When Is The Worst Time to Post On TikTok? Find Out For 2025
Everyone wants to know the best time to post on TikTok, but knowing the worst time to post on TikTok is just as important for your success.
Posting when your audience is offline can make your content invisible. At Social Think, we provide social media strategy, analytics, and insights to help you get real business results. We believe that a smart posting schedule is a key part of any successful TikTok marketing plan.
It is not just about creating great TikTok content; it is also about delivering it at the right time to get higher engagement.
This guide will show you which time slots to avoid and how to find the specific worst times for your unique target audience. We will help you understand why timing is so important for the TikTok algorithm and how you can improve your engagement rates by avoiding these key periods. When you use TikTok for your brand, every detail matters, from the type of content you create to the exact minute you post it.
Why Identifying the Worst Time to Post On TikTok Is Important?
Figuring out the worst time to post on TikTok is a huge part of good social media management. It helps you avoid sending your hard work into a void where no one will see it. A good strategy focuses on getting the highest engagement, not just posting whenever you feel like it.
The Impact of Timing on the TikTok Algorithm
The TikTok algorithm pays close attention to how a new video performs right after it is posted. This is called early engagement.
If a TikTok video gets a lot of likes, comments, and shares in the first hour, TikTok shows it to more people. If you post at a bad time, very few TikTok users will see it. The algorithm will then think your video is not interesting and stop showing it, even if the content is great.
Low initial user activity tells the algorithm to bury your post, which is why timing is so critical for reach.
How Posting At the Wrong Time Kills Your Reach?
Posting at the wrong time directly hurts your reach and TikTok engagement. Imagine your target audience is mostly students in one time zone.
If you post during school hours, they are busy and won’t see your video. Your post gets almost no views in its first critical hour. This low performance signals to the algorithm that your content is not worth promoting.
Your engagement levels will be low, and your video will not reach a wider audience. This is how even great social media content can fail if the posting time is wrong. Even a few hours can make a massive difference in performance.
Maximizing Initial Engagement For Virality
Getting that burst of early engagement is your best shot at going viral. When you post during peak hours, your video is immediately shown to a large, active audience.
This leads to quick likes and comments, which helps boost engagement. This strong start creates a snowball effect. The TikTok algorithm sees the high peak activity and pushes your video to more “For You” pages.
Posting at an optimal time gives your content the best possible chance to be seen. In contrast, posting at the worst possible time almost guarantees your video will not get the momentum it needs to become one of the platform’s viral TikTok trends.
The Worst Times to Post On TikTok: Key Moments to Avoid For U.S. Creators
While every TikTok account has its own unique audience, general data from sources like Sprout Social shows clear engagement patterns. Avoiding these common low-traffic periods can immediately improve your average engagement.
Here are the worst times to post for most U.S.-based creators.
Early Morning Hours (Before 7 AM) – Why Engagement Suffers
Posting very early in the morning, like before 7 AM, is not a good plan.
Most people are still sleeping at that time. Even people who wake up early are busy with their morning tasks. They are not looking at social apps yet.
This means almost no one will see your TikTok post right away. You will get very few views or likes at first. When there is not much action on your post early on, the system does not like it.
The TikTok app may then show your post to even fewer people later.
Late-Night Posting (After 11 PM) – The Pitfalls of Posting Too Late
Many people are asleep after 11 PM. Most TikTok users are not online late at night.
Only a few people check TikTok during these hours. If you post after 11 PM, fewer people will see your video. Your audience is smaller late at night.
Unless your fans stay up very late, your video will get fewer likes and comments.
Posting in the evening helps you reach more people. Hours between 7 PM and 10 PM are better for getting attention on TikTok. More viewers are active during this time. Your posts have a better chance of being seen by many people in the evening.
Weekday Mid-Afternoons (1 PM – 3 PM) – Sluggish Scroll Periods
During weekday afternoons, from 1 PM to 3 PM, most people go back to work or school after lunch. This period has low activity on social media. People spend time on their jobs or schoolwork.
Because of this, fewer people watch TikTok at this time. Later in the afternoon, there can be a small rise as people finish their day. But the middle of the afternoon is not good for TikTok posts. Fewer users are online and less likely to interact with videos during these hours.
Friday Evenings – Competing With Weekend Plans
Many people think Friday night is the best time to post on TikTok. But this is not true for most users. People spend Friday evenings with friends.
Some go out for dinner or start their weekend fun. They pay attention to what is happening around them. Their phones are not their main focus at this time. Your TikTok posts must fight with these real plans. This makes it tough for your videos to get good views and likes.
Saturday Mornings – Are People Really Watching?
Saturday mornings are busy for most people. Many are out shopping or doing chores. Some sleep late on weekends. Others spend time with family and friends.
Few people use TikTok early in the day. Most do not scroll through videos at this time.
People use TikTok more later in the day on Saturdays. Posting in the morning means you miss many viewers. You will not catch the time when most people are online.
This is why it is best to wait before posting.
Sunday Afternoons – The Decline Before the Workweek
Sunday afternoon is when many people get ready for the week. They may do chores or finish school work. Others might just rest before Monday comes. This time does not see many people online. It is not a good time to post. More people use TikTok on Sunday early evening.
By then, people have settled in for the night. That makes Sunday early evening a much better time to post than the afternoon.
During Major Holidays – Why Your Content Gets Lost
Posting on big holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving is not a good idea. Your posts have to fight many holiday posts.
People are busy with family and friends during these days. If your post is not about the holiday, people may not see it.
This makes big holidays one of the worst times to share normal posts. You should try to avoid posting on these special days unless your post fits the holiday.
Work and School Hours (9 AM – 2 PM, Mon-Fri) – When Your Audience is Busy
This time is a steady low-action period on every day of the week.
From Monday to Friday, most people are busy with work or school. When you post during this time, it is a big mistake for people who manage social media. Your posts will not be seen by many at first. This leads to very low views.
Immediately After Viral Trends Peak – Diminishing Returns
Joining TikTok trends is smart, but when you post is very important. If you join a trend late, your video might not look new.
Most people have already seen the trend by then. They get bored of seeing the same thing many times. Your video will not get much attention if you are too late. It is better to join when the trend is still new and growing. That way, more people will notice and like your video.
During High-Volume Global Events – Overshadowed by News
When something big happens in the world, it becomes the main topic on social media. People want news and updates about it.
Your usual TikTok posts may look less important during this time. They might get lost because everyone is focused on the big event. It is often a good idea to stop your normal posts for a while. Only post if your video helps or adds value to what people are talking about.
How to Find Your Personal Worst Time to Post on TikTok?
General advice is a good starting point, but the best data comes from your own TikTok account. Finding your personal worst times requires looking at your own analytics.
This is one of the most important best practices for serious creators.
- Step 1: Switch to A TikTok Pro Or Business Account – If you have not already, switch your standard account to a free Pro or Business account. This gives you access to TikTok Analytics, a powerful tool that shows you data about your followers and video performance. This is the first step toward building a data-driven social media marketing strategy.
- Step 2: Navigate to Your Analytics Tab – Once you have a Pro or Business account, go to your profile page. Tap the three lines in the top-right corner, then select “Creator Tools” or “Business Suite.” From there, you will find the “Analytics” tab. This is where all your data lives.
- Step 3: Analyze the “Followers” Activity Data – Inside your analytics, go to the “Followers” tab. Scroll down until you see “Follower activity.” This section has charts that show you the hours and days of the week when your followers are most active. You can see user activity broken down by the hour for the entire week.
- Step 4: Identify Hours and Days With Low Follower Activity – Look for the “valleys” in the follower activity chart. These are the hours and days when the fewest of your followers are online. These are your personal worst times to post. For example, if the chart shows very little activity on Wednesday at 10 AM, you should avoid that specific time. This data is more valuable than any general guide because it is about your specific audience.
Tracking Engagement Metrics On Past Videos
Do not just look at follower activity. Go to the “Content” tab in your analytics and look at your individual TikTok posts.
Note the posting time and day of the week for each video and compare their engagement rates. You will likely see clear engagement patterns where videos posted at certain times consistently perform worse than others.
This helps confirm what the follower data suggests and helps you refine your posting schedule. You can also use a social media management tool to track this over time.
Factors That Determine Your Unique Worst Posting Times
Your personal worst times are influenced by several factors. A smart social media strategy considers all of them to determine the truly optimal posting times.
- Your Target Audience’s Time Zones: If your followers are spread across the country or the world, you need to consider multiple time zone differences. The worst time to post on TikTok in New York is different from the worst time in California. Your analytics will show you where your followers are located, so you can adjust your schedule posts accordingly.
- The Niche and Content Category You Operate In: The type of content you create heavily influences user behavior. A gamer audience might be full of night owls who are most active during late evenings. A B2B audience, however, might be more active during lunch breaks on weekdays. Your niche dictates the lifestyle of your target audience, which in turn affects their engagement times.
- Differences Between Weekday and Weekend Engagement: People use social media differently on weekdays versus weekends. Weekday engagement peaks are often in the early evening after work. On weekends, peak hours might be in the afternoon or later at night. You need to analyze the days of the week separately to find the best days and the worst days for your specific content.
- The Influence of Holidays and Global Events: As mentioned earlier, holidays and major events can disrupt normal engagement patterns. A holiday might be the worst day for one account but the best day for another. Always consider the context of what is happening in the world and how it might affect your audience’s attention.
FAQ’s:
What is the Absolute Worst Time of Day to Post On TikTok in the U.S.?
Generally, the absolute worst time is between 3 AM and 6 AM in your primary time zone. Almost no one is active, which means you will get zero early engagement.
Does the Worst Time to Post Change Over Time?
Yes, absolutely. Your audience grows and changes, and user behavior shifts with the seasons. You should check your TikTok Analytics regularly to adjust your posting schedule.
Should I Delete A Video If I Post It At the Worst Time?
No, it is generally not recommended to delete a video. This can sometimes be viewed negatively by the TikTok algorithm. You can set the video to private and repost a new version at an optimal time if you feel strongly about it.
Does Posting At the Wrong Time Hurt My Chances of Going Viral On TikTok?
Yes, it significantly hurts your chances. Going viral depends on strong early engagement, and posting at the worst time prevents that from happening. The right time gives your content a fighting chance.
Is Content Quality More Important Than Posting Time?
They are both extremely important. Amazing TikTok content posted at a terrible time will not get seen. Likewise, mediocre content posted at the best time might get some views but will not achieve high engagement. You need both to succeed.
How Can I Determine When Not to Post For My Specific Audience?
The best way is to use your TikTok Analytics. Go to the “Followers” tab and study the “Follower activity” charts to see which hours and days have the lowest user activity. Those are your worst time slots.
How Often Should I Check My Analytics For the Worst Posting Times?
You should review your engagement patterns and follower activity at least once a month. This allows you to stay on top of any changes in your audience’s behavior and keep your posting schedule optimized.
Conclusion
Knowing the worst time to post on TikTok is just as powerful as knowing the best.
By avoiding periods of low user activity, you give your content a better chance to get the early engagement it needs to succeed.
Use your TikTok Analytics to understand your specific audience and identify the hours and days you should avoid. A smart posting schedule is a cornerstone of effective social media marketing and is key to achieving higher engagement and growth on the platform.
If you want to build a powerful social media strategy backed by data, contact Social Think. We provide the analytics and insights you need to get real results and boost engagement for your business.
