By Rameen Zeeshan · 10 min read

Last Updated on September 19, 2022

Instagram came into our lives in 2010 and ever since then it has become the talk of the town through its innovative new features such as Instagram stories, shopping, and the ever-new and ever-famous, Instagram REELS!

Now, if Instagram stories are your addiction, let us tell you that Instagram reels are destined for the massive growth of your account. If you’re an influencer, blogger, entrepreneur, or just someone with a public account having some following and fan base, then you are most probably pondering the question: “How do I get VIEWS?” Well, to get views, the real question you should be asking yourself is “What is the best time to post your reels on Instagram?” Basically, if you've done any social media marketing at all, you know how difficult it can be to choose the ideal time to share content.

But don’t worry! We all are in this together. This is a question asked by many, and I am here to give you your dream guide to posting times for Instagram Reels. I mean it’s true that there are tons of statistics available for Instagram or be it any other social media platform, but one should know that trends change daily and nothing is guaranteed.

Hence, this article will explore the best times for you to post your reels on Instagram so that you get the most views which will help you stay on the top of Instagram's algorithm. You can thank me later!

Why is Timing Important for Instagram Reels?

Do you know around 73% of people love to learn about a service or product by watching a short video? Yes, perhaps this is what made Instagram launch Instagram reels. We all as Instagram users spend most of our day on the platform. In fact, it has become a lifestyle that prioritizes quick and fast-paced videos. Don’t you want your ‘snackable’ content to target a large audience and drive massive engagement?

If you are a content creator on Instagram and have been associated with this platform then you must know that having your reel in the ‘discover’ area of Instagram or on ‘suggested posts’ is basically the holy grail for all content producers, companies, and influencers. It presents the viewer with videos and clips that are similar to the ones which they have interacted with in the past. Most of the time, any and all videos that are part of this section gain high popularity and views. Woah!

Basically, if we dive more into Instagram's algorithm, then when users launch the app, Instagram's algorithms search through all the information and apply particular rules to determine:

• What posts to put at the top of users' feeds and in what sequence?
• What posts will appear under the Explore tab?
• What is the order in which Instagram Stories, Reels, and Live videos appear in their feed and respective tabs?

Nonetheless, this again takes us to the question of HOW DO WE EVEN GET THE VIEWSS!!

Before we look into the optimal timing to post your reels, remember that they should be created using popular hashtags, effects, music, and collaborators in order to ensure that they are viewed in their entirety by the algorithm. The algorithm favors videos that are watched from the beginning to the end. How cool!?

Top Tips To Post Your Instagram Reels

The Perfect Timing

How can you exactly decide when is the best time to upload on Instagram so you can attract a large audience and make the most of your content?

I mean, no wonder your primary focus should be creating engaging content for your target audience, but you also need to know when to post it online to increase the likelihood that people will see it when they are actively using the social media platform of your choosing.

However, determining the exact time to post on Instagram is a tricky task considering that this is a global application so various time zones are involved, and each content creator's content and audience varies in nature too. However,  a pattern was established in terms of which posting time yields the best interaction and engagement after analyzing more than 100,000 reels. (All times are reported in Eastern Standard Time - EST).

Monday: 6 AM, 10 AM, and 10 PM

Tuesday: 2 AM, 4 AM, and 9 AM

Wednesday: 7 AM, 8 AM, and 11 PM

Thursday: 9 AM, 12 AM, and 7 PM

Friday: 5 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM

Saturday: 11 AM, 7 PM, and 8 PM

Sunday: 7 AM, 8 AM, 4 PM

Find Where Your Audience Is Located

Because Instagram is such a dynamic platform, it's important to consider both your content and audience while choosing the best time for yourself. The timings listed above are just estimates, therefore consider your audience as well to get the best outcomes!

Finding out where your audience is located will not only affect the kind of content you create but also the timing of when you should post it. Time zones will have an enormous impact on peak hours within a specific location.

Now you may be wondering how can this information help you in deciding the time.

Hence, to start, find out where your followers are. You may access Instagram Insights with a creator or business account, which will display the cities or nations where your followers are located. Open Instagram, go to your profile, and hit Insights to view insights. Boom!

From here, tap on your total followers:

This screen is your follower breakdown. Scroll down to Top Locations. Although it defaults to cities, you may tap to change it to countries.

Taadaa, now you know where most of your followers are from!

Thanks to Instagram’s reach which has created a global base. For instance, the United States has 130 million Instagram users, followed by India with 100 million, and Brazil, with 91 million, to round out the top three Instagram-using nations. However, there are still hundreds of millions of Instagram users worldwide. Damn!

What Time Are Your Followers Most Active?

Now that you know where your audience is located you can determine when they are most likely to be awake. The good news is that the Instagram analytics tool has made this a lot easier. In fact, it is probably every Instagrammer's best friend! Through this analytics section, you can assess when your audience is the most active on Instagram.

Also, working with time zones is nearly impossible without an analytics tool. For example, if the majority of your audience is in Thailand or India, the time difference will only be approximately an hour and a half; however, if they are in the UK you will need to plan and arrange your content to account for an eight-hour time difference.

You can use tools like Hootsuite’s Best Time to Publish feature that automatically breaks down audience data into heatmaps while suggesting posting times to assist you in adjusting your schedule. Happy Reel-ing!

Post In Your Audience’s Time Zone!

Have a global audience? Let us help you!

Basically, if your audience is global or you are located outside of the ‘normal’ time zones, your best time to post can end up being three in the morning.

Rather than setting some truly annoying alarms, you can automate your Instagram posts. An Instagram scheduler can ensure that your posts are published on Instagram at the appropriate time every day by using a scheduler. Wow!

Use Hashtags People!!!

It all started with Twitter and its Hashtags trend, and ever since then, they have changed the game!

To make it easier for people to find their content on social media, creators use hashtags. Hashtags can help you pop up on the explorer and reels pages of your target audience. So what are you waiting for? Find the most appropriate hashtags that fit the style of content on your reels and add them!

Also, remember that you can't just choose any hashtag and hope that it will attract views on its own. Look for and use hashtags that apply to your content. If the hashtag you select isn't pertinent, you'll find yourself grouped with content that has nothing to do with what you're doing or what your audience is expecting.

In other words, either no one will see your content or you'll be perceived as spamming an irrelevant hashtag for publicity which is a HUGE TURNOFF! Yes, HUGEEE!

Nevertheless, using hashtags and finding them isn’t hard at all. To begin, simply tap the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the Instagram screen.

Next, type your hashtag in the search bar as in this screenshot it’s ‘Outfit Change’.

When you tap Tags, all of the Instagram hashtags linked to your search will be displayed on a screen. Even the hashtag's popularity will be visible. For example, the screenshot below shows numerous hashtags, #outfitchange having 34.8k posts!

You'll probably come up with a huge list. Instead of using every single hashtag, pick the ones that have the most views and are most associated with your search word.

Indeed, hashtags are great at assisting the reel algorithm in displaying the content to the users you are aiming for. Let’s #InstagramReel!

Review Your Most Liked Posts

First, decide whether you want to increase brand exposure or user engagement. Depending on your aims, you might take a unique strategy to schedule your Instagram posts.

Start by asking yourself which of your posts from the past received a lot of views. When were they posted? Are these posts distinct from those that receive likes? What do the statistics reveal about your most engaging content?

Nevertheless, your finest source of information in this case is your Instagram insights and analytics. Check the Insights area on your professional Instagram account to see the reels that are performing the best, the number of likes and interactions, demographic information, and much more.

You will be able to create more personalized plans that will help you improve your performance and accomplish your objectives by learning the ideal time to post reels on Instagram based on the characteristics of your audience.

Keep an Eye On Your Competitors

Depending on your industry, your competitors may be doing some of the same calculations and experiments that you are. Engaging in Social listening and for example, a social competitive analysis can help you keep an eye on what’s working for others.

Top Tip: Many brands post on the hour mark. Avoid the competition by posting a few minutes before or after the hour. MIND = BLOWN!

Key Takeaways!

Wondering why does it even matter ​now that you know the best time to post reels on Instagram?

Well, the way the Instagram algorithm works is by presenting users with the most relevant and well-liked content. Instagram will interpret a high level of engagement on your Reel right away as evidence of high-quality material. This implies that it will suggest the Reel to more Discover feeds, aiding in your viral growth. Boom!

So what are you waiting for? Switch over to a public/business Instagram account and take advantage of the data and insights it provides you. Get to know where your audience is located, when they are most active, which of your past posts trended the most, and what time they were posted. Analyze all this information and it may just be the perfect formula for you to land the optimal posting window for your content.

Always remember that Reels are among the best ways to obtain a lot of reach and exposure on Instagram. So, if you want to get the most out of your Instagram Reels, concentrate on making your posting time as efficient as possible! Happy reading!