This post was originally published July 5, 2019 and was updated July 7, 2022.
Social media is made for interaction. After all, the word “social” is in its very name. When you post something to your Twitter or Facebook, you want to see people liking it, retweeting it, and in general interacting with it. It feels good, it gives you validation that other people “see” you and value the things you have to say/share. Lots of individuals are active on social media, and businesses have quickly followed suit.
Besides the fact that 45%* of the entire population is active on social media, it offers a marketing opportunity like none other. Now, companies have a way to show off their culture, interact “directly” with another business similar to themselves, and reach a much larger audience.
But, how can companies ensure that they are getting the kind of interaction they want and need to grow their business? How do they know they’re investing in a solid growth strategy as opposed to showing photos to the same five people over and over? There are a few easy things that you can do to improve your social channels that require nothing but a calendar and a clock.
LinkedIn is the best B2B social channel to use simply because of the number of active decision-makers there. It is the professional network for a reason. 90% of B2B companies use it for product marketing because it is incredibly easy to connect with new professionals in your target industry. You’re actually reaching the key decision-makers where they’re at.
When: The best day to post on LinkedIn is Wednesday, but a day in either direction is still good. The best time of day is typically 9-10 am and noon (hello lunch break).
Winning Combination: Wednesday at 12 pm
95% of businesses worldwide use Facebook, with around 42% of B2B marketers saying it’s the most effective platform for them. One big reason? It’s established and cost-effective. By being able to advertise and promote posts, companies can get their content in front of many, many eyes. That and it’s the second-most popular site in the world, second only to Google. It’s safe to say that directing Facebook traffic to your site is just as helpful as if they got bounced there from a Google search.
When: Thursdays and Fridays show an 18% increase in engagement as opposed to other days of the week. The highest traffic occurs between 1-3 pm, with 9 am to noon being the next best times.
Winning Combination: Thursday at 1:30 pm
Twitter is great for getting noticed and it’s one of the best B2B channels to start a conversation with potential customers or industry experts. It’s also great for humanizing your brand, as Twitter was (originally) started to be a quick bite to a larger story. It’s a channel where engagement soars, and a retweet is almost as common as a like.
When: The best days are Tuesday and Wednesday, but really anytime during the week is bound to get more engagement than a weekend. Mornings are usually good for Twitter, as people turn to it as they’re starting their day to get caught up with the news.
Winning Combination: Wednesday at 9 am
While 48% of brands use Instagram for marketing, it is best suited to leverage user-generated content, considering its photographic nature and photographs are a subtle way customers show faith in the brand. Plus, it can also be used as a behind-the-scenes look at your company. It certainly is not as mature as other social channels for marketing, but it does make it easy to blend advertisements into normal content.
When: The safest times to post on Instagram are Tuesday – Friday, 10 am to 3 pm. That is a huge window, but they do say that Wednesday and Friday show higher engagement, each around 11 am.
Winning Combination: Friday at 11 am
By keeping an eye on the clock, it’s easy to give your social posts a natural boost. But, the right time only helps if you’re posting content that people want to see. And what is that exactly? The answer depends on your business and your audience. Get in touch and we’ll work with you to create a social strategy personalized to your business.
*Statistics sourced from Hootsuite