As tan lines fade and Google Calendars start to fill up, our scrolling habits shift too. During the summer, screen time tends to rise — thanks to more leisure hours and laid-back schedules. But as summer winds down and fall begins, PTO runs out, weekend trips taper off and we return to the hustle of our regular routines. Life speeds up, and our media consumption patterns change.
As September rolls in, social media scrolling often takes a back seat. For marketers, this shift is critical to recognize. Our audiences are still online, but the when, how long, and how engaged they are change significantly. We can’t control these seasonal shifts, but we can embrace them.
This transition period offers marketers a timely and relevant opportunity. Instead of fighting the change, we can craft campaigns that reflect the shift from summer ease to fall focus. It’s the perfect moment to adjust strategies and meet our audience where they are mentally, emotionally and digitally.
Being aware of when our audience is most actively engaged is important. During this transition period, people tend to be more active in the morning when they first check their phone, during their commute to work or while taking a quick coffee break. Lunchtime is another peak activity window, but it’s essential to focus on short-form content during this time. Since this is often the biggest break in the day, our audience wants to scroll quickly and consume as much as possible. That’s why hooks and content quality matter more than length or detail during these hours.
In the evenings, people are usually more intentional with their time and are open to longer, higher-quality content. They’ve finished most of their responsibilities and finally have the space to unwind. Their minds are clearer and not weighed down by work or school tasks.
Weekends during the summer tend to be lower in engagement because people are out of the house and trying to make the most of the season. As September begins, this changes. While most audiences are still active on weekends, their plans shift. Instead of packed days sightseeing or traveling, weekends become more about preparing for the week ahead, meeting friends or enjoying smaller outings. They start to carve out more time to rest, recharge and scroll.
Knowing when our audience is most engaged is crucial when posting or launching campaigns. If we share content during low engagement times, we risk our work going unnoticed. We must meet our audience where they are and when they are there. If we don’t, they won’t find us.
