Top Times for Posting on TikTok for Maximum Views

For over three years, TikTok has been the most downloaded app. In 2021, TikTok was downloaded more than 656 million times, far outstripping the second most-downloaded app Instagram.

Over a billion users are active on TikTok every month. Despite the short video format, the average length of time for engagement is 10.85 minutes. And TikTok users are some of the most active social media users, spending more than 25.6 hours per month in the US.

To stand out and capture the most engagement, brands must have a strategy or risk obscurity.

While it may seem like users are watching around the clock, there are, in fact, specific times and days when customer engagement is highest. And disregarding these key times could significantly impact whether your videos get seen and your brand gets noticed.

Marketers are beginning to wake up to the marketing potential of TikTok. In fact, more than 24 percent of those surveyed by Hootsuite in a recent survey felt that TikTok was an effective tool for reaching business goals—a dramatic 700 percent increase from the year before.

Whether you’re looking to gain a foothold in the TikTok world for your brand or your post engagements feel sluggish, taking a fresh look at top times and customer habits can get you out of a slump.

1. Easy Like (Early) Sunday Mornings

We all thought people liked to sleep in on Sunday mornings, but apparently, they prefer waking up early to actively browse TikTok. On Sundays, users are most active from 7 AM to 8 AM. Engagement peaks again around 4 PM.

2. Monday, You’re a Perfect 10

On Mondays, TikTokers check in with their feeds at three critical times: 6 AM, 10 AM, and 10 PM. It turns out there are more morning people out there than any of us realized if 6 AM is prime TikTok time. But also note that people are browsing through videos around that mid-morning break time.

Engagement spikes again in the late evening on Monday, around the time that many people are winding down before bedtime.

3. It’s Tuesday, Isn’t It?

If you guessed that Tuesday would hold the top time spot for TikTok engagement, then perhaps you should also pass on your top stock picks. But as it turns out, Tuesday is a big day for engagement—specifically, Tuesdays around 9 AM. Tuesday is also the only day where the top engagement numbers are strictly in the morning. The best times to post are 2 AM, 4 AM, and 9 AM.

4. It’s Wednesday, My TikTokers

Wednesday’s top times are radically split. Many are checking in and scrolling their feeds early, between 7 and 8 AM. But there’s also a significant spike in engagement much later, around 11 pm.

5. Thursday, the Runner-up

If Tuesday’s top activity spot surprised you, then the runner-up for most active engagement will, too. It turns out that Thursday mid-morning around 10 AM is an excellent time to browse TikTok.

6. W-T-Friday

On Fridays, TikTok comes alive around 5 AM. After that, engagement drops off for the rest of the morning. It picks back up after lunch at 1 PM and again at 3 PM. Perhaps the viewers watching in the early afternoon are looking forward to the weekend, but the early birds scrolling at 5 AM were a surprise.

7. Saturday Night’s Alright for Shopping

Many people pack their weekends with in-person activities and shopping in brick-and-mortar stores, but when they stop to take a break, they’re on TikTok. Saturday’s top times are around 11 AM, and then again in the evening in the 7 o’clock and 8 o’clock hours.

8. Get in the (Time) Zone

All of the times mentioned above are Eastern Standard Time, so you should consider that when you are thinking about posting in your time zone. You may notice that engagement in your time zone is slightly different—all of the times above represent averages. You can use the study data as a posting guideline, but creating a business account and watching your analytics can help you hone in on peak engagement.

Does Targeting Specific Times on TikTok Really Matter?

Absolutely! With planning, you can take advantage of heavier traffic to get your content and brand seen by the greatest number of viewers. However, targeting the average peak times is only a starting point. As you produce content and engage with your viewers, you can begin to track how your top engagement stacks up against average times. Try testing videos with similar content at different times to see if there’s a notable difference.

There Are Answers in the Analytics

As you begin to pay more attention to your posting times and the engagement the content receives, you can start to work more with the available analytics of your account. When someone initially creates a TikTok account, it is by default designated personal. You can go into user settings to change your account to Pro, but it’s essential to consider the pros and cons that each account type offers.

Should You Go Pro?

Many content creators and business owners believe that TikTok algorithms often favor personal accounts. However, Pro accounts, designated either as “Creator” or “Business,” offer a deeper dive into analytics. Additionally, the available music selection changes when you change your account to Pro. Pro accounts have a narrower scope of music to choose from, though.

Upgrading to the Pro account is free, and many decide to go for it when they see the enhanced analytic tools available. More detailed and nuanced data can empower you to break through a business plateau and finally gather some momentum.

Time’s A-wastin'

With the sheer volume of users and content on TikTok every day, it’s just not enough to have a fantastic brand or product. Scheduling content and interactions on TikTok could help you break through and get noticed. Knowing the average top posting times for each day gives you a starting point for fine-tuning your content schedule for greater success.