Easy Tips to Use TikTok and Instagram to Help Your Business

Information for this blog post was obtained from Sprout Social.

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Introduction

Imagine you just started a small business or got your first job helping with social media. You’re looking at your phone thinking, “When should I post something? What should I post? How do I get people to see it?” Don’t worry, you’re not the only one asking these questions.

Whether you’re a student or a beginner in the social media world, TikTok and Instagram can really help your business grow. But to do that, you need to know the best ways to use them. In this blog, I’ll share three easy tips to get you started. First, we’ll look at the best times to post on TikTok and Instagram. Second, we’ll talk about how to make a good plan for your posts. Last, we’ll look at how to check your results and see what’s working.

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The Best Times to Post

One of the first questions people ask is, “When should I post?” Sprout Social did some research and found the best times to post.

For TikTok, post at:

• Wednesdays: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• Tuesdays: 5 p.m.

• Thursdays: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

These times are when most people are using TikTok. When more people see your post right after you share it, you’ll get more likes and comments.

For Instagram, try posting at:

• Weekdays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Sundays: 10 a.m. to noon and again at 3 p.m.

Most Instagram users check their phones during lunch or breaks. If you post at the right time, more people will see and engage with your post.

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How to Make a Good Social Media Plan

Posting at the right time is good, but you also need a plan. That’s called a social media strategy. Sprout Social says to start with a goal. Do you want more people to visit your website? Do you want to sell more stuff? Your goal will help you decide what to post. Next, think about your audience. Who are they? What do they like? TikTok is great for fun, fast videos. Instagram has more options like stories, reels, and photo posts. Choose the type of content that your audience likes best.

You don’t have to post on every app. Just pick the ones your audience uses the most. Make a simple calendar to plan your posts. Try using a mix of fun, helpful, and business content. On TikTok, use trending music and hashtags. On Instagram, use stories and reels to keep people interested.

Check What’s Working and Make Changes

After you start posting, you need to look at your results. This helps you know what to keep doing and what to change.

Sprout Social says to look at numbers like:

• Reach: How many people saw your post

• Engagement: Likes, comments, and shares

• Clicks: How many people clicked a link

These numbers tell you what people like. If your stories do better than photos, post more stories. If your TikToks aren’t doing well, try new ideas or post at different times.

You can use apps like Sprout Social, Later, or just look at the stats in TikTok and Instagram. These tools make it easy to see your numbers and improve your plan.

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Conclusion

Remember when you were staring at a blank content calendar? Now you have a better idea of where to start. I wrote this blog because I’ve been in that same spot. Feeling unsure about what to post and when. But learning just a few key tips helped me become more confident and better at using social media.

Here’s what we covered:

• First, we talked about the best times to post on TikTok and Instagram.

• Second, we looked at how to make a good plan for your posts.

• Third, we talked about how to check your results and make improvements.

By following these tips, you can start growing your business on social media. So go ahead and open that content calendar and start posting with purpose!

For more information about making your business successful with Instagram, go to my other blog post at https://www.thesmmu.com/post/how-to-make-your-business-successful-with-instagram.

Resources

Keutelian, M. (2025b, April 10). Best times to post on TikTok in 2025. Sprout Social. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/best-times-to-post-on-tiktok/

Keutelian, M. (2025a, April 10). Best times to post on Instagram in 2025. Sprout Social. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/best-times-to-post-on-instagram/

Social Media Marketing: What it is and how to build your strategy. Sprout Social. (2025, April 9). https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-marketing-strategy/