Best Times to Post on LinkedIn
Timing matters. Discover when your LinkedIn audience is most active and how to optimize your posting schedule for maximum reach.
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📊 Key Finding:
Posts published during peak hours receive 3-5x more engagement than those posted during off-peak times. But the "best time" varies by audience, industry, and content type.
Overall Best Times (EST)
🏆 Peak Engagement Times
- Tuesday - Thursday:7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
- Tuesday - Wednesday:12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
- Wednesday:5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
⚠️ Times to Avoid
- • Weekends (Sat/Sun)
- • Early mornings (before 6 AM)
- • Late evenings (after 8 PM)
- • Mondays before 8 AM
- • Friday afternoons
Day-by-Day Breakdown
Monday
Best: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM
Why: People catching up on weekend news. Avoid early morning (inbox overload).
Tuesday ⭐ (Best Day Overall)
Best: 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM, 5:00 PM
Why: Peak professional activity. Users settled into work week routine.
Wednesday ⭐ (Second Best Day)
Best: 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Why: Mid-week engagement peak. High comment and share rates.
Thursday
Best: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Why: Still strong engagement before Friday slowdown.
Friday
Best: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM (avoid afternoon)
Why: Morning only - engagement drops dramatically after lunch.
Saturday & Sunday
Best: Avoid unless targeting specific audiences
Why: 70% lower engagement than weekdays. LinkedIn is a professional platform.
Timing by Industry
| Industry | Best Days | Best Times (EST) |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Tue-Thu | 7-9 AM, 5-6 PM |
| Finance | Tue-Wed | 7-8 AM, 12-1 PM |
| Marketing | Tue-Thu | 8-10 AM, 12-1 PM |
| Sales | Wed-Thu | 8-9 AM, 12-1 PM |
| HR/Recruiting | Mon-Tue | 9-11 AM |
| Consulting | Tue-Wed | 7-8 AM, 5-6 PM |
Content Type Timing
📝 Thought Leadership Posts
Best: Tuesday-Wednesday, 7-9 AM
Why: People are mentally fresh and receptive to deeper content
🎯 Quick Tips & Lists
Best: Any weekday, 12-1 PM
Why: Easy to consume during lunch breaks
📊 Industry News & Analysis
Best: Monday-Tuesday, 8-10 AM
Why: Professionals catch up on weekend developments
💼 Career Advice
Best: Thursday-Friday, 8-9 AM
Why: Job seekers most active end of week
🎬 Video Content
Best: Tuesday-Wednesday, 7-8 AM, 5-6 PM
Why: Commute times when people have time to watch
Time Zone Considerations
Global Audiences
If targeting multiple time zones, aim for these "universal sweet spots":
- 8:00 AM EST: Catches US East Coast, Europe afternoon
- 12:00 PM EST: US lunch, Europe end-of-day
- 5:00 PM EST: US evening, Asia morning (next day)
Finding Your Optimal Time
Test and Track
These are general guidelines. Your audience may behave differently. Here's how to find your best times:
- Post at different times for 2-3 weeks
- Track engagement rates (not just total numbers)
- Identify patterns in your top-performing posts
- Test variations of your winning times
- Adjust based on audience feedback
Posting Frequency
Daily
Optimal for most
Weekly
Minimum to stay visible
Daily (Max)
For power users only
Quick Timing Tips
- ✅ Morning commute (7-9 AM): People check LinkedIn on their way to work
- ✅ Lunch break (12-1 PM): Quick scrolling during downtime
- ✅ Evening commute (5-6 PM): Unwinding before dinner
- ✅ Tuesday-Thursday: Peak professional activity days
- ❌ Avoid Friday PM: Engagement drops 40% after 2 PM
- ❌ Avoid weekends: Unless your audience is global/always-on
- ✅ Consistency > perfection: Regular posting builds algorithm favor
Schedule Your Posts Strategically
Use our engagement predictor to identify the best times for your specific content and audience.
Try Schedule Optimizer