TikTok has seen meteoric growth in popularity and userbase in the United States over the past few years. As of December 2022, TikTok had over 100 million monthly active users in the US alone, representing an astounding 1,235% growth since January 2018 according to backlinko.com. With over a third of TikTok’s users in the US being between ages 10-19, the platform has carved out a very lucrative niche among teens and young adults.
Timing when you upload your videos can have a significant impact on views and engagement on the platform. Uploading at peak times when more users are actively scrolling through their For You feeds can help your content get surfaced more prominently by TikTok’s discovery algorithm. Similarly, uploading during off-peak times runs the risk of your videos getting buried and receiving less engagement. Understanding TikTok’s daily and weekly cycles can help creators maximize reach and views.
Peak Times for TikTok Usage
TikTok usage patterns show definite peaks and valleys over the course of each day and throughout the week. According to research by Influencer Marketing Hub, TikTok usage peaks on weekdays around 8-9 AM when people are commuting to school or work. Usage remains steady from around 10 AM – 2 PM before hitting another spike from 3-5 PM when school is getting out and the workday is ending. Late nights from 9 PM – midnight also see an uptick in TikTok views.
Weekend usage is more spread out throughout the day starting around 10 AM, peaking from 7-9 PM, and going late into the night. Both Saturdays and Sundays see lower overall usage compared to weekdays.
Mondays tend to see the most TikTok usage and engagement, while Saturdays have the lowest numbers. This matches trends across most other social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
Overall, the best times to post on TikTok are weekdays before 9 AM or after 3 PM when people are commuting or winding down their day. Late nights are also solid options. Weekends have fewer standout times, but evenings tend to perform well (Source).
Best Times to Post for Maximum Views
The ideal time to post on TikTok for maximum views is during peak hours when the app has high traffic. According to data from ACE Growth, the optimal times are between 5 PM to 9 PM local time during the week, and 11 AM to 1 PM on weekends.
Late afternoon and evenings after work and school tend to have the highest amount of TikTok usage during weekdays. Posting between 5-9 PM allows creators to reach the largest number of viewers when they are most active on the app. These hours see high volumes of engagement and views.
On weekends, usage shifts towards the late morning and early afternoons. Posting between 11 AM – 1 PM on Saturdays and Sundays allows creators to be seen by users when weekend TikTok traffic spikes. Views and engagement rates peak during these weekend mid-day hours (Source).
Tailoring posting times around these high traffic windows gives creators the best chance of having their content discovered. Timing uploads to coincide with peak platform usage results in the maximum number of eyes on each video.
Best Times for Engagement
While maximum views focus on when users are most likely to watch videos, engagement looks at when users are most active in interacting through likes, comments, and shares. This tends to happen most in the evenings after work and school when people have more leisure time. The peak window is usually around 7-9pm local time, when many users are relaxing on the couch after dinner and browsing TikTok.
Morning commute times around 7-9am can also see high engagement as people watch videos on the way to work or school. Late at night past midnight often gets good interaction too from night owls up scrolling before bed. While views may be steady all day, saved engagements for when you have the free time to actually interact.
One key difference is that maximum views tend to happen midday when people watch casually during breaks. Engagement spikes later when users feel compelled to actively like and comment on content they really enjoy at times they can focus. Think about when you’re most likely to engage rather than just watch passively.
Avoiding Over-Saturation
Posting content on TikTok when there is a lot of other content being uploaded can have some downsides. During peak times, there is more competition for views and engagement. Your content may get lost in the shuffle and not stand out as much compared to off-peak times when there is less new content being published.
Posting during off-peak times when fewer creators are active can have some benefits. With less competition, your content has a better chance of being discovered in the main feeds and hashtag pages. Your chances for organic views and engagement may increase without as many other new videos over-saturating users’ feeds. Additionally, off-peak times allow you to test and iterate without immediately getting drowned out by other trending content.
That said, avoiding over-saturation does not necessarily mean completely avoiding peak times. A balanced posting approach across peak and off-peak times can allow you to maximize reach while also capitalizing on times when your content has less competition. Analyzing performance data and testing different posting schedules is key to finding the right balance for your channel.
Trend Analysis
TikTok trends and viral challenges often impact the best times to post videos. Sounds, hashtags and challenges that are trending will get more visibility and engagement, so posting videos using popular trends is advised. According to Shopify, content featuring trending challenges often receives high engagement in the after-school hours between 3-5pm and in the evenings between 7-9pm when more users are on the app.
It’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest viral TikTok trends and challenges. Reviewing the trending sounds and hashtags daily will help determine when a particular trend is peaking. Uploading videos featuring the trend during its peak activity windows is recommended for maximum views. However, it’s also important not to overload a trend too late, as engagement starts dropping off once it becomes oversaturated.
Content Considerations
The optimal time to upload videos on TikTok can vary depending on the specific format and length of your content. Shorter videos, like 15-60 seconds, tend to perform well when uploaded during peak engagement times. However, longer videos may see more traction being posted earlier in the day or late at night when viewers have more time to watch.
It’s also important to tailor your upload strategy to your content goals. If you’re hoping for high view counts, aim for late afternoons and evenings when TikTok usage spikes. But for more comments and shares, early mornings and weekends may be best when users are more actively engaging with content.
According to Later’s blog, “you may find better engagement metrics like comments and shares by posting during off-peak hours when there’s less competition.” This highlights the importance of testing different times to find what works for your particular content style and aims.
Overall, being thoughtful about when you upload certain videos can help boost their performance. But quality content that resonates with your audience will drive results no matter when it’s posted.
Audience Demographics
The best times to post TikTok videos can vary based on your target demographic. TikTok has a very diverse audience, with around 34% of users between 10-19 years old and 29% between 20-29 years old. Audiences across different age groups tend to have different activity peaks on the app.
Teenagers between 13-17 tend to be most active on TikTok during after school hours on weekdays, with engagement peaking around 3-8pm. Younger viewers under 13 are likely to be active earlier in the day. Older Millennial and Gen Z users in their 20s and 30s tend to be active during the morning and evening commute, with less activity during traditional work hours.This research shows the 25-44 age bracket is more active later at night, from 8pm onwards.
Location can also impact usage patterns. TikTok engagement differs across time zones, so it’s important to consider your local audience if you are targeting a specific region.
Leveraging Analytics
One of the best ways to determine the optimal times to post for your specific TikTok channel is by utilizing the platform’s built-in analytics. The analytics provide detailed insight into when your current audience is most active and engaging with content.
Analyzing factors like views, comments, shares, follows, and likes based on time of day and day of week can illuminate the peak times for your channel. You can view analytics for both individual videos and your overall channel.
While general posting time recommendations provide a good starting point, every channel’s audience is unique. The analytics allow you to tailor best posting times to your actual viewers.
It’s also worthwhile to test posting videos at different times and days yourself. Try posting a series of similar videos at different times over the course of a few weeks. Track the engagement on each one. This real-world testing can further optimize the best times for your channel.
Consistently monitoring your TikTok analytics is key to staying on top of how your audience engagement patterns evolve over time. As your channel grows, the peak times may shift. Continued analysis will ensure you’re always posting when your viewers are most active.
Conclusion
In summary, the key optimal times to upload videos on TikTok in the USA are early mornings around 7-9am, during the lunch hour around 12pm, and evenings around 5-7pm. These times align with when users are most actively checking TikTok during their daily routines. However, the best times can vary day by day with Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings tending to see high engagement.
When trying to determine the ideal upload times for your specific TikTok channel, it’s important to test different days and times and pay close attention to the analytics for each video. Engagement can vary depending on factors like your target audience demographics, video content, and current trends. Continually monitoring performance data will reveal the optimal times to upload for your unique situation.
While this analysis provides a helpful starting point for top TikTok upload times in the USA, finding what works best for your audience and channel requires ongoing testing and analytics review. Focus on producing quality content, leveraging trends, and determining your viewers’ habits through data.
