New: 📱 What's Working on Social #5

Hey friend,

I apologize for not sending last week’s issue and delaying sending today’s. I’ve done some retrospecting, fine-tuning, and creating a new direction for the newsletter going forward. More details soon.

So it’s May 2019, and I’d only been at my HR job for a few months, but I was already thinking of ways to escape.

You know that feeling when it seems like even the office chair is against you? That was me. My boss was cold, the environment felt off, and every day at work was a struggle. I didn’t belong there.

But what could I do?

I couldn’t just quit. My dad would be furious. My mom? She’d understand but would be heartbroken. So, instead of walking away with nothing to fall back on, I decided to learn new skills—ones that could land me a better job immediately after I quit.

Spoiler alert: I stayed in that HR job for two more years. 😬 

Why? Fear. Fear of the unknown and fear of failure.

But during that time, I zeroed in on social media management as my way out. It wasn’t until much later that I landed an internship in the field, and that’s when things started to change.

Now, fast forward to today—I've been a social media manager for the past four years. And let me tell you, no matter how much experience I’ve gained, there's one thing that still stings every single time…

When a Post Flops

Ever been there? You feel like you’ve done everything right. You’ve crafted the perfect caption, picked the ideal image, and—because everyone says so—posted at the “best” time. Then you hit publish... and crickets.

I’ve been there, and it’s the worst.

At first, I blamed the “best time to post” advice. Surely that was the issue, right?

Turns out, the whole concept of a “best time to post” might be more of a myth than we thought.

The Myth of the "Best Time to Post"

We’ve all read those blogs that tell us the “perfect” time to post on social media. Here’s the thing though—every blog says something different.

Buffer says it’s 7 AM to 8 AM on weekdays.

SproutSocial? They’ve got a whole other opinion.

And don’t even get me started on SocialPilot—they suggest 6 PM to 9 PM!

All of these platforms have tons of data, and millions of users... yet the advice is all over the place. So, how reliable is this really?

I’ve even tried using in-platform recommendations, but my posts still performed poorly.

For example, check out this meme we posted earlier in the year—it crushed it for our account size back then:

And then there’s this one, which barely made a splash:

Same strategy, same style, wildly different results. Why?

It’s Not Just About Timing

After digging into the data and doing some research, I found out that timing is only part of the puzzle. Here are the real reasons why posts might flop, regardless of when they go live:

1. Views 

If your post isn’t being viewed, it means it’s not grabbing attention fast enough. People are scrolling past because it lacks clarity or visual appeal. To fix that? Make sure your post is eye-catching and your message is crystal clear in those first few seconds.

2. Likes 

When likes are low, it’s a sign the post didn’t resonate. It didn’t tap into what your audience cares about or speak to their current needs. Look back at your most popular posts—what topics were trending? What did your audience care about then? That’s your clue.

3. Comments 

If you’re not seeing many comments, chances are the post didn’t invite conversation. People love to weigh in when you ask them questions or give them something relatable to talk about. Engagement is a two-way street—so start the conversation!

4. Shares 

Shares are all about resonance. If people aren’t sharing your post, it’s because it didn’t strike a chord with them in a way that made them say, “I have to show this to someone.” Educational or inspirational posts often get the most shares because they provide real value.

5. Saves 

When saves are low, the post didn’t offer enough practical value. People save content when they find it useful and want to refer back to it later. Think guides, tips, or step-by-step tutorials—posts that offer real takeaways.

The Takeaway?

Yes, timing can make a difference, but if the content itself isn’t strong, no “best time” will save it. If you want more engagement, focus on creating content that resonates—content that people feel compelled to like, comment on, share, or save.

Talk soon,

Darius ✌🏻