7 Top Viral Hashtags and Best Times to Post on Social Media for Maximum Engagement

To go viral on social media in 2025, it’s essential to use the right hashtags and post at the best times. Whether you’re trying to get your video noticed or grow your social media following, leveraging trending hashtags and understanding the best posting times can significantly boost your content’s reach and engagement. This article will cover the top viral hashtags and best times to post on social media for maximum engagement.

Why Top Viral Hashtags and Best Times to Post on Social Media Matter

Hashtags are a powerful tool on social media platforms because they help categorize your content and make it discoverable to a broader audience. Trending and popular hashtags often appear on the “Explore” pages of platforms like Instagram and TikTok, helping your content reach more people.

Posting at the right time is just as important as using the right hashtags. Each social media platform has peak times when users are most active. Posting during these optimal windows ensures your content gets seen by the most people, increasing your chances of going viral.

Top Viral Hashtags and Best Times to Post on Social Media for 2025

Instagram Reels & TikTok: Best Viral Hashtags

Using the right viral hashtags is crucial if you want to increase the visibility of your video content. Below are some of the most effective viral hashtags to include in your posts across various social media platforms.

• #viralvideo – A go-to hashtag for any video content aiming to go viral.

• #viral – Use this to boost the chances of your post being featured on “For You” or explore pages.

• #viralpost – Ideal for posts that are expected to gain traction.

• #trending – Helps get your post in front of users looking for trending content.

• #fyp (For You Page) – One of the most popular hashtags on TikTok, designed to get your video noticed by the masses.

• #reelsinstagram – The go-to hashtag for Instagram Reels.

• #tiktoktrend – Ideal for leveraging TikTok trends.

• #memes – If your video is funny or uses meme-style humor, this hashtag is a must.

• #funnyvideos – Works perfectly for comedic video content.

• #explorepage – Used on Instagram to appear on the Explore page and reach more people.

• #trendingreels – A great choice for Instagram Reels that are catching on.

• #viralvideos – A general, widely used hashtag for videos aiming to go viral.

YouTube Shorts: Best Viral Hashtags

• #shorts – The main hashtag used for YouTube Shorts content.

• #youtubeshorts – Specifically targets YouTube Shorts viewers.

• #viralshorts – Perfect for shorts that you want to have a viral impact.

• #funnyshorts – A great choice for humorous shorts content.

• #musicshorts – If your video involves music, this hashtag will help reach the right audience.

• #comedyshorts – For comedic content that fits within the short-form video format.

• #explorepage – Popular on YouTube to reach the Explore section for more visibility.

• #shortsvideo – The hashtag for any content created in the YouTube Shorts format.

• #trendingvideos – Essential for videos that are aligned with current trends.

• #viralclips – Ideal for video snippets that have high potential to go viral.

Best Times to Post on Social Media in 2025 for Maximum Engagement

Knowing when to post your content can make all the difference between it getting lost in a feed or gaining widespread engagement. Below are the best times to post on social media in 2025 to maximize your content’s potential to go viral.

Instagram: Best Times to Post for Engagement

• Best Times: 3 PM – 9 PM (especially on Mondays)

• Additional Optimal Times:

  • 5 AM – 8 AM and 3 PM – 7 PM on Tuesdays

  • 5 PM on Wednesdays

  • 4 PM – 5 PM on Thursdays

  • 4 PM on Fridays

  • 11 AM and 5 PM on Saturdays

  • 12 PM and 3 PM on Sundays

• Best Day: Monday

• Worst Day: Sunday

TikTok: Best Times to Post for Maximum Reach

• Best Times:

  • 7 AM – 11 AM on Thursdays

  • 4 PM – 7 PM on Wednesdays

  • 4 PM on Tuesdays

  • 3 PM – 5 PM on Sundays

• Best Day: Thursday

• Worst Day: Saturday

YouTube Shorts: Optimal Posting Times

• Best Times:

  • 3 PM – 5 PM on weekdays

  • 9 AM – 11 AM on weekends

• Best Day: Wednesday

• Worst Day: Sunday

Facebook: Best Times to Post for Engagement

• Best Time: 9 AM on Tuesdays

• Best Days: Wednesday and Thursday

• Worst Day: Sunday

LinkedIn: Best Times to Post for Visibility

• Best Times:

  • 4 AM – 6 AM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

  • 5 AM on Mondays

  • 6 AM on Thursdays

  • 5 AM – 7 AM on Fridays

• Best Day: Tuesday

• Worst Day: Saturday

X (formerly Twitter): Best Times to Post for Engagement

• Best Times:

  • 9 AM – 11 AM on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays

  • 10 AM on Mondays and Tuesdays

  • 8 AM – 10 AM on Saturdays

  • 9 AM – 12 PM on Sundays

• Best Day: Wednesday

• Worst Day: Saturday

Tips for Maximizing Engagement Using Top Viral Hashtags and Best Times to Post

• Use Relevant Hashtags: Incorporate trending and platform-specific hashtags to make your content more discoverable.

• Post Consistently: Keep a regular posting schedule to maintain audience engagement.

• Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments, messages, and direct messages to build a relationship with your followers.

• Analyze Your Audience: Use analytics to determine when your followers are most active.

• Test Different Posting Times: Experiment with different times to find the optimal posting window for your audience.

Conclusion

Using top viral hashtags and posting at the right times is key to going viral on social media. By incorporating trending hashtags and posting when your audience is most active, you can boost your content’s reach and engagement. In this article, we’ve shared the top viral hashtags and best times to post on social media in 2025. Now it’s up to you to apply these strategies and take your social media content to the next level.