Curious about the optimal time to share content on TikTok? Wondering when your audience is most active for maximum reach and engagement? The timing of your TikTok posts is a crucial factor in the ever-evolving world of short-form video content.
Understanding the peak hours for TikTok activity is essential to captivate a broad audience. Thankfully, you’ve come to the right place.
TikTok users spend significant time immersed in the app's diverse content. When exactly are they most engaged? Knowing the strategic moments to tap the upload button can substantially boost the likelihood of your video being seen, liked, and shared.
The fundamental principle behind determining the best time to post on TikTok is straightforward: your content should go live when most of your audience is actively scrolling and engaging with the platform.
This guide will delve into best practices for posting on TikTok, unveiling optimal posting times based on days and industry trends. By the end, you'll have insights to hit the "post" button at the right moments for optimal visibility and engagement on TikTok.
- General best practices for posting on TikTok
- When is the best time to post on TikTok each day?
- What are the best times to post on TikTok by industry?
- How to find your best time to post on TikTok
General best practices for posting on TikTok
Here are five actionable tips to remember. Following these best practices will skyrocket engagement when you identify the best time to post on TikTok.
1. Consistency in posting schedule
Building a dedicated audience on TikTok requires more than just engaging content. It demands consistency. Establishing and adhering to a regular posting schedule is a fundamental strategy that can significantly impact your visibility and audience retention.
The TikTok algorithm favours creators who maintain a reliable presence on the platform, so finding a posting routine that aligns with your audience's online habits is crucial. Whether you opt for a daily upload or designate specific times each week, the key is to make your content a predictable and anticipated part of your followers' feeds.
This consistent approach strengthens your connection with viewers. It increases the likelihood of showcasing your content when they actively explore TikTok.
2. Know who you’re trying to reach
Success on TikTok hinges on a deep understanding of your audience. Dive into the Audience Insights to uncover your followers' demographics, preferences, and behaviours.
Armed with this knowledge, you can tailor your content to align seamlessly with their interests, ensuring it resonates with the TikTok experience they seek.
Source: TikTok Business Center
Pay close attention to the types of content that generate the most engagement within your audience and be flexible enough to adapt your strategy accordingly. Use hashtags to reach followers who will find your content relevant.
A profound understanding of your followers allows you to create content that captivates and forges a meaningful connection, transforming casual viewers into dedicated fans.
3. Keep your TikToks short and engaging
In the whirlwind of TikTok's fast-paced environment, brevity reigns supreme. Craft concise yet attention-grabbing videos that hook viewers within the first few seconds.
The short-form nature of TikTok thrives on bite-size content, so distil your message into a compelling narrative. Hook your audience early, maintain a brisk pace, and deliver content that resonates emotionally.
You cater to the platform's user behaviour by keeping things short and sweet. A short video increases the likelihood of viewers watching to the end and engaging with it. The ability to convey your message succinctly while still captivating your audience is a hallmark of TikTok success.
Chipotle, the international Mexican chain, has over 2 million followers and nearly 53 million likes. It posts hilarious videos, and most are between 5 and 20 seconds. Their snackable content certainly makes followers want to snack on a burrito bowl.
4. Leverage trends and challenges
TikTok's heartbeat is synced with trends and challenges, staying attuned to the latest viral sensations. Then, you can seamlessly incorporate them into your content strategy to elevate your visibility and engagement.
Actively participate in trending challenges or put your unique spin on prevalent themes to ride the wave of popularity. Aligning your content with what's currently trending not only boosts discoverability but also positions you as a creator in touch with the pulse of the platform.
Infuse your personality into trending topics, showcasing your creativity and fostering community with fellow TikTok users. By leveraging trends, you tap into the collective energy of the TikTok community and elevate your content's reach.
5. Interact with your audience
On TikTok, engagement is a dynamic, two-way street. Actively respond to comments, pose questions, and encourage viewers to share their thoughts.
Building a sense of community involves acknowledging your audience's presence and incorporating their feedback into your content. Whether through duets, stitches, or comment shoutouts, actively involving your followers in your TikTok journey humanises your profile and strengthens the bond with your community.
Making your audience feel heard and valued boosts engagement and cultivates a loyal fan base invested in your content. This interactive approach transforms passive viewers into active participants in your TikTok narrative.
When is the best time to post on TikTok each day?
Let’s look at the best times to post on TikTok and why for each day of the week.
Monday
The best times to post on Monday are 6 AM, 10 AM, and 10 PM.
This aligns with users checking TikTok before leaving for work, school, or college, and the 10 PM slot corresponds to individuals enjoying some TikTok time before bedtime.
Tuesday
The best times to post on Tuesday are 2 AM, 4 AM, and 9 AM.
Late-night and early-morning social media activity are evident, making Tuesday a favourable day for TikTok content.
Wednesday
The best times to post on Wednesday are 7 AM, 8 AM, and 11 PM.
Early morning slots are particularly effective as users refresh their minds and kickstart their days with entertaining short clips.
Thursday
The best times to post on Thursday are 9 AM, 12 PM, and 7 PM.
Pre-lunch hours are deemed advantageous, and the evening witnesses increased activity as people return home.
Friday
The best times to post on Friday are 5 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM.
As the week progresses, TikTok activity rises during lunch hours, possibly due to the anticipation of the weekend. However, be aware that early evening activity may cause a decline in nighttime viewership.
Saturday
The best times to post on Saturday are 11 AM, 7 PM, and 8 PM.
With users already immersed in their weekend breaks, early morning activity decreases. Posting in the evening is recommended, especially for businesses like restaurants looking to attract those planning dinner outings.
Sunday
The best times to post on Sunday are 9 AM, 8 AM, and 4 PM.
Early risers heading to the gym, church, or brunch will likely be active on TikTok.
Whether you focus on weekday or weekend posting, following these guidelines can help determine the best times to post on TikTok.
What are the best times to post on TikTok by industry?
Recognising the specific characteristics of your industry can significantly impact your TikTok posting strategy.
Customising your content to align with peak activity is a strategic move that increases the likelihood of visibility and engagement.
Here are the best times to post on TikTok by industry.
1. Travel and Tourism
Best Times:
- Thursdays at 2 PM
- Fridays at 9 AM
Worst Times:
- Wednesdays
While hospitality businesses experience higher engagement on other social platforms, TikTok presents limited but concentrated engagement with specific optimal posting times.
For the hospitality industry, Thursdays at 2 PM and Fridays at 9 AM are the best times to post on TikTok. Moderately light engagements are observed from Thursdays to Sundays, particularly from 11 AM to 4 AM, making these hours suitable for posting. Late evening hours are also an opportunity for engagement with hospitality brands.
2. Food and Restaurants
Best Times:
- Mondays at noon and 3 PM
- Tuesdays from 2 to 5 PM
- Thursdays at 4 PM
Worst Times:
- Saturdays
Since the pandemic, some restaurants have adopted new services like online orders, but the goal of attracting patrons remained unchanged. Aligning with target audiences and platform goals is crucial for effective customer connection. Utilising TikTok, restaurants can capture attention by offering unique promotions or showcasing their menu.
For restaurants and bars, peak engagement times are Mondays at 12 PM and 3 PM, Tuesdays from 2 to 5 PM, and Thursdays at 4 PM.
3. Entertainment, Sports, and Media
Best Times:
- Mondays at 8 AM
- Tuesdays from 5 to 9 AM, 10 AM and 6 PM
- Wednesdays from 6 to 8 AM
- Thursdays at 6 AM and from 8 to 11 AM
- Fridays at 9 AM
- Sundays from 6 to 8 AM
Worst Times:
- Saturdays
TikTok experiences peak engagement in the media and entertainment industry, with consistently high daily activity from 6 to 11 AM. Global events, political changes, and business news significantly impact media impressions on all platforms, including TikTok.
For the media and entertainment sector, the optimal posting times on TikTok are Mondays at 8 AM, Tuesdays from 5 to 9 AM, Wednesdays from 6 to 8 AM, Thursdays from 8 to 11 AM, Fridays at 9 AM, and Sundays from 6 to 8 AM.
4. Technology and Gaming
Best Times:
- Weekday evenings from 7 to 9 PM
- Weekends
- Late nights
Worst Times:
- None, in general
Over 3 billion people–nearly half the world’s population–are into tech and gaming. Many gamers are also TikTok users. TikTok provides an opportunity to build a community that those in the tech and gaming industry love and pursue digitally.
Some users in the gaming community are night owls and may be active late at night. Posting during this time might capture the attention of those who stay up late. Weekends often see increased usage, especially during the afternoon and evening. Gamers and tech enthusiasts may have more time to dedicate to social media on weekends.
5. Healthcare and Wellness
Best Times:
- Mondays at 7 AM
- Fridays from 7 to 9 AM
Worst Times:
- Weekday evenings
Promote healthy habits by sharing your content during the morning when individuals plan their day or in the evenings when they unwind and contemplate wellness practices. Boost engagement by offering various content, including wellness tips, inspirational stories, and fitness routines.
Posts within the health and wellness industry do best on Mondays at 7 AM as people plan for their week. Weekday evenings, when users are tired after a long day at work or school, are the least ideal times to post.
6. Consumer Goods (Retail, Fashion, E-commerce, etc.)
Best Times:
- Tuesdays from 3 to 5 PM
- Wednesdays at 3 PM
Worst Times:
- Weekends
The consumer goods industry encompasses various products, from apparel to packaged food to clothing and accessories. It’s anything you buy at a retail or online store. A significant number of brands on TikTok are in the consumer goods industry.
TikTok engagement for consumer goods is limited, with optimal posting times on Tuesdays from 3 to 5 PM and Wednesdays at 3 PM. Testing different posting times is advised for consumer goods businesses due to low engagement.
7. Education
Best Times:
- Wednesdays at 7 AM
Worst Times:
- Mondays
- Weekends
Universities, schools, and higher education institutions are less TikTok. It's worth noting that some schools manage multiple social profiles (for college, athletics, etc.) to target distinct audiences at specific times effectively.
Despite the lack of concentrated opportunities on TikTok, schools shouldn't dismiss the platform's potential for connecting with the next generation of students—Gen Z. The recommended time for posting on TikTok for education and schools is generally early on Wednesday, around 7 AM.
From LinkedIn to TikTok: A Guide to Social Media for Universities
How to find your best time to post on TikTok
1. Know your audience better than anyone
We addressed this above. But we’ll point out a few things specific to timing your posts. Dive into your TikTok Audience Insights to discern when your followers are most active.
Understand their time zones, daily routines, and the moments when they will likely engage with content. Pay attention to patterns and fluctuations in activity, allowing you to tailor your posting schedule to align perfectly with the peak times your audience is scrolling through TikTok.
The most helpful bit of information about your audience may be their territory. Knowing this is essential for discovering the best time to post on TikTok, particularly when engaging with a worldwide audience spanning various time zones.
By prioritising this audience-centric approach, you ensure your content hits screens at the right moments.
2. Follow TikTok trends
Staying updated on TikTok trends is not just about participating in prevalent challenges. Trends often have specific life cycles throughout the week, and understanding these patterns can inform your posting schedule.
By aligning your content with trending topics, you capitalise on increased visibility and ride the wave of heightened user activity during trend peaks. Incorporate these trends into your content strategy and adapt your posting times to coincide with the surges in trend-related engagement.
TikTok users love to see real people create authentic content. Following trends is a great way to show your client’s humanity.
One easy way to follow trends is to discover what music is trending. Identifying the trending sounds frequently used by other creators enables you to craft content incorporating these sounds. Doing so enhances your search visibility and ensures that your content is more likely to align with current TikTok trends, boosting its relevance.
3. Consider data from other social media platforms
Your audience's behaviour isn't confined to TikTok alone. Cross-reference data from other social media platforms where you have a presence.
Analysing when your audience is most active on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook can offer valuable insights into broader online habits.
Utilise this cross-platform data to fine-tune your TikTok posting schedule. The goal is to synchronise your content release with when your audience is already predisposed to engage with social media, ensuring a seamless interaction flow across multiple platforms.
4. Use Sendible’s optimal time feature
Leverage tools like Sendible's optimal time feature to streamline and enhance your TikTok posting strategy. Sendible analyses your audience's online activity and suggests the optimal times for posting to maximise engagement.
This automated approach takes the guesswork out of finding the best time to post on TikTok. That allows you to focus on creating compelling content.
Integrating data-driven insights from Sendible empowers you to make informed decisions, ensuring your TikTok posts consistently reach their peak audience at the most opportune moments.
5. Experiment and keep improving
Finding the perfect posting time isn’t a hard science. It’s also an art. Know that it’s an ongoing process that requires experimentation and continuous improvement.
Conduct A/B testing by posting at different times and days, closely monitoring the performance metrics for each attempt. Pay attention to likes, shares, and comments to gauge audience engagement.
Over time, refine your strategy based on the patterns and trends that emerge from your experiments. Flexibility is vital. Be willing to adjust your posting schedule as your audience and the TikTok landscape evolve.
Wrapping it up
Finding the optimal time to share content on TikTok requires a strategic approach that involves understanding your audience, making the most of platform features, and engaging in continuous experimentation.
Boosting your content's visibility and interaction involves following general best practices, tailoring posting schedules based on industry trends, and utilising tools such as Sendible's optimal time feature.
Managing social media for multiple clients can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. Experience the benefits of Sendible's TikTok management tool. It serves as your all-in-one solution for posting and analytics. Begin your 14-day free trial today.
