In social media land, timing is everything!

If you use social media to promote your practice, chances are you know that timing and algorithms are a thing.

On Instagram, when you hit send on a post will dictate how many people see it. Photography by Kenny Eliason via Unsplash.

But do you really understand how algorithms work, and why you should pay attention to the advice about timing your posts?

Basically, the more people who see, like, comment, save, share and otherwise engage with your post, the more the algorithm shows it to people INSIDE and OUTSIDE your current circle of followers.

But, to encourage the algorithm to do that, you have to post when you know your current followers are looking at their Instagram / LinkedIn / other social media feeds.

So, when is that? There are two ways you can find out…. If you have an Instagram business account (it’s free to upgrade, and these analytics alone make it worthwhile!), click on the bars at the top right of your handle, and then click on Insights. You can see how many people are looking at your posts under Content, and find out when they are looking, under Followers (scroll to the bottom for the best times/days).

It’s a little harder to see when the best times are for LinkedIn, because the analytics are behind the Premium paywall, but LinkedIn itself published the best times and days this week.

So, the best times to post each day are 7:45am., 10:45am., 12:45pm., and 5:45pm. The best day for B2B brands to post is Wednesday (followed by Tuesday). The best days for B2C brands to post on LinkedIn are Monday and Wednesday.

If you’re using another social media channel to connect and engage with your future clients and customers, make sure you know how to time your posts to capitalise on that algorithm.

Then - and this is the important part - you have to consistently apply this info, so that your future posts will be seen by the largest audience, both inside and outside your current circle of followers. That’s how you expand your reach and share your message beyond your current community.

Lastly, if you have any questions about how to use social media to promote an architecture practice - because let’s face it, we’re not selling widgets or FMCG - keep an eye out for our upcoming course on all things architecture, marketing and communications. And in the meantime, if you have a suggestion for a blog post, or a question about your own marketing, please send us email - we’re happy to help.