Optimal Times for Link Posting Differ Across Social Networks

May 11, 2012

This article is included in these additional categories:

Analytics, Automated & MarTech | Automotive | Brand Metrics | Data-driven | Social Media

bitly-optimal-link-posting-times-may2012.pngWhen looking to achieve high click counts, the optimal time to post is similar for Twitter and Facebook, but differs dramatically for Tumblr, details Bit.ly in a May 2012 blog post. Exploring how content propagates through social networks, and how the day and time of a post affect the attention received, the company finds that for Twitter, posting in the afternoon earlier in the week (1-3 PM Monday through Thursday) gives the best chance at achieving a high click count. Similarly, on Facebook, links posted from 1-4 PM result in the highest average click throughs, with Wednesday at 3 PM proving to be the peak time of the week. By contrast, Friday evening, which is the slowest time on the other platforms, is the optimal time to post on Tumblr, with posts after 7 PM on average receiving more clicks over 24 hours than content posted mid-day during the week.

The post notes that all times are Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Facebook Traffic Peaks Mid-Week

Looking at the traffic patterns among the 3 social networks, Bit.ly reveals that Facebook traffic peaks mid-week, from 1-3 PM. Traffic begins to increase around 9 AM, and fades after 4 PM. The peaks of Twitter activity occur from 9 AM through 3 PM, Monday through Thursday. The post suggests that while posting on Twitter when there are many people clicking helps raise the average number of clicks, it does not guarantee the optimal amount of attention, given the increased competition.

In contrast again to activity on Facebook and Twitter, Bit.ly traffic from Tumblr peaks between 7 PM and 10 PM on Monday and Tuesday, with similar traffic on Sunday.

Majority of Google+ Activity Occurs During Work Hours

Meanwhile, according to a May 2012 study from Simply Measured, the vast majority of Google+ activity takes place during the work day, with brand posts and total engagement peaking at 9 AM. 10 AM is also a significant hour for brand posts, while the evening hours and early morning hours see the least engagement.

Looking at days of the week, the report finds that brand posts and total engagement peak on Wednesday, with Monday and Thursday following. Saturday and Sunday see the least amount of activity.

Other Findings:

  • The Simply Measured report also finds that Google+ brand adoption and activity appear to be on the rise. Looking at the Interbrand Top 100 list, the study finds that 64 have activated a brand page, up from 62 in February (the 3-month anniversary), and 61 in December (the 1-month anniversary).
  • 22 of the Interbrand Top 100 brands now have a circler count of more than 100,000, up from 13 in February, while the number who post more than 3 times a week to their page has almost tripled (from 15 to 43) in that timeframe.
  • The automotive industry leads the way in circler size, ahead of electronics and luxury.
  • Average weekly circler engagement has risen 112% in the past 3 months, even though the scale of activity still does not come close to Facebook or Twitter. Content engagement is also growing, with multimedia content – in particular video – driving the vast majority of engagement.
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