There’s no denying the importance of Instagram Reels for pulling in an audience.
A 20-second video clip can be just the ticket to captivating your followers. But simply posting and hoping for the best will not get you far. If you want to draw in the largest number of people, you need to pick the right time.
But when is the best time to post Reels? We’ll answer that question and more in this article.
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Importance of timing for Instagram Reel posts
Ultimately, the objective when using Instagram, like on other social media platforms, is to appease the algorithm. And the algorithm likes posts that are getting a lot of attention. To draw in a new audience, you first need to ensure you’re reaching your existing audience.
Instagram has around 1.35 billion users spread across the world. And, of course, these users will be in different time zones. While you posted at 3 pm, it will be 5 am for some users. You might miss views on your Reel, not because your post wasn’t interesting enough, but because users weren’t around to see it.
The goal should be to ensure you pick the right time to reach your audience. If you manage that, you’ll appear on the Explore Page (see image below) and expand your follower list.
Factors that determine the optimal time to post Instagram reels
Just as it’s important to know the right time to be making outbound calls to maximize your chances of closing a deal, knowing the best time to post Instagram reels can help supercharge your business.
So, let’s discover what you should focus on if you want to nail that sweet spot where your Instagram reel can get the visibility and engagement that you’re looking for.
1. Target audience preferences and demographics
The demographics and individual preferences of your audience should determine how you post. Is your content designed for an older demographic who is retired? If so, they will probably be online at a different time compared to a younger demographic that works. Other demographic factors, such as nationality, should play a big part in determining your posting time.
Is your target audience located in the same country as you? If not, you’ll need to account for differences in time zones and culture. For instance, in Spain, employees have a ‘siesta’ – people work from 9 am to 2 pm and 5 pm to 8 pm. If a large section of your audience is located here, you’ll need to consider this gap.
The best way to get to know your audience is with thorough research. Why not run a focus group and talk to followers directly?
2. Posting frequency and peak usage times
Posting Reels can be a delicate balance. On the one hand, you want to engage your audience. Conversely, you want them to retain interest by posting less often. A good rule of thumb is to post no more than two times per day.
When you do post, try to avoid ‘peak times.’ This might sound counterintuitive – peak time is when most people are online. But peak time is also when most people will be posting. If you’re not careful, your Reel will be lost in a sea of content.
To avoid this, pick a time when traffic is moderate. Your content has a better chance of standing out without being buried. Posting between 10 am and 3 pm is typically considered the best time (although, as mentioned, this may be different for your audience).
3. Utilizing Instagram insights for engagement and reach
Posting without data is like traveling without a map. You won’t know precisely how to reach your destination. Data will be key for finding the best time to post your Instagram Reels. This is where an Instagram feature called ‘Insights’ comes in handy.
Insights is a tool that lets you dig deep into your posts to learn how audiences respond to them. You can create better, more engaging posts by keeping a close eye on insights.Insights can be an excellent tool for finding the best time to post. Utilizing Insights, you can spot the posts generating the most engagement.
4. Experimenting with various posting schedules
There’s no correct answer about when you should post. As mentioned, the solution involves understanding the patterns of your audience. One way of understanding patterns is through experimentation with posting. Many businesses get into the habit of constantly posting simultaneously – but this approach only works if your posts are gaining traction.
Try posting at different times throughout the day. Not every post will work, but you’ll notice that some are more popular than others. Keep experimenting until you find a time that brings the most amount of attention.
Best practices for posting Instagram reels
Finding the best time to post Reels is a great first step. But alone, it isn’t enough to guarantee success. Let’s explore some best practices for creating your Reels.
1. Choose quality over quantity
An easy mistake is pumping out posts. You want to gather as much engagement as possible. Why not give your audience lots of content to enjoy? While this approach might be tempting, it is a mistake. With too much content, your audience might start to get fatigued and become less interested.
Not only that but by constantly releasing content, how can you guarantee quality? To keep up with the demand of constant uploads, you’ll likely rush. At the end of the day, you’ll produce a product that neither you nor your audience are happy with.
Instead, prioritize quality over quantity. Research the latest trends, and get to know the kinds of content that your audience responds to.
Building higher quality posts, rather than rushing, is more likely to engage your audience.
2. Post regularly and consistently
Quality over quantity is important, but consistency is also crucial. Of course, releasing regular, high-quality work is more easily said than done. To ensure consistency, try to bear some of the following points in mind:
- Stay relevant – Creating Reels that cover outdated topics isn’t likely to get very far. Try to always stay up to date and cover the most relevant subjects.
- Plan ahead – Creating regular content can be demanding. Without a preplanned schedule, you’ll struggle to keep up with the demand for content. Always plan ahead – remember, you can schedule stories on Instagram so you don’t miss an upload.
- Use hashtags – Make sure you’re always reaching the right people. Hashtags help you to find people that are likely to be interested in your Reels.
- Be connected – If you’re running your Instagram account alongside a team, make sure everyone is on the same page. Share content ideas and ensure schedules are aligned.
3. Monitor analytics on a regular basis
As mentioned, data is king on social media. But Instagram Insights can only tell you so much. To get the best insights, you need the right analytics tool.
Keyhole is an all-in-one social media analytics tool. With Keyhole, you can analyze multiple profiles, brand mentions, campaigns, and influencers instantly. You can make more data-driven decisions, ensuring you create posts that land with your audience.
Below are just some of the features included in Keyhole:
- Know what your audiences think about you – You can discover the sentiment behind every brand mention. Not only that, but you can see how it changes over time and why.
- Analyze your profile growth & engagement – See key social media insights and monitor growth, all from the comfort of your dashboard.
- Optimize your social media strategy – Get personalized, real-time insights.
4. Keep up to date with current trends
Social media is a popularity contest – Keeping on top of trends is key if you want to stand out. Always try to be plugged into what people are talking about on social media. Consider how popular topics can inform your content creation.
If you sell VoIP solutions, this could be the perfect chance for you to post a reel to showcase your latest online phone system and demonstrate how it works to keep remote teams connected and performing at their best.
At the same time, though,just because something is trending doesn’t automatically mean you should post about it. Your audience wants content that is relevant to their interests. Jumping on the latest trend can appear opportunistic.
Conclusion
Instagram Reels are a fantastic tool for building up an audience. But there’s no point putting time and effort into your posts if no one sees them. That’s why it’s so important that you post at the right time.
Today, we’ve tried to help you answer the question, ‘when is the best time to post reels?’. Let’s recap some of the key points:
- Always keep the demographics and preferences of your audience in mind.
- Avoid posting during peak hours, and instead, go for periods of moderate traffic.
- Make the most of analytics tools like Keyhole to get the best insights.
- Experiment with posting times to find the optimum time for posting.
Bear these points in mind, and you’ll surely attract an audience. So, why not get to work?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can and should use hashtags in your Reels. That way, you can make sure you reach your audience more quickly. Hashtags are a great way to get your content noticed by more people, and they also categorize your content to help users search for relevant topics. It’s best to use a combination of high- and low-competition hashtags.
2. How many Reels are too many?
It’s important to post regularly, but you should try to avoid posting more than two times each day. Think quality over quantity—if you bombard your audience with content, it will lose its relevance and they’ll soon get fed up. It’ll also become harder for you to come up with interesting content.
3. Can you schedule a Reel?
Yes! Doing so ensures that you don’t ever miss the best time to post. Once you’ve determined the optimum time to post your Reels, you can come up with a schedule to ensure you post consistently. By automating this task, you can spend more time creating content—instead of worrying about when to post it.