Researchers from San Francisco's Lithium Technologies may have found the solution to help users increase their popularity on Facebook.
According to their study, timing is the key in maximizing the likes and comments that a post on Facebook will receive.
For the experiment, the researchers analyzed around 144 million social media posts. Through a system known as Klout, which breaks down data from social media networks, the researchers were able to identify exactly when posts get the most likes, Bustle reported.
Based on their findings, status updates and other content posted during office hours and in the evening between 7 to 8 p.m. on weekdays will elicit the most reaction from Facebook friends.
On the other hand, users should avoid posting on weekends and Friday evenings due to the low volume of online activities during these periods. This is probably because almost everyone is busy with their own night outs, weekend excursions and other personal activities to check on their friends' online statuses during these times.
The researchers also noted that knowing when to post in order to order to get the most likes varies across different regions.
For example, in the U.S., the best time is to post is during the first half of the working hours. Conversely, in Paris, posting during the afternoon or second half of the workday will result in a bigger reaction from Facebook contacts.
As for users in London, they should hold-off posting their status updates or new pictures until the end of the workday. However, in Tokyo, it would be best to avoid posting during working hours because people are too busy with their office tasks to virtually check on their friends.
Based on the study, researchers noted that users or business organizations that depend on the attention of their social media contacts should take note of the time and their target audience's locations in order to reach a wider audience.
"One of the goals while broadcasting messages is to capture the attention of audience members so that they may react to the posted messages," the researchers wrote in the study.
"The probability that an audience member reacts to a message may depend on several factors, such as his daily and weekly behavior patterns, his location or time zone, and the volume of other messages competing for his attention," they continued.
