In today’s digital marketing spectrum, TikTok has become an indispensable tool. With over 1 billion monthly active users, it is now one of the top platforms from entrepreneurs and SMEs to promote their businesses. TikTok’s unique algorithm allows brands to reach a massive global audience organically, making it an excellent channel for increasing brand awareness, engaging with potential customers, and driving sales. Whether through viral trends, influencer collaborations, or interactive content, brands can leverage TikTok to foster authentic connections with their audience.
If you're looking to boost your TikTok engagement, one thing you absolutely cannot ignore is timing. You could have the most entertaining, informative, or downright hilarious video, but if you post it at the wrong time, it might get lost in the TikTok abyss. So, it begs the question, when is the best time to post on TikTok on Friday? Let’s dive in and find out!
Why Does Timing Matter on TikTok?
TikTok’s algorithm thrives on engagement — likes, comments, shares, and watch time all determine whether your content will go viral. On average, users spend 58 minutes and 24 seconds daily on the app. But if your post happens to go live when your audience isn’t active, it’s like throwing a party when no one’s home. So, to get maximum exposure, you need to hit the sweet spot when most of your audience is scrolling, engaging, and sharing content.
Best Time to Post on TikTok on Friday
It can be quite tricky to precisely pin-point the best time to post on TikTok Friday. Various social media studies and TikTok analytics have been conducted to find the answer. SocialPilot says it’s at 6 am, 1 pm and 4 pm. And according to Influencer Marketing Hub, the perfect time is at 5 am, and between 3 and 6 pm.
Our answer: the best time to post on TikTok on Friday is between 3 PM and 6 PM, at your local time.
If you’re looking for peak engagement, we believe the absolute golden hour is around 5 PM. This is when most users are wrapping up their work or school week, itching for entertainment before heading out or unwinding at home with the weekend on the horizon.
Pro Tip: Influencer Marketing Hub also came up with an online tool to calculate the best time to post on TikTok, among other social media platforms, based on the location of your audience.
Why is the Best Time to Post on TikTok Friday 5 pm?
Friday posts on TikTok tend to see higher engagement rates compared to early weekdays. Posts made between 3 PM and 6 PM on Fridays have 20-25% higher engagement rates than morning posts. Videos posted at 5 PM have the best chance of landing on the For You Page (FYP) due to increased user activity.
On Fridays, the early morning time slots and lunch breaks can catch users who are engaging in a short session, looking for entertainment. But the golden window starts at 3 pm. This is when younger audiences get out of school, while office-goers wind down after the day’s work. With the weekend almost here, people also enjoy late-night TikTok binge, so the evenings around 9 and 11 pm is another great time to post.
When deciding on a time to post, choose a time that is not an exact round figure in order to avoid the rush of creators posting simultaneously. For example, instead of posting exactly at 5 o’clock, you could post at 4:57 pm.
Other Factors That Affect the Best Times to Post
While the best times to post on TikTok on Friday are generally consistent, several factors can influence your specific posting schedule:
1. Your Target Audience
Is your business catering to students, working professionals, or global audiences? Different demographics have different scrolling habits. Check TikTok’s built-in analytics for content creators to see when your followers are most active.
2. Your Time Zone
Make sure to always post in your audience’s local time. If you’re a global brand with customers all around the world, consider scheduling posts at multiple peak times across different regions for optimum reach and engagement.
3. Content Type
Different types of content perform better at different times. Funny and entertaining videos might do well in the evening, while educational or motivational content could gain traction in the morning. The content format also plays a role. For example, video content and livestreams perform better when viewers are more relaxed such as during the evenings or the weekends. Short-form content such as image slideshows gain more engagement during mid-days when the audience browses leisurely while grabbing a bite.
4. Your Industry
The industry you’re in can affect your ideal time of posting. If you’re in the educational sector, you’d gain the highest traction during the school hours but if you’re in the entertainment industry, your best bet would be the evenings and late nights.
5. Trending Hashtags & Sounds
Sometimes, the best time to post is simply right now — especially if you're hopping on a trending sound or challenge while it’s hot.
Pointers to Maximize Engagement on TikTok
Knowing the best times to post on TikTok is just one piece of the puzzle. Here are some extra tips to boost your engagement:
- Engage before and after posting: Spend a few minutes engaging with other TikTok content before and after you post. This signals to the algorithm that you're active, increasing the chances of your content getting pushed to more users.
- Use relevant hashtags: Mix trending hashtags with niche-specific ones to increase discoverability and boost reach.
- Encourage interaction: Ask questions, use polls, and prompt viewers to comment or duet your videos.
- Test and experiment: While the recommended best time to post on TikTok Friday is 3 PM - 6 PM, don’t be afraid to experiment and find what works best for your specific audience.
- Keep an eye on analytics: Regularly check your TikTok analytics to refine your posting strategy based on what works best for your audience.
- Leverage social listening tools: Use an AI-powered social listening tool to track trends, monitor audience sentiment, and analyze competitor strategies. These insights help refine your content strategy and identify the best times to post based on real-time engagement patterns.
Final Thoughts
Timing is crucial, but it’s not everything. You could also experiment with some other TikTok marketing strategies. Ultimately, high-quality, engaging content will always find an audience — especially if you stay consistent and experiment with different posting times. So, mark your calendars, schedule your posts, and hit that Friday 5 PM sweet spot!
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