The Best Times for Dental Practices to Post on Social Media [Infographic]

When posting on Facebook, Instagram, and your other social media pages, you want as many people as possible to see and engage with your content.

Timing is everything, especially when it comes to social media!

Have you ever wondered:

• Which days are best to post on social media?
• How often should I post on Facebook? Instagram? Twitter? LinkedIn?
• What times are best for social posts?

Because many of our clients are dentists, we’re also regularly asked:

“When are the best times to post on social media for dentists specifically?” 

Great question!

We’ve done the research for you to help identify the answer to this important dental marketing question.

Below, you’ll find the best times to post on social media for both B2C (business to consumer) and healthcare.

Infographic: The best times to post on social media

The best times for dental practices to post on Facebook

According to … This text opens a new tab to CoSchedule …CoSchedule, “Mornings work best for healthcare companies. Catching people when they’re waking up is the best time here, which makes sense, since people may be looking for entertainment rather than improving their health later in the day.”

B2C companies’ posts have success at slightly different times – morning, lunchtime, and 4-5 PM. This makes sense, as those are times when your audience might be taking a break and checking Facebook.

Best days and ideal frequency for Facebook posts

Research suggests that Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are the best days for Facebook posts. Content can be shared as often as 1-2 times per day.

If you’re able to post for your dental practice daily, make sure to vary your content so people don’t get tired of the same topic over and over. (Looking for content ideas for your Facebook page? We’ve got you covered! … This text opens a new tab to a page about Weekly Coach …Try out Weekly Coach and get weekly social media posts, tips, ideas, and resources.)

Tip: Use … This text opens a new tab to Facebook Audience Insights …Audience Insights to learn more about your Facebook audience.

The best times for dentists to post on Twitter

Twitter threads tend to be something people scroll through during downtimes like commuting and breaks, which is why the best times to tweet are during the morning, lunchtime, and evening.

More specifically, B2C companies should fire off their tweets between 8-10 AM, 7-9 PM, and at noon. Healthcare companies should focus on two times of the day: 9 AM and 6 PM.

Recommended days and frequency for tweets

Speaking of, people have a lot of downtime on the weekends. So what do they do with that time? Check Twitter, of course! The best days of the week to tweet are Saturday and Sunday.

Important: To save yourself from working on your days off, we recommend utilizing … This text opens a new tab to Buffer…Buffer or a similar service that allows you to schedule social media posts ahead of time.

To get the best Twitter engagement results, you should tweet three to five times per day. But don’t worry! You don’t need to come up with new content every time – simply retweet here and there.

Best times for Instagram posts

Instagram’s platform is meant for mobile devices, meaning it can be checked everywhere and at any time. So it’s no wonder why every industry has different optimal posting times.

For B2C companies, the best times to post on Instagram are 8 AM, 1 PM, and 9 PM. For healthcare companies, the best times are 10 AM and 2 PM. And as a rule of thumb, avoid posting between 3-4 PM.

The best days and recommended frequency for Instagram posts

We recommend posting one to two photos per day on Instagram. And make sure you save the best for…Fri-yay! Instagram’s most popular day of the week is Friday, so make it count!

Need photos or content ideas? … This text opens a new tab to a page about Weekly Coach…Try out Weekly Coach! You’ll get social media posts, tips, ideas, and resources, sent right to your inbox.

The best times to post on dental LinkedIn pages

LinkedIn is used by professionals all around the world…during work hours. Unlike other social media platforms, LinkedIn is an 8 AM – 6 PM go-getter.

As a B2C company, your window of opportunity to post is at 12 PM. Healthcare companies can spread out their posts between the times of 10 AM, and 12 – 2 PM.

Recommended post days and frequency on LinkedIn

On Wednesdays, we wear … This text opens a new tab to a video clip from Mean Girls…pink… and post on LinkedIn. Research shows LinkedIn is busiest during the middle of the work week. Maybe everyone is looking for a little encouragement or entertainment to get them through the week?

Luckily, you can help. Try to post on LinkedIn once per day. Keep your posts professional but interesting. For example: Highlight your latest blog post, share news and specials, or recognize company and individual achievements.

Determining the best times to post on social media for YOUR practice

So, what should we take from this research? Well, it’s certainly useful to help us plan out our social media strategy. But do the same rules always apply to every business?

Nope!

So, what’s the best way to determine the best times to post on social media for your practice?

Test, test, test!

Try out different posting times and measure engagement such as likes, comments, retweets, and so on. You can also use analytics tools like Facebook Insights and Google Analytics to determine when your content is getting the best results.

Finally, be consistent and share valuable content!

Regularly sharing and providing content real people care about is really crucial here.

Weekly Coach is an inexpensive tool that helps dental practices post engaging content regularly – and it’s only $27/month! No long-term contract required; cancel anytime. Plus, for a limited time, get access to additional social media resources, including Monthly Marketing Pro (exclusive dental marketing education) and our private Facebook group, … This text opens a new tab to the Marketing with Smiles Facebook Group…Marketing With Smiles.

… This text opens a new tab to sign up for Weekly Coach…Sign up today! 

How do you maintain a consistent social media posting schedule for your business? Comment below and share your perspective!