TikTok
How the TikTok algorithm works
TikTok rewards watch-time and completion above everything. Hook in the first 1-2 seconds, shoot 9:16 vertical, ride a trending sound, and write a short caption. Links go in your bio, not the caption.
By Tayyab, Founder
Where these numbers come from. These are the numbers Content Drifter schedules and formats TikTok posts against. They are our editorial estimate from public reporting and our own publishing, not something TikTok announced.
How the feed is assembled
In our TikTok model, shares and reposts count for 5 likes, then comments at 4 and saves at 3. Bars show multiples of a like.
- Shares and reposts5x a like
- Comments4x a like
- Saves3x a like
- Likes1x a like
The first-hour cliff
TikTok is checked 60 minutes after a post goes out, as the first hour ends.
60 min
Check point
40%
Stall line vs your median
Shares, comments
Signals read
Our model treats a post below 40% of your own median engagement by then as stalled. Shares and comments count most in that window.
Best posting windows
Our TikTok curve has 4 posting windows across 4 days, led by Thursday 20:00 to 22:00 UTC at 2.29x a median hour. Sunday, Monday and Saturday have none.
ThursdayStrongest
20:00 to 22:00 UTC
2.29x
Tuesday
20:00 UTC
2.14x
Wednesday
19:00 UTC
2.14x
Friday
20:00 UTC
2.14x
Times are UTC. Each figure is a multiple of a median hour.
Link policy
Our TikTok profile keeps links out of the post body and puts yours in your profile bio.
Not allowed
In the post body
No penalty
Modelled reach cost
In your profile bio
Where yours goes
Posting cadence and cooldowns
The queue holds TikTok to 4 posts a day and 21 a week, at least 2 hours apart. Seven days at the daily ceiling would be 28, so the weekly cap of 21 is the one that binds.
2h
Minimum gap
4
Posts per day, max
21
Posts per week, max
Format mechanics
Short video is the baseline on TikTok. Photo mode (-30%) sits below it.
Reach by format
- Short video0%
- Photo mode-30%
Hard limits
- Formats we publish
- Video
- Ideal length
- 50 to 100 characters
- Platform limit (enforced)
- 2200 characters
- Hashtags for reach
- 3 ideal, 5 before it costs you, end of post
- Images per post
- 0
- Video
- up to 180s, 4096MB
- Image formats
Mix 1-2 broad tags with 1-2 niche tags. Stuffing 10+ hashtags dilutes classification and does not help reach.
How Content Drifter applies this to your TikTok posts
Each row pairs one of the TikTok numbers above with what the product does about it.
TikTok engagement peaks around 20:00 to 22:00 UTC on Thursday, roughly 2.29x a median hour.
An unscheduled post takes the next open peak slot in your timezone. On Pro and up those slots are ranked against this curve and your own posting history.
Best time to post schedulingOn TikTok, a post below 40% of your median engagement at minute 60 is read as stalled in our model.
On Business and Agency plans with the boost engine switched on, we run that check at minute 60 against your own median, so a stall surfaces while it can still be acted on.
The algorithm-aware enginePosting more than 4 times a day, or inside 2 hours of your last post, works against you on TikTok.
The queue honours that spacing when it assigns slots, counting posts you already published as well as ones you have queued.
The queueTikTok posts land best between 50 and 100 characters, against a platform limit of 2200.
The pre-publish check names the rule a post breaks instead of handing you a score.
Pre-publish performance read
Recent TikTok algorithm changes
Only changes a person has reviewed appear here.
We have not published a recorded change for TikTok since our last check. A person reviews every shift our daily canary flags before it appears here. How we watch for changes.
TikTok algorithm questions
What is the best time to post on TikTok?
Our strongest TikTok window is 20:00 to 22:00 UTC on Thursday, about 2.29x a median hour, then 20:00 UTC on Tuesday. Times are UTC, and the queue converts them to your timezone.
What does the TikTok algorithm reward most?
Shares and reposts carry the most weight, about 5x a like in our model, then comments at 4x and saves at 3x. TikTok rewards watch-time and completion above everything. Hook in the first 1-2 seconds, shoot 9:16 vertical, ride a trending sound, and write a short caption. Links go in your bio, not the caption.
Do links hurt reach on TikTok?
No. Our TikTok profile keeps links out of the post body and puts yours in your profile bio.
How often should I post on TikTok?
The queue holds TikTok to 4 posts a day and 21 a week, at least 2 hours apart. Seven days at the daily ceiling would be 28, so the weekly cap of 21 is the one that binds. The queue applies those caps on your own calendar day, not UTC.
How long should a TikTok post be?
Between 50 and 100 characters; TikTok allows 2200, which is where we stop you. Hashtags work best at 3 and start costing reach above 5.
How soon can I tell if a post is working on TikTok?
Minute 60. Our model reads a post below 40% of your own median engagement at that point as stalled, and shares and comments count most.
Every network we publish to
One record, one page, for each of the 9 networks.