quso.ai Research
Short-form video performance, measured
Original research from quso.ai's dataset of ~508,000 posts by 1,900+ creators across 80+ countries over 12 months. We report the median on matured posts — not the mean — so viral outliers don't distort the picture.See our methodology →
One of the largest independent looks at short-form video performance.
The Best Time to Post on TikTok, by the Data
Evenings 5pm–midnight is the top window — but the best-vs-worst swing is only ~85%, and the day of week is flat
When is the best time to post on TikTok? quso.ai data on real posts: evenings (5pm–midnight) edge ahead, but the swing across the day is modest — and the day of week barely matters.
Read the study →YouTubeYouTube Shorts Length: The Sweet Spot, by the Data
11–20s the highest-performing Short length — a median of 901 views, 2.6× the 31–45s band
YouTube Shorts can be up to 3 minutes — but quso.ai data on 108K+ matured Shorts shows 11–20 second Shorts earn the most median views (901). Here's the real sweet spot.
Read the study →InstagramHow Long Are Instagram Reels? Limits & What Actually Drives Reach
6.1× more reach for Reels than in-feed posts (median 182 vs 30 views)
Instagram Reels can be up to 3 minutes. quso.ai data on matured posts shows Reels reach 6.1× more accounts than in-feed posts — the format gap that matters more than length.
Read the study →TikTokHow to Go Viral on TikTok: What the Odds Actually Are
1 in 358 TikTok posts that reach 100,000 views — going viral is rarer than the hype suggests
How likely is it to go viral on TikTok? quso.ai data: only 1 in 6 posts clears 1,000 views and just 1 in 358 reaches 100K. Here's what the numbers say about going viral.
Read the study →TikTokWhat 508,000 Posts Reveal About TikTok Performance
85.1% of TikTok views come from the For You page, not followers or search
quso.ai analyzed 508K+ posts: 85.1% of TikTok views come from the For You page, only 1 in 6 posts clears 1K views, and Reels reach 6.1× more accounts than feed posts.
Read the study →TikTok & InstagramDo Hashtags Actually Help? What the Data Says
0 the best-performing hashtag count — stuffing 7–10 tags cut TikTok views by ~54%
Do hashtags increase views? quso.ai analyzed 60K+ TikTok and Instagram posts: more hashtags don't mean more views — posts with none often beat posts stuffed with 7–10.
Read the study →TikTokHow the TikTok Algorithm Works: Where Views Come From
85% of TikTok views come from the For You page — everything else barely registers
How does the TikTok algorithm work? quso.ai data shows 85% of views come from the For You page — not followers, search, or sounds. Here's where TikTok views actually come from.
Read the study →TikTok & InstagramDo Emojis in Captions Boost Views? What the Data Shows
357 vs 228 median TikTok views — captions with no emoji vs captions with emoji
Do emojis boost engagement? quso.ai data on matured TikTok & Instagram posts shows captions WITHOUT emojis earn more median views (357 vs 228 on TikTok). Here's the breakdown.
Read the study →TikTokHow Often Should You Post on TikTok? What the Data Shows
170× more total views for high-volume creators (200+ posts) vs occasional ones — with steady per-post views
How often should you post on TikTok? quso.ai data shows posting more doesn't dilute each post — per-post views hold steady while total reach compounds dramatically with volume.
Read the study →Cross-platformThe Best Video Hooks, Ranked by 121K Real Hooks
Social proof the top-performing hook archetype across 121K classified hooks
What's the best hook for short-form video? quso.ai classified 121K real hooks into archetypes — social-proof and personal-revelation openers pull the most views. The full ranking.
Read the study →Cross-platformSocial Media Engagement Rate Benchmarks by Platform
2.26% median TikTok engagement rate — the highest of the major platforms
What's a good engagement rate? quso.ai's median benchmarks from 219K+ matured posts: TikTok 2.26%, Instagram 1.39%, YouTube 1.14%, Facebook 0.99% — measured, not averaged.
Read the study →YouTubeWhat's a Good Video Retention Rate? The Benchmarks
91% vs 40% average view-through for the top 10% of Shorts vs everyone else
What's a good average view duration or retention rate? quso.ai data: the median short holds 45% view-through, while the top 10% hold 91%. Retention is the single biggest lever.
Read the study →