The question is not if you should post on TikTok, but when. Sprout Social has answers and explains which day you should avoid.
In the download charts, TikTok has almost always been in first or second place and the entertainment platform, which is becoming increasingly more diverse, has well over a billion monthly active users. But the core of TikTok remains short videos – although long-form content of up to 60 minutes is also being tested again and again. Countless creators post on TikTok more or less regularly and, like brands and media, try to attract the attention of viewers. This requires appealing videos with suitable captions and elements. But the posting time can also play a role in the success of the content. Sprout Social has the best times to post on the platform determined.
When is posting on TikTok most promising?
According to the analysis company, users spend an average of just over 23 hours on the platform each month. That’s a lot of time in which brands and creators can reach these users. The team of analysts is constantly collecting data from platforms such as TikTok, but also X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Instagram. Most recently, over two billion interactions from over 400,000 profiles were analyzed. The data comes from different regions with different time zones. If creators work internationally, they can start posting without time differences. Otherwise, the regional time windows should be observed – a post in the middle of the night may have less chance of success.
But when is the best time to post? According to Sprout Social, there is an overarching answer. The best posting times are:
- Tuesdays from 4 to 6 p.m.
- Wednesdays from 9 to 11 a.m., noon and from 2 to 6 p.m.
- Thursdays from 9 to 11 a.m. and from 2 to 6 p.m.
- Fridays from 4 to 6 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday are the best days to post. If in doubt, Sunday should be avoided. On this day, engagement is comparatively low worldwide.
Engagement values for TikTok content by time and day of the week (click on the image to see a larger view), © Sprout Social
If you post on Monday, Saturday and Sunday, you should take Sprout Social’s time suggestions to heart.
The best posting times by day of the week, © Sprout Social
Basically, however, this overview can only provide a trend that could nevertheless help creators and social media managers with content planning. However, anyone who posts videos and other content needs to test for themselves when and how their target group(s) respond best. This is particularly interesting for current trends – after all, these need to be picked up as quickly as possible, often without regard to posting times.
TikTok-Trends 2024:
From delulu to lo-fi
© TikTok (modifications made via Canva)
On its own blog, Sprout Social lists individual top posting times for certain industries. There are some differences. Restaurants often have success with late afternoon mail, for healthcare facilities, mail can also attract a lot of attention at the beginning of the week and in the evening, and for educational institutions and schools, mail can also attract attention at lunchtime.
If you want to engage your fans and target groups beyond the content and encourage them to engage, you can also use direct messages. TikTok has been promoting the DM area for months. Recently, for example, group chats and stickers were integrated to keep users in the app longer – this can also benefit creators.
WhatsApp competition?
TikTok brings group chats and stickers to DMs
© Solen in Fey – Unsplash