As Instagram continues to explode in popularity, the sheer volume of content being shared on the platform is making it more and more difficult for creators and businesses to reach their desired audience. That said, there are ways to cut through the noise…
On average, an Instagram user spends around 6-7 minutes per session on the app. Since Instagram's algorithm is continuously updating, the posts that appear in a user's feed can change frequently — very frequently! In fact, even a minor delay in opening the app can significantly impact the content displayed in your feed. For instance, if you planned to open your app at 10:00 AM but got distracted and opened it a minute later, the content in your feed would likely differ from what it would've been had you opened it at the intended time.
What’s more, according to a recent study by Sport Social, around 64% of marketers pre-schedule their social media posts, with most opting to post at the hour, quarter-hour, or half-hour marks. This means that there’s often a higher volume of content competing for feed position during these times.
So… To stand out from the crowd, consider posting at less conventional times, like 10:07, for example. Additionally, many post-scheduling apps limit posting times to 5-minute intervals, making the "in-between" times somewhat of an open road for your content to get noticed.
Posting during peak times on Instagram is like trying to drive through a city during rush hour traffic - you're stuck in a gridlock with everyone else.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, while it's important to post during non-peak times to avoid competing with other posts, it's equally crucial to post when the bulk of your followers are active. Instagram's algorithm tests new posts by showing them to a small sample audience, and the initial performance of your posts determines whether they'll be distributed to a larger audience. Since your followers are the most likely to interact with your content, posting during their active hours will give your posts the best chance to perform well and reach a wider audience.
If you're not sure when your followers are most active, check out this blog post on how to find those insights: https://www.jasonpantana.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-instagram-posting-when-and-how-to-reach-your-followers
My advice: experiment with different times to see what works best for your content and audience. Happy posting!