As a content creator, you probably know there are good times to post on Instagram and TikTok, right? But what about YouTube? Is there a best time to upload to YouTube?
Yes, but it’s more complicated than you might think if you want to boost your views and likes. Timing matters, but so are video quality and storytelling.
However, that doesn’t mean you can post without a plan. That’s why this article will show you the best times to post on YouTube, using examples from popular YouTubers in various niches. Read on!
Is There a Best Time to Post on YouTube?
Yes. Posting at the right time can really affect how well your videos do and help them stand out.
Unlike TikTok, which is all about going viral, YouTube’s algorithm focuses on watch time, relevance, and engagement. If you understand this, you can work to increase your viewers.
Upload your videos when your audience is online to make the most of YouTube’s recommendation system. Followers who have notifications will see your video right away, which can lead to more early views.
This early engagement tells YouTube’s algorithm how your video is doing, which can affect how it shows up in searches and recommendations.
YouTube checks click-through rate, average view duration, and audience retention in the first 24 hours. And these early signs can impact your video’s long-term success, not just at the start.
Now, if your new video matches what viewers want and is posted at the right time, it’s more likely to reach both your subscribers and new viewers.
So, yes, with YouTube improving its personalization features, knowing the best time to post on YouTube is vital. On the flip side, posting when your audience isn’t online can hurt your video’s performance.
Low engagement at the start can create a negative cycle, where the algorithm thinks your content isn’t good or relevant.
What’s the Best Time to Post on YouTube?
Well, it’s generally best to post on Tuesday and Friday. These days see more user activity, as viewers are often more engaged midweek and just before the weekend.
The ideal time to post on YouTube is from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. This allows your video to be indexed before viewers take their breaks and become more active in the late afternoon or evening.
On weekends, try to upload early, around 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. This is when viewers have more free time to watch videos. Also, posting early can help your video get more views on YouTube as the day progresses.
Best Time to Post on YouTube on Monday
The best time to post on Mondays is around 5 PM. This is when people are looking for something to watch after work. Morning posts usually don’t get much attention because everyone is busy.
Best Time to Post on YouTube on Tuesday
Tuesday is great for posting between 2 PM and 4 PM. People are not as busy as they are on Monday, making them more likely to interact during their afternoon breaks.
Best Time to Post on YouTube on Wednesday
On Wednesdays, you should post between 2 PM and 4 PM. Many people are on their lunch breaks then, so your posts will reach more viewers. Posting during this time can also lead to more views for your videos later in the evening.
Best Time to Post on YouTube on Thursday
As the weekend gets closer, people become more active in the evenings. The best times to post are from 4 PM to 7 PM, when many are finishing work and looking for more content.
Best Time to Post YouTube YouTube on Friday
Some say Friday is the best day to post on YouTube. You should post between 2 PM and 4 PM or from 6 PM to 9 PM. This is when people are looking for fun videos before the weekend.
Best Time to YouTube on YouTube on Saturday
Not many YouTubers post on Saturday mornings. They’re usually sleeping in. During the week, post at around 10 AM or 11 AM. Also, try to avoid posting late at night since people are out having fun.
Best Time to Post on YouTube on Sunday
Just like on Saturday, don’t post anything after lunch on Sunday. People are enjoying their weekends. You can post in the morning around 10:00 PM or 11:00 AM, or later between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM.
In short, here are the best times to upload to YouTube each week:
- Monday: 5:00 PM
- Tuesday: 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM
- Wednesday: 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM
- Thursday: 5:00 PM, 6:00 PM
- Friday: 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM, 8:00 PM
Notifications will alert your followers when you upload a new video. But the YouTube algorithm can help your content reach a larger audience by recommending it. So, use it to your advantage.
Read:
Best Time to Post on Facebook
Best Time to Post on TikTok
Best Time to Post on Instagram
What is the Best Time to Post on YouTube Shorts?
You’ll want to post YouTube Shorts a bit differently. Their format leads to different viewing habits and preferences, so think about varying your posting times.
- Monday — Best time to post is 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Bear in mind that commuters often watch Shorts on their way home.
- Tuesday — Try posting around 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM when people take short breaks. You can also post between 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM, which is common for regular YouTube uploads.
- Wednesday — The recommended times are 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM. You can also post later at 8:00 PM for evening engagement.
- Thursday — A wider window exists this day, so post between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Think about posting later in the afternoon around 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM.
- Friday — It’s best to upload from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The engagement tends to be higher with weekend preparations.
- Saturday — You can post between 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, but also spread posts throughout the day, with engagement peaks every 2-3 hours.
- Sunday — Post early at 6:00 AM or 10:00 AM, then do the post again around 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM.
Best Times to Post on YouTube for Different Niches
You can use the above information on the best times to post on YouTube, but remember that these times vary by topic due to different audience habits.
Now, we’ll look at popular YouTubers in various niches to see when they upload for the most likes and comments in Eastern Standard Time.
Education
The education category includes everything from school subjects to skill development and language learning. You might know some popular channels in this niche, like MinutePhysics, Veritasium, and SciShow.
If you check out the latest videos from Veritasium, you’ll see they were uploaded at:
- Friday at 4:25 PM
- Saturday at 1:27 PM
- Monday at 2:51 PM
You’ll notice some slight variations in the days and times they post. Now, if you look at SciShow, you’ll see they upload the content at the same hour:
- Wednesday at 1:00 PM
- Thursday at 1:00 PM
- Friday at 1:00 PM
So, when’s the best time to upload to YouTube if you’re building an educational channel? It’s recommended to do it after lunch at around 1:00 PM.
Gaming
If you’re a gaming streamer uploading recorded live streams to YouTube, you can’t just do it instantly. It’s better to post when your audience is online.
You can find inspiration from top gaming YouTubers like Markiplier. You might also look at Jacksepticeye, who’s known for his lively gameplay and humor on his gaming channel.
We checked out Jacksepticeye’s latest four videos and found his posting schedule:
- Tuesday at 1:00 PM
- Monday at 12:00 PM
- Thursday at 3:22 PM
- Monday at 1:45 PM
Next, we looked at Markiplier’s latest four videos. His posting schedule is mostly:
- Sunday at 3:21 PM
- Saturday at 12:00 PM
- Thursday at 12:00 PM
- Tuesday at 11:20 PM
If your gaming videos are like Jacksepticeye and Markiplier’s, try posting them after lunch. That’s when many gaming audiences are ready to watch gaming videos on YouTube.
Beauty
What about beauty videos? When is the best time to post them on YouTube?
Take a look at Jackie Aina and Tati Westbrook. They are among top beauty influencer who have around 3 million and 8 million subscribers. Their top videos can hit more than 14 million views.
Tati Westbrook is a beauty YouTuber who posts videos regularly. If you look at her latest videos, you’ll see they come out on:
- Thursday at 11:45 AM
- Monday at 11:45 AM
- Thursday at 12:00 PM
- Monday at 11:45 AM
Jackie Aina doesn’t have a regular schedule for her YouTube videos. Sometimes, she only posts one video a month. Also, she never uploads on Mondays, which is different from Tati Westbrook.
- Thursday at 3:20 PM
- Wednesday at 5:21 PM
- Thursday at 2:40 PM
- Tuesday at 1:08 PM
Fashion
If your YouTube channel is all about fashion, like thrift shopping or high-end style tips, you might wonder when the best time to post is.
You can find inspiration from popular fashion influencers. Two good examples are Asia Jackson and The Anna Edit, each with around 500,000 followers, making them macro influencers on YouTube.
Asia Jackson doesn’t post often, sometimes sharing just one video a month on her YouTube channel. Her last four videos suggest she usually uploads every Friday after lunch:
- Friday at 3:20 PM
- Friday at 1:20 PM
- Friday at 3:33 PM
- Tuesday at 10:54 AM
On the contrary, Anna Newton from The Anna Edit is quite consistent. In her last four videos, she always posts at 4 AM EST. That’s 8 AM in London time.
Fitness
If your focus is on content about work out routines, diet advice, and wellness tips, then you need to find the best time to upload to YouTube to get the most engagement.
Also if you have become an influencer like Chloe Ting or Pamela Reif then getting your posting schedule right is the key for your channel to grow even more.
We look at the latest videos uploaded by Chloe Ting, and some of the videos are posted in the morning but not too early:
- Tuesday at 10:00 AM
- Monday at 10:00 AM
- Tuesday at 12:21 PM
- Monday at 10:00 AM
We looked at Pamela Reif’s latest videos to see if they have a pattern. It turns out she posts at the same times, but she usually uploads in the evening CST.
- Tuesday at 9:30 PM
- Thursday at 9:00 PM
- Tuesday at 9:30 PM
- Tuesday at 9:30 PM
It’s important to check if your audience likes to watch fitness videos in the evening. If they don’t watch at the same time as Pamela Reif, you might get less engagement.
Tech
Did you know that tech videos grab more attention than other niches? People enjoy sharing their tech experiences, which boosts engagement.
Look to top creators like Marques Brownlee, Linus, or Austin Evans. You can pay attention to when they post, certain days and times really matter.
Marques Brownlee’s latest videos were uploaded on:
- Sunday at 4:48 PM
- Monday at 7:37 PM
- Friday at 12:12 PM
- Thursday at 6:29 PM
On the other hand, Austin Evans posted his tech content, like “I Bought Fake Tech from Temu,” on:
- Sunday at 11:05 AM
- Tuesday at 6:01 AM
- Sunday at 11:01 AM
- Friday at 11:00 AM
As you can see, Marques Brownlee targets evening viewers in CST, while Austine Evans prefers posting before lunch as the best time to upload to YouTube.
Cooking
Cooking channels can be anything from easy recipes to more complex ones. They might feature a professional chef or someone making their own recipe with specific ingredients.
For example, Bon Appétit became popular with their Test Kitchen series, like “How One of NYC’s Best Chinese Chefs Makes Fried Rice.” And Jamie Oliver is a cookbook author and a chef who focuses on healthy and easy recipes.
If you check the last four videos of Jamie Oliver, you’ll see they were posted at these times in GMT:
- Sunday at 10:00 AM
- Sunday at 10:00 AM
- Friday at 5:00 PM
- Sunday at 10:00 AM
How about Bon Appétit? It’s similar to Jamie Oliver. They both post their videos consistently, but Bon Appétit usually uploads right at lunchtime.
- Thursday at 12:00 PM
- Tuesday at 12:00 PM
- Wednesday at 12:00 PM
- Thursday at 2:25 PM
Travel
If you are a travel vlogger exploring the world and want to share your experiences, what’s the best time to upload to YouTube?
It’s a good idea to think about your main audience when you upload videos. Also, since some places you visit might not have good internet, you could upload your videos once a week or every two weeks after your trips.
You can start by looking at data from YouTube Analytics. Also, check out popular travel bloggers on YouTube who have millions of followers.
For example, Kara and Nate have 3.98 million followers and recently posted their last videos including 7 Days Overlanding Iceland on:
- Saturday at 11:00 AM
- Saturday at 11:00 AM
- Saturday at 11:00 AM
- Saturday at 12:35 PM
Another travel vlogger couple, Flying the Nest, who have 1.25M followers uploads videos on:
- Sunday at 7:05 AM
- Sunday at 10:00 AM
- Sunday at 9:00 AM
- Monday at 8:23 PM
Kara and Nate stick to a regular upload schedule, choosing Saturday as the best day to post on YouTube. They also post at 11 AM, which works well for people planning their vacations after sleeping in.
Don’t worry. You can use social media scheduling tools to help you post regularly, just like Kara and Nate do.
Vtubers
Now, what if you’re a virtual YouTuber or a Vtuber like Gawr Gura or Mori Calliope? What do you think is the best time to post on YouTube for all of your content?
Many people think the best time to upload is between 6 AM and 12 PM, which is also when Vtubers usually stream. But remember, the best time can change based on who your audience is.
We look at recent YouTube videos from one of the top Vtubers, Gawr Gura. She posted it on:
- Wednesday at 7:00 AM
- Thursday at 9:50 PM
- Sunday at 9:02 PM
- Thursday at 9:00 PM
Another Vtuber, Mori Calliope, likes to post on:
- Sunday at 12:00 AM
- Thursday at 12:00 AM
- Thursday at 11:00 PM
- Sunday at 6:18 AM
ASMR
ASMR channels on YouTube have a unique challenge when it comes to when they post their videos. They want to share calming sounds and whispers to help people relax, but different time zones can make this difficult.
If you’re starting your own ASMR channel, check your YouTube dashboard for helpful information. Or, you can also look at popular ASMR artists like Gibi ASMR and WhispersRed ASMR for ideas.
For example, Gibi ASMR usually posts her videos on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM. On the other hand, WhispersRed ASMR uploads her videos on Sundays, but the time can change between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM.
What is the Worst Time to Post on YouTube?
The worst time to upload videos on YouTube is when your potential viewers are not online. This can depend on where you live, where your audience is, and what type of content you make.
For example, if your videos are about education, it’s not a good idea to post them early in the morning when most students are at school.
Similarly, if you make travel vlogs, uploading them on weekdays like Tuesdays or Wednesdays might not get you many views or engagement because people are busy with work or school.
Conclusion
You’ve learned about the best times to post on YouTube for your specific niches.
Some people might suggest you to check YouTube analytics for this information. But, if you’re new and don’t have any data yet, you should follow the general tips for the best times to upload to YouTube.
Also, it might be tempting to upload videos to YouTube whenever you want. But you know that that’s not the recommended strategy.
To get the most out of your videos and attract more viewers, it’s important to post it at the right time to encourage more people to watch, comment, like, and share your content.
We hope this information helps you! We’ll keep updating it, so be sure to check out our latest article on our Gank blog!
