Original studies · 14,806 posts by 1,061 accounts
Best time to post on social media
The best time to post on social media depends on the platform: 8 p.m. on Instagram, 11 a.m. on YouTube and 9 p.m. on TikTok, Eastern time, in our studies of 14,806 posts by 1,061 accounts in US Eastern cities. On no platform did the best hour beat the weakest by more than 11% of an account’s usual likes or views, so what you post matters more than when.
Best times to post on each platform
| Platform | Best time (ET) | Best day | Weakest hour | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 p.m. (1.04×) | Friday | 9 p.m. (0.93×) | 6,430 posts, 611 accounts | |
| YouTube | 11 a.m. (1.05×) | Saturday and Sunday | 3 p.m. (0.96×) | 4,321 videos, 186 channels |
| TikTok | 9 p.m. (1.03×) | None stands out | 10 p.m. (0.96×) | 4,055 videos, 264 accounts |
Eastern time. Each score is the median post against its own account’s usual likes or views.
Best time to post on social media, day by day
Best time to post on Monday
On Monday, posts did best at 6 p.m. on Instagram, 5 p.m. on YouTube and 6 p.m. on TikTok, Eastern time.
Best time to post on Tuesday
On Tuesday, posts did best at 9 a.m. on Instagram, 3 p.m. on YouTube and 3 p.m. on TikTok, Eastern time.
Best time to post on Wednesday
On Wednesday, posts did best at 7 p.m. on Instagram, 9 a.m. on YouTube and 8 p.m. on TikTok, Eastern time.
Best time to post on Thursday
On Thursday, posts did best at 12 p.m. on Instagram, 10 a.m. on YouTube and 1 p.m. on TikTok, Eastern time.
Best time to post on Friday
On Friday, posts did best at 8 p.m. on Instagram, 11 a.m. on YouTube and 7 p.m. on TikTok, Eastern time.
Best time to post on Saturday
On Saturday, posts did best at 4 p.m. on Instagram, 11 a.m. on YouTube and 2 p.m. on TikTok, Eastern time.
Best time to post on Sunday
On Sunday, posts did best at 7 p.m. on Instagram, 4 p.m. on YouTube and 1 p.m. on TikTok, Eastern time.
Does the time you post matter?
On Instagram, the best hour with enough posts earned 1.04× its account’s usual likes and the weakest 0.93×, and the best day is Friday. On YouTube, the best hour with enough videos earned 1.05× its channel’s usual views and the weakest 0.96×, and the best days are Saturday and Sunday. On TikTok, the best hour with enough videos earned 1.03× its account’s usual views and the weakest 0.96×, and no day of the week did better than another.
On no platform did the best hour beat the weakest by more than 11% of an account’s usual likes or views, so what you post matters more than when.
How these studies work
Each study found public accounts of local businesses and creators in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando and Charlotte, read their posts from the past year, and scored every post against its own account’s median likes or views, so a large account cannot outweigh a small one. All times are Eastern. Each platform’s page has its full method, and every hour and day it measured.
Common questions
What is the best time to post on social media?
The best time to post on social media depends on the platform: 8 p.m. on Instagram, 11 a.m. on YouTube and 9 p.m. on TikTok, Eastern time, in our studies of 14,806 posts by 1,061 accounts in US Eastern cities. On no platform did the best hour beat the weakest by more than 11% of an account’s usual likes or views, so what you post matters more than when.
What is the best day to post on social media?
On Instagram, the best day is Friday. On YouTube, the best days are Saturday and Sunday. On TikTok, no day of the week did better than another.
Does the time you post matter?
On no platform did the best hour beat the weakest by more than 11% of an account’s usual likes or views, so what you post matters more than when.