A quick back story: it was ten years ago when Alex Zhu and Luyu Yang from Shanghai, China, created Musical.ly, a social media application where users can create short lip-sync videos or dance to the top hits at the time (if you have been around teenagers back then, you’d probably be familiar with this).
However, in 2016, ByteDance, a Chinese tech company, acquired Musical.ly and merged it with its app, TikTok. The difference between these applications is that the latter already relied on algorithms.
Since then, individuals and businesses all over the world have been on TikTok, using it for visibility, selling, or promotional strategies. Today, this video-sharing platform has been the breeding ground of trends, entertainment, and, most importantly, viral content.
Going viral has always been one of the bucket lists of every personality or brand, but doing so on TikTok can be pretty challenging.
This social media platform in the country has become so saturated–Singapore already houses 3.38 million users aged 18 and above in early 2024–that it is extra vital for you to tailor your post to your Singapore audience and, above all, get it out there at the right time.
TikTok posting times are very crucial to bag maximum reach on the platform because its algorithm displays content according to recentness and relevance that’s why it is ideal to post when your audience is most active. But what is the exact best time to post on TikTok Singapore?
Understanding the TikTok Algorithm
Hacking the best time to post on TikTok Singapore requires understanding how the system works. A large part of how it operates is the TikTok Algorithm, which is what made the platform phenomenal.
The TikTok algorithm is a special system that figures out which videos you’ll likely enjoy and shows them to you. As an audience, there may be some point where you have been under its spell without even knowing it.
Say, for example, when you scroll on the app and spend more time being on the “foodie” side of TikTok, engaging in recipe videos, and commenting on “mukbang” clips, you’ll begin to notice that the platform continuously shows this kind of content from thereon–the next thing you’ll know, you’ve already been scrolling endlessly for hours, and that’s the algorithm at work.
Aside from user interactions and engagement, other factors influencing the TikTok algorithm are:
- Video information – hashtags, captions, effects, trending topics, etc.
- Device and account settings – language preference, country setting, categories of interest you’ve chosen, and more.
- Relevancy – how well your content resonates with users’ interests and preferences and
- Timeliness
Part of TikTok’s goals for its users is to present fresh and buzzing content. It prefers to display recent posts aligning with users’ activity patterns. For businesses aiming to gain the visibility and reach they need on the platform, finding the strategic and perfect timing is essential.
Demographic Analysis
Recognising your TikTok audience or followers’ demographics can give you insights into when they are most likely active on the platform. What are their age group? Where are they located? What are they interested in? and more.
TikTok users in Singapore are typically Gen Z and young millennials (aged 16 to 30), working professionals who scroll on the platform during breaks, and businesses leveraging TikTok to reach younger audiences. Targeting your schedule and content according to where your audience falls in these categories can help you identify the best time to post on TikTok Singapore.
Peak Activity Hours
Indeed, different demographics could mean different peak activity hours. However, broader trends are still a valuable springboard to getting in front of your audience at the right time.
Identifying TikTok peak times requires a personalised strategy, and we are here to deliver salient points to consider on day/night, weekend/weekdays, niche and trend-based postings up to refining your posting schedule.
Midday and Evening Posting Strategies
The best time to post on TikTok Singapore is between 11 am and 3 pm. Young users, primarily students and professionals, dominate TikTok in Singapore, and these groups typically log in to the platform during lunchtime or work breaks.
Additionally, we can observe that TikTok activity hours usually occur during breaks or when people relax and have the extra time to be online. So, it is only logical that another potential period for engagement is during the evening, between 7 pm and 9 pm.
Weekdays vs Weekends: Timing Tactics
Users’ work downtime on the weekdays truly offers higher opportunities for engagement, but it is on weekends that overall social media usage surges.
Of course, individuals have more personal time on Saturdays and Sundays, and the ideal times to post on these days are from 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm. In the evening, 7 pm to 10 pm is also an optimal period.
On the other hand, the best time to post on TikTok Singapore on weekdays is between 12 pm and 1 pm and 7 pm to 10 pm.
Tailoring Timing to Niche Audiences
While TikTok peak times are mentioned above, the best time will also depend on your content niche. For instance, if you create skincare content on the platform, it would be best to post when the audience is doing their regimen (in the morning or in the evening during bedtime), or better yet, explore their active times using the TikTok analytics feature.
The bottom line is to analyse your audience’s habits and patterns and align your scheduling strategy accordingly.
Trend Integration for Enhanced Visibility
The momentum created by trends is crucial for enhanced visibility. Hopping on in trending TikTok challenges, viral content, and hashtags can impact reach and engagement. So, monitor the trends and publish posts according to their relevant themes. Take note, as well, that the best time to release them is while the trends are still making noise on the platform.
Trial and Observation: Refining your posting schedule
While we have revealed specific TikTok peak times, remember that every account is unique and that it is vital to add experimentation to your strategy.
Observe audience behaviour by tracking analytics and the performance of your posts. Just like any other digital marketing approach, strategies are iterative. Continuously adjust your schedule and posting times based on insights and observations until you find a suitable tactic for your brand.
The best time to post on TikTok Singapore depends on three things: audience, content niche, and trends
General peak times do exist, but a more targeted strategy to get posts to your desired audience at a more specific and appropriate time for them depends on their behaviour and interests.
You should be able to get to know them well and pay particular attention to their demographics. In this way, you’d be able to create appropriate niche-based content and publish them when they’re most receptive.
Additionally, it will also be helpful to capitalise on trending challenges and hashtags and strike while the iron’s hot for better reach and visibility. This strategy is not only helpful in the TikTok platform, but also generally for social media marketing efforts using different channels.
If you’re considering integrating social media marketing into your brand’s operations, a digital marketing agency like iFoundries can help.
