How We Calculate Your Best Time to Post
Post Timing does not have its own proprietary dataset. What it does have is a synthesised model built from the largest publicly available studies on social media posting behaviour, combined with timezone conversion logic that no other free tool applies correctly.
Our data sources
Our posting time recommendations are built from the following publicly available research. Where studies conflict, we weight by sample size and recency.
Buffer
SourceBest Time to Post on TikTok
7.1 million TikTok posts
buffer.com/resources/best-time-to-post-on-tiktok
Later
SourceBest Time to Post on Instagram
11 million+ Instagram posts
later.com/blog/best-time-to-post-on-instagram
Sprout Social
SourceBest Times to Post on Social Media
Not disclosed - industry benchmark study
sproutsocial.com/insights/best-times-to-post-on-social-media
Hootsuite
SourceBest Time to Post on Instagram
Not disclosed - platform data study
blog.hootsuite.com/best-time-to-post-on-instagram
VidIQ
SourceBest Time to Post on YouTube
Not disclosed - YouTube creator data
vidiq.com/blog/best-time-to-post-on-youtube
What the tool calculates
Most posting time tools give you a fixed UTC recommendation and call it done. Post Timing does something different.
We store audience behaviour patterns as local time - the time of day when real audiences in each location are most active on each platform. When you enter your creator location and your audience location, the tool converts those audience-local peak windows into your local time, accounting for the full timezone gap including daylight saving.
The calculation flow is:
Audience local peak time
We look up when your audience's location is most active for your chosen platform and niche.
Convert to UTC
We convert that audience-local time to UTC using the IANA timezone database, which handles daylight saving automatically.
Convert to your local time
We convert from UTC to your creator timezone, giving you the exact clock time to post from where you are.
What the tool cannot know
Post Timing gives you a strong starting point based on population-level behaviour data. It cannot account for:
- Your specific account's follower activity patterns
- Recent algorithm changes not yet reflected in published research
- Seasonal shifts in audience behaviour
- The content quality, which always matters more than timing alone
- Niche micro-communities that behave differently from the broader data
For accounts with more than 1,000 followers, we recommend using the tool as a starting point and testing your own posting times over 4-6 weeks using your platform's native analytics.
How niches are weighted
Each platform has ten niche categories: lifestyle, comedy, fashion, food, fitness, gaming, business, education, music, and beauty. Niche weights are applied to the base platform timing model to reflect the different audience behaviour patterns for each content type. For example, fitness content peaks earlier in the morning than comedy content, and gaming content skews later into the evening.
Data currency
Our underlying timing models were last reviewed in May 2026. Platform algorithm behaviour does shift over time. We review and update the models when major new research is published by the sources listed above.
If you spot something that looks wrong, email us at privacy@posttiming.co.