In the realm of Facebook Marketplace, opinions on the “prime time” for posting have been as diverse as the treasures you can find there. Some people claim there is no one-size-fits-all magic hour, while others believe that time can indeed be the secret ingredient to unlocking success. But here is the deal: when you are in the business of showcasing your wares, it’s an entirely different ballgame from sharing your cat videos with friends.
You see, the concept of time on Facebook Marketplace is like an art form, a harmonious blend of strategy and savvy. It is about knowing when the virtual streets are bustling, and your target audience is ready to pounce on that must-have item. So, if you are wondering whether there is a golden hour to set your listings aglow on Facebook marketplace, let me assure you—there most certainly is.
It is not just about making a post; it is about making a statement, about attracting the right eyes, and ultimately, about finding the perfect match for your offerings. And that is what makes the quest for the best time to post on Facebook Marketplace not just a notion, but a powerful reality.
Discovering the optimal time to share your treasures on Facebook can work wonders for your business, elevating your brand’s visibility and engaging a broader slice of your audience. In theory, it sounds like a straightforward task, but when we delve into the dynamic world of Facebook Marketplace, the journey to pinpointing that perfect moment can become quite the puzzle.
You see, the trick lies in acknowledging that your audience dances to its unique rhythm. They’re not synchronized with everyone else’s online habits. That’s where the complexity arises. Your potential buyers may be night owls, early birds, or weekend warriors. Understanding this diversity within your audience is like mastering the art of precision timing.
Understanding when to post on Facebook marketplace
While there is not a universally best time for businesses to post ads on Facebook Marketplace, the key lies in identifying the most effective time for your specific business. Generally, individuals tend to be more attentive to Facebook posts during the middle of the week, particularly from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. This timeframe coincides with common breaks such as morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea, when users are likely to check their Facebook apps. Surprisingly, there is a decline in Facebook activity during weekends and evenings, possibly attributed to social engagements and the desire to unwind with family.
To determine the most current and reliable information on this matter, it is essential to consult the latest sources. This involves not only considering top-ranking posts on search engine results pages (SERP) but also reviewing recently published studies with original data. Notably, reputable sources such as HubSpot, Coschedule, Hootsuite, Harvard business review, Oberlo, the Balance and Sprout Social are known for providing valuable insights on the best days and times to post and according to the industry. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that these sources may not always agree in their recommendations.
HubSpot
HubSpot, a prominent American software and marketing company, conducted a survey for its 2022 Social Media Trends report, polling over 300 U.S.-based social media marketers and made the following findings on the best time and days to post on Facebook.
HubSpot recommends that for industries such as agriculture, food, beverage, and hospitality, the best time for posting on Facebook is identified as 9 AM to 12 PM.
Coschedule
According to CoSchedule’s findings, user activity peaks in the early morning and late afternoon.
However, they gave the following recommendations for different industries:
B2C (Business to Consumer): Best times are 7 am-9 am, 11 am-1 pm, or after 6 pm to engage with online customers.
B2B (Business to Business): For B2B businesses, the suggested time is 2 pm-4 pm, capitalizing on the common “brain break” in the afternoon.
Software Industry: Target software audiences at 7 am-9 am, 6 pm-8 pm, and 2 pm-4 pm for effective engagement.
Healthcare Sector: Healthcare workers are most active from 5 am-8 am, potentially seeking entertainment before their high-stress shifts.
Media Industry: Media companies thrive by posting during key times when followers wake up, go to lunch, or return home from work.
Hootsuite
After analyzing over 30,000 social posts, Hootsuite concluded that the best time for posting on Facebook universally is between 8 am and 12 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Sprout Social
Contrary to CoSchedule’s findings, Sprout Social conducted research on metrics from over 30,000 customers and concluded that the ideal posting time has shifted. While mid-morning is no longer considered optimal, Sprout Social suggests that, for an international audience, early morning is now the most effective time to post.
Harvard business review
The Harvard Business Review conducted a study in 2018, examining the link clicks of 5,706 Facebook posts. The results of the analysis indicated that posts made in the morning exhibited higher click-through rates compared to posts made at other times throughout the day. Specifically, data from the study revealed that morning posts saw an increase of 8.8% in link click rates, while evening posts generated an even higher click-through rate of 11.1%. These findings show that mornings and evenings are particularly opportune periods for generating link clicks.
Oberlo
According to Oberlo’s insights on Facebook posting, the prime window for gaining maximum exposure is between 1 PM and 4 PM. This timeframe aligns with periods when many employees check their Facebook accounts during downtimes, making them more receptive to content. Interestingly, on Sundays, the best time to post on Facebook appears to be specifically at 3 PM. This is attributed to the fact that during rest days, a significant portion of individuals tend to check their social media around this hour.
The Balance
According to insights from The Balance, a major finance company, the best period for achieving the highest average click-through rates on Facebook is observed between 1 PM and 4 PM. The pinnacle of engagement occurs specifically on Wednesdays at 3 PM, indicating that this time slot sees the highest number of people actively clicking on links within ads or posts. Conversely, weekends emerge as less favorable times for posting content, particularly before 8 AM and after 8 PM. This data shows that mid-week afternoons are particularly effective for maximizing click-through rates on the popular Facebook.
Best time for you to post your Ads on Facebook marketplace
For you to determine the best posting time for maximum reach and engagement, consider implementing the following strategies:
- Research/ Audience insights
Determining the best timing for running your advertisements hinges on a comprehensive grasp of your business, industry, and clientele. Additionally, research is a vital tool in this endeavor, involving the formulation of pertinent questions and their subsequent analysis.
Research will help you to answer some important questions that could serve as a compass for your decision-making process. For instance, understanding the days that witness peak sales, discerning when your blog posts garner the highest readership, and pinpointing the moments of the day that lead to a surge in email sign-ups all contribute to a well-informed advertising strategy. The synergy of these insights empowers you to tailor your advertising efforts in a manner that resonates most effectively with your target audience.
- Platform Analytics
Facebook insights
Facebook Analytics offers a wealth of information on your audience’s engagement, behavior, and demographics. It provides valuable data on their peak activity and engagement times, a crucial resource for strategizing future Facebook posts.
The platform encompasses details about user demographics, such as location and relationship status, along with insights into user behavior, including average ad clicks and comments.
To utilize Facebook Insights, follow these steps after logging into your Facebook account:
- Click on your profile photo in the top right corner.
- Select “See all profiles” and choose the Page you want to switch to.
- Click on “Insights” in the left menu.
Clicking on “Insights” will direct you to the dashboard, providing an overview of various Facebook insights.
- Within this section, select “Audience” to analyze data on your audience’s most active days and times
From here, you can evaluate the engagement levels of different post types and identify patterns for optimal performance. Check for peak engagement times, focusing on days and hours with the highest metrics to understand when your audience is most active. Experiment with posting at various times during these peak periods, monitoring post performance and adjusting your strategy accordingly. If your audience spans different time zones, factor this into your scheduling to align with peak times in various regions. Lastly, regularly review Insights to adapt your posting strategy to any changes in audience behavior over time.
However, to truly optimize your Facebook reach, consider adopting a tool that streamlines your workflow through efficient social media management capabilities. This is where Facebook scheduling tool comes in.
Facebook scheduling tools
These tools offer a streamlined workflow by allowing you to schedule posts in advance, ensuring consistent and timely content delivery. The advantage extends to determining the best time to post, as these tools often come equipped with features that analyze audience engagement patterns. Some effective Facebook scheduling tools include the following;
Loomly
With Loomly, you can generate and schedule posts, while also monitoring the effectiveness of your content.
Later
Later serves as a valuable tool for scheduling Facebook posts due to its user-friendly nature, cost-free accessibility, and seamless integration with Facebook accounts. The platform also offers analytics features, allowing users to gauge the performance of their content and track engagement trends over time.
MavSocial
MavSocial is a comprehensive platform offering all the necessary tools to efficiently handle your social media presence. It enables seamless scheduling and publishing of content, facilitates audience engagement, and provides robust measurement capabilities to assess your results and more.
Social media tools
These tools, considered third-party analytics, supplement Facebook Insights by offering a more comprehensive level of data analysis. Commonly favored choices encompass platforms such as Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and Buffer. These tools provide practical functionalities such as audience segmentation and competitor analysis. These platforms provide advantages such as supplementary metrics, sophisticated visualizations, and the ability to generate tailored reports.
Conclusion
Determining the best time to post on Facebook Marketplace depends on your target audience and the nature of your items. Experiment with posting early mornings, evenings and weekends when users are generally more active and consider analyzing your specific audience’s online habits for optimal results.
