Men and women who follow their parish on social media follow the same habits and patterns as the population at large. Many of them log on and off social media throughout the day, which can make it difficult to predict the exact perfect time to publish content. However, based on our research and experience, we recommend this general strategy:
Post short, easily digestible information between 7 – 9 a.m.
Parishes in any time zone see a huge spike in active followers during this period as their parishioners prepare for work, eat breakfast with their children, or settle into their day as a retiree. However, since the average social media user is only on a given platform from 2-5 minutes during this period, short pieces work best. What do your followers and their neighbors need to know in the morning? They need scripture, a prayer prompt, the saint of the day, or some uplifting piece that they will like and share. However, don’t expect a lot of comments or chatter during this time of day.
Post longer, community-building pieces between 1 – 3 p.m.
After the lunch hour, people’s activity on social media shifts drastically. That 2-5 minute social media session quadruples to an 8-20 minute scroll fest. Your followers are fully awake and ready to engage! This is an excellent time to post more leisurely, conversational pieces. Try a quiz about the truths of the Catholic faith, ask a thought-provoking question such as “If you could only hear one song at Mass for the rest of your life, what would it be?” or post a conversation-starter like, “Give a shoutout to your spiritual brothers and sisters and tag them in the comments!”
Take Action
Set a goal to post your short, informational pieces in the morning and your longer, community-building pieces in the afternoon for the next two weeks. Then analyze your results. Have you reached more or fewer people? Who tends to interact with the parish in the morning? How is that audience different from those who interact in the afternoon?