On Instagram, every like, comment, and share counts. Creating high-quality Instagram content generates engagement, but timing also matters.
Instagram’s algorithm rewards engagement speed, so posting when your audience is most active can make the difference between crickets and virality.
This article reveals the best times to post on Instagram in the UK, based on the latest data and trends. Pllus learn five tips for discover the best posting times for your audience and industry.
Posting time may feel like an afterthought. But sharing content whenever isn’t enough.
Instagram’s algorithm prioritises engagement. The more likes, comments, and shares your post gets, the more visibility Instagram gives it. Post at the right time, and you’ll catch your audience when they’re active and boost impressions, interactions, and ultimately reach.
This isn’t about vanity metrics. More engagement leads to higher earned media value (EMV), which is an estimate of how much the buzz generated from a post would have cost through traditional marketing channels. That makes it easier to prove the impact of your Instagram strategy to stakeholders.
The common mistake brands make? Posting randomly and ignoring the data. Consistency and timing are just as important as creativity when it comes to getting results on Instagram.
Before we dive into the best times to post on Instagram, let’s set a few caveats. Most available data is global. That means it’s based on broad estimates across many countries, and not all patterns apply equally to the UK. Also, reports conflict, with some highlighting early mornings, others afternoons on Tuesdays, Wednesday, and Thursdays as the best times to post Instagram content.
That said, we dug into multiple studies to give you the clearest guidance for 2025.
Later analysed over 6 million Instagram posts, Reels, and carousels. Their data shows that 4 AM is the golden hour for generating the most engagement. In fact, the 3 AM to 6 AM window performed above average. The theory is that early posting puts your content front and center when people wake up and scroll first thing in the morning.
On the other hand, Recurpost found that afternoons and evenings drive stronger engagement. Their data—based on 2 million engagements up to June 2025—highlighted 3 PM to 5 PM on Tuesdays and Fridays as peak slots for posting Instagram content. This aligns with the end-of-work and after-school scroll. Evenings also showed strong activity, especially between 8 PM and 10 PM on quieter nights like Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Across all evenings, 9 PM stands out as the sweet spot. After 10 PM, engagement drops off as users wind down for bed.
Interestingly, Recurpost noted that 1 AM to 4 AM were the quietest times to share Instagram content. This finding clearly contradicts Later’s research on activity patterns. One explanation could be dataset differences. Later’s broader scope may account for global algorithmic patterns.
Sprout Social’s analysis adds weight to the afternoon and evening recommendation, so we’ll lean toward that trend.
The “golden hour” on Instagram refers to the time of day when posts consistently receive the highest engagement.
In 2025, UK-specific data suggests that 9 PM is the most reliable golden hour. This is when users are typically unwinding after work, scrolling in the evening, and more likely to interact with content.
That said, the golden hour isn’t universal. For some industries, early mornings (around 4 AM) still perform strongly, while B2B brands often see higher engagement during lunch breaks. The key is to use benchmarks as a guide, then test and track your own audience’s activity to discover your brand’s true golden hour.
However, the golden hour isn’t one-size-fits-all:
Benchmarks are useful, but every brand has its own rhythm. To find yours:
👉 Pro tip: Your golden hour may also vary by format. Reels might peak later in the evening, while Stories perform better in the mornings or during commutes.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the best times to post on Instagram in 2025:
It's worth testing the early morning slot. But be aware that some data suggests that 1 am to 4 am has the lowest engagement.
While it's useful to employ global benchmarks as a guide to social media posting, always adjust to your own audience’s activity patterns. Tracking your audience's active times will bring the best result for your brand.
For example, B2B brand will likely see better results posting during lunchtimes, when professionals are online but still thinking about work. On the other hand, lifestyle and entertainment brands benefit from evening and weekend activity, when people scroll during their leisure time.
If you’re looking for a shortcut, here are the average best times to upload Instagram posts and Reels across different industries, according to Recurpost.
Here are the optimal posting times for the travel and tourism industry:
Audience active times in the fashion and apparel industry:
The best times to share Instagram posts in the fitness and wellness niche:
Peak times for posting for the food and beverage industry:
Here's when to share Instagram content for peak engagement in digital marketing and social media industries:
Optimal posting times for IT brands:
This data suggests that different industries have different audience behaviors. For example, fashion and beauty brands tend to see higher engagement in the evenings and on weekends, when people browse for inspiration. In contrast, tech and B2B audiences are more active during weekday mornings and lunch breaks.
Demographics also play a role. Gen Z often engages late at night, while millennials are more active during daytime hours. That means the best time to post time also requires deep knowledge of your audience’s lifestyle and habits.
Use these benchmarks as a guide to find your best times to share Instagram posts, but always test and adapt. Your brand’s prime time may look different once you dig into your own analytics.
Average best times to post are only a starting point. To connect with your audience, you need to know when your audience is online. That means digging into your data, testing different slots, and refining as you go.
Start with Instagram Insights. Switch your account to a Business Account or Creator profile to unlock this feature. From your profile, tap the menu and select Insights. Under the Total Followers section, you’ll see when your audience is most active by day of the week and hour of the day. Use this to guide your posting schedule, then track which specific times consistently drive the most likes, comments, and shares.
Instagram's Creator Studio offers another layer of analytics. Once your Instagram account is connected, head to the dashboard and open Insights. Here you’ll find engagement trends, audience demographics, and peak activity hours. Spot your top-performing time windows, experiment with posting in them, and compare the results.
Tracking and adjusting is key. Keep a simple spreadsheet or use an analytics tool to log posting times and engagement over several weeks. Test different slots suggested by Insights and Creator Studio, then refine your approach as you see patterns emerge. Don’t forget to revisit your analytics regularly. Follower behavior often shifts with seasons or new Instagram features.
Influencer marketing platforms can take this even deeper. They let you monitor metrics, such as, comments, and saves across posts, while also breaking down audience data by gender, age, or location. This tells you which Instagram strategy is connecting with your target audience. Working with multiple influencers, analysing audience's engagement at different times can be hard. It may also differ between creators and their audiences.
Finally, run A/B tests. Post similar content at different times, compare engagement, and double down on what works. At the end of the day, the best times to upload Instagram posts aren't universal. They may also differ between Instagram Stories and other formats like Reels.
Timing is only half the equation. To truly maximise results, pair the right posting slots with the right Instagram strategy will win the best results.
Here’s are three essentials for posting at the right time year-round:
Use the Instagram post benchmarks in this article as a guide, but always tailor timing to your content type, audience habits, and cultural context.
Engagement builds steadily after lunch, peaks between 3 pm and 5 pm on Tuesdays and Fridays, and stays strong into the evening, especially between 8 pm and 10 pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Across most evenings, 9 pm stands out as a consistent sweet spot. In contrast, 1 am to 4 am was the quietest period, with the lowest chance of early engagement.
But you should base your best time to post on your audience's activity patterns. And once you've found your best and worst times, stick the the daily routine but be open to learning more.
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