As social marketers are looking to get more eyes on their content, one of the biggest questions at the forefront is: when is the best time to post on Facebook? If the answer to that question depends on several factors. Your business’s industry, your target audience, business goals and the content itself all play a role in the success of your social posts.

With the help of our Data Science team, we analyzed nearly 2 billion social media engagements across 400,000 social profiles across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok and X. And even more, we’re able to provide an analysis of when the best time to post on Facebook is.

As the third most visited website worldwide after Google and YouTube, and boasting nearly 3 billion monthly active users, there’s no denying the power of Facebook. Because of the large engagement opportunity, it’s important to understand how posting on Facebook at the right times will benefit your social media content strategy.

Learn how to identify your best times to post on Facebook with a free trial of Sprout Social and test our ViralPost® feature.

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Disclaimer: Data from Sprout Social include users from various plan types, industries and locations. All time frames are recorded globally (not by Central Time), meaning you should be able to publish with the times provided in any timezone and see positive engagement results. Number of engagements represents total engagements a brand received on the specific channel during that hour time frame. Industry-specific data includes mid- to high-level engagement times. We recommend testing with your own accounts to find the most optimal send times.

When is the best time to post on Facebook?

  • Mondays from 9 a.m. to noon
  • Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
  • Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
  • Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
  • Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m.
  • Best days to post on Facebook: Mondays through Thursdays
  • Worst days to post on Facebook: Sundays
Based on Sprout Social data, a graph of data that gives me the best times to post on Facebook up to the world level in 2024.

It’s true: Facebook is still the most used platform by marketers worldwide at 89%, and by monthly active users at 3.05 billion (yes, billion). The impact Facebook has on our social media use as consumers and marketers is still ever present. Compared to last year, high engagement periods on Facebook are still within mid-mornings during weekdays and matching general business hours.

Optimal send times for Facebook are Mondays through Fridays starting mostly at 9 a.m. until early afternoon, generally 2 p.m. What does this mean for marketers? Most users are taking a quick break in their routines for Facebook, making it the best time to schedule posts for target audiences to interact with.

With a solid Facebook marketing strategy, businesses connect with the right audiences with their content, whether it’s keeping audiences informed of products or sharing access to exclusive deals. Remember, engagement is a combination of how often you post on social media and what content types you post.

What are the best days and times to post on Facebook?

We know the best time to post on Facebook overall, but what about for each day of the week?

Graphic showing the best times to post on every day of the week: Mondays between 9 a.m. and noon Tuesdays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesdays between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursdays between 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays between 9 and 11 a.m. Saturdays between 8 and 11 a.m. Sundays between 9 and 11 a.m.

If you’re looking for the best day and time to post on Facebook, read the analysis below.

Best times to post on Facebook on Mondays

The best time to post on Facebook on Mondays is from 9 a.m. to noon. While there’s decent engagement from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., the optimal send and engagement times are those few hours before lunch.

Best times to post on Facebook on Tuesdays

The best time to post on Facebook on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and again at 5 p.m., even though there’s notable engagement throughout the entire business day.

Best times to post on Facebook on Wednesdays

The best times to post on Facebook on Wednesdays are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and again at 5 p.m., making   this one of the most active days for publishing on the app.

Best times to post on Facebook on Thursdays

Similar to Wednesdays, the best times to post on Facebook on Thursdays are from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and again at 5 p.m.

Best times to post on Facebook on Fridays

The best times to post on Facebook on Fridays are from 9 and 11 a.m., showing that users are transitioning into the weekend mindset. Although, the entire workday still sees user engagement on the app.

Best times to post on Facebook on Saturdays

The best time to post on Facebook on Saturdays is between 8 and 11 a.m., in relation to the rest of the day. Generally speaking, we’ve noticed that Saturdays have less engagement during the reset of the week across most social platforms. Even with Facebook, there’s a significant decrease during the weekends than during weekdays.

Best times to post on Facebook on Sundays

In relation to the day itself, the best time to post on Facebook on Sundays is 9 to 11 a.m. Similar to Saturdays, we’ve noticed Sundays have less engagement throughout the day across most, if not all, social platforms.

When is the best time to post on Facebook in the UK?

The best time to post on Facebook in the UK is weekdays from 9 a.m. until the early afternoon. Most days we see engagement reduce from 2 p.m onwards. On Fridays, this is a little earlier as engagement tapers after 11 a.m. The best days for businesses to post on Facebook are Mondays to Thursdays with shorter periods of high engagement from Friday to Sunday. Despite growing competition from other social networks, Facebook remains the most popular social media platform in the UK with 62% market share. If Facebook is where your audience can be found, remember engagement rates vary by industry and content type but the best times to post is a good starting point.

When is the best time to post on Facebook by industry?

Remember, while we’d like to believe there’s a definitive answer to what the best times to post on Facebook are, we can only offer insight with the data we have. Industry is just one factor that plays into the success of your social posts.

Use this industry-level data to help inform your publishing calendar, and test your optimal send times with social media experiments.

Best times to post on Facebook for hospitals & healthcare

Based on Sprout Social data, a graph of data that gives you the best times to post on Facebook for the hospitals & healthcare industry in 2024.
  • Best times to post on Facebook for Hospitals & Healthcare:
    • Most weekdays between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., but especially:
      • Tuesdays from 5 to 7 p.m.
      • Wednesdays at 5 p.m.
      • Thursdays at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
  • Best days to post on Facebook for Hospitals & Healthcare: Tuesdays through Thursdays
  • Worst days to post on Facebook for Hospitals & Healthcare: Sundays

Hospitals, clinics and healthcare providers use social media for more than navigating healthcare crises. Social media is used by hospitals and healthcare providers to educate the public, help patients feel more comfortable with healthcare visits and doctors’ appointments, promote their programs for aspiring physicians and establish themselves as pillars in the community.

The best time to post on Facebook for healthcare and hospitals is more concentrated than last year. Most weekdays see solid engagement around 9 a.m. on weekdays. Yet, peak posting times on Facebook for hospitals are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 5 p.m.

Hospital and healthcare social media resources

Best times to post on Facebook for restaurants

Based on Sprout Social data, a graph of data that gives you the best times to post on Facebook for the food & beverage industry in 2024.
  • Best times to post on Facebook for Restaurants:
    • Mondays at 11 a.m.
    • Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    • Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    • Fridays at 11 a.m.
  • Best days to post on Facebook for Restaurants: Most weekdays, especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays
  • Worst days to post on Facebook for Restaurants: Sundays

Online orders and delivery service apps saw an increase in use over the last few years, innovating the way restaurants interact with their audiences. And restaurants saw nearly 2x more engagements on Facebook than last year’s analysis.

Those in the food and beverage restaurant industry see consistent engagement between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. almost every single day, especially weekdays. The best times to post for restaurants on Facebook though are just before or around lunchtime: Mondays at 11 a.m., Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Fridays at 11 a.m.

Different networks offer a unique way for businesses to connect with their customers. Offering unique promotions and updates suited for each social platform will keep your restaurant in mind for potential customers.

Restaurant social media resources

Best times to post on Facebook for schools & education

Based on Sprout Social data, a graph of data that gives you the best times to post on Facebook for the schools & education industry in 2024.
  • Best times to post on Facebook for Schools & Education:
    • Mondays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    • Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    • Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    • Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    • Fidays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    • Saturdays from 9 to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
    • Sundays at 9 a.m.
  • Best days to post on Facebook for Schools & Education:
    • All weekdays, especially Wednesdays through Friday
  • Worst days to post on Facebook for Schools & Education:
    • Sundays

Universities, higher education institutions and schools saw a significant increase in high engagement times on Facebook compared to last year’s analysis. Keep in mind that some schools manage multiple social profiles (per college, athletics, etc.) to meet these needs and effectively target distinct audiences at the right time. 

High opportunities for engagement for schools reflect a traditional workweek. Mondays through Fridays from either 9 or 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. are the best times to post on Facebook for schools and education institutions. Don’t discredit the weekend either: Saturdays from 9 to 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., and Sundays at 9 a.m. saw significant engagement for this industry.

From highlighting student life to sharing school updates, a social media strategy for schools needs to fulfill various purposes: from engaging with students past, present and future, to keeping a pulse on brand health.

Schools and education social media resources

Best times to post on Facebook for travel & hospitality

Based on Sprout Social data, a graph of data that gives you the best times to post on Facebook for the travel & hospitality industry in 2024.
  • Best times to post on Facebook for Travel & Hospitality:
    • Mondays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
    • Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    • Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    • Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    • Saturdays from 8 to 11 a.m.
    • Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Best days to post on Facebook for Travel & Hospitality: Tuesdays through Thursdays
  • Worst days to post on Facebook for Travel & Hospitality: Fridays

Travel and hospitality industries saw a concentrated shift for engagement on Facebook. Compared to the year prior, hospitality businesses pivoted their strategies as the post-pandemic spike in travel continues, and they saw a return on their efforts throughout most of the day.

The best times to post on Facebook for travel and hospitality brands are most every day: Mondays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tuesdays through Thursdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weekends also see some significant engagement on Saturdays from 8 to 11 a.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

In general, on Facebook, there is significant engagement midday nearly every day of the week for travel and hospitality, as people are preparing for their weekend destinations.

Travel and hospitality social media resources

How to find your own best times to post on social media

Social marketers can plan content more effectively when they’re armed with data. And as platforms evolve, how brands and consumers use social will evolve with them, or vice versa. Staying aware of new content formats and trends might help you reach your audience in unexpected ways, or even find new segments and personas you weren’t focusing on before.

How to find your best time to post on Facebook with Insights

While you may be ready to jump in and post at these provided peak engagement times as part of your strategy, consider pairing this data with your own Facebook data analysis. You may discover that your specific target audience is active at different times.

To find your best times to post with Facebook Insights, follow these steps:

  1. On either mobile or desktop, log into your Facebook Page account (not personal profile).
  2. In the top right corner, click on your profile picture (you may see the three horizontal lines on mobile) and select Professional dashboard.
  3. To find all posts published within a specific time frame, select:
    1. Content (on desktop).
    2. Insights (on mobile).
  4. To find your Facebook posts with the highest engagement on desktop:
    1. Adjust the time span filter from the last 90, 60, 28 or 7 days.
    2. Adjust the sorting filter by Engagement
    3. Your most engaged post will appear in descending order.
  5. To find your Facebook posts with the highest engagement on mobile:
    1. Select See all next to Performance then Engagement
    2. Scroll to Recent Content and select See all.
    3. Similar to desktop, you can filter the date range and by Engagement.
  6. With this list, check your top engaged posts and find trends with the day, time and content types (e.g., text only, image, video).

How to find your best time to post on Facebook with Sprout Social

A social media management tool like Sprout Social can help you drill into your analytics and develop tailored findings for your brand accounts across all networks, holistically and individually. Gain competitive insights by comparing your performance to your competitors, to find new opportunities for engagement.

With features like post tagging and cross-network reporting, you can separate different factors like post author or types of content, and drill down into how your posting time influenced your social success.

Screenshot of Sprout Social's cross-network post performance report that shows the total number of engagements and by engagement type.

Sprout’s patented ViralPost® technology uses the same data we’ve used to look at all our customer accounts to determine the best time to post tailored for your account. ViralPost® algorithmically determines the results for our Optimal Send Times feature, a publishing option available in all plans. Our proprietary  machine learning feature isn’t new, but we’re constantly learning and improving our product to help brands surface insights faster. Our goal is to help people who use our product work more effectively.

Screenshot of Sprout Social's Compose box with the "Use Optimal Times" dropdown selected with several times provided as options of when to schedule social media posts for the highest engagement.

With Optimal Send Times, the specific times offered are based on when your audience engages the most using your publishing history. ViralPost® also continually updates and refines to save you time from doing the repeated analysis and allowing you more time to craft great content.

Want to see it in action? Sign up for a free 30-day trial of Sprout Social or request a personalized demo and try it for yourself.

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If you’re looking for more of our findings from this year’s study of our customer data, see what we learned about the best times to post across eight industries on these networks:

How Sprout gathered the data

We understand that these reports can raise questions about just where the data is coming from. That’s why we want to be clear about the data we pulled and how we got here.

Sprout Social’s Data Science team gathers this information by analyzing nearly 2 billion engagements across 400,000 social profiles across Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok.

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