Posting on social networks seems simple enough. Have a thought, find a social site, and post your thought. In business, that methodology does not work. If you are or have a brand and usually post on the fly, you are likely missing some great opportunities to connect with your customers. So what is the best time to post on a social network?

You can search for “best times to post” and find countless infographics from social media gurus, claiming they’ve found the best times. The infographics are usually bold in color, with clocks and calendars, network icons, and other catchy items. The truth is none of its true, or rather, not so stringent. The best times to post on a social site is relative to your audience.

The old saying goes, “To know where you are going, you must first know where you have been.” Many of my posts speak of statistics and social media monitoring tools. As a business, it is important you know the value of your efforts. Your page likely will not perform like someone else’s. For the newbies in social media, start with posting at various times to see what gets the most traction. Review the statistics often and adjust your posts as needed.

Truth is no one can tell you the best time to post for your audience. It’s all relative. There is some telltale times to post, but all based on time zones. Generally, people tend to check their profiles when waking, on the way to work, during lunch, after work, after dinner, and right before bed. This is when you refer to my previous blog, Do You Know If Your Audience Is Listening? Knowing their age can help age, along with their location, can help determine the general posting times.

Facebook and many other social media management programs monitor where your customers are, which can also help with posting in specific time zones, amongst other areas of measurement. Facebook, for example, will provide a breakdown of the post, how many likes and shares, if they were from true followers (or organic) or from friends of your followers, and how far your reach goes. Get to know your various dashboards, as they are the key to managing your brands.