Creating a YouTube video is of course a challenging task. Ideation occurs first, followed by scripting, filming, and editing — and that’s just at the top level. Imagine putting up all that effort for a video and that doesn’t receive much attention. However, selecting the best time to upload videos on YouTube can be tricky. It may call for some brainstorming tactics. 

In this blog post, we’ll discuss the ideal times to post YouTube videos. We’ll also teach you how to pinpoint your own optimal video publishing time.

Does It Matter What Time You Post?

The answer is: Yes! The primary objective for running a successful YouTube channel is to produce top-notch material. Format, frequency, and most importantly the timing of publication are additional aspects that affect how well your videos will perform.

When you post your videos on YouTube at the appropriate time, you get more subscribers and views. And it will increase your channel’s income. 

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Find The Best Time To Upload Videos On YouTube

There are two scenarios for finding the best times to post on YouTube. One is a general timing and the other is for your specific channel. 

Way #1 General Timing To Upload On YouTube

The ideal place to look for the most precise and trustworthy information about your channel is your Analytics Dashboard. It gives you a clear idea of times when your viewers are most engaged on the platform.

Before you start experimenting with your individual optimum time to post, the average time frames can be a good place to begin. These set times have a decent probability of boosting your YouTube presence.

Based on all the data gathered by various brands, an average ideal time has been figured out. It is 2 pm to 4 pm (EST) on weekdays and 9 am to 11 am (EST) on weekends.

Since each YouTube user has different locations, log-in timings, it is important to consider the audience’s behavior and geography when determining when to post.

Read more: 7 Hacks For 4000 Hours Of Watch Time On YouTube

Way #2 Channel Specific Timing To Upload Videos On YouTube

For your specific channel, under the option Audience, you will see when most of your actual audience is online. You should upload videos on that exact time frame to get a higher click-through rate, increased view duration etc. Nonetheless, if you have a new channel with minimal traffic, using average time is your best option.

First, launch YouTube Studio. Toggle to Analytics. View your report by selecting the Audience option. In this section, you will see a purple bar graph.

The dark purple bars indicate times when the majority of your audience is online during a particular day. Similar to this, the lighter bars denote the moments when audience participation is at its lowest.

In short, these reports provide you with information on the peak viewing hours for your videos on YouTube. These timings are not strictly fixed. But the good news is they don’t fluctuate much. 

We’d suggest tracking this data in a spreadsheet for a month or three. You will be able to determine which day and time your audience is the most active.

Pro-tip:

Always publish your videos 2-3 hours before your peak period, ensuring that it ranks well in the search results when your audience visits YouTube. For instance, if you find that between 7 and 10 pm is the best time to post on YouTube, you must publish between 2 and 4 pm. 

In the end, knowing the best hours and days to publish on YouTube shouldn’t be seen as a rigid guideline. It’s just a manual to help you optimize your channel for both immediate and ongoing success.

Read next: How To Start (And Grow) YouTube Channel in 2023