When Are Facebook Users Most Active?

I was browsing Mashable today when I came across this study analyzing when Facebook users are most active. The results were interesting. The three biggest spikes in usage were found to be on weekdays at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET, with the biggest spike occurring at the 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays.

The study also found that although weekday usage at 3:00 p.m. was the most widespread, posts published in the morning garnered more attention than those posted in the afternoon. It was discovered that these morning brand posts were 39.7% more effective in terms of user engagement and maintaining your target audience's attention is vital in public relations, this information is extremely valuable to PR practitioners.

The study also revealed that the top of the hour (:0 to :15) tended to see more interaction than other parts of the hour. This is because people often perform a quick social media check before another meeting or task. Public relations practitioners can make use of this information by posting relevant information pertaining to their clients during this time, ensuring that it will show up at the top of consumer's Newsfeeds.

In a previous article about how users interact with brands, it was noted that "...65% of Facebook users only access the site when they're not at work or school..." I think this presents a valid point that if companies only make social media a part of their 9 to 5 work day, they are missing out on connecting with a large portion of potential customers.

The obvious goal for public relations professionals is to efficiently and effectively engage with the target public to promote a message. Becoming aware of when potential consumers are connecting with your page is key in getting the most successful message across. Paying attention to these patterns will allow PR practitioners to capitalize on the way in which they interact with consumers.