We all want our social media content to reach as many people as possible while receiving the maximum engagement, right? At least it must be the case for you if you are here reading this. However, there are many resources out there giving different best times to post reels on Instagram. So finding the correct answer to this question gets a bit tricky.
In this blog post, I’ll try to cover multiple sources on the best time to post Instagram reels, explain the discrepancies, and try to guide you through this fog.
But let’s answer this question first: Don’t we already have the best and the worst times to post on Instagram figured out? What makes reels different?
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Why Treat Reels Differently When It Comes to Posting Times on Instagram?
Video content, by its dynamic nature, tends to attract more attention when compared to static images. This holds for many different platforms and Instagram is no exception. That’s why Instagram reels gained immense popularity in a short while after being introduced as Instagram’s way of competing with TikTok.
Instagram reels have become so popular that the questions escalated from “How to use Instagram reels” to “How to make money from Instagram reels”. And the reasons for this quick escalation are similar to the reasons why we treat reels differently when it comes to posting times on Instagram.
Even for us at Circleboom, reels are of particular significance. That's why our AI-powered social media management tool, Circleboom Publish, includes an Instagram reel scheduler.
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Circleboom supports Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, and TikTok (soon).
Instagram Reels Have Higher User Engagement
Socialinsider has some interesting findings about the engagement levels of Instagram reels:
- Having an average engagement rate of 1.23%, Instagram reels are among the most engaged content types on Instagram.
- For Instagram accounts with up to 50,000 followers, reels drive the highest number of post saves on average.
- Instagram reels also attract the most comments for accounts with 50,000 to 100,000 followers.
- With an average reach rate of over 30%, reels allow for the highest possible reach on Instagram by far.
- Reels also generate around 2x more impressions when compared to image or carousel posts on Instagram.
As reels are designed to be quick and engaging, they are perfect for times when users are looking for a brief distraction. This could be during a work break, commute, or downtime, which may not necessarily align with the optimal posting times for static content. This means better chances to reach new audiences for new businesses looking to spread their content fast.
Instagram Algorithm Tends to Prefer Reels
Instagram’s algorithm seems to favor reels, often pushing them to the forefront of user feeds and the Explore page. In their own words, they aim to “entertain” users via reels. No wonder many of the reels a user sees are from another user whom they don’t follow. This could mean that reels have a higher chance of being seen and engaged with, regardless of when they’re posted. Besides, users can interact with them even if you posted them a long while ago. And they also have a higher chance of going viral.
Different Content Consumption Habits with Reels
Reels boosted the time users spend on Instagram by 24%. So we can say that the time users spend on reels is different from the time they spend viewing other content.
Users might dedicate specific times to scroll through reels for entertainment, separate from the times they check their feeds for updates from friends or favorite accounts. Some people even complain that they spend too much time on Instagram reels in particular.
All in all, user behavior differs when viewing reels and other post types. Hence, the times at which they should be posted will likely be different. So when is the best time to post a reel?
Best Times to Post Reels on Instagram
There are many popular opinions on this, all claiming to have analyzed thousands of accounts and/or reel posts. One is simply saying that there is literally the best time to post reels on Instagram. And the other is giving weekly charts or time intervals of the best times. Let’s take a look at them all:
“The” Best Time to Post Reels on Instagram: Popular Opinions
Though many avoided giving an exact timing, Demandsage and Later seem to have more pinpoint data.
- According to Demandsage, the best time to post reels on Instagram is 11 AM on Wednesday.
- According to Later, “the overall best time to post Reels on Instagram is 4 AM” and “the best day to post Instagram reels is Monday”. These two are stated as mutually exclusive, so the best time to post reels on Instagram might not be 4 AM on Monday, even according to Later.
Here are the best times to post reels on Instagram, put on a weekly chart based on the data provided by different platforms:
Weekly Best Times to Post Reels on Instagram
| DAYS / PLATFORM | Hootsuite | Later | SocialPilot | Influencer Marketing Hub | Demandsage | Engagebay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 9 AM to 12 PM | 1 AM, 3 AM to 6 AM, 3 PM, 11 PM | 3 AM, 7 PM | 6 AM, 10 AM, 10 PM | 3 AM to 6 AM, 12 PM, 10 PM to 11 PM | 11 AM to 1 PM |
| Tuesday | 9 AM to 12 PM | 2 AM, 4 AM to 6 AM, 8-9 AM | 12 AM, 1 AM, 6 AM | 2 AM, 4 AM, 9 AM | 2 AM, 4 AM to 6 AM, 8 AM to 9 AM | 9 AM to 5 PM |
| Wednesday | 9 AM to 12 PM | 3 AM to 5 PM | 4 AM, 6 AM, 9 PM | 7 AM, 8 AM, 11 PM | 4 AM, 6 AM, 9 AM | 11 AM |
| Thursday | 9 AM to 12 PM | 12 AM, 2 AM | 6 AM, 4 PM | 9 AM, 12 PM, 7 PM | 6 AM to 9 AM, 7 PM, 12 PM | 11 AM to 12 PM |
| Friday | n/a | 3 AM, 5 AM | 2 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM | 5 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM | 2 AM to 4 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM | 2 PM |
| Saturday | n/a | 1 AM, 5 AM, 10 PM | 9 AM, 4 PM, 5 PM | 11 AM, 7 PM, 8 PM | 9 AM to 10 AM, 6 PM to 7 PM | 9 AM to 10 AM |
| Sunday | n/a | 3 AM to 4 AM, 7 AM, 10 PM to 11 PM | 5 AM, 8 AM, 1 PM | 7 AM, 8 AM, 4 PM | 5 AM, 7 AM, 1 PM to 3 PM | 9 AM to 4 PM |
Let's try to make some sense of this data.
Best Time to Post Reels on Instagram on Monday
It seems to cluster around morning hours til noon, and some also say late evening hours.
Best Time to Post Reels on Instagram on Tuesday
Early morning hours and after midnight seem to be among the common times.
Best Time to Post Reels on Instagram on Wednesday
Again, early morning and late evening hours seem to work fine.
Best Time to Post Reels on Instagram on Thursday
There seem to be multiple best slots here as morning times, late afternoon, and around midnight.
Best Time to Post Reels on Instagram on Friday
Though it is a bit challenging, posting a reel very early in the morning (or very late into Thursday night) is stated among the best with posting around noon time.
Best Time to Post Reels on Instagram on Saturday
Again, there seem to be 3 slots early morning, around noon, and early evening.
Best Time to Post Reels on Instagram on Sunday
Very early morning hours and afternoon times seem to suit here.
I probably misjudged some, and it might not work for you. Are you already confused? So am I.
So why is it different for all these platforms? How are you (and I) supposed to find the correct "best times to post reels on Instagram"? And even if we find it, isn't it too much to keep in mind?
There is a simple reason causing all the discrepancies: Every single account, may it be a personal, a content creator, or a business account, has its own best time to post reels on Instagram.
Personalized Best Time to Post Reels on Instagram
I do respect all the data provided by various platforms. That's why I provided it all earlier. Global averages might give an idea of where to start, but there are many variables to consider while finding the best times to post on Instagram.
These time intervals vary across different regions, demographics, and industries. But most importantly, as a combination of all, it depends heavily on the user behavior and engagement patterns of your followers. Because your followers will be the first ones to see your reel posts before making it to the global scale.
So the best thing to do here is to experiment for a while and analyze the performance of your reels based on your posting times through Instagram insights. Check which reels get higher reach and engagement, identify the time intervals that work the best for you, and arrange your content calendar accordingly.
If you don't have a business or a creator account you will be unable to see Instagram insights. You can still check the performances of your Instagram reels manually though. Then you can simply put them on a spreadsheet to form your content calendar for reels.
Possible Challenges While Experimenting and After You Find Your Best Times to Post Reels on Instagram
Your audience may be spread all around the world and may have various interest areas. Hence, posting on some time periods such as late nights, weekends, or early mornings, or during your day job hours may be unnecessarily discomforting or sometimes even impossible.
It's worth noting that different types of content may perform better at different times, so pinpoint results would come only after so many reels are posted. So maintaining high-quality, engaging content to keep your audience interested is a must. However, creating content from scratch, editing your videos, and uploading them may become too time-consuming after a while.
Even if you decide upon when to post reels on Instagram, similar challenges await you after the experimenting process. So here's a relief for you: Remember me mentioning Circleboom Publish and its Instagram Reel Scheduler at the very beginning of the post?
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With Circleboom, you can create your calendar and schedule your reels at any time. You don't have to be awake in the middle of the night or anything. Simply add your posting times and automate your Instagram.
You can also use its built-in Canva to edit your videos with ease or post directly from your Google Photos.
And you can add captions, hashtags, and even the first comment once you're done with your video.
You can do much more with Circleboom Publish. Check out its 14-day trial and see for yourself!
The Conclusion
Finding the best time to post reels on Instagram relies on understanding your audience and their habits to find the optimal time for your specific situation.
Remember, the goal is to maximize engagement and reach as many people as possible. So, don’t be afraid to experiment and find what works best for you. And don't forget that Circleboom is always here to help.
