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When, what, where, why?

For many companies, when to post and what to post on social media platforms can seem mysterious. Should you post the same content to all platforms, or should the content be rearranged, so it feels new and different? Many brands are posting organically and not worrying about when to post, just what they’re posting. So how do you know when to post and where? There are best times to post for each social media platform, and there’s plenty of data to back them up. We will go over when to post, what to post to each platform, and why.

Facebook trends in 2021

Facebook has become a hub of engagement that functions differently than other platforms. Photos are set into grids for each post, so keep in mind that your post should not mirror your Instagram, Linkedin, or Twitter content. How do you keep your posts feeling new and exciting with the same content across platforms? Facebook does well with long ad copy in 2021, so utilize the top of your post area to expand your copy. According to Sprout Social, “Long ad copy tends to see a lower cost per action (CPA) and also gives your audience more information before they click, potentially leading to a higher likelihood of a conversion.”

When to post to Facebook

The best days to post to Facebook through data analysis would be Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. These days have the highest global engagement rate for Facebook users. So what times are best to post? The best time to post is between 9 am and 1 pm (central), proving that most users are engaging early to midday for all three days. The worst day to post is Saturday. For whatever reason, Saturdays have a terrible global engagement rate, so hold onto your content for a better day to post. Remember that your brand may have an audience that differs from the norm, so test to see what works best for you.

Instagram trends in 2021

Instagram comments, shares, and saves are more critical today than ever before. One of the best ways to improve your engagement is to create more content that encourages your audience to press “‘Save to Collection.” So how do you know if your audience is saving your posts? You can check if your audience is saving posts in your Instagram Insights. All of your analytics can help you determine what’s getting saved, which in turn, will help you see what you should post to acquire more saves in the future. So how do you get people to save posts? Utilizing carousel posts to share valuable tips, information, or mini-blog style posts is a great way to encourage your audience to save your post for later.

When to post to Instagram

The best days to post to Instagram are Monday through Friday. That’s right! Instagram has a tremendous weekly following of active users, causing engagement all week. The weekends are a dead zone with almost no engagement on Sunday, so post your best content throughout the workweek. Tuesday has a better time slot than most days. On Tuesday, you have a window between 11 am and 2 pm (central), whereas the other days have the best engagement at 11 am (central). Instagram works well with testing different forms of media, so try video and animations and see what works for your company by checking your analytics. Some audiences may be more active at night, where other audiences may prefer a Sunday to a Tuesday. Make sure to test to see when your customer base is most active. The global average is a great starting place, but remember to see what works best for your audience.

Twitter trends in 2021 

Twitter has stayed relatively the same over the years as far as how the content is shared. One thing that has evolved tremendously is the length of a Tweet. Many languages use more characters to make a complete sentence than other languages, so Twitter had to adapt. The length of a Tweet in 2021 is 280 characters. Should you use the entire 280 characters to reach the most people? The simple answer is no. To obtain greater engagement of your content, your tweet should contain between 71 and 100 characters. Concise and to the point does best on Twitter, as the platform is built for small chunks of information. 

When to post to Twitter

The best days to post to Twitter are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Tuesday and Thursday from 9 am – 11 am, and Wednesday 9 am – 3 pm. The middle of the week proves to be an important time for posting to social media platforms, and Twitter is no different. Pay attention to what content you’re posting on Wednesdays, as the most active user engagement occurs on this day between 9 am – 3 pm.

LinkedIn trends in 2021 

The year 2020 changed everything, and LinkedIn has secured itself as a powerful marketing channel. LinkedIn is a professional networking platform that connects businesses with entrepreneurs and with high success rates. Small businesses have started utilizing the resource of connecting with their customers through LinkedIn using some of the new tools on the platform: LinkedIn Stories (mirroring Instagram Stories), video chat integration, and mass messaging. Being seen online as a trustworthy and competent business is vital in today’s digital marketplace, and LinkedIn is giving companies a place to exist. Outside of your URL, there are few places to live in a professional setting that create engagement, and that’s precisely what LinkedIn can do for your business. 

When to post to LinkedIn

The best days to post to LinkedIn are Tuesday and Wednesday. Monday is not a bad day to post, but the engagement rates spike on Tuesday, so consider holding off until more users are on the platform. The hours of 9 am – 12 pm (central) prove to be the most optimal times to post to get the most engagement. Users are relatively active through the workweek, but the weekend is slow for interaction on the platform. Make sure to have your best content available on Tuesday or Wednesday to get the best conversion rates. Sunday is once again the worst day to post, so make sure your stories are rolling on active days as they only last for 24 hours.

Are you struggling with content creation and social media management? Give Swell services a try! We have a team of dedicated experts ready to help you succeed. 

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