

Discover what times of day are the best posting times for your industry!

Create better-looking posts with Facebook’s free Debugger tool!
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B2B Businesses

The best times for B2B businesses to post on Facebook are:

• 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays

B2C Brands

1. The #1 best time for B2C brands to post is NOON on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.
2. The second best time for B2C brands to post is Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. or Friday at 11:00 am.
3. The third best time for B2C brands to post is 9:00 a.m. any weekday.

Media industry

• The best times to post for the media industry are:

• • 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday
  • 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday or Thursday
  • 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. on Fridays

• The worst day to post for the media industry is on a Sunday.

Non-profit Organizations

The best times for non-profit organizations to post on Facebook are:

• #1 Best time to post: 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Wednesday

• #2 Best time to post: Friday 8–9 am

Non-profits also show consistent engagement throughout the workweek during the typical working hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 pm.

Healthcare Industry

The best times for the healthcare industry to post on Facebook are:

• #1 Best time to post: Wednesdays 9:00 am
• #2 Best time to post: Wednesdays  11:00 a.m. – noon
• #3 Best time to post: Any day between 6:00 – 7:00 am

Tech Industry

1. The #1 best time for the tech industry to post on Facebook is between 9:00 – noon on Wednesdays.
2. The #2 best time for the tech industry to post on Facebook is 3:00 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. on Wednesdays.
3. The #3 best time for the tech industry to post on Facebook is 3:00 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. on any workday.

Software Businesses: The #1 best time for software businesses to post on Facebook is 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. weekdays.

Sports Teams

Sports teams don’t have a “set” best time to post because audience engagement follows the games.

Sports teams: post on Facebook before, during, and after the games for maximum engagement.

Consider including video clips from games to engage your fans on Facebook.

Restaurant Industry

The best times for the restaurant industry to post on Facebook:

• The #1 best time to post is Tuesdays 11:00 a.m. – noon.

Restaurants don’t have it as easy as merely following “best times to post” guidelines. The good news is — you know your customers! 

• Post food images and promotions for 1-2 hours before your most popular dining hours.

Source: Red Tractor Pizza and ShakeShack

Did you know?

According to a report by Robben Media, online marketing plays a HUGE role in restaurants’ success.

• Online marketing influences over one billion restaurant visits.
• Consumers read restaurant reviews more than in any other industry.
• Just one-half of a Yelp star rating can swing business by an average 27%.

Beverage Industry

The best time to post for the beverage industry is:

• 8:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. on weekends

Beverage audiences include a massive range of personalities that range from early morning coffee drinkers to evening happy hour drinkers and afternoon fitness buffs.

To find the best time to post for your beverage audience, use Facebook insights to discover when your audience is online. Or, get instant recommendations, for free, by joining Sharelov.

Did you know?

Three in ten people have used Facebook while drinking, and 71% discovered a new drink on social media.

Education Industry

The best times for businesses in the education industry to post on Facebook are:

General education brands:

• #1 best time to post: 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Wednesdays
• #2 best time to post: 9:00 a.m. – noon Monday through Wednesday
• #3 best time to post: Noon or 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays

Higher Education:

• Any weekday at 8:00 a.m., noon, or 3:00 p.m.

Onq Marketing recommends that education brands use Facebook to build communities, and suggests using Facebook advertising to promote their pages.

Source: Coursera on Facebook

Facebook advertising can target new audiences based on demographics you choose, or create a lookalike audience to mirror your current followers.

Finance Industry

Before Coronavirus, 10:00 a.m. was the most popular time for finance brands to post on Facebook.

Companies are now seeing activity toward the mid-to-late evening hours, with 10:00 p.m. becoming a popular posting time.

Source: Minority Mindset and Prudential

Finance brands can benefit from experimenting with various posting times while people are still working from home. 

How To Find Your Brand’s Ultimate Best Times To Post: Step-By-Step Instructions

Using the analytics available to your brand’s Facebook page is essential for nailing your ultimate best posting times. 

Use Facebook Insights To Discover Your Best Times To Post

To find out when the majority of your audience is on Facebook, follow these steps:

1. Go to your Facebook Business Page.

2. Select “Insights” from your “Manage Page” menu.

3. From the Insights menu:

• Select “Posts,” then
• Select the “When Your Fans Are Online” tab, then
• Scroll over the graph for detailed information.

Scrolling over the graph shows you the different times your audience is online. The highest peak indicates your brand’s most-promising time to post on Facebook.

You can also select any day of the week to view the variations in daily schedules.

As you can see by the example above, this brand’s best posting times are nothing like the general best posting times. That’s why using analytics is essential to improving your engagement on Facebook.

How To Instantly Find The Ultimate Most-Engaging Times For Your Brand To Post On Facebook

The quickest and easiest way to find your best posting times is to let Sharelov’s Best Times tool do the work for you. 

Simply toggle the “Best Times” feature to the “on” position to view suggestions based on your brand, which are updated daily.

You’ll also love Sharelov’s Facebook analytics, which makes insights super-easy for your whole team to review daily.

Instantly check your Facebook insights with user-friendly reports that make it easy for your entire team to view. You even get engagement rates, so you can frequently monitor your success without having to perform your own calculations.

Facebook analytics is one of the dozens of features and tools that make your marketing life easier when you use Sharelov. Start using Sharelov today with a free trial.

How Often to Post On Facebook

Most brands should post about once a day.

However, if you have over 10,000 followers, you’ll want to publish more often.

According to a Vend Social report, most brands see a decreased number of clicks when they post more than 1 – 2X a day.

Larger brands with 10,000+ followings receive more interaction the more they post.

No matter how often you publish, keep in mind that quality comes first.

Share content that people will react to and comment on, so your post has a better chance of ranking higher in their newsfeeds.

How To Choose A Time Zone For Posting On Facebook

Now that you understand some of the top posting times for Facebook, you might be wondering how to apply those suggestions in your time zone.

• Local businesses: post in your local time zone.
• Businesses with audiences in mostly one region: post in the time zone of that region.
• U.S. businesses: post in the eastern time zone, where nearly half of the population lives.
• Global brands: try posting in eastern time, when the greatest number of people worldwide are online.

How to Use Best Posting Times to Increase Brand Engagement on Facebook

Start by using the best posting times above to schedule content in your social media calendar.

As time goes by, your Facebook Insights will show you which times work best for your audience.

Here are a few final tips to help you make the most of your content and schedule:

1. About half of all the comments a post receives in its lifetime happen within an hour of publication.
   
2. So, Publish toward the early part of your “best time to post” window.
   For example, if 10 – 11 a.m. is the best time frame, don’t wait until 10:55 a.m. to publish because you’ll miss 55 minutes of prime engagement time!
3. Avoid getting red-flagged for “engagement bait.” Learn how to avoid engagement bait before you press “post,” so your content has the best chance of getting seen by your followers.
4. Publish content that compels people to engage.Remember, more engagement = higher newsfeed rankings.
5. Work in teams. Every time your brand posts on Facebook, you’re competing with a sea of global giants. So, your content needs to be compelling and laser-focused on your target audience if you want people to engage.

As with any social media platform, be sure to experiment, measure results, and adjust your posting schedule as you learn what works best for your audience.

Choosing The Best Posting Times For Your Brand

Posting at strategic times can help your brand meet its marketing objectives on Facebook.

The times listed above are an excellent starting point when building your social media calendar.

Boost your Facebook content’s performance further by using insights and tools such as Sharelov to calculate when your audience is most likely to be online.

What do you think about the best times to post on Facebook? Do you have any inside tips for your industry? Tell us about it in the comments section below!