TikTok has exploded in popularity over the last few years, becoming one of the most used social media platforms globally. As of January 2024, TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide. With its short-form video format, TikTok makes it easy for anyone to create and share engaging content.
With such a massive userbase, determining the optimal times to post content on TikTok is crucial for creators looking to expand their reach and engagement. Figuring out when your target audience is most active on TikTok can help your videos get more views and likes. The goal of this article is to analyze TikTok usage patterns and recommend the best times to post TikTok videos.
Audience Demographics
TikTok has a young user base, with over 25% of users under 20 years old. The largest age group is 18-24, comprising around 21% of users according to Sprout Social. In terms of gender, TikTok leans female – around 57% of users are women according to ExplodingTopics.
Geographically, TikTok has an international reach. As of 2023, the countries with the most TikTok users were China, United States, Turkey, Russia, and Mexico according to Neal Schaffer. So the platform has strong penetration in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Peak Usage Times
When posting on TikTok, knowing when most people are actively using the platform can help maximize engagement. According to research by Sprout Social, the best times to post on TikTok are Tuesdays from 2 to 6 p.m., Wednesdays from 2 to 5 p.m. and Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m https://sproutsocial.com/insights/best-times-to-post-on-tiktok/. Afternoons seem to be peak hours when people are browsing TikTok.
Analyzing usage by day of the week, TikTok videos posted on Tuesdays have been found to get the widest reach, while Saturdays see the lowest engagement levels https://www.shopify.com/blog/best-time-to-post-on-tikok. The key takeaway is that weekday afternoons, especially Tuesdays through Thursdays, tend to be the optimal times for posting.
Understanding when TikTok usage peaks can help you align your posting schedule with the hours and days your audience is most active on the app.
Content Type Differences
The optimal time to post certain types of content on TikTok varies throughout the day. Here’s an overview of when different content formats tend to perform best:
Dance/Lipsync Videos: Early morning and evenings tend to see high engagement for these fun, entertaining video styles. Post between 7-9 AM or 5-8 PM for best results. Source
Comedy/Funny Videos: Late mornings and early afternoons are primetime for lighter, humorous content. Aim for 10 AM – 2 PM. Source
Educational Content: Mid-afternoons tend to attract viewers interested in learning something new. Post how-to’s, explainers or informational content between 2-5 PM. Source
Challenges: Evening hours are ideal for trending hashtag challenges or other participatory content. Post between 6-9 PM when engagement is highest. Source
Algorithm Favorability
TikTok’s algorithm is more likely to pick up and promote content posted at certain times. According to an analysis by Influencer Marketing Hub, the algorithm favors videos posted between 8-10 AM and 7-9 PM in your local time zone on weekdays [1]. These align with times when more users are actively on the app. Weekends tend to see lower algorithm favorability overall.
TikTok’s algorithm evaluates many factors beyond just timing, like engagement, captions, hashtags, sounds, etc. But posting during peak times gives your content the best chance of being discovered by real viewers and getting algorithmic promotion. The key is finding the right balance between when users are most active while avoiding oversaturation.
Weekday vs Weekend
There are noticeable differences in engagement between posting on weekdays versus weekends on TikTok. According to research by Buffer, weekdays tend to see higher engagement in the afternoon and evenings, with spikes between 1-5pm. The most popular times on weekdays are generally Tuesday and Friday from 5-6pm.
Weekends follow a slightly different pattern, with engagement peaking on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-12pm. Late mornings and early afternoons tend to perform best, while evenings see lower engagement. This is likely because many users are out socializing instead of scrolling on their phones. According to SocialPilot, the optimal times on weekends are 11am, 7pm and 8pm on Saturdays.
In summary, aim for afternoons and evenings on weekdays and late mornings on weekends for maximum TikTok engagement. Understand your audience’s habits and when they are most likely to be active on the app based on lifestyle patterns.
Local Time Differences
TikTok usage varies greatly based on location and time zone. According to the 2023 TikTok Algorithm report by Later (https://later.com/blog/tiktok-algorithm/), peak usage times in the US are late morning between 10-11am and evenings between 6-9pm. However, engagement can vary dramatically outside of US timezones.
For creators in Europe, Late Afternoon and Early Evening tend to see higher engagement. The best European posting times are between 3-6pm Local Time. In Asia and Australia, mornings tend to perform better. Posting between 8-11am will generally garner more views.
It’s important for creators to analyze their own audience demographics and posting times. Pay attention to when your followers are most active. While general recommendations are helpful, your audience’s unique habits will indicate the truly optimal times for your content.
Influencer Research
Analyzing when top TikTok creators post content can provide valuable insights into the optimal posting times. According to SocialPilot, many top creators post videos in the morning between 10-11:50 AM when people are most active on TikTok before lunch. The late afternoon between 2:30-4 PM is another prime time when people are winding down from work and school. Finally, the evening hours of 6:30-9:30 PM tend to perform well when people are relaxing after dinner.
As Influencer Marketing Hub notes, top creators often post multiple times per day during these key windows to maximize viewership. While every creator’s audience may be slightly different, focusing on the late morning, afternoon, and evening generally aligns with when most users are on TikTok. It’s important to track performance data specific to your own account as well, but influencer posting times provide a helpful benchmark.
Optimal Length
The ideal TikTok video length varies based on the time of day you post. According to Buffer, videos between 11-17 seconds performed best in mid-2021. However, by late 2021, TikTok expanded the minimum video length to 15 seconds and the maximum to 60 seconds when recording in the app.
For morning posts, shorter videos around 15-30 seconds tend to do well, as people are often checking TikTok while getting ready for their day. During the afternoon and evenings, longer videos around 45-60 seconds tend to see higher engagement, as users have more time to watch. Overnight posts can utilize the full 60 second length, since they are likely autoplaying while users are sleeping. Ultimately, tailor your video length based on when your target audience will most likely be viewing it.
Summary
When it comes to figuring out the optimal time to post your TikTok videos, there are a few key factors to consider:
If your goal is to get the most views and engagement, late afternoons and evenings tend to perform best, especially Thursday-Sunday. The peak times are generally between 5-9pm local time. This is when the most TikTok users are on the app and able to watch and interact with your content.
If you’re hoping to reach specific demographics or influencer audiences, research when they are most active on TikTok and aim to post during those times. Different groups have different patterns of usage.
For hashtag exposure, earlier in the day around 10am-12pm can allow your content to gain traction before hashtags get saturated later on.
Always keep your local audience’s timezone in mind. Adjust your posting times based on when your target viewers are most likely scrolling on TikTok.
While optimal timing varies, being strategic about when you post can help maximize your TikTok’s performance and achieve your goals on the platform.
