Is it your only card? If so, it's actually better to carry a small balance.

Two important dates you need to find out; statement closing date and billing due date. The statement closing date is the day your new monthly statement begins. Your billing due date is when the prior month's statement needs to be paid in full. Most credit companies give you about 25 days after last month's statement closes to pay in full before being charged interest.

According to experts the ideal percentage to carry over your statement closing date is 1%. So for example, if your credit line is $1000 and spend $900 of your credit line, pay $890 and let your statement close. You'd then have a $10 balance carry over (1% of $1000) and then pay that $10 in full anytime before your billing due date to avoid interest.

You guys can downvote but this is correct info. Feel free to look it up on your own.

*Tacking this onto this comment so hopefully this clears up confusion.*

You're misunderstanding. I said to pay down to 1% BEFORE the statement closing date NOT the billing due date. Utilization isn't reported until the statement closing date. I can use up all my credit line and pay it down to zero and do that countless times during each statement, so long as I pay it down to 1% before the statement closes.

"900 of your credit line, pay $890 and let your statement close. You'd then have a $10 balance carry over (1% of $1000) and then pay that $10 in full anytime before your billing due date to avoid interest."

Maybe I made this too confusing for someone newer to credit( talking about OP) but this is 100% true. I've been doing this for years, have 5 credit cards and FICO scores all above 780. 

Look up the AZEO method, it's widely recognized as the best way to reach the highest possible score in terms of utilization. I'm aware utilization only temporarily affects your score month to month unlike late payments etc. But if you need to boost your score as high as possible before a new loan or credit card to get better interest/acceptance rates then this is what you do.