After investing time and energy into creating a video, the next step is to share it with the world on YouTube. Naturally, you want to reach the widest possible audience, which makes you wonder: What is the best time to upload it to YouTube?
This blog aims to provide insight into this question, so that you can strategically plan your video release schedule. This is particularly important as over half of users (54%) consider YouTube to be a key influencer in their purchasing decisions. In this blog, we'll take a closer look:
Determining the optimal day and time to upload content on YouTube in 2023 can be essential, especially if your channel lacks viewer data. To maximize your reach, consider aligning your schedule with the times when most YouTube users are active this year.
Based on insights from a social media trends report, the best days to post to YouTube are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. In addition, the following timeframes are considered ideal for posting content on these days:
Between 6pm and 9pm
Between 3pm and 6pm
Between 12pm and 3pm
These selections are strategic because they coincide with times when many viewers are free from work and school over the weekend. As a result, they are more likely to engage with YouTube content during these hours.
Remember, it's important to closely monitor the performance of your videos as your channel gains traction. Regularly reviewing your analytics will help you refine your posting strategy and continue to grow your audience.
Want to know which days to avoid posting on YouTube? According to the same report, the worst day to upload to YouTube is Monday. This is followed by Tuesday and Wednesday as the second and third worst days to share content on the platform.
These less popular weekdays are particularly relevant if your business is consumer-facing (B2C). On these days, your audience is likely to have demanding commitments such as full-time work and school, which can limit the time available to watch long-form video.
The times to avoid posting on YouTube during these days are:
Between 6am and 9am
Between 9pm and 12am
Between 9am and 12pm
Discovering the optimal posting schedule for your YouTube channel can be achieved through your analytics dashboard. Follow these steps in the ultimate guide to finding the best day and time to post to your channel:
- Access YouTube Studio.
- Navigate to Analytics > Audience.
- Examine the section labeled "When your viewers are most active."
The best day to post to your YouTube channel is the day when your audience is most active.
In addition, the best time to upload content to YouTube is about two to three hours before your audience reaches its peak online activity. This strategic timing allows YouTube to index your video and display it in subscribers' feeds before they are most active.
Pro tip: Keep a consistent posting schedule of one video per week. This routine not only creates predictability for your current subscribers, but also gives your existing and new audiences something to look forward to each week.
In the short term, determining the best time to post to your YouTube channel is important. There are several advantages to posting when your audience is most active:
1- Your subscribers and new viewers have the opportunity to watch your video within its initial hours of release.
2- You can quickly collect views.
3- When your YouTube video post is optimized for timing, it leads to increased traffic to your channel's content. This in turn leads to increased brand awareness, channel growth and ultimately higher conversions and revenue.
In the long run, however, the timing of your uploads will become less critical and will have less impact on the number of views your videos will receive in the months and years to come. Long-term success depends more on effective YouTube SEO strategies.
To optimize your video for relevant keywords, consider the following:
· Ensure your video appears as a suggested next watch for interested users.
· Make it discoverable when users search for related keywords.
· Incorporate these relevant keywords into essential fields, such as the title, description, tags, and captions.
Now that we've answered some of your burning questions, you may have more. Let's dive right in!
What is the best time of day to post on YouTube?
Suppose you have a specific day in mind for your video releases, but you don't have enough view data to make a decision. In this case, you can consider these general trends for the best daily posting times on YouTube:
Mondays: Optimal between 2-4pm EST
Tuesdays: Optimal between 2-4pm EST
Wednesdays: Optimal between 2-4pm EST
Thursdays: Optimal between 12-3pm EST
Fridays: Optimal between 12-3pm EST
Saturdays: Optimal between 9-11am EST
Sundays: Optimal between 9-11am EST
What's the best posting frequency for YouTube?
A recommended standard practice is to post content to YouTube at least once a week, maintaining a consistent schedule. This approach typically yields results and ensures steady growth for your channel.
However, the optimal posting frequency may vary depending on your specific niche. It's a good idea to keep an eye on your competitors and observe their posting patterns. Analyse whether their posting frequency is contributing to the growth of their channel and consider adapting your strategy accordingly.
