Time your posts right to get you more eyeballs

So your last Facebook post, on which you worked so much — giving smart twists to make it funny and awesome — did not garner any likes? Well, the fault may not be with the content but with the timing of putting up the post, says a study.

So when is the best time to post on Facebook? On weekdays through the day, and then again between 7pm and 8pm, suggests the study, Bustle.com reported.

On weekends there’s a major drop-off in reactions because people are either travelling or socialising. Hence, if you have a really cool photo on Friday evening, wait to post that photo until Monday afternoon.

“The probability that an audience member reacts to a message may depend on several factors, such as his daily and weekly behaviour patterns, his location or timezone, and the volume of other messages competing for his attention,” said researchers from Lithium Technologies in San Francisco, USA, who conducted the study.

The study maps the FB behaviour of some of the leading cities in the world. It shows that the US cities of San Francisco and New York exhibit similar shapes. For Paris, the reactions peak in the second half of working hours, while for London most reactions are expected towards the end of working hours. “This is important for businesses which are trying to connect with consumers in different areas, or if your new social media crush lives halfway across the globe,” the researchers said.

The study suggests that if one wants quick reactions, Twitter might be the way to go. The study found that it sees bigger peaks in usage, and has twice the chance of responses.