Best time to post YouTube videos

[gsx4]

Ran across an article the other day and found it really interesting. It focused on when the best time frames are to publish your videos - a point i had not previously thought too much about i guess. Anyway, i will share some of the article here.

Publishing a video on YouTube at the best time can get you as much as 2 to 5 times more views. It is essential that you post your videos intelligently, rather than at any old random time.

They suggest that you use your channel’s analytics to determine the best time for you. Ideally, you should post on YouTube on the day most of your viewers are there, 2 hours before your channel’s prime time.

So how do you know your channel’s prime time? Begin by going to YouTube Studio>Analytics>Audience. Look for your “When your viewers are on YouTube” report. Your most popular day is the one with the most dark purple bars. Take note of when those bars start and post your videos two hours before that time.

Note that this report shows when your viewers are on YouTube – not when they are necessarily watching your videos.

I actually read the point about posting a couple hours prior to peak viewing times in a couple different places. Then there's also this, though i don't know if i completely buy it at face value...

there may be merit in posting the day before you have the most viewers. The reason for this is that videos typically pick up their most views in their first two days. In particular, if your channel’s second-busiest day is the day before its busiest day, try posting on that day instead. That way, you benefit from having new content on the two most active days for your channel.

Then there was also this, but take it with a grain of salt:

Day Best Times to Publish on Youtube
Monday 2 PM, 3 PM, 4 PM
Tuesday 2 PM, 3 PM, 4 PM
Wednesday 2 PM, 3 PM, 4 PM
Thursday 12 PM, 1 PM, 2PM, 3PM
Friday 12 PM, 1 PM, 2PM, 3PM
Saturday 9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM
Sunday 9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM

Aaaaand then there was this speculation from another source...

Most people publish on the hour, meaning that your video might get lost in mass notifications. Therefore, he recommends you post at 15 minutes past the hour, e.g., 6:15 rather than 6:00.

This is another area where there's so much information, its hard to know what advice is good or not, but definitely there are some constants to take into consideration.

[Putnam]

Okay I'm testing out these theories with todays video. I released it on a Friday at 2:22pm CST - so the premium day of the week, a couple hours before what i assume to be a peak time and not on the hour. Progress of this will be posted in my Progress Post viewtopic.php?t=44

[gsx4]

Another source from https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2015/01 ... ideos.html

[Putnam]

Viewership tends to be at peak on the site during weekday evenings, according to a new study by New York-based multi-channel network Frederator.

To this end, posting on weekday afternoons gives YouTube ample time to index videos and deliver them to subscriber feeds. Frederator advises post times between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. (All times are EST.)

On weekends, though, the early bird gets the worm. The study -- which compiled data across Frederator's 120 million monthly views from a total of 1,300 channels -- concluded that, on Saturday and Sunday, a post-time between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. is optimal.

Of all the days of the week to post, however, Thursday and Friday are best. As most YouTube viewers are school-age children or young adults, viewership generally begins to ramp up on Thursday, peaks on Saturday and then tapers off on Sunday afternoon.

[Scarlett7Moore]

Determining the absolute best time to post YouTube videos can be somewhat subjective and depends on your specific audience and niche. However, here are some general guidelines that can help you optimize your posting schedule:

Weekdays vs. Weekends: Weekdays (Tuesday to Thursday) are often considered the best days to upload videos. This is because many people are more active on YouTube during the workweek. However, if your target audience is primarily students or people with flexible schedules, weekends may work well for you.

Morning or Early Afternoon: Posting your videos in the morning or early afternoon (between 12 PM and 4 PM) can be effective. This allows your video to be available when many viewers take breaks or have free time during the day.

Avoid Peak Competition: Try to avoid posting videos during peak hours when there's high competition. Peak hours are typically late afternoon and evening, as many creators choose these times. Avoiding direct competition can help your video stand out.

Consider Time Zones: Keep in mind the time zones of your target audience. If your viewers are spread across different regions, consider scheduling your uploads to accommodate multiple time zones.

Analyze Your Audience: Use YouTube Analytics to understand when your specific audience is most active. Look for patterns in viewer engagement and adjust your posting times accordingly.

Experiment: Conduct A/B testing by posting videos at different times and days of the week. Pay attention to the performance metrics of each video to identify trends and determine the optimal posting schedule for your channel.

Remember that the best time to post can evolve over time as your audience grows and changes. Regularly review your analytics and adjust your posting schedule to align with your viewers' habits and preferences.