Figuring out the best time to run Facebook ads allows advertisers and brands to capitalize on user traffic surge, securing maximum engagement and conversions. Scheduling Facebook ads is a major aspect of effective ad optimization, setting up the campaign for high returns on ad spend (ROAS).
However, contrary to popular opinion, there’s no one-fits-all solution for the best time to run Facebook ads. Each brand has a unique target audience, based on their industry segment, market niche, target demographics, geographic setting and underlying advertising goals. It’s important to prioritize consumer research and gain in-depth audience insights to offer a hyper-tailored advertising experience.
Read on to learn how you can identify the best time to run Facebook ads for your brand.
Identifying the Best Time to Run Facebook Ads
Modern-day consumers seek highly personalized advertising experiences, tailored to their preferences and needs. Facebook ad scheduling lies at the heart of tailored advertising, as marketers must engage users at their preferred time – when activity is peaking and users have ample time to explore brand offerings.
Figuring out the best time to run Facebook ads demands an in-depth understanding of Meta’s algorithm and your target audience’s content consumption patterns. Advertisers must approach ad scheduling with extensive research into their target audience’s in-app activities and usage patterns.
Here are some insights that will help you identify the best time to run Facebook ads:
Facebook User Traffic on Weekdays & Weekends
User traffic patterns tend to fluctuate throughout the day and week, and marketers must pay attention to peak activity hours to capture maximum user engagement. While traffic surges and declines are common, it’s wise to avoid running ad campaigns only on weekends as such a strategy fails to capitalize on traffic surges during weekdays.
A balanced approach is more pragmatic, and advertisers must focus on analyzing the usage patterns and behaviors of their target audience. For instance, a business- to business (B2B) brand targeting business owners and professionals can run ad campaigns throughout the week. Typically, early morning hours and lunch time hours are considered the best time to run ads on Facebook for B2B brands.
Ecommerce brands and business-to-consumer enterprises find weekends to be the best time to run Facebook ads as their target audience is free to enjoy leisure browsing. While these benchmarks offer clarity and a sense of direction, it’s important to understand the individual preferences and lifestyle choices of your target audience.
Finding the Right Timing
Figuring out the right time of day to run Facebook ads can prove tricky, especially if you’re just starting out with Facebook Ads and seeing disappointing results. Analyzing user activity patterns and conducting A/B testing is important to see how your audience responds to ads posted at different schedules. Marketers need to analyze the lifestyles, daily routines and behaviors of their target audience and identify the peak engagement time to secure maximum conversions.
For instance, business owners and professionals typically engage with ads during early morning hours, lunch breaks and evenings. Likewise, parents turn to social media after finishing all domestic and professional obligations, usually toward their bedtime. In contrast, younger audiences, especially Gen Z, remain active on social media throughout the day.
Here are some hours associated with peak user activity to help you the best time to run Facebook ads for your audience:
- Early Morning Hours
- Most Facebook users log into the app the minute they wake up, scrolling through their News Feeds as they get dressed and have breakfast. The early morning peak hours typically last from 6am to 9am, as users engage with Facebook content while having breakfast or commuting to work. This period is ideal to run ads and secure high user engagement.
- Lunch Hours
- Lunch hours from 1pm to 3pm are another period associated with peak user activity, as professionals worldwide turn to Facebook to let off some steam. This is the best time to run Facebook ads for B2B and B2C brands looking to target entrepreneurs and employees.
- Evening and Pre-Bedtime Hours
- Facebook activity typically declines after lunch break as everyone returns to wind up their day’s chores and return home. Activity revives during evening hours when users are relieved of their daily agendas and have free time to indulge in social media content. It’s pertinent to note that while these peak activity hours are valuable in offering a sense of direction, they are not a standard solution. Marketers must prioritize audience research and understand the daily routines and lifestyles of their target users to maximize ROIs and conversions.
Utilizing Data Analytics for Facebook Ads Scheduling
Meta offers a powerful toolkit of various analytical tools, such as Facebook Analytics and Meta Pixel, which allow marketers to optimize ad experiences using data-driven insights. Brands that fail to leverage analytical tools are often unable to understand audience preferences and offer personalized ad experiences. Data-driven insights make personalization incredibly easy by offering valuable insights into audience interests, preferred timings and placements.
For instance, Facebook Analytics allows marketers to track crucial metrics like conversion rates, click-through-rates (CTR) and ROAS to identify ad campaigns and schedules that are most impactful. It allows marketers to set benchmarks for schedules and timelines that support the highest number of user interactions and conversions.
Meta Pixel is a dynamic asset when it comes to ad optimization and scheduling, for it tracks conversion events and supports higher ROAS for ad campaigns. By leveraging these data-driven tools, marketers can identify the best time to run Facebook ads and secure the highest level of user engagement.
Final Thoughts
Taking advantage of pre-established benchmarks is helpful but marketers shouldn’t rely on tried-and-tested formulas because social media is a rapidly evolving advertising realm. User activity patterns and content consumption behaviors are incredibly nuanced and complex. It’s crucial to break down your target audience into various segments and dive deep into the individual preferences, daily routines and lifestyle choices.
Audience research will help you identify the best time to run Facebook ads when your audience is most receptive and willing to explore your offerings.
