24/01/2022
Good morning guys!
Let's get on with the next frequently asked questions about Facebook!
WHEN SHOULD I POST ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE?
I've actually forgotten how many times I've been asked this, and the answers that I see on Facebook vary from when your followers are online, or a particular hour in the morning or afternoon.
Here's my own point of view: Whatever timeframe you see on Facebook articles you researched or on your insights, use it as your basis and let the data tell you when's the best time to do post on page.
To elaborate:
Each and every person in the world is different. There might be two people that have the same quirks, likes or eccentricities, but they're still different in some way.
Much so when it comes to social media. One's pattern today may be different after a day, week, month or even a year. There would be social media specialists that would insist to follow a particular pattern that works, but this should not be the case.
As a process that may work for someone in Real Estate may not work for someone in the ecommerce industry.
But of course, you might ask, why should someone in ecommerce follow something that works someone in Real Estate?
Have you seen the number of articles that are about Social Media? There's a lot.. most contradicts what the others are saying, and some usually uses the keywords "Expert, proven, it works".
For someone who's new in social media management, these keywords are magnets. Once they see these words, they often don't see or read anything else. I can't blame them, because it's how content creators get people's attention.
So how will you know when's the best time to post?
Here's how I do it
For a new FB page, start with the niche. I ask myself, what types of audience will probably enjoy content from a particular niche?
Once I get an idea of an audience, for example, people who works 9-5. Even with the pandemic, they only difference right now is their travel. When they usually browse social media may still be the same, which is either in the morning, lunch or when they go home. Some even check before they sleep.
So with that kind of audience, and possible quirks, it's a bit intimidating how one should find out when they are usually online.
Experiment is the key!
Start with posting at 6am in the morning, 12 in the afternoon and then 5 pm in the evening.
Here's why:
People usually wake up at 6, take lunch at 12pm and leave the office at 5pm.
Do this for a month and take note of the data in insights, especially the average time when people are online (Facebook Insights > People). Check out the reach and engagement and highlight when these are at their highest.
After a month, move one hour up for each. Do the same review after a month, but compare it to the previous month. Are the stats better or worse? If the stats are better, use the timings that gave better data and use it for one more month. If the stats fare better than before, then stick to those timings.
But does it mean my work stops there? No sirree.
You still observe the data. Whenever the numbers drop a bit, you have to be aware the minute it happens. Try to find where the problem might be.
(We'll have a different post about the content that you post and how it affects your decision making to give you a better idea, but it'll tie up in the end, I promise.)
For a page that's been around for awhile, you follow what your client asks you to do. He says post two times in a day, then post two times a day.
But you still have to manage the data. Tell your client as soon as the data dips or improves. Suggest to make changes. If they don't want to, then it's fine. But if the numbers continuously dips, let's say within a week there's no improvement and the numbers are still going down tell them again. Insist that they need to make changes. If they still decline, just continue what you're doing. Tell them whenever there's any changes till they realize they really need to make a change.
It's up to you if you want to do this, but that's what I do. I make my clients feel that I'm not just someone who creates and schedule posts for them.