The timing of your posts on Reddit is crucial as it can significantly impact the traffic, exposure, and engagement you receive. Best practices dictate that posting at specific times can boost upvotes, giving you more visibility and exposure.
So what is the best time to post on Reddit? The best time to post on Reddit is on Mondays between 6 AM and 8 AM, on Saturdays between 7 AM and 9 AM, and on Sundays between 8 AM and 12 PM (US Central Time). Reddit posts made in the mornings on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays perform best.
Peak hours, optimal times, and timing are all key elements in determining the best time to post on Reddit. Subreddits, userbase, moderators, and karma are other factors that can influence the success of a post.
Upvotes, popularity, frequency, interaction, and comments are all indicators of how well a post is doing. Posting strategy, content quality, subscriber base, shareability, impressions, and engagement rate are all elements that contribute to the eventual success of a post.
The key to success on Reddit is to create content that resonates with the audience and to understand the topics that are of interest to the subreddit.
You can make a Reddit post wherever (on any subreddit you have access to) and whenever – at any point during the day. But there are definitely better and, statistically speaking, “best” times to submit content to reach your target audience.
In this article, we’re going to examine what those times are, general guidelines to follow in regard to when to post on Reddit, and how to determine when the optimal time to post is for you.
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Optimal Timing for Reddit Posts: Maximizing Engagement
When determining when to post Reddit posts, you will need proper research and data. Since most Reddit traffic comes from users and visitors based in the US, it’s simple enough to deduce that the best times to post on Reddit are when people living in the US are up and about.
But what times specifically are the best?
Luckily for us, a Redditor who goes by the username “antirabbit” wrote a Python script, scraped the data, and crunched the numbers on popular subreddits to come up with a definitive answer to the question.
He used a random sample of 73,000 Reddit posts for the default subreddits new users are automatically subscribed to (and which are the largest subreddits by subscriber and submission count on Reddit) and took the performance of submissions posted on Monday from 8 to 10 AM US Central Time as the baseline point of reference.
In his analysis, he found that the submissions that did the best were those posted in the mornings on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.
More specifically, posts submitted on Mondays between 6 and 8 AM, on Saturdays between 7 and 9 AM, and on Sundays between 8 AM and 12 PM (US Central Time) did best.
They got scores (roughly, the number of maximum upvotes minus the number of downvotes) between 12% to even 44% higher than the “control group” of 8-to-10 AM Monday posts.
It’s on the weekends that people can browse Reddit for longer, comment and upvote more and relax on their weekend by spending time browsing the internet.
So what does this mean?
Counter to what many people who work with Reddit think, the working week is not, statistically, the better time to gain exposure on Reddit.
What Are the Peak Times for Posting on Reddit?
| Day | Optimal Posting Times (US Central Time) |
|---|---|
| Monday | 6 AM to 8 AM |
| Tuesday | 6 AM to 8 AM |
| Wednesday | 6 AM |
| Thursday | 4 AM to 8 AM |
| Friday | 4 AM to 10 AM |
| Saturday | 12 AM to 2 AM and 6 AM to 4 PM |
| Sunday | 6 AM to 10 AM |
The majority of Reddit users are based in the United States, so considering US Central Time for posting times is crucial. Posting in the early mornings, especially on Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays, can be beneficial to maximize visibility and engagement. The best times to post are generally in the mornings when users are most active and engaged.
Why Is It Important to Analyze Subreddit-Specific Data for Posting?
The best time to post on Reddit depends on the subreddit you are posting in, as well as the target audience for that subreddit. In general, it is best to post when the subreddit is most active, which will increase the chances of your post being seen and potentially upvoted.
To determine the best time to post, you will need to research subreddit activity by time. Different communities have different posting patterns and peak activity times, like:
- For technology-related subreddits like /r/technology, /r/gadgets, /r/programming, the best time to post is during the weekdays (Monday to Friday) and during typical working hours (9am-5pm EST).
- For gaming-related subreddits like /r/gaming, /r/pcgaming, /r/xboxone, the best time to post is during the evenings and weekends, as these are the times when most people are likely to have free time to play games.
- For news-related subreddits like /r/news, /r/worldnews, /r/politics, the best time to post is early in the morning (around 6am-9am EST) or late in the evening (around 8pm-12am EST) as these are the times when most people are likely to be catching up on the news.
- For entertainment-related subreddits like /r/television, /r/movies, /r/music, the best time to post is during the evenings, as these are the times when most people are likely to be watching TV, streaming movies, or listening to music.
It’s worth noting that these are general suggestions, and you should also consider the specific posting patterns and peak activity times of the subreddit you are posting in, and adjust your post schedule accordingly.
To find the best time to post in a specific subreddit, you can refer to the subreddit’s “Posting Guidelines” or “Wiki” page or check the subreddit’s activity levels at different times of the day.
An analysis of the “Sweden” subreddit, for example, shows that the best days of the week to post at are 5 to 7 AM US Central Time (11 AM to 1 PM GMT, 12 PM to 2 PM Swedish time) on a Thursday or Friday.
If you want to promote something to a Swedish audience, however, you’ll want to publish your blog posts even earlier, at a time when people in Sweden are waking up and starting their day by checking the various social media platforms they use.
This is because US users are the overwhelming majority of Reddit users that the “Sweden” subreddit will receive lots of visitors from the US at US-centric times.
That isn’t to say that all subreddits have such a catch, though – it’s something to keep in mind mostly when posting to place-specific (local, regional, national) subreddits. And nothing should replace your own testing and analysis.
There may be post-popularity factors that can’t be easily be picked up on through numbers. You should think carefully and adapt your posting times to subreddits that follow TV shows, sports, games or other niches that have a specific rhythm of activity.
How Can I Increase the Visibility of My Posts on Reddit?
Although marketers might have a “captive audience” in work-week users and visitors due to many being close to computers and other devices throughout the day, many of them have little time (lunch break) to participate actively by upvoting as well as browse and stay longer on the site.
It’s on the weekends that people can browse Reddit for longer, comment and upvote more and relax on their weekend by spending time browsing the internet. It’s a more widespread way of spending weekend free time than many of us would like to admit. These are the best posting times.
The morning posting hours ensure that the post has the whole day for Americans from all six US time zones and the four contiguous continental time zones to see your submissions. If they visit that specific subreddit several times throughout, they’ll be more likely to see your post several.
Early morning posts also mean that there is more time to get a discussion going, which is a sure way of attracting attention to your submission. And replying to comments and questions is a good way to promote something by linking to it, as well as ensuring that anyone searching the subreddit in the future for the topic has the chance to come across your comments and submissions.
It should all be done with openness, respect, and subtlety, of course – Redditors will be irritated if they feel that you’re posting to simply and blatantly advertise something.
Even worse if they suspect it benefits you directly, you lie by denying it and are found out (it is the internet, after all – you will be found out sooner or later.)
Think about creative ways of using Reddit Polls to make the most of the traffic from Reddit.
That’s a sure way to compromise your reputation, something which is important and taken seriously on Reddit and can determine whether your submission is received well or not.
Make sure you keep this in mind while making your posting schedule.
Major social media platforms change their algorithms frequently, and it can be tough to keep up. But if you want your content to be seen by the largest possible audience, it’s important to pay attention to these changes and adjust your posting schedule accordingly.
Content creators can also leverage these insights about optimal posting times on Reddit to coordinate their content promotion strategies across various social media platforms.
What Should I Do if My Post Is Not Gaining Traction or Engagement?
Here are some strategies on how users can effectively leverage their Reddit content and promote it across different social media platforms to maximize overall engagement:
1. Timing is Crucial
- Identify Peak Times: Understand and utilize the peak times for posting on Reddit and other platforms. For Reddit, early mornings on Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays have been highlighted as optimal.
- Cross-Platform Synchronization: Ensure that the timing of your posts on other platforms coincides with the peak engagement times on those platforms, not just Reddit.
2. Utilize a Social Media Scheduler
- Automate Posting: Use tools like RecurPost to schedule and automate your posts across various platforms at optimal times without manual intervention.
- Consistent Posting: Ensure consistency in your posting schedule across all platforms to maintain engagement and visibility.
3. Cross-Promotion Strategies
- Leverage Popular Content: Identify content that is performing well on Reddit and use it to create posts or stories on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
- Use Platform-Specific Formats: Adapt your Reddit content to be platform-specific (e.g., creating a video summary for Instagram or a thread on Twitter).
4. Engage with Your Audience
- Respond to Comments: Be active in the comments section on all platforms, not just Reddit, to foster a community and encourage more engagement.
- Encourage Sharing: Ask your audience to share your content and provide easy sharing options.
5. Create Platform-Specific Content
- Adapt Your Message: Tailor your content to suit the audience and norms of each platform while maintaining a consistent message.
- Use Appropriate Hashtags: Employ platform-relevant hashtags to enhance visibility and discoverability.
6. Leverage Analytics
- Analyze Performance: Use analytics to understand which content is performing well and why.
- Adjust Strategy: Modify your cross-promotion strategy based on analytic insights to enhance effectiveness.
7. Community and Group Posting
- Identify Relevant Groups: Find and engage with groups or communities on other platforms that align with your Reddit content.
- Participate Actively: Don’t just share your content; engage in discussions and be an active group member.
8. Create a Content Calendar
- Plan Ahead: Develop a content calendar that outlines what will be posted where and when.
- Ensure Variety: Make sure that your content calendar includes a mix of content types and topics to keep your audience engaged.
9. Utilize Visuals
- Create Engaging Visuals: Develop visuals like infographics or short video clips that can be shared across platforms.
- Ensure Consistency: Maintain a consistent visual theme or brand image across all platforms.
10. Collaborations and Partnerships
- Collaborate with Influencers: Engage with influencers or popular accounts on other platforms to expand your reach.
- Partner with Brands: Explore partnerships with brands or organizations that align with your content.
11. User-Generated Content
- Encourage User Content: Ask your audience to create and share content related to your posts.
- Feature User Creations: Share user-generated content on your platforms to foster community and encourage more user creation.
12. Offer Exclusive Content
- Provide Exclusives: Offer content that is exclusive to followers on specific platforms.
- Run Contests or Giveaways: Engage users by running platform-specific contests or giveaways.
By employing these strategies, users can effectively leverage their Reddit content, promote it across various social media platforms, and maximize overall engagement by reaching wider and varied audiences. Always ensure that your strategies are flexible and adjust based on the performance analytics and changing trends of each platform.
Conclusion
If you decide to implement a free promotion strategy on Reddit, you can consider the best times to post on Reddit to be in the early morning (in the US time zones) on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.
This is because people have more time and opportunities to browse Reddit, either because they have days off or because their working week is just starting.
But each subreddit is its own community and will have its own quirks.
In the South Park subreddit (funny content), for example, it’s clearly best to post soon after a new episode comes out, right before a season premiere or right after a season finale. On a subreddit for a specific game, it might be best to post after a regular event (such as a weekly update) or a special event, such as the release of new downloadable content.
The general trend still holds true – early morning on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays is the best time to submit your posts to Reddit.
Do your promotion efforts across multiple social media platforms a favor and save yourself a headache – don’t post at the wrong time, use the tools and data available freely to figure out the best time for your Reddit marketing efforts. Reddit isn’t like other social networks.
You don’t need to go in blind, and a simple analysis can offer information that will save you a lot of time in your content marketing efforts. Provide good content, build your reputation on the subreddits relevant to you, and you’ll find that the “best time to post” windows get larger and your posts perform better.
It’s one thing to post something decent but promotional every few weeks. Being an active member of the Reddit community whose input is valued and who can get away with more due to a trustworthy account “brand” is something else – it’s the next level, one that you should strive to reach.
Reddit is a tough nut to crack, but the potential return (and potential customers you can get) is great and can lead to warm leads and loyal customers. They don’t call it the front page of the internet for nothing! It’s a massive community!
Reddit is the internet giant hiding in plain sight. According to Alexa, Reddit is the 4th most-visited website in the US, after only Google, Youtube, and Facebook. Some dispute this ranking, and they may be right, but whatever the case, Reddit is one of the centers of online gravity for millions of people in America and around the world.
TL;DR
If you decide to implement a free promotion marketing strategy on Reddit, you can consider the best times to post on Reddit to be in the early morning (in the US time zones) on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.
