That random LinkedIn comment about posting times actually made me test it

I was scrolling through a marketing group on Wednesday and some guy said posting at 7am local time gets you 40% more reach because people check their phone before work. I thought it was a joke since I usually post around noon after my coffee. So I ran a little 2 week test on my small art account, 3 posts at 7am, 3 at noon. The 7am ones got almost double the likes and even a few new follows, not 40% but close enough. It made me realize I never even looked at my own audience's habits, I just copied what felt right. Has anyone else had a random tip like that actually hold up when you tested it, or did it flop for you?

2 comments

2 Comments

dylan_patel2d ago

Remember that the sample size is pretty small though. Three posts at each time is barely enough to tell if it was the time or just random luck, since art account reach swings a lot day to day. I'd run it for a couple more weeks and maybe track when your actual followers are online, not just when the general internet is. The 7am thing might work for the people who scroll before work, but your audience could be night owls or lunch break scrollers. That said, the fact you saw any jump at all means there's probably something to it, just don't lock yourself into a routine off of six posts.

fisher.diana2d ago

Well damn, @dylan_patel actually made me think. Nobody's talking about how the algorithm itself might be pushing your posts at 7am, not because your followers are awake, but because the platform wants to test new stuff early. Six posts is nothing, but the jump could also be the algorithm just favoring you that day for other reasons. Before you commit to mornings, check your own post history from last year. If you've ever posted at random times and got a spike, that lines up or not. Run the test longer, sure, but also compare your best days to what was trending that week, not just the clock.