Best Times To Upload On YouTube

The best times to upload on YouTube will depend on your audience's viewing habits.

Generally, it won't affect the video's performance significantly long-term, but it's useful to build viewer habits with a schedule so viewers can anticipate your content. For example, The Sidemen upload at the same time on Sunday.

But for most creators, it won't make a big difference, especially for new creators.

Here are general timeframes (with example niches) to follow to help boost your content’s visibility:

Use YouTube Analytics:

The most accurate way to determine the best time to upload is to use YouTube’s Analytics feature. Under the "Audience" tab, it shows when your viewers are most active on YouTube, which can help you optimise your upload schedule. (Best to upload just before the peak times occur).

It’s important to know when and why your audience is on during certain times when deciding your upload schedule, so make sure to do your research!

Weekdays (Monday to Friday):

Best time: 12 PM - 4 PM (in your audience's time zone)
This is because most people check YouTube during lunch or later in the afternoon, as they finish their work or school day. By uploading mid-day, your video has time to process by the time peak viewership starts.

Weekends (Saturday and Sunday):

Best time: 9 AM - 11 AM (in your audience's time zone)
People are more active on YouTube earlier on weekends, especially during the mornings. Uploading videos during this time can maximise early viewership and increase your chances of being recommended on home pages throughout the day.

Peak Days for Engagement:

Thursday and Friday: Videos uploaded on these days perform well due to people anticipating the weekend and tend to engage more with content.

Saturday and Sunday: Ideal for entertainment and leisurely content, as people have more free time to watch and commit to content.

Niche-Specific Patterns:

For specific niches, audience behaviour may vary. For example:

Gaming: Weekends or after school/work hours.

Educational: Best to post earlier in the week (Tuesday, Wednesday).

Fitness/Health: Mornings or lunchtime

Travel: Weekend mornings

Finance and Business: Early mornings or weekdays