The short version
- There's no single best time. Most studies average every kind of Page, and your customers aren't average.
- Post when your customers are on their phones: before work, at lunch and after dinner are good starting points.
- Start with the times in the table below, then test your own for 4 weeks.
- Posting steadily matters more than hitting the perfect hour.
Search for the best time to post on Facebook for a local business and you'll find lists of hours that sound very sure of themselves. They're averages across thousands of Pages, from clothing brands to news sites.
Your Page has a few hundred neighbors. So treat any number as a starting point. Here's how to pick one and find out what works for you.
The honest answer on the best time to post
Nobody can tell you your best hour without your numbers. Study results differ, because they look at different accounts, countries and years. A time that works for a streaming show may flop for a plumber. Other networks are covered in how many social media platforms a small business needs.
What does hold up is this: post when your customers have a minute to look at their phones. Then check what happened and adjust.
Sensible starting times by type of business
Think about when your customers make their choice, not when you finish work. These are rules of thumb from how people use their phones, not data. Start here and test. Video has its own timing tips in Facebook video for a local business.
| Type of business | Try posting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Home services (HVAC, plumbing, cleaning) | Early morning or early evening | Homeowners check their phones before work and after dinner, when they think about the house. |
| Restaurants and cafes | Mid-morning, and late afternoon | People decide where to eat a little before they're hungry. |
| Bakeries | Early morning | Before the morning rush, so the fresh case is on their minds. |
| Barbers and salons | Evenings and the start of the week | People book the next cut when they're relaxed at home. |
| Auto repair | Weekday mornings and lunch | Car trouble shows up on the commute. |
| Retail and boutiques | Lunch and early evening | Browsing happens on breaks and after dinner. |
| Pet grooming | Evenings and weekends | Pet owners have time to look and book. |
Your trade may differ. If you run a lawn care business in a hot summer, 6 a.m. might beat 6 p.m., because people dodge the afternoon heat.
How to test your own best time to post
You don't need special software. You need a 4-week test and a notebook. Your Page's insights in Meta Business Suite may show when your followers are active, so look there first.
Pick 2 time slots
For example, 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Keep the days the same for both.
Post similar posts in each
Use the same kind of post, like a tip or a job photo, so you're comparing the time, not the post.
Write down what happened
Note the likes, comments, shares and messages from each post after 2 days.
Run it for 4 weeks
One week is too small to tell. 4 gives you a pattern.
Keep the winner, test a new slot
Then try one new time against it. Repeat when the season changes.
A message or a call from a customer tells you more than a count of likes. If a post got you a message, that slot did its job.
Best days to post and when seasons shift
Days matter as much as hours. Your customers' habits change with the weather, school and the calendar.
- Post time-sensitive offers a few days ahead, not the morning of.
- Move posts earlier on hot or stormy days when people are stuck on their phones.
- Around holidays and local events, check how posts do a day before and a day after.
- If your best weekday is already full, try the same slot a day earlier.
For help with the rhythm of a whole week, see a weekly Facebook posting schedule.
When timing won't fix a post
A great time can't save a post with no photo and no point. If few people see your posts at any hour, check the other reasons before you obsess over the clock. To find your own best time, use Facebook Page Insights explained.
Do
- Start with the rule of thumb for your trade.
- Test for 4 weeks before changing.
- Post at the same times each week.
- Reply to comments the same day.
Don't
- Copy a list of hours from a study of all Pages.
- Change your times every few days.
- Judge a slot on a single post.
- Skip posting while you wait for the perfect hour.