The most popular times for tweeting are often not the best times for getting clicks and engagement, according to a recent report from Buffer.
The report was based on an analysis of more than 4.8 million tweets sent by 10,000 Twitter accounts from around the world. The researchers looked at tweet volume, clicks, and engagement (favorites, replies, and retweets) in 10 time zones globally. The charts below show the averages in local time across all the time zones examined. To see how the results vary by country and region, check out the full report.
Below, key findings from the analysis.
Most Popular Tweet Times
- The highest volume of tweets occurs on average between 11 AM and 1 PM, local time, the analysis found.
- The highest volume hour for tweeting varies significantly by location; for example, 9 AM is the most popular tweet time in San Francisco whereas noon is the most popular tweet time in New York.
Best Times for Clicks
- The highest number of clicks per tweet on average occurs late at night, between 2 AM and 4 AM, local time, the analysis found.
- The fewest clicks per tweet on average occurs in the mornings when tweet volume is particularly high, between 9 AM and 1 PM, local time.
- The best time for clicks tends to be evening and late night across time zones, though there is variation; for example, 7 PM is the peak time in Denver for clicks whereas it is 2 AM in Paris.
Best Times for Engagement
- The most engagement (favorites, replies, and retweets) per tweet on average occurs between 11 PM and 5 AM, local time, peaking between 2 AM and 3 AM.
- The least engagement occurs on average during traditional work hours, between 9 AM and 5 PM, local time.
About the research: The report was based on an analysis of more than 4.8 million tweets sent by 10,000 Twitter accounts from around the world.