Is Posting Too Much on TikTok Bad? YES (Find Out Why)
By Alexandra Kazakova 12 min READ | Dec 1 2023
Table of contents
Yes, posting too much on TikTok is bad.
At inBeat, we’ve seen brands and influencer content getting buried by the TikTok algorithm because of poor posting frequency, correlated with a lack of understanding of their audience.
But you’re on the right page to learn how to avoid that.
We’ll discuss:
TikTok’s recommendations
Factors that influence your posting frequency
5 common mistakes to avoid
How to set a solid TikTok posting schedule
We’ll also feature insider stories, tips, and tools you can use.
Let’s start.
TL;DR: Is Posting Too Much on TikTok Bad?
Posting Frequency Matters: Excessive posting on TikTok can be detrimental, affecting content visibility and engagement due to algorithm dynamics.
TikTok's Recommendation: Ideal posting frequency is 1-4 times per day, but this varies based on audience and content type.
Quality vs. Quantity: It's crucial to balance the number of posts with content quality. Engagement and reach can suffer with either too much or low-quality posting.
Understanding Your Audience: Audience segmentation and preferences are key. Different groups have varying content consumption habits.
Content Type Consideration: The nature of your content (high-effort or trend-based) impacts the suitable posting frequency.
Avoid Common Mistakes: These include ignoring TikTok analytics, underposting, overposting, producing low-quality content, and not following trends.
Building a Posting Schedule: Analyze audience activity to determine the best posting times. Fresh, varied content helps maintain interest.
Utilizing TikTok Features: Stitches, Duets, influencer marketing, TikTok ads, and hashtag challenges can enhance content strategy.
Strategic Planning: Use a content calendar, batch production, and scheduling tools for consistent, effective posting.
Adaptability Is Key: There's no one-size-fits-all answer. Adjust your strategy based on audience feedback and TikTok analytics.
How Often Should You Post on TikTok?
The rule of thumb regarding the right posting frequency is to post something new and interesting 1-4 times per day.
The TikTok algorithm rewards content creators and brands who post frequently.
But there’s more to a successful content strategy than just frequency.
The key is not to be boring, overwhelming, or irrelevant.
Warning: This rule of thumb is just a starting point. Just like TikTok advises, you’ll have to experiment with different posting frequencies.
Fear not!
We’ll guide you using our professional experience below.
Things to Consider When Deciding How Often to Post on TikTok
Posting too much on TikTok is bad, but you don’t have an exact maximum figure of how much you can post.
So, how can you find the right posting frequency for your brand? Follow the three variables below.
1. Quantity vs Quality
At inBeat, we’ve observed TikTok influencers achieve remarkable results with a wide range of posting frequencies.
Some post as little as once per week, while others may post up to 10 times a day.
The key is that their content style resonates and engages their target demographic effectively.
We’ve seen instances where brands aimed to hit that 1-4 times daily posting mark but fell short in engagement and reach.
The primary issue was not setting the correct audience or crafting a message that resonated.
To avoid these issues, follow these steps:
Understand your goals and your audience. Create a unique value proposition that speaks to your audience.
If you’re conducting an influencer marketing campaign, choose engaged TikTok influencers who have already aligned their time slots and posting frequency to their audiences.
If you post branded content, create a posting strategy based on your buyer persona. Ensure you stay relevant to your potential customers according to the buyer persona you made and your unique value proposition.
Use TikTok Business to set a more precise targeting and track your audience activity metrics. Use these insights to zero in on the best-performing pieces of content and replicate them. Or, you can improve them further by A/B testing different TikTok posts or ads.
Understanding and segmenting your audience is a key factor in determining the perfect times and frequency to post on TikTok.
Audience segmentation involves categorizing your viewers based on various criteria like age, interests, geographical location, and engagement patterns.
2.1. Understand How Preferences Dictate Activity Patterns
Different audience segments have varying content consumption habits and activity patterns.
For instance, younger audiences may crave frequent, trendy updates, while an older demographic might prefer less frequent but more substantial content.
Here’s an example from inBeat’s experience:
We’ve long observed that brands targeting a younger, trend-focused audience achieve better engagement with more frequent bite-sized videos.
Even 4-6 social media posts per day from the same influencer are well received.
These TikTok posts tap into current trends and memes, aligning with the audience’s fast-paced content consumption.
Contrast this with a niche audience.
Conversely, one of the brands using our free toolkit targeted a niche group.
And in this case, posting the recommended 1-4 times per day led to a decline in their engagement rates. That's because the brand started posting funny content that didn't fit its audience.
Their target audience valued detailed, informative content over quantity.
Here, reducing the posting frequency to 2-3 videos per week but increasing the content quality resonated better with their audience.
2.2. Juggle Content Relevance, Consistency, and Engagement
Tailor your posting frequency to match your audience’s preferences. If your content resonates well with your audience, they’re likelier to look forward to your posts, regardless of how often you post.
For example, famous neuroscientist Andrew Huberman posts on TikTok infrequently, but he still has tens of thousands of views:
Huberman sometimes posts 3 to 4 times on the same day, sharing key moments from his podcasts.
But he is also known to take several days off when he’s preparing a new show.
Even so, his audience is still watching him – and that’s because understanding your audience and actual content quality is arguably more important than consistency.
3. Type of Content
One of the brands that used inBeat is the dating app Bumble.
If you follow their TikTok profile, you notice they post once every 24-48 hours. But just look at this screenshot of their posts:
You can immediately tell that their content is extremely fresh and diverse. That means:
They’re not boring to their current audience: TikTok deems the app relevant and keeps pushing their high-quality, engaging content to their existing audience, as well as other active users.
They’re catering to different segments: From people overwhelmed by their bad love experiences to those who keep pushing forward or those craving solid dating advice, Bumble has very precise segments. And this strategy allows them to target a wider audience, increasing their TikTok reach and engagement.
So, the type of content you create for TikTok significantly impacts the ideal posting frequency.
Different content types can demand varying levels of production effort audience engagement and, therefore, suit different posting schedules:
High-effort content: Elaborate videos requiring extensive editing or high production value may not be sustainable for daily posting but can make a significant impact when posted less frequently.
Quick, fresh, trend-cased content: Simpler, trend-focused content that capitalizes on TikTok’s fast-paced environment can be produced and posted more frequently.
Insider tips:
Align frequency with production capacity: Assess the effort and resources required for successful videos. Align your posting frequency with what you can consistently maintain without sacrificing content quality.
Consider audience engagement patterns: Different content types can resonate differently with target audiences. Check metrics in the Content Tab to zero in on the highest performing content.
Stay flexible and adaptive: Track your TikTok KPIs and test different types of content. Adapt your content type and posting frequency based on your audience’s feedback, daily routines, and trending topics.
5 Mistakes That May Hurt Your Engagement & Reach
Navigating TikTok’s dynamic environment requires a strategic content creation and posting approach. However, certain missteps can adversely affect your engagement and follower growth. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
Not following TikTok analytics: Ignoring TikTok analytics can lead to missed opportunities for understanding what works for your audience. Analytics provide valuable data on engagement rates, optimal posting times, audience demographics, average watch time, and content performance. We’ve noticed that brands failing to leverage these insights often struggle to optimize their content strategy effectively.
Underposting: Posting too infrequently can cause your audience to forget about your brand or lose interest. TikTok’s algorithm favors active accounts, so infrequent posting might result in reduced content visibility. So, experiment with your content to find the sweet spot between maintaining a presence and not overwhelming your followers.
Overposting: While being active is good, too much content can overwhelm your audience and lead to unfollows. Too frequent posting can also dilute the quality of your content. Also, prioritize the quality of each post over the quantity of posts. It’s about adding value with every upload.
Low-quality content: Low-quality content reduces engagement and can harm your brand’s reputation. Viewers are more likely to engage with content that is well-produced and offers value. At inBeat, we’ve seen a direct correlation between content quality and audience engagement. High-quality, engaging content consistently performs better.
Not following trends: Algorithm matters and TikTok thrives on trends. Not tapping into them can mean missing out on significant engagement opportunities. A good alignment with trends can increase your content’s chance of going viral and reaching a wider audience. So, while it’s important to stay true to your brand, finding ways to creatively integrate trends can keep your content fresh and relatable.
How to Build and Maintain a Good TikTok Posting Schedule
1. Find the Best Time to Post According to Your Audience
A study of 100,000 TikTok posts concluded that the best time of day to post on TikTok varies depending on the weekday:
Monday: 12 PM, 4 PM
Tuesday: 4 AM, 8 AM, 10 AM, 3 PM
Wednesday: 1 PM, 2 PM
Thursday: 5 AM, 3 PM, 6 PM
Friday: 1 AM, 11 AM, 7 PM, 9 PM
Saturday: 5 PM
Sunday: 1 AM, 2 AM, 1 PM, 2 PM, 10 PM
But those optimal times aren’t set in stone. Some people may be more active on TikTok during evening hours, while others are likelier to use TikTok during their lunch hour.
Analyze your engagement metrics: Tap into TikTok Pro's audience analytics to determine your audience's active hours. You'll find this data in the Followers Tab. Look for patterns in engagement to identify the ideal times for posting.
Consider traffic source times: If your wide audience is spread across different time zones, find a period of time that hits the majority of your audience when they are most likely to be online. Use a social media scheduling tool to ensure your posts get published even if you're not online at those times.
Test and adjust: Picking a posting frequency is not a one-time process. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different posting times and monitor user interactions. What works best can vary and might change over time.
2. Create Fresh Content
A key to maintaining a consistent posting schedule on this social platform is to keep your content fresh and varied.
This approach sustains your audience’s interest and increases the chances of your content appearing on the For You Page (FYP).
And appearing on the FYP leads to more video views, which leads to audience growth.
Here’s how you can diversify your content strategy with an endless stream of fresh posts:
Stitches: Stitches allow you to clip and integrate other users’ content into your own video. This is a great way to engage with trending topics, respond to popular videos, or add your unique take on existing videos. Plus, it allows you to increase follower activity for maximum engagement. Remember to use relevant hashtags to get more visibility.
Duets: Duets enable you to create side-by-side videos with others. This can be a powerful tool for collaboration, reaction videos, or simply joining in on trending content. Plus, collaborating with other users, especially those with larger followings, can boost your content’s visibility.
Influencer marketing: Partnering with TikTok influencers can expose your high-quality and engaging content to a broader audience. Content creators often have a deep understanding of what resonates with their followers, which can benefit your brand. For example, one of our clients, travel app Hopper, keeps its TikTok schedule fresh with influencer posts:
TikTok ads: TikTok’s advertising platform offers a way to reach a wider audience beyond organic reach. Ads can help boost visibility, especially when launching new products or campaigns. Plus, TikTok ads allow you to target specific demographics, ensuring that your content reaches the most relevant audience.
Pro tip: Use a free TikTok ad mockup generator to create different ads quickly. You only need to upload your image and set your sound, caption, and CTA.
Repurposed content: Post videos from your other social media platforms on TikTok. This can include re-editing a video to fit TikTok’s format or creating a TikTok version of a successful campaign from another platform. This approach helps maintain a consistent posting schedule without constantly creating original content from scratch.
Hashtag challenges: Participate in popular hashtag challenges or create your own. Challenges are a staple of TikTok’s culture and can rapidly increase engagement metrics and visibility. Well-crafted challenges have the potential to go viral, significantly increasing your reach and follower count.
3. Pre-Plan Your Posts
Digital marketing is all about data and planning.
Remember that you need a strategy based on your business goals, marketing goals, and audience’s needs.
A solid plan involves:
Content calendar: Create a consistent schedule to maintain consistency and ensure a good mix of content types.
Batch production: Consider producing and editing your content in batches. This approach can save time and reduce the stress of daily content creation.
Scheduling tools: Use TikTok’s scheduling feature or third-party social media schedulers to schedule your posts in advance, aligning with your optimal posting times.
The Best Posting Frequency for Your Brand
If you read this article, you now know that posting too much on TikTok can have negative effects.
Too frequent posting can affect your reach and engagement on this social network, and it can also bore your audience.
However, the right posting frequency depends mainly on your audience and their preferences. Once you understand that, you can find the balance between consistency and quality.
We’ve shown you plenty of successful examples along the way.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any hard and fast answers.
While TikTok recommends posting 1-4 times per day, you have to play within this range.
And remember to use our free toolkit to optimize your results – from our precise TikTok engagement calculator to our TikTok ads mockup generator.
