The Best Times to Post on LinkedIn (Data-Backed Schedule for Executives)

You spent 30 minutes crafting the perfect LinkedIn post.

You hit "Post" at 6:47 PM on a Saturday.

Three likes. Two comments. Minimal reach.

Same post published Tuesday at 9 AM would have reached 10x more people.

Timing isn't everything on LinkedIn—but it's a significant variable you can control.

The LinkedIn algorithm favors content that gains early engagement velocity. If you post when your audience is active, you get more immediate engagement, which signals to the algorithm that your content is valuable, which triggers broader distribution.

Post at the wrong time? Your content dies before it gets a chance.

This guide reveals the data-backed optimal posting schedule for LinkedIn in 2025, with specific recommendations for different industries, audience types, and content goals.

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The Data: What Millions of Posts Reveal

Multiple studies analyzing millions of LinkedIn posts have identified clear patterns in engagement rates based on posting time.

The General Best Times

Top performing days:

1. Tuesday - Highest overall engagement
2. Wednesday - Second-best, most consistent
3. Thursday - Strong but slightly lower than Tue/Wed
4. Monday - Moderate engagement
5. Friday - Lower engagement, drops after 2 PM
6. Weekend - Significantly lower (20-40% of weekday rates)

Top performing times (Eastern Time):

1. 8:00-10:00 AM - Peak engagement window
2. 12:00-1:00 PM - Lunch break spike
3. 5:00-6:00 PM - Evening check-in

The sweet spot: Tuesday-Thursday, 8-10 AM

Why These Times Work

Morning (8-10 AM):

• Professionals check LinkedIn as part of their morning routine
• High app usage before meetings start
• People are mentally fresh and more likely to engage

Lunch (12-1 PM):

• Quick LinkedIn check during break
• High mobile usage
• Brief engagement window

Early Evening (5-6 PM):

• End-of-day wind-down
• Commute time for many professionals
• Longer dwell time than morning

Why weekends fail:
LinkedIn is a professional network. Usage drops 60% on weekends because people aren't in "work mode."

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But Your Audience Isn't Average

The general data is useful, but your optimal posting time depends on your specific audience.

Industry-Specific Patterns

Tech & Startups:

• Peak: Tuesday-Wednesday, 9-11 AM ET / 6-8 AM PT
• Why: West Coast tech community drives engagement
• Best format: Tactical insights, product launches

Finance & Consulting:

• Peak: Tuesday-Thursday, 7-9 AM ET
• Why: Early risers, East Coast heavy
• Best format: Market analysis, thought leadership

Healthcare:

• Peak: Wednesday-Thursday, 12-1 PM and 7-8 PM
• Why: Shift workers check during breaks
• Best format: Patient stories, research insights

E-commerce & Retail:

• Peak: Wednesday-Friday, 10 AM-2 PM
• Why: Retail hours, mid-week planning
• Best format: Behind-scenes, customer stories

B2B SaaS:

• Peak: Tuesday-Wednesday, 8:30-10:30 AM ET
• Why: Business hours decision-makers
• Best format: Case studies, product updates

Creative & Agency:

• Peak: Tuesday-Thursday, 10 AM-12 PM
• Why: Later start times, creative industries
• Best format: Portfolio pieces, creative process

Audience Location Matters

US-Focused Audience:

• Post 8-10 AM Eastern (5-7 AM Pacific captures both coasts)
• Avoid posting after 6 PM ET (already evening for East Coast)

Global Audience:

• Tuesday-Wednesday 9-11 AM ET (covers US morning + Europe afternoon)
• Consider two posts: one for US, one for Europe/Asia

Europe-Focused:

• Post 8-10 AM CET (2-4 AM ET)
• Wednesday-Thursday perform best

APAC-Focused:

• Post 9-11 AM local time in target region
• Tuesday-Thursday still optimal

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How to Find YOUR Optimal Posting Time

Generic data is a starting point. Your specific optimal time depends on your unique audience composition.

Step 1: Analyze Your Current Data

Go to your LinkedIn analytics and examine your last 20-30 posts:

Look for patterns:

• Which posts got high engagement in first 2 hours?
• What day/time were those published?
• Do you see consistent patterns?

Track these metrics:

• Engagement rate (engagements ÷ impressions)
• First-hour engagement velocity
• Reach (how many people saw it)
• Profile clicks

What to look for:
High engagement rate + high first-hour velocity = optimal posting time

Step 2: Test Systematically

Run a posting time experiment:

Week 1: Tuesday/Thursday at 8 AM
Week 2: Tuesday/Thursday at 12 PM
Week 3: Tuesday/Thursday at 5 PM
Week 4: Wednesday/Friday at 9 AM

Keep content quality constant (similar formats, topics, length)

Compare:

• Engagement rate
• First hour engagement
• Total reach
• Profile visits

Your best time: Highest engagement rate + velocity combination

Step 3: Consider Your Posting Frequency

If you post once per day:
Use your optimal time consistently

If you post 2-3x per week:
Use top 2-3 time slots (usually Tuesday 9 AM, Wednesday 9 AM, Thursday 12 PM)

If you post 5x per week:
Rotate through your top times to avoid audience fatigue

Step 4: Account for Your Work Schedule

The reality: The "best" time doesn't matter if you can't post then consistently.

Practical considerations:

Early morning person?
8-9 AM posts work great—write and publish as part of your morning routine

Busy mornings with meetings?
Schedule posts for 8 AM the night before

Evening creator?
Create content at night, schedule for morning publication

Inconsistent schedule?
Batch create on weekends, schedule throughout the week

Consistency beats optimal timing. A "good" time posted regularly outperforms a "perfect" time posted sporadically.

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The Posting Frequency Strategy

How often should you post?

The data:

Once per week: Minimal growth, low visibility
2-3x per week: Moderate growth, sustainable for most
Daily: High growth, requires significant commitment
Multiple per day: Diminishing returns, potential audience fatigue

Our recommendation for executives:

Phase 1 (Months 1-2): 2x per week

• Tuesday and Thursday
• Both at 8-9 AM
• Focus on quality and consistency

Phase 2 (Months 3-4): 3x per week

• Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
• Mix of 8-9 AM and 12-1 PM
• Establish posting rhythm

Phase 3 (Month 5+): Daily or 5x per week

• Monday-Friday
• Rotate through optimal time slots
• Content batching essential

Why this phasing works:

• Builds sustainable habits
• Allows audience to expect your content
• Prevents burnout from overcommitting early

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Advanced Timing Strategies

Once you've mastered the basics, these advanced tactics can amplify your reach.

The "Double Tap" Strategy

Post twice in one day—but to different audience segments:

Morning post (8 AM): Tactical, actionable content

• Captures engaged morning crowd
• Gets strong first-hour velocity

Evening post (5-6 PM): Reflective, story-based content

• Reaches different segment
• Benefits from end-of-day browsing

Why it works:
Different audience segments are active at different times. You're not competing with yourself; you're maximizing coverage.

When to use:

• Product launches
• Major announcements
• Time-sensitive content

The "Pre-Engagement" Boost

Post 15-30 minutes after engaging with 5-10 other creators' content.

The theory:
LinkedIn's algorithm notices your activity. When you post shortly after engaging, the algorithm may prioritize showing your post to people whose content you engaged with.

The practice:

• 8:00-8:15 AM: Engage with others' posts
• 8:30 AM: Publish your post
• Respond to early comments immediately

Caveat: Anecdotal evidence, not scientifically proven—but many creators swear by it.

The "Engagement Window" Focus

Your post's fate is largely decided in the first 2 hours.

The strategy:

First 30 minutes:

• Stay online and active
• Respond to every comment immediately
• Ask follow-up questions to drive more comments

30 minutes - 2 hours:

• Continue responding quickly
• Share post to relevant groups (if appropriate)
• Tag 1-2 relevant connections (sparingly)

After 2 hours:

• Engagement slows, distribution decision made
• Continue responding but less urgently

Why it matters:
High engagement velocity in this window signals quality to the algorithm, triggering broader distribution.

The Repost Strategy

If a post performs well, consider reposting it 6-8 weeks later—at a different time.

Example:

• Original post: Tuesday 9 AM → 15,000 impressions
• Repost: Thursday 12 PM → 12,000 impressions (different audience segment)

Why it works:

• Only 10-20% of your network sees any given post
• Different posting times reach different segments
• Great content deserves multiple opportunities

How to repost:

• Delete original after 6-8 weeks
• Edit slightly (update examples, refresh data)
• Post at different time than original
• Don't repost more than once

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Common Timing Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Posting When Convenient for You

You finish a post at 11 PM. "I'll just publish it now."

The problem: Your audience is asleep. Zero first-hour engagement.

The fix: Schedule for tomorrow morning. LinkedIn's schedule feature is built for this.

Mistake 2: Ignoring Your Specific Audience

"The data says Tuesday at 9 AM is best, so that's when I'll post."

The problem: Generic data doesn't account for your unique audience.

The fix: Test and analyze YOUR data. Your audience might be different.

Mistake 3: Inconsistent Posting Schedule

Monday at 8 AM, Wednesday at 2 PM, Friday at 6 PM, next Monday at 11 AM...

The problem: Inconsistency confuses the algorithm and your audience.

The fix: Pick 2-3 specific days and times. Stick to them for at least 8 weeks.

Mistake 4: Neglecting Time Zones

You're in California posting at 9 AM PT (12 PM ET).

The problem: East Coast professionals are already in lunch meetings.

The fix: Post for your audience's time zone, not yours. If US-focused, post 8-9 AM ET even if it's 5-6 AM for you.

Mistake 5: Sacrificing Quality for Timing

Rushing to hit your 9 AM posting time with mediocre content.

The problem: Optimal timing amplifies good content. It doesn't save bad content.

The fix: Quality first, timing second. Better to post great content at a "good" time than mediocre content at the "perfect" time.

Mistake 6: Changing Times Too Frequently

Testing a new posting time every week.

The problem: You need at least 4-6 weeks of consistent data to identify patterns.

The fix: Commit to a posting schedule for at least a month before evaluating and adjusting.

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The Scheduling Tools That Make This Easy

Posting at optimal times requires either perfect availability or scheduling tools.

LinkedIn Native Scheduling:

• Free, built into LinkedIn
• Limited functionality (single posts only)
• No bulk scheduling

Third-Party Tools:

Buffer:

• Clean interface
• Bulk scheduling
• Basic analytics
• $6/month per social account

Hootsuite:

• Multi-platform scheduling
• Team collaboration features
• Advanced analytics
• $99/month for professional plan

Later:

• Visual content calendar
• Instagram + LinkedIn combo
• Media library
• $25/month for growth plan

Influence Craft:

• Voice-to-text content creation
• Auto-optimization for posting times
• Platform-specific formatting
• Content analytics

Our recommendation:
Use LinkedIn native scheduling for occasional posts, invest in a scheduling tool if posting 3+ times per week, or use Influence Craft for voice-to-text creation WITH optimized scheduling.

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The 90-Day Posting Schedule Template

Here's a proven posting schedule that balances frequency, timing, and sustainability.

Weeks 1-4: Foundation Phase

Frequency: 2x per week
Days: Tuesday, Thursday
Time: 8:30 AM (your primary audience time zone)

Goal: Establish consistency, build posting habit

Weeks 5-8: Expansion Phase

Frequency: 3x per week
Days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Times: 8:30 AM (Tuesday/Thursday), 12:30 PM (Wednesday)

Goal: Increase touchpoints, test secondary time slot

Weeks 9-12: Optimization Phase

Frequency: 4-5x per week
Days: Monday-Friday (or M/T/W/Th/F)
Times: Rotate between your top 2-3 times based on data

Goal: Maximum visibility, fine-tune based on analytics

Ongoing Maintenance

Frequency: 3-5x per week (sustainable cadence)
Days: Your proven best days
Times: Your proven best times

Focus: Content quality, audience engagement, strategic consistency

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Putting It All Together: Your Action Plan

This Week:

Day 1: Analyze your last 20 posts—identify top performers and their posting times

Day 2: Choose your posting schedule (days and times) for next 4 weeks

Day 3: Create or batch 4 pieces of content

Day 4: Schedule your content for optimal times

Day 5: Post first piece, monitor first-hour engagement closely

Next 30 Days:

• Post consistently at your chosen times
• Track engagement rate and first-hour velocity
• Respond to comments within the first 2 hours
• Document which times perform best

After 30 Days:

• Analyze data—did your chosen times work?
• Adjust if needed (but give changes time to validate)
• Consider adding one more posting day if sustainable
• Double down on content formats + times that worked best

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The Truth About Posting Times

Here's what actually matters:

Posting at optimal times matters—but not as much as:

1. Content quality and value
2. Posting consistency
3. Audience engagement (comments, not just likes)
4. Your authentic voice and perspective
5. Strategic positioning

The best posting time amplifies great content. It doesn't save mediocre content.

If you had to choose between:

• Amazing content at a mediocre time
• Mediocre content at the perfect time

Choose amazing content every time.

But here's the thing: you don't have to choose.

With proper planning and scheduling tools, you can have both—exceptional content published at optimal times for your specific audience.

The strategy:

• Create when you're at your best (energy + creativity)
• Schedule for when your audience is most active
• Respond when engagement happens

That's how you win on LinkedIn.

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Final Recommendations

If you're just starting:
Post Tuesday and Thursday at 9 AM in your audience's primary time zone. Keep this schedule for 8 weeks minimum.

If you're established and growing:
Test your top 3 time slots systematically. Use data to optimize. Aim for 3-4 posts per week at proven times.

If you're scaling to authority status:
Post daily at your optimal time. Batch create content. Use scheduling tools. Monitor analytics weekly. Adjust quarterly.

Most importantly:
Don't let "finding the perfect time" delay you from posting. Consistent action at "good" times beats delayed perfection.

Start this week. Pick two days. Pick a time. Post.

Then refine as you learn.

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About Influence Craft

Stop managing complex posting schedules manually. Influence Craft helps you create and schedule content optimized for your audience's peak engagement times—all from simple voice recordings. Record your insights naturally and let our AI handle formatting, optimization, and timing. Learn more at influencecraft.com.

Related Resources:

• Complete Guide to LinkedIn Personal Branding
• LinkedIn Algorithm Decoded: How to Get Your Posts Seen
• 15 LinkedIn Post Formats That Drive Maximum Engagement
• 30-Minute Content Creation System for Busy Founders
• How to Write LinkedIn Headlines That Attract Your Ideal Audience