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Social Media

The best times to post on TikTok

Maximize your TikTok engagement by leveraging peak hours and days for likes, views, and shares across various content niches

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Adobe Express

October 31, 2024

Summary

Timing is everything in the fast-paced world of TikTok. With millions of videos uploaded daily, understanding when to share your content can mean the difference between viral success and getting lost in the noise.

We recently analyzed over 21,000 TikToks from 160 creators to uncover the secrets of optimal posting times. By examining likes, views, comments, and shares across different days and hours, our results reveal the best strategies for maximizing engagement on this popular platform.

Key takeaways

  • 6 p.m. is the most popular time to post on TikTok, with nearly one in ten TikToks being posted at this time.
  • TikToks posted on Saturday and Sunday get the most likes on average, as do TikToks uploaded from 5-5:50 a.m.
  • To get the most views, the best day to post is Sunday, and the best time is 8 a.m.
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Most common posting times

Understanding when creators typically share content on TikTok offers valuable insights into platform usage patterns. This section explores the most popular days and times for TikTok uploads.

The most popular times to post on TikTok

Midweek was the busiest period for posting to TikTok — Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were the most popular days. Activity dropped significantly over the weekend, with Saturday and Sunday being the least popular days for sharing new content.

As for times of day, the evening hours attracted the most uploads. Nearly one in ten TikToks had been posted at 6 p.m., making it the most popular time for sharing short video content on the platform. Morning hours saw the least posting activity.

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Best times to post

Strategic timing of TikTok posts can significantly impact engagement and visibility. This section explores how posting schedules affect the number of likes and views videos receive, helping creators optimize their content sharing for maximum reach and interaction.

Most popular days for maximizing engagement on TikTok

Weekend posts garnered the most attention from TikTok users. Videos uploaded on Saturday and Sunday (when many people are off work, giving them more time to scroll) received the highest average number of likes. However, Friday was an outlier — videos posted on this day got the fewest likes.

Early morning uploads also performed best. TikToks posted between 5 a.m. and 5:50 a.m. achieved the highest average number of likes. The 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. time slots followed closely behind.

The most popular day of the week and time of day for post views on TikTok

Sunday emerged as the prime day for TikTok views, with videos uploaded on this day getting the most views of the week. Specifically, TikToks posted at 8 a.m. on Sundays attracted the most views. Other high-performing time slots included 5 a.m. and 7 p.m., regardless of the day.

In contrast, Thursday and Friday were less favorable for garnering views. Videos uploaded on these days received the fewest views overall. Certain other time slots consistently underperformed across all days as well — TikToks posted at 3 a.m., 7 a.m., and 2 p.m. got the fewest views. These might be less optimal times for sharing content on the platform.

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Finding the right balance

Choosing between peak and off-peak posting times can affect different aspects of TikTok engagement. Let's examine how these timing strategies impact various content niches and overall performance metrics.

Posting on TikTok on peak vs off-peak hours

Posting during peak hours generally resulted in more likes, views, and saves. However, off-peak posts earned more shares and comments. Content in beauty, cooking, and education categories performed best during peak times. In contrast, TikToks focused on comedy, fashion, and gaming performed better during off-peak hours.

Posting guide by niche on TikTok

Experts suggest that small businesses should post on every social media channel at least once per week — but when exactly you should post might depend on your niche. Sunday night might be the best time to post if you share beauty content, while comedy content creators might have more luck on a Tuesday.

Other niches showed consistent ideal posting times for both likes and views. Self-improvement and travel content, for instance, tended to get the most likes and views during the same times, while other niches got more likes at one time and more views at another.

Sunday was the top-performing day overall, with the most views and likes across niches, especially in the mornings. Despite this trend, Wednesday at 6 p.m. remained the most popular time for creators to post across all categories.

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Mastering your TikTok posting schedule

While we found certain patterns in which days garner the most engagement on TikTok — such as Sunday being the best day for views and likes — optimal posting times can vary depending on your niche and engagement goals. By tailoring your posting schedule to your specific content category and desired outcomes, you could increase your chances of reaching and resonating with your target audience.

While timing is crucial, it's just one piece of the TikTok success puzzle. Combine these insights with compelling content and consistent engagement to truly make your mark on the platform.

Methodology

We analyzed 21,289 TikToks uploaded by 160 content creators to discover the best time to post on social media. We collected the time and day they were posted and the number of likes, views, comments, shares, and saves each TikTok received.

Fair use statement

Noncommercial reproduction is allowed as long as you link to the original article.

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