Tried posting Instagram Reels at 5pm instead of 9am and views dropped 80%

For the last 6 months I've been posting my Reels at 9am sharp because every guru says that's the sweet spot for engagement. Last week I had a busy day with a move in Austin so I pushed my Reel to 5pm instead. It got less than 200 views in the first hour compared to my usual 1,000 plus. I figured maybe the algorithm just hates that time slot so I tested it again on Tuesday same thing happened. Now I'm wondering if my audience is just a morning crowd or if 5pm is genuinely a dead zone. Has anyone else seen different results depending on the time of day?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_paul23d ago

Same thing happened to me, night shift is just a different crowd.

murphy.blair23d ago

Maybe it's the lack of management breathing down your neck.

danielw8821d ago

@murphy.blair right? Night shift is where all the weirdos go to hide lol