In recent years, TikTok has all but taken over our media consumption. Its short-form video format and eclectic user base are fun and addicting—but did you know that TikTok videos don’t show up on your feed by accident? In fact, it’s all about timing.
Why Worry About TikTok Post Timing?
From trendy dance routines in someone’s backyard to cinematic videos of beautiful landscapes, TikTok’s algorithm has mastered the art of keeping its 800 million users entertained. However, as with any social media platform, creating amazing content and praying to the algorithm gods isn’t enough to make it big. You have to think strategically. Posting at the right time is key to reaching your desired audience. Unfortunately, this is no simple task. Your posting schedule is one of several factors you’ll need to consider before you start seeing the numbers you want. This is where things get a little tricky: Finding the best time to post on TikTok is different for everyone. You’ll need a little luck and a lot of experimentation before you hit the nail on the head. To help you get started, we’ve put together this guide. In it, you’ll learn how to maximize your outreach, boost engagement, and find that perfect posting window for your target audience. Let’s get started!
Does Your TikTok Post Time Really Matter? TikTok Says Yes!
The “For You” page (aka the FYP) delivers a neverending feed of videos catered specifically for you. No matter how weird or oddly specific your feed might get, TikTok knows you’ll keep watching based on your past interaction with the app. TikTok’s algorithm is built of many working parts, some of which remain top-secret. Though, as far as content creators are concerned, the videos you see on TikTok depends on specific criteria, namely:
Number of likes, comments, and shares a video has How many followers does a creator haveQuality and relevance of the contentWhether users watch a video from start to finishTrending audio and sound clipsPopular hashtags and caption keywordsLocation of the creator and their followers
So, where does timing fit into this? Well, it’s simple. More engagement will help you land on the “For You” page, further increasing your exposure. More exposure means more followers, likes, and shares—which leads to even more engagement from non-followers. On and on it goes until you’ve developed a global audience (or go viral—whichever happens first.)
So, When Is the Best Time to Post on TikTok?
Note: These time slots are all in Eastern Standard Time (EST). To find the perfect slot for your location, use a time zone converter! As you can see in the chart above, there’s no single answer to the scheduling question. TikTok creators will find they have different results depending on their audience’s location, scrolling habits, and general follower activity. This is true of all social media platforms. No matter where you go, the feed is a wily, mysterious beast whose algorithm is finely tuned to every individual user—so there isn’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all approach, but there are a few sweet time spots to post TikTok content.
The Best Time to Post on TikTok by Day:
Ideal TikTok posting times vary from day to day. Here’s a quick reference you can use to guide your posting schedule:
Monday: 6 AM, 10 AM, 10 PMTuesday: 2 AM, 4 AM, 9 AMWednesday: 7 AM, 8 AM, 11 PMThursday: 9 AM, 12 PM, 7 PMFriday: 5 AM, 1 PM, 3 PMSaturday: 11 AM, 7 PM, 8 PMSunday: 7 AM, 8 AM, 4 PM
Within the ideal time slots of the week, there is always a “primetime.” For TikTok videos, this is:
Tuesday: 9 AMThursday: 12 PMFriday: 5 AM
The Worst Time to Post on TikTok by Day:
Just as there is a good time to post on TikTok, there are also periods where traffic tends to slow down. While these time slots won’t extinguish your engagement entirely, they can affect how well your TikTok videos perform. Therefore, you should avoid posting your best content around:
Monday: 11:00 AM to 9:00 PMTuesday: 10:00 AM to 12:00 AMWednesday: 9:00 AM to 10:00 PMThursday: 1:00 PM to 6:00 PMFriday: 4:00 PM to 4:00 AMSaturday: 12:00 PM to 6:00 PMSunday: 5:00 PM to 6:00 AM
Discover Your Best Time to Post on TikTok
TikTok surpassed YouTube users in average watch time, with US-based TikTok users watching 24 hours worth of content per month and YouTube averaging around 22 hours and 40 minutes. In other words, we love to scroll. And while our constant need for entertainment makes TikTok the perfect place for you to build a platform, keep in mind that this isn’t a one-time process. In addition to quality content, you also need to find the best time for you to post consistently. The above recommendations should only serve as a guideline. Here are four simple steps you can use to reach your target:
1. Use a Business or Creator Account (Formerly a Pro Account)
Previously advertised as a TikTok Pro Account, using either a Business or Creator Account will grant you access to TikTok’s analytics section. Accessible through your TikTok profile, this section provides vital insight into your content performance and other important metrics you’ll need to measure before determining your best posting period. Please note that Business Accounts can only use royalty-free music! Fortunately, there are over 500,000+ pre-approved royalty-free sounds available, though this may still be an issue if you like to use trending songs alongside your content. Here’s how you can make the switch to a Business Account:
Go to your profile and select the three lines at the top right corner of your profileTap “Settings and Privacy and then “Manage Account”Under “Account Control” you’ll find an option that reads “Switch to Business account”
If you’re interested in promoting your small business or brand on TikTok, make this switch. You’ll now have access to analytic tools you can use to learn more about your audience data and gauge performance. You’ll also be able to use TikTok’s Business Creative Hub. To find your new and improved analytic sections, you just have to:
Select “Settings and Privacy” againTap “Business Suite”And finally, hit “Analytics”
And voilà! Meanwhile, for aspiring creators, there’s no special option for a Creator Account as it is the TikTok default. Finding your analytics is a similar process:
Go to your profile and click the three linesThe “Creator tools” option will appear right above the “Settings and Privacy” tabTap “Analytics”
You should now see this page: You’ll need to post at least one public video before you can view the creator analytics. After which, you’ll see four tabs: Overview, Content, Followers, and LIVE. The Overview section will provide a summary of your growth and activity so far, sourced from data no more than 60 days old. Meanwhile, the other sections will provide information on your posts, followers’ activity, and LIVE statistics.
2. Pinpoint Your Top Territories
Before you can narrow down your posting window, you’ll have to figure out your audience’s location no matter how remote. Head over to the “Followers” analytic tool to learn more about this. Keep in mind that your audience is probably located across multiple countries and time zones. Unfortunately, unlike Instagram Analytics, TikTok’s location data is segmented by country, not cities. If you live in the US (or any country with multiple time zones, really), try to narrow down a window that is neither too late nor too early at either end of your country. Put out some content to generate more data about this time period. It’ll take some trial and error, but once you figure out where the vast majority of your target audience resides, you’ll have an easier time predicting when they’ll be online.
3. Discover When Your Followers and Target Audience is Most Active
The “Followers” tab will continue to be vital as you pinpoint the best time to post. After posting content for a little while, you’ll have generated enough data for TikTok to reveal your follower activity. This section will provide everything you need to know about your audience’s most active hours on the app. Please note that TikTok records these timestamps in UTC. Be sure to use the EST chart above as a reference and convert your time zone accordingly!
4. Track and Measure Your Content
In order to find the best time to post on TikTok, you’ll also have to follow and track your content performance. Switch over to the “Content” tab under TikTok analytics to view your post metrics and trending patterns. Here you’ll find everything you need to know about your videos. Select one to learn more about the average and total watch times, plus how many viewers tend to stick around from start to finish. You’ll also find a ready-made analysis of other kinds of engagement the video received and from what countries. There will be a little guesswork involved, but by studying these metrics, you’ll be able to identify shared patterns between the type of content you produce, when you post it, and how well these videos are performing during high or low-traffic windows.
Grow Your Audience By Posting at the Right Time
View in gallery There’s a kind of science to building an audience on social media. In addition to posting at the right time, you also need to create content that will captivate your audience. Sadly, there’s no straightforward method to achieve this. To add, TikTok doesn’t offer a scheduling tool. If you want to plan ahead, you’ll have to build a content schedule off-app and produce enough videos to keep this schedule full. A little headache-inducing, right? Before you get overwhelmed, remember TikTok is about having fun and connecting with others! Plus, the more genuine you are, the greater chance you have of developing a loyal and friendly community of followers. Here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Find What Makes You Stand Out
If you want to build a following on TikTok, you’ll have to figure out what makes you, you! This could be a special skill, a lived experience, an interesting physical feature, hobby, or profession that makes you unique in some way. That said, whatever this trait is, it doesn’t have to be especially extraordinary. What matters most is how you show off this special something. If you’re not sure what this special something is, ask your family and friends. They may have a few ideas you didn’t consider before.
2. Post Content Regularly
Your TikTok account won’t grow without content. It’s simple math. However, before you jump the gun, try and pace yourself. More content requires more creativity and energy you may not have time for. Plus, if you’re on TikTok just for fun, you don’t want your new hobby to turn into a full-blown chore. Fortunately, you don’t need to come up with new ideas all the time. You can post short and sweet update videos documenting your life, hold Q&As, or participate in popular trends that never go out of style and take seconds to create such as the “blind react” trend.
3. Collab, Collab, Collab!
Brands on TikTok and other social media platforms prosper because they collaborate. They connect with other accounts and produce content together that appeals to a wider audience. You can do the same by making content with a fellow TikToker. Get your friends, family, and co-workers involved. Have them tag you in their videos and vice versa to increase your chances of engagement and discover more followers.
4. Go with The Flow and Do a Challenge
You can’t scroll very far on TikTok without stumbling upon a challenge. Not only are they an easy type of content to produce, but challenges are also a great way to attract new followers. (Plus, they’re fun!) Trending challenges naturally have a larger audience. By participating in one, you’ll have a greater chance of your video reaching someone’s “For You” page, boosting your performance numbers overall.
5. Use Relevant Hashtags
Social media platforms utilize hashtags to spread content to a wider audience. Meanwhile, users rely on hashtags to find creators and videos similar to what they already like. Not just any hashtag will do, however. Select the most relevant and use a healthy amount to widen your outreach on TikTok.
6. Recycle Content From Other Social Media Platforms
Have you noticed how a lot of the same videos you see on TikTok pop up on Instagram and vice versa? That’s because creators recycle and reshare old content all the time. If you already have a following on another platform, use it to your advantage and rebrand engaging content for your TikTok audience. Sharing old TikTok content also offers you the chance to cross-promote on other platforms. Download old videos from your TikTok account and share them on Instagram Reels or Youtube Stories to uncover an audience you may otherwise not reach on TikTok. Before you head off to make the next viral TikTok video, let’s take a moment to review everything you’ve learned so far and answer some vital questions:
“So, what’s the best time to post on Tiktok again?”
According to our research, the best time to post TikTok is on Tuesday at 9 AM, Thursday at 12 PM, and Friday at 5 AM ETC. That said, the best time for you will come down to where your audience is located. You’ll have to experiment with your posts and get to know your audience better before you can narrow down the most advantageous window.
“Is it a bad idea to post late at night or on Mondays?”
Not necessarily! Monday is the start of the workweek in most countries, so it’s understandable if things tend to slow down a bit. You’ll still get engagement if you post on Mondays, albeit to a somewhat lesser degree. The same applies to a late-night schedule. If your audience lives in different locations, it may be better to post outside of primetime in order to figure out when your audience is awake and active.
“Okay, but does it really matter what time you post on TikTok?”
Sure does! Since TikTok provides an endless stream of content, pinpointing your most opportune window to post will help you cut through the noise and engage with your audience better.
“Is it a bad idea to post too often?”
Again, it depends. As useful as TikTok analytics are, the inner workings of its algorithm will likely always be a mystery, so how much you should post is up to you. If you can post once a day or even several times a week, that’s fine as long as you are consistent. Just try to avoid overwhelming your followers or leave them starving for more with infrequent posts.
Final Thoughts
Building a platform on TikTok is no walk in the park—but it’s absolutely doable given a little time and effort. As you begin to post more, consider where your audience is located. Use analytic tools as a Creator or Business account, and keep a close eye on key metrics such as your followers’ activity and content performance to learn more about your target audience. Once you’ve generated enough data, you’ll be able to establish a posting schedule that will help you gain traction on TikTok. Feel free to share your thoughts and any tips you have for your fellow TikTokers in the comments below.
