PipeflowWhy there is no time for everyone
The internet is full of lists with the supposedly best time for LinkedIn. They often contradict each other because they are based on very different networks. A property management company in Vienna uses LinkedIn at different times than a software developer in Berlin or a nursing manager working shifts.
So what matters is not what applies to everyone, but when the people in your network are on LinkedIn. The best way to find that out is yourself.
How people use LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a professional network. Many people look in around their working day: in the morning before the first appointment, at lunchtime or in the early evening on the way home. At the weekend, fewer people tend to use it for work, but there is also less competition in the feed.
This gives sensible starting points for testing, not fixed rules:
- Weekday mornings, roughly between seven and nine.
- Around lunchtime, roughly between twelve and one.
- In the early evening, if your audience tends to read after work.
- Tuesday to Thursday as first choice, Monday and Friday for comparison.
Who do you want to reach?
Think about who should read your posts and what their day looks like. A few examples:
- Trades with business customers: Builders, architects and property managers often start their day early. A post early in the morning can fit.
- Consulting and law or tax firms: Business owners and managing directors often read in the morning or at lunchtime.
- Health: If you want to win skilled staff for your practice, they are busy with patients during the day. The early evening can work better.
- Restaurants and hotels: For recruiting, times outside the service rush are worth a try, for example mid morning.
- Retail: If you are reaching suppliers and partners, classic office hours fit. If it is about job applications, the evening too.
How to find your time in four to six weeks
With a simple test you quickly get an answer that applies to you:
- Choose a time: Start with one of the starting points above and post at the same time for two to three weeks.
- Test a second time: Then two to three weeks at a different time, with similar posts.
- Take notes: For each post, write down the impressions, reactions and comments. You will find these numbers in the statistics under each post.
- Compare: Look at the average, not at individual outliers. A post about a new apprentice always performs differently from one about tax deadlines.
- Decide: Stick with the time that performs better, and test again at some point later.
More important than the time
The time is one adjustment screw, but not the biggest. On LinkedIn, posts are often still seen hours or days after publishing if they start conversations. A strong post at an average time usually beats a weak post at the perfect time.
These points often achieve more: a first sentence that sparks curiosity, a topic that really concerns your network, and your replies to comments. What else helps is covered in the guide Increase your LinkedIn reach.
Be there when the post appears
The best time to post is also one when you have a moment yourself. If someone comments in the first hour and you reply, a conversation develops. If you post at eight but are with a customer until noon, you miss that moment.
So choose a time that fits your day. Schedule posts in advance and set them so you have a few minutes for replies afterwards. How scheduling works is covered in the guide Schedule LinkedIn posts.
An example from practice
A plumbing business in the Innviertel posts once a week on the boss's profile. For three weeks the posts appear on Tuesday at half past seven, then for three weeks on Wednesday at noon. Both times the topics are similar: a finished bathroom, a heating tip, an apprentice at work.
The comparison shows that the morning posts get slightly more comments from property managers and builders. So the boss sticks with Tuesday morning and schedules his posts so that he still has five minutes for replies before his first appointment. For another business the result can be exactly the opposite. That is exactly why your own test is worth it.
Difference from Instagram
On Instagram, many people are more active in their free time, in the evening and at the weekend. On LinkedIn, the working day plays a bigger role. If you use both channels, it is therefore normal for the best times to differ. How to approach Instagram is explained in the guide on the best time for Instagram.