YouTube is no longer just a consumer platform. It has grown to help people make careers out of it.
Over 500 hours of video content get uploaded to YouTube every minute, while 122 million people visit the platform every day. With such huge competition, one thing that makes a difference is the posting timing on YouTube.
In the ever-evolving world of online content curation, uploading your video at the perfect time has become the key to increasing views, engagement, and subscribers.
Although many other parameters impact growth, YouTube post timing is at the forefront. No matter how good your video is, it is ineffective without engagement.
Let’s see how you can grow on YouTube by identifying the answer to when to post on YouTube.
How does the best posting time on YouTube work differently
Timing is everything on YouTube. The time you post and the time people watch and engage determine the success of your video. YouTube’s algorithm is more likely to organically promote your content when it receives high engagement at a specific time.
Videos that receive likes, comments, and shares shortly after being posted receive high priority to reach a wider audience than videos that do not get any engagement. Your efforts are ineffective when people do not engage with your content, even if it is value-packed.
So, you must identify the right time to post on YouTube to get more views and attention from viewers.
Let’s say you create cartoon videos for kids, and there are several reasons why you should post in the morning or evening during the weekdays.
There is a high chance that most kids leave for school on weekdays. The only time they watch mobile is in the morning before leaving for school and after returning from school in the evening.
Posting at odd times, like in the early afternoon or late evening, may not be favorable because kids will be attending school or sleeping. When you post during peak hours, your content reaches many kids and holds them on your video, increasing the watch time.
However, this is not the only case with other industries and niches. There are a few things that trigger engagement on YouTube. Try answering these questions to get a grip on your current status.
- Is your video lengthy or short?
- Is your title grabbing attention?
- Is your thumbnail neutralized or more attractive?
- Do you talk about what your reader exactly wants?
- Did you choose a topic that is ever-green or growing?
- Did you include the relevant keywords and meta tags?
How to find when is your best time to post on YouTube
Several ways are available to find the best time to post your content on YouTube. Some prominent methods include:
1. YouTube Studio
A tool from YouTube itself, YouTube Analytics, should be your first to-go choice. It gives detailed information on crucial parts you might need to audit your content strategy. Go to your channel’s dashboard and click on “Audience.”
Here, you will find valuable data about your viewers’ activity, including the days and times they are most active, the location they watch you from, and more. Use this information as a starting point to identify potential posting times.
2. Trial and Error
What works for one person might not work for you. So, there is no better way than to experiment to find the best one that works for you. A few tracking platforms might only give you analytics once you reach a certain number of views or subscribers.
In such circumstances, try posting at different times over a few weeks and tracking the progress. Monitor your video’s performance and note when it receives the most views, likes, and comments. Over time, you will arrive at a point where it is best for you to post.
3. Competitor Analysis
Other creators sharing similar interests and audiences with you can be the best source to identify the best YouTube posting time. Keep an eye on when your competitors post their content.
Since you both share similar interests in several aspects, there are chances that their best time might also be for you. While it is essential to be unique, analyzing their timing can provide valuable insights into your target demographic’s online behavior.
4. Geographical Location
When your audience is across the globe, try to find different times to post in a day. For instance, posting in the afternoon in India for the US audience might be at midnight in the US, which is not the perfect time.
Post at different times, addressing your target audience in various parts of the world. So, posting when a significant portion of your viewers are awake and online can produce better results.
When is the best time to post on YouTube
There is no one perfect time to post on YouTube. Industry experts and their research reports say there are several best times to post. Here’s what they say.
According to a study conducted by SocialPilot, the best time to post on YouTube each day of the week is:
- 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays so that your videos get indexed by YouTube and appear on the feed of your visitors when they come online between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
- 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on weekends because many people wake up late on weekends and spend more time on social platforms like YouTube.
Here’s what TubeBuddy has to say:
- 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays because posting 1 or 2 hours before the peak watching hours can get your videos into the feed and increase the viewer’s rate.
- 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on weekends since most people will be more active in the late morning before taking a nap in the afternoon.
After surveying 1200+ marketers, Hubspot says this:
6-9 p.m. and 3- 6 p.m. are the best posting times on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays because people will be more active on these days and times.
Mondays and Wednesdays are the least preferred posting days by marketers because:
- Mondays are the week’s start, and people go to work, which does not sound like Friday. They return home tired and frustrated.
- Wednesdays are the deployment days—another hectic day.
However, you must understand that these are the only research-based guidelines. Finding the best posting time totally depends on your industry and target audience.
Pro Tip: What works for you might not work for others. Ensure that you experiment with your strategies before concluding.
How to use audience demographics for the best time to post on YouTube
Your audience determines the success of your content. To find the best YouTube posting time and to answer when to post on YouTube, you need to understand your audience better through audience demographics. Here’s how you can leverage this data to optimize your posting time:
1. Age and lifestyle
Age and lifestyle contribute significantly to finding the best YouTube engagement timing. Viewers’ age groups and lifestyles tell you when they are active and inactive so you can post accordingly.
For instance, let’s say you are targeting students. Evenings and weekends might be ideal posting times since students will be free from school and resting at home. For a working professional audience, lunch breaks and evenings may work better, as they only get free during those times.
2. Location
Check where most of your audience comes from. It is crucial because you might be on different continents where the time difference might be huge. If you post in your place at the right time, it might be in the evening or morning for your audience.
If your audience is predominantly from a specific region or country, aim to post during peak hours in their local time. Follow the same strategy when you have a distributed audience. Try different times and automate the posting schedules.
3. Content-Type and Engagement Pattern
The niche or type of your content plays a predominant role in determining the best YouTube posting time. Choose a topic in which your audience might be interested. Talking about gambling when your audience is in the gaming field might drive them away.
Also, analyze when your audience engages with your content. Schedule your uploads accordingly if you notice a surge in comments and likes within the first few hours after posting.
How to track YouTube analytics on Keyhole
Now that you know the essential information to understand your YouTube channel better, let’s look at how you can track your YouTube Analytics using Keyhole.
From understanding social media channels to monitoring your YouTube metrics, Keyhole is a multi-feature platform where you can access the basic information you need to start your journey or glance at the most crucial metrics.
- Trackers: Through the tracker feature, you may monitor stats not only for your channel but also for any number of YouTube channels, hashtags, or keywords.
- Optimization Techniques: With proper observance, you will get information about the engagement on your channel. Through this, you will better understand the best times to post your videos, how long they should be, which tags receive the most views, how many tags to use, and the daily average of views.
- Influencers Tab: To help you better analyze the impact that influencers and collaborators bring to your channel, you can use influencer-tracking tools.
Wrapping up
Growing on YouTube is all about the timing, the timing you post, and the timing people engage with your content. Several parameters come into play when finding the best time for views on YouTube. Above all, understanding your audience better is crucial.
By implementing these strategies and experimenting with your post schedules, you can find an answer to when to post on YouTube by getting your content to a larger audience.
If you are looking for the right tool to optimize your YouTube post timing, consider using Keyhole. With Keyhole, you can dig deep into understanding your audience, posts that performed better, watch hours, engagement rates, meta tags, and more. So, let’s get you started on your YouTube journey.
Author
Mona is a content marketing specialist with over 4 year of experience who is currently working with Saasit.in in creating engaging and effective content for various SaaS companies. She likes researching topics related to B2B and SaaS.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. When is the best time to post on YouTube for maximum views and engagement?
The best time to post on YouTube is on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, during the late afternoon (3-6 p.m.) and early evening (6-9 p.m.). However, it depends on your target audience and the industry.
2. Does the day matter to post on YouTube?
Yes, the day of the week does matter. The second half of the week, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, works better to post videos. Mondays can be slow as people get back to work.
3. How important is consistency in posting times on YouTube?
Maintaining a regular posting schedule on YouTube helps build trust and anticipation among your viewers. When you consistently upload content at specific times, your subscribers know when to expect new videos.
