The BEST Times To Post Your Blog Content on Social Media

“When is the BEST time for me to post my blog content on social media so people actually see it and click on my freaking post link!?”

That’s an exact quote from an email I received recently from someone who participated in my 2017 Mom Blog Plan-a-Thon. And boy, did it speak to me!

Because I totally get it.

When it comes to social media and blogging, there really isn’t one without the other.

In fact, for as long as I have been blogging (over 7 years now!), social media has played a huge roll in helping bloggers gain a readership, grow an audience, make real connections and establish a brand that is respected and recognizable.

I know that ‘Sleeping Is For Losers’ would be NOTHING without social media. [Well, it would be something – but nothing more than an online diary of my own thoughts]. I know that so deeply that I wrote an entire ebook on Instagram and how to leverage it effectively to grow your audience!

Social media is a complete game changer for those who want to take their blog seriously and potentially make money off of it! However, there is some strategy that goes into posting to social media. No longer can people “set it and forget it” and put their social media on autopilot. Nope. Readers and engagers expect and deserve more.

The online world is an incredibly noisy space. All the clutter makes it really difficult to shine through and have your unique voice and perspective heard.

That’s why it is necessary for bloggers of all types to approach their social media very strategically, but still as a real person – it’s a ridiculous balancing act, really and truly.

Here’s what I know to be true: To be seen and heard online, you MUST post often, post great content, and engage with others through meaningful comments or sharing of their own content.

It’s a simple formula but it is so hard, because, no matter how perfectly your follow that formula,  it won’t matter a lick how awesome the content you’re sharing is if you don’t post it at the right times.

Here’s the thing – those people who run social media platforms are really smart (smarter than I am, that’s for sure). They noticed how much free promotion businesses and bloggers were getting by using their platforms and so they decided to take back some control through the use of algorithms. While confusing in so many ways, algorithms essential decide who sees your content.

Algorithms are why someone with 250,000 followers may only get 100 likes on a post while someone with 1,250 followers can get 250 likes on a post.

But even worse, algorithms are constantly changing and evolving. What this means for us bloggers, who are simply trying to get our piece of gold blog post in front of as many eyeballs as possible, is that we need to work harder at posting at the right times!

So let’s unpack that a bit further.

What you say online definitely matters but it’s WHEN you post it that matters the most. I know, I know, so many of us (myself included) want to believe that no matter when we post something it will be noticed because it’s awesome…but that’s totally not true 🙁

So while I am a big proponent of using social media like a real person and just jumping and engaging when you have time, I’m also a big proponent of posting strategically so that you get maximum exposure for your hard work. And I want to make it easy for you to get that exposure for your blog.

I have created a complete cheat sheet breaking down the exact times you should post on the major social platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube & Pinterest).

You can grab that right here!

But before you grab that free download, let’s look at a general rule of thumb for posting times that is so simple yet so often overlooked.

The internet has, by and large, replaced TV watching for millions of people. So think of the times that people would be turning on their TV and post your links and social messages at those times.

For example:

8pm-9pm on a Thursday – YES! Post! People are tired and winding down for the week. They want something to distract them or uplift them or inspire them. POST!

9:30am on a Monday – NO! People are starting their work week, they’re knee-deep in catching up on things they need to accomplish at work and not scrolling around on the internet!

3pm on a Sunday – MAYBE… if your audience loves watching sports or spending the weekend skiing, this wouldn’t be optimal. BUT if the people who you want to attract to your blog are mostly crafters or DIY junkies, this is a great time! They’re totally online looking for new projects;)

Now you’ve got the hang of it…posting times will change your traffic and your influence if you take the time, sit down and really think about when your target reader (or customer) is going to be online.

Most of us write for an audience that is very similar to who we are, so use YOURSELF as a barometer for when to post. When are YOU browsing online (not working!) and looking for a distraction? When do YOU spend 15 minutes scrolling through your timeline? That’s when you should focus your post and engagement (you know, when you just chat with other human beings on social media because that’s what it’s made for!) efforts:) Because as important as it is to be strategic (and it’s totally important), it’s even more important to remind people that you’re a real human who really engages and doesn’t just pre-plan a bunch of posts and never bothers to actually check in and hang out!

Now that I’ve given you some good tips for when to post & engage online, I’m going to give you the ultimate cheatsheet! I am a total nerd and spend way too much time looking at research and best practices when it comes to social media and bloggers. But you get to reap the rewards of my nerdiness 🙂 There are some clear patterns regarding the best times to post on the most popular social platforms no matter what kind of blog or business you are! So I’m offering you my cheatsheet with the exact times to post AND why, FOR FREE! [And it’s printable if you’re an ultra-nerd like me and love to print things out and post them up!].

So fill out the form below and instantly get your own social media posting cheatsheet. [print it, print it and send me a picture of it hanging in your office!]

And if you like it, make sure you hit me up online (anytime, not just the RIGHT times…lol) and tell me what is working for you (and what isn’t) when it comes to social media and engagement.

Oh, and one last thing, just because it isn’t the BEST time to post online doesn’t mean you shouldn’t post. As much as we want to optimize our blog to get the most eyeballs on it at one time, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t jump online, post & engage when the spirit moves us (or we simply have the time). Be strategic but, above all, be human!