Many of the big questions in Social Media relate to scheduling — what in English is called timing. What time of day should I publish this? Which day of the week is best? Should I post on weekends?
In the book The Science of New Marketing, a pattern called counter-competitive timing is described, based on the study and observation of many websites.
The explanation is simple: imagine we are at a very crowded party. The music is playing loudly, and people are speaking animatedly, trying to raise their voices above everyone else’s. This is the everyday scenario of social media.
We start telling a story and, halfway through, the music suddenly stops. During that brief second of silence, everyone hears that we were turned down at that same party last year.
That is counter-competitive timing. If a party is silent, it is much easier to be heard.
In marketing, many tools and teachings assume that the best time to engage the audience is when channels are most active.
However, data shows that weekends and late afternoons/evenings often have higher response rates than what have traditionally been considered peak hours.
If we think about it, this makes sense. During working hours, we have tasks to complete and focus on our jobs. We may glance at Facebook or check our email several times, but we don’t have time to carefully read a news article or blog post. However, when we get home in the late afternoon or evening after work — or on a relaxed Sunday — we are more likely to take the time to read articles that interest us and spend time browsing the internet, discovering new products and websites. We also pay more attention to emails in the social and promotions tabs of our inbox.
This does not mean that we should always seek counter-competitive timing, but it is worth experimenting with it and analyzing how it works to bring our product or service closer to our audience.
Being professionals in Online Marketing requires us to constantly evolve, learn, and experiment. If your company’s marketing is stagnant, at Nexia we can offer new ways to connect with your audience.
