Choose useful posting times
Interpret recommendations and their confidence without treating them as guarantees.
Smart Post Times suggests slots using available engagement history. A recommendation based on your account's data is different from a general platform fallback. Neither guarantees reach or engagement.
Read a recommendation
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Open a date/time picker in the composer or Calendar, or open the best-times view in Analytics.
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Inspect the recommended platform, time and timezone.
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Read the explanation, sample size and confidence when shown. Limited history makes the suggestion less specific to your audience.
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Accept the suggestion or enter a deliberate time that fits your campaign.
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Reopen the scheduled item to confirm its final time after approval and cooldown rules are considered.
Use with queues
If a queue offers Auto-optimize slots, review its explanation before enabling it. Check the preview to understand which times may change. Leave explicit fixed slots in place when a launch or event requires a particular time. Manual rule settings and queue constraints can take precedence over a recommendation. Brand voice text is writing context; it is not a reliable place to configure a schedule.
Improve your judgment
Compare results over similar periods and formats. New or rarely used accounts may show generic suggestions or no useful heatmap. Keep collecting a consistent sample and use the available analytics alongside your knowledge of the audience.