To achieve high view counts in 2026, research from Buffer suggests the following optimal posting windows:
: Lionel Messi's carousel post celebrating Argentina's 2022 FIFA World Cup win is the most-liked post, with over 75 million likes . In terms of Reels, actress Deepika Padukone set a record in late 2025 with a Reel hitting 1.9 billion views .
: Illusionist Zach King holds the record for the most-watched short video, with his "Magic Ride" reaching over 2.3 billion views as of early 2025. Most viewed
: The " Baby Shark Dance " by Pinkfong remains the most viewed video in history, with over 16 billion views .
: The most-liked post is the announcement of Chadwick Boseman's death , which has over 6 million likes . To achieve high view counts in 2026, research
: Saturday is considered the best day to post, closely followed by Monday.
Depending on the platform, "most viewed" content refers to the videos or posts that have achieved the highest reach or engagement metrics. As of April 2026, the current records for the most viewed and liked posts across major social media platforms are: : The " Baby Shark Dance " by
: The single best time is Sunday at 9 a.m. , while the most consistent high-engagement window is between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. .