Alexis Kestler
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YouTube Shorts have skyrocketed in popularity, with over 50 billion daily views. As a social media marketing expert, I‘m often asked – when‘s the best time to post shorts for maximum reach?
The answer is complex, depending on your goals, audience, and content style. By understanding key factors and optimizing your timing, you can significantly boost viewership.
Why Timing Matters
Posting when your audience is most active results in higher impressions and engagement.
YouTube usage and engagement varies by:
- Day of week
- Time of day
- Events, seasons, holidays
Aligning with peak traffic periods ensures more eyes on your content.
YouTube usage spikes on weekends, especially Saturday. Align posting schedules accordingly. [Source: Sumo]
Key Factors Influencing Ideal Posting Times
Optimizing your Shorts posting time depends on:
Audience Demographics
Consider age, location, gender, interests – when are they on YouTube?
- Teens are most active after school and evenings
- Working professionals view mid-morning and during commute times
- Analyze your audience reports to identify trends
Content Style & Intent
What‘s your goal and format? Key considerations:
- Informational – Weekday mornings and evenings
- Humorous – Align with breaks, weekends, holidays
- Reviews – Evening "research" hours
- Longer commentary – Late nights and weekends
YouTube sees peak usage in evenings as people relax after work/school. [Source: Sprout Social]
Time Zones
If targeting global viewers, analyze:
- Geographic audience reports
- Local times of peak usage
- Optimal times to reach multiple regions
How To Find Your Best YouTube Shorts Posting Times
With so many variables, how can you identify ideal posting times for your channel?
Consult Analytics Reports
Examine traffic source and audience reports in YouTube Studio analytics. Compare upload times against performance metrics like views and comments to spot correlations.
Run A/B Testing
Conduct split tests posting identical Shorts at different days/times. See which perform best.
Evaluate Previous Uploads
Review historical shorts – when did they get most views? Which times spark the highest engagement?
By combining analytics data, experimentation, and past observations, determine times that work for your audience and goals.
Recommended Overall Best Times By Day
While your analytics should drive your schedule, here are historically top performing YouTube Shorts posting times by day as an informed starting point:
Mondays
- Early Morning (pre-8 AM)
- Noon Hour (11 AM – 1 PM)
- Evening (8 PM – 10 PM)
Tuesdays & Wednesdays
- Late Morning (10 AM – 12 PM)
- After-Work Hours (5 PM – 8 PM)
- Late Night (9 PM – 11 PM)
Thursdays & Fridays
- Morning (8 AM – 11 AM)
- Afternoon (1 PM – 4 PM)
- Evening (7 PM – midnight)
Saturday & Sunday
- Morning (9 AM – 11 AM)
- Afternoon (2 PM – 6 PM)
- Evening (8 PM – 1 AM)
Tailor these to your viewers based on analytics. Morning communicative shorts and evening humorous shorts tend to resonate best.
Additional Tips For Maximizing Views
Beyond timing, boost viewership by:
- Scheduling shorts in YouTube Studio to automatically post during peak times
- Running branded collaborations through influencer platforms
- Re-evaluating performance monthly and adjusting approach
The Key Is Customizing To Your Audience
While broad YouTube usage trends exist, optimizing your Shorts posting schedule is a customized effort based on your viewers and channel objectives.
Use analytics tools to identify your audience‘s unique habits. Experiment with timing and analyze performance. Adapt your approach over time as your viewership grows.
Views can vary exponentially just by posting during peak activity periods. Take advantage of the data available to inform your timing – it often makes the difference between average and explosive viewership.
What questions do you still have on YouTube Shorts posting times? Ask below!
