With Social Media Timing is Everything

Making the most of social media is about more than just posting content and responding to commenters and messages. Studies show that the timing of your post can affect readership and whether or not you get your message across to the right audience. The link shortening site Bit.ly, used by many for Twitter or Facebook, conducted some studies of click through rates and what times receive the most traffic. Here are some ways to maximize the timing of your social media posts.

  • Twitter. Studies have shown that the best time to post on Twitter is between 1pm and 3pm on Monday through Thursday. After 8pm and on the weekends are the times that see the lowest traffic. Twitter is best used to get out short and precise messages or to share links to other sources of information on your own site or other sites you think your readers will find helpful.
  • Facebook. Weekends are similarly desolate at Facebook but 3pm seems to be the time that most people are looking at that social media source. They also found that it is more active toward the middle or end of the week. On Monday workers are just returning to their jobs after a weekend away and are more likely to concentrate on their daily duties. By the middle of the week they may take breaks to check their social media.
  • Content. Regardless of whether or not you post at these optimal times, you need to make sure you are posting consistently good content. Make sure it is informative, educational, interesting and sharable. The main goal of any website or social media strategy is to get people to return and to refer others to your site.
  • Run your own metrics. Start to pay attention to the activity on your own website. Determine when your customers are reading your content and design your strategy around that information. Your audience is your post important asset and if they aren’t reading at 3pm on a Wednesday it does little good to post then even if the research shows that it is optimal.
  • Inexact science. The problem with tracking this type of information is that it changes on a pretty regular basis. While the trend right now may be to check your Facebook in the middle of a work day, a month or two from now might see an uptick on Saturdays.
  • Be human. Customers want to interact with individuals not faceless organizations. If your content is interesting customers will be interested in coming back to see what you’ve said. They will share that information with friends and family and you will begin to build a following. If your site has some personality they may begin to equate that voice with the company as a whole and treat your products and services like valued old friends.

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