Determining the Best Times to Post on Twitter in 2024
If you manage a brand‘s Twitter account or use Twitter for marketing, figuring out the optimal times to tweet has become more crucial than ever in 2024. With Twitter‘s algorithmic feed now prioritizing certain content over others, when you tweet can make or break whether your followers actually see your posts.
Let‘s look at recent data and insights around the best times to tweet this year so you can refine your Twitter strategy.
Twitter‘s Algorithm Change Increased Importance of Timing
Up until a few years ago, Twitter operated on a purely reverse chronological feed. Newer tweets from accounts you followed simply appeared at the top of your feed as they were posted.
But as Twitter evolved, they made an algorithmic feed the default in 2016. This meant tweets weren‘t strictly ordered by recency anymore. Twitter now attempts to predict what you want to see using factors like past engagement, number of followers, type of content and more.
This has major implications for timing. If you tweet when your followers aren‘t online or active, your tweet can easily get buried beneath more "relevant" content. To ensure your tweets get seen, you now have to be more strategic with when you post.
Studies Show 8-9 AM Weekdays Are Overall Best
So when exactly should you be tweeting in 2024 to beat the algorithm? Multiple studies have found early mornings on weekdays tend to perform best.
For example, TrackMaven analyzed over 700,000 tweets in 2016 and found:
- Monday 8-9 AM EST sees most engagement
- Thursday 8-9 AM EST is 2nd best
This data was confirmed in a 2021 Sprout Social study examining over 4.5 million tweets. They found early morning was best for both click rate and engagement rate.
Why does this weekday morning slot do so well? As you‘d expect, many folks check Twitter first thing when starting their day, catching up on news and notifications. Tweeting early rides that initial spike in users.
How You Can Determine Your Ideal Post Times
Now keep in mind – while 8-9 AM weekdays is a solid baseline, your specific audience and goals may mean different ideal times for you. Here are some tips on how to identify when to tweet for maximum impact:
Check Your Twitter Analytics
Within your Twitter account, go to the Analytics tab and explore the Tweet Activity section. This shows you tweets with the most impressions and engagements. Look for consistent high points and low points to spot your ideal times.
Consider Your Audience and Goals
A B2B SaaS company should tweet during business hours, while an ecommerce site selling to consumers may do better evenings and weekends. Know whether your audience is more active on weekends vs weekdays.
Run Timing Tests
Try tweeting identical or comparable content at different times/days and track engagement. Gradually narrow in on times that perform well. Tools like Buffer or Hootsuite allow you to schedule and analyze this.
Mind Your Timezones
If your audience spans timezones outside your own, tweet when those users are active. Don‘t just go by your own timezone.Plan it out – don‘t make your Australian followers up at 2 AM!
Adapt to Algorithm Shifts
Keep analyzing your data and watch for changes. If you see engagement drop at previously ideal times, the algorithm may have shifted. Stay flexible and keep adapting your timing.
Some General Twitter Timing Tips:
- Visual tweets tend to perform best – add good images/videos.
- For driving traffic, aim for 1-3 PM weekdays when click-through peaks.
- Avoid Fridays post-3 PM and weekends post-8 PM when engagement dips.
Consistency and Spacing Matter Too!
In addition to timing your daily tweets well, it‘s important to tweet consistently and space out your posts. You shouldn‘t go silent for days or tweet 10 times an hour.
Experts recommend:
- Tweeting 1-3 times per day for most accounts
- Leaving 2-4 hours between tweets
- Avoiding posting many tweets back-to-back
This keeps your content from becoming noise and allows each tweet time to breathe. Combine this cadence with optimized timing for success.
Key Takeaways:
- Review your Twitter analytics to identify engagement peaks and valleys
- Know your audience and if they are more active on weekdays or weekends
- Run A/B tests tweeting the same content at different times/days to spot ideal times
- Consider timezones beyond just your own when scheduling tweets
- Stay flexible – keep adjusting your timing as the algorithm changes
- Tweet consistently 1-3x daily and leave 2-4 hours between posts
By leveraging these tips, you can discover and keep posting at the times your Twitter audience is most engaged. This will maximize eyes on your content in 2024 despite the platform‘s fickle algorithm.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
