The Best Time To Post Reels On Instagram: 5 Tips To Follow

It’s no surprise that Instagram reels are extremely popular. Around 2.35 billion people interact with reels monthly. However, if you want to make the most of them for your account, you have to understand the best time to post reels on Instagram.

Posting reel content during specific periods can improve your marketing efforts, connect with your target audience, and grow on Instagram. This blog will help answer the question, “When is the best time to post reels on Instagram?”

When you nail the timing, your reel is way more likely to get seen, shared, and engaged with. Why? Because it's all about catching your audience when they're most likely scrolling and in the mood for some fun and/or relevant content. Think about when people are chilling on their breaks, like lunchtime, or unwinding in the evening - these are prime times. By posting your reel at the optimal time, you're basically rolling out the red carpet for it to waltz right into the spotlight. It's a simple but super effective way to make sure your awesome content gets the eyes it deserves.

Why Are Instagram Reels Valuable? 

Instagram reels are incredibly valuable because they give influencers and businesses a fun, creative way to showcase themselves and their offers. 

The content is also digestible, which means consumers can quickly process brand messages and the key takeaways from your videos. You have up to 90 seconds (the current maximum length of reels) to present your brand, offer, and unique selling proposition. 

Here are four reasons why you should include reels in your marketing efforts:

• Increased engagement: Statistics show that engagement rates on reels are 35% higher than on other types of content. That’s because reels are fun, interactive, and visually engaging. 
• Audience reach: The more reels you post on your channel, the higher the chances of your content being seen on the Instagram Explore page.
• Visual appeal: You can customize reels with flashy images, videos, and catchy tunes that appeal to your audience. These features can give your brand the boost it needs to succeed in a competitive social media landscape.
• Promotional strategies: Reels are a fantastic way to promote products and services. Get creative with your promotional efforts by presenting offers that resonate with your target market.

When Is the Best Time to Post Reels on Instagram? 

The best time to post reels on Instagram is relative. You should always search for the most up-to-date best practices depending on your field, area, or audience demographic. What works for one influencer may not work for another. Different companies and organizations that carry out research can also have different recommendations for the best time to post on Instagram. 

For example, the table below indicates the best time to post reels on Instagram according to Influencer Marketing Hub.

Other organizations have also found that the best time to post reels on Instagram varies each day of the week. Here’s a table that shows the best times to schedule reel posts according to EngageBay. 

5 Tips for Finding the Best Time to Post Reels on Instagram

The best time to post reels is when audience engagement is at its highest. Here are five tips you should follow to get the most out of your content with perfectly timed reels.  

1) Think About Campaign Objectives

Your campaign objectives should determine when your reels get posted. If your goal is to get loads of likes and comments, think about when your followers are most likely chilling on their phones – maybe during lunch breaks or in the evening. Or, if you're aiming to target a specific crowd, like fitness enthusiasts or fashion lovers, timing your reel when they're most active can make a huge difference. It's all about getting your content in front of the right eyes at the right time. So, a little planning (and experimentation!) can turn a good reel into a great reel, and a great reel into a viral hit.

2) Identify Your Target Market

It’s also important to consider audience demographics when determining the optimal time to post Instagram Reels. This aspect is crucial as it significantly influences the reach and engagement of the content. Different demographic segments exhibit distinct online behaviors and preferences, including the times they are most active on social media. For instance, targeting a younger, college-aged audience may necessitate posting in the late afternoon or evening when they are more likely to engage with social media, and their “bedtime”—usually a good time to reach people, as they are scrolling on their phone while winding down for the day—might be 2-3am.

On the other hand, a working professional demographic might be more active during early mornings, lunch breaks, or post-work hours…. and their bedtime might be something more normal, like 10-11pm. Maybe the best time to reach them is actually on the weekend, whent hey are less focused on work. Additionally, geographical considerations (e.g., time zones, amount of daylight, and even the weather!) play a vital role when dealing with a global audience.

Neglecting these demographic nuances can result in diminished visibility and engagement, undermining the effectiveness of your content. Therefore, a strategic, demographically informed approach to timing is not just beneficial but essential for maximizing the impact of Instagram Reels within any given marketing or communication strategy.

Some other questions to ask about your audience:

• Who are they?
• How old are they?
• What appeals to them?
• Do they work or attend school? If so, when do they take breaks?
• Where do they live?
• Are they typically active on social media, and why?

These questions will influence the best time to post a reel.

3) Consider Your Industry

The timing of your posts will depend on your niche or the industry you work in. For example, if you’re a healthcare professional, your posting schedule will differ from those working in the educational industry.  

According to HubSpot, healthcare professionals should post content from 6 pm to 9 pm on Saturdays. Meanwhile, those who work in the education industry will see higher engagement rates if they post content from 9 pm to 12 am on Mondays. If you're a beauty vlogger, you’ll have more success if you post reels during the workweek. Thursdays at 7 pm or Fridays at 5 pm would be ideal. Here are some other examples of how different industries can optimize their Instagram Reels posting schedule to align with their unique audience behaviors and preferences.

1. Retail and Fashion Industry: Given that this audience often seeks inspiration during their leisure time, weekends and evenings are prime times. This is when potential customers are likely to be planning their shopping or looking for fashion ideas. For example, a fashion brand might find more engagement by posting their latest collection reveal on a Friday evening, as people get into the weekend mood and think about updating their wardrobe.
2. Fitness and Health Industry: Early mornings or evenings are key times for this sector. Many individuals look for workout motivation or health tips during these periods, either to start their day on a healthy note or to find inspiration for an after-work exercise session. A fitness brand could post a quick workout reel in the early morning, catching those looking for exercise motivation.
3. Food and Beverage Industry: Posting before conventional meal times can be quite effective. For example, sharing a quick recipe reel around late afternoon can inspire followers’ dinner choices—especially for those of us who are procrastinators and might not have dinner planned yet! Weekends might also be a good time, as people are more likely to experiment with cooking or baking.
4. Technology and Gadgets: Considering the audience here is often tech-savvy and up-to-date with trends, posting during lunch breaks or in the late evening when they are likely to browse social media can be beneficial. For instance, tech reviews or gadget unboxing reels could be scheduled for lunch hours when people might be looking for a break from work. Holidays and birthdays are also a good time to post, as gift-giving might be a nice excuse for a new toy J
5. Entertainment Industry: Evenings and weekends are typically the best times, as people look for ways to unwind and entertain themselves. A movie trailer or a behind-the-scenes reel from a TV show could be timed for Friday evenings, tapping into the audience’s mood to relax and watch something new.

Each of these examples underscores the importance of tailoring your posting schedule to the specific lifestyle and habits of your target demographic, ensuring your content resonates and engages effectively.

4) Use Insights for Content Data

To further narrow down when the best time is to post reels on Instagram, use Instagram Insights. Leveraging Instagram Insights to determine the optimal posting time for your Reels is a critical practice for enhancing engagement and reach. Here are some tips and real-world examples to illustrate how you can effectively use Instagram Insights:

1. Analyze Your Audience's Active Times: Instagram Insights provides detailed information about when your followers are most active on the platform. For instance, if you notice a spike in activity around 6 PM on weekdays, it would be a strategic move to schedule your Reels around that time to maximize visibility.
2. Track Engagement Patterns: Pay attention to the engagement patterns on your previous posts. If certain Reels posted at specific times received more likes, comments, or shares, it's a strong indicator of when your audience prefers to engage with your content. A real-world example could be a coffee shop that notices higher engagement for their morning-themed Reels posted at 8 AM, aligning with their customers' daily routines.
3. Observe Story Views and Interactions: Besides Reels, your Instagram Stories can provide valuable insights. If you see higher interaction rates with stories posted in the evening, it might suggest that your audience is more receptive during those hours, and similar timing could work well for your Reels.
4. Geographic Considerations: If your audience spans multiple time zones, use Instagram Insights to understand where the majority of your followers are located. For example, a fashion brand based in New York but with a large following in Europe might adjust their posting schedule to cater to both time zones effectively.
5. Test and Learn Approach: Experiment with posting Reels at different times and days of the week. Use Instagram Insights to track the performance of these posts. This trial-and-error method can reveal unexpected patterns and optimal posting times specific to your audience.
6. Event-Driven Posting: For special events or promotions, analyze the engagement on similar past events. For instance, if a gym is promoting a new workout challenge, they can look at the engagement of past promotional Reels to decide the best time to post.

By meticulously analyzing these metrics and patterns through Instagram Insights, you can tailor your posting schedule to align perfectly with your audience's preferences, thereby enhancing the overall impact and reach of your Instagram Reels.

5) Use an A/B Testing Method

Experimentation is also a great way to identify the best posting schedule. A/B testing, often referred to as split testing, is a powerful method to identify the best time to post your Instagram Reels. This approach involves experimenting with two different posting times to see which yields better engagement. Start by choosing two distinct time slots based on your initial assumptions or insights from your audience's online behavior. For example, you might test a morning time slot (say, 8 AM) against an evening one (like 7 PM).

Create two similar Reels in terms of content quality and style to ensure that the only major variable is the posting time. Over a set period, alternate between these time slots while consistently monitoring engagement metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and view counts. It's crucial to maintain consistency in other factors like the day of the week and the type of content for accurate results.

After a sufficient testing period, analyze the data to determine which time slot consistently performed better. This data-driven approach will give you a clearer understanding of when your audience is most receptive, allowing you to optimize your posting schedule for maximum engagement on Instagram Reels.

Then you’d figure out which post performed better on:

• Likes 
• Shares
• Comments
• Views   
• Other metrics that align with campaign goals. 

By identifying the performance differences between two posts, you can create a schedule that improves account visibility.

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