You’ll find plenty of charts online claiming to know the best time to post on Instagram. The truth is simpler: the best time is when your audience is online. Here’s how to find it.

1. Switch to a professional account

Business and creator accounts get access to Instagram Insights, which shows how your content performs and when your followers are active. It’s free and takes a minute to set up.

2. Check when your followers are most active

In Insights, look at your audience section. Instagram shows the days and hours your followers are most active. That’s your starting point.

3. Think about your audience’s day

A café’s followers might scroll at breakfast and lunch. Office workers might scroll on their commute or in the evening. Parents might scroll after bedtime. Use common sense alongside the data.

4. Test for a month

Pick two or three time slots and rotate between them for four weeks. Keep the type of content similar so you’re comparing fairly.

5. Compare the right numbers

Look at reach, saves, shares and profile visits for each slot. Likes alone can be misleading.

6. Keep a simple record

A spreadsheet with the date, time, format and results is enough. After a month, patterns usually start to show.

Remember

Timing helps, but it’s never more important than the content itself. A great post at an average time will usually beat an average post at the perfect time.