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What’s the Best Time to Post Content on LinkedIn?

Woman sitting on a couch working on a laptop. She is in the process of sitting down or standing up.

You’ve identified the most relevant target audience, you’ve generated or curated content to match the issues they’re interested in, and you’ve translated this into a forward-looking content calendar that ensures you always have something relevant to say – but there’s something missing from the plan. When’s the best time to post your content on LinkedIn to ensure that it gets the engagement it deserves?

The best content marketers know that, when it comes to driving impact and engagement, timing is a big part of the equation. Your aim is to deliver content at a moment when your particular target audience is likely to notice it – and has time to engage with and act on it. This timing ‘sweet spot’ naturally varies depending on the particular platform on which you’re engaging your target audience. Each social channel has a different role in the lives of its audiences – and those roles often play out at different times of the day.

HubSpot recently surveyed more than 300 social media marketers all over the United States to find out the best time to post on LinkedIn. Their findings are invaluable, not only for the obvious reason that posting at the best time of day is a great way to raise engagement but also because understanding when your audience is on LinkedIn can actually tell you quite a lot about their motivations and intentions on the platform.

The Best Times to Post Content on LinkedIn

According to HubSpot’s findings, the best times to post content on LinkedIn are:

  • Between 12 to 3 pm, 3 to 6 pm, or 6 to 9 pm
  • Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday

Interestingly, HubSpot conducted a survey very similar to this one in 2016 and came up with very different results. In 2016, they found that the best times to post content on LinkedIn were between Tuesday and Thursday, early in the morning, at lunchtime, or in the early evening.

How Posting on LinkedIn is Changing

So what accounts for such a significant shift, and what does it mean about how your audience is using LinkedIn? We can think of a few possibilities:

The Pandemic and the Great Reshuffle

Obviously, LinkedIn users visit the site and interact with content when they occupy a professional mindset. This is why, back before the pandemic, the early part of weekdays was such an important time for posting on LinkedIn.

Now that so many of us have been working from home for so long, however, the times we’re in a professional mindset are more variable and flexible. Instead of logging in to catch up on the latest news or wade into the workday in the morning as they used to, members seem to be checking in periodically through the back half of the workday, likely seeking inspiration, connection, or a change of pace.

More flexible work schedules, as well as the enduring increase in job-switching intent from the Great Reshuffle, probably help explain why more professionals are logging onto LinkedIn and engaging during the weekends. “Work hours” aren’t what they used to be.

The Rise of Gen Z

Since 2016, more Gen Z professionals have joined LinkedIn than any other demographic. Soon, they will be the largest generation of consumers, and they already account for $143 billion in direct spending. They also have slightly different ambitions and motivations than previous generations… and these ambitions and motivations cause them to use LinkedIn a bit differently.

First, Gen Z is ambitious. Compared to previous generations, they are more focused on their careers and industries on LinkedIn. Seventy-seven percent of Gen Z professionals “believe they will need to work harder compared to those in past generations to have a satisfying and fulfilling professional career.”

To do that hard work, Gen Z is interested in learning new skills. Seventy-four percent of Gen Z users said they wanted to use LinkedIn to learn new skills that will help them in their current jobs or – even more importantly – for the rest of their career. Forty-six percent said they’d spend more time learning even on weekends in order to get a promotion. Compared to their peers, Gen Zers view industry Pages 1.3x more, they’re 1.2x more active in LinkedIn groups, they view 1.3x as many jobs, and they’re 1.2x more likely to research companies.

Second, Gen Z is highly independent. Forty-three percent of Gen Z users say they prefer a fully self-directed and independent approach to professional development. Thirty-eight percent want anytime, anywhere learning and 36% want more personalized learning experiences. Appropriately, they also spend more of their free time on social media than other generations, primarily on their smartphones.

Align Your LinkedIn Content Strategy with Your Audience

It’s clear that, compared to only a few years ago, the professionals using LinkedIn and what they’re using it for have begun to shift. More members are logging on during the weekend than ever before, and instead of starting their workday with LinkedIn, they return to it throughout the day and into the evening.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t be trying to reach people during the traditional standards – over a morning cup of coffee, or while they’re scrolling the feed during lunch – but the idea that no one’s checking LinkedIn outside of “work hours” or on the weekend isn’t accurate.

Aligning your posting schedule to this new reality is only step one. Now that you know why members are flocking to LinkedIn at the times they are, you can start creating content that appeals to what they’re looking for when they come looking.

Today’s LinkedIn members care about new jobs, new insights, new industry trends and – most of all – building their professional skills. If you can deliver content like this whenever they come looking for it, you’ll find an audience more engaged and receptive than ever before.

Remember, however: In our own experience, there’s no substitute for testing when it comes to finding the sweet spot that best suits your audience. Test different content elements such as the headlines, copy and images at different times of the day. See what your audience is telling you about their own habits and preferences.

This is an especially good idea when you’re aiming to vary the mix of content that you share. Fridays, for example, may not deliver the highest absolute engagement numbers – but they are still a great time slot for releasing light-hearted, inspirational content that can engage people as they power down or relax over the weekend. Likewise, the Monday morning mindset, when people are focused on tackling challenges for the week ahead, could be a great time to release content that helps them solve particular problems.

Timing matters – on LinkedIn as on any other social platform. That’s why the HubSpot survey results are so handy, but also why it’s worth testing intelligently to find the timing that works best for your audience.

You’ll find more quick, practical insights on building a LinkedIn content strategy on the LinkedIn Ads blog.