Short-form video content is all the rage nowadays. This is evident in the success of YouTube Shorts. Within two years of its launch in June 2021, YouTube Shorts reached two billion monthly users.
However, the success of the feature also raises new questions for creators. How do they create the most engaging content? What’s the best time to post YouTube Shorts to maximize engagement?
In this blog post, we will answer the second question, talking in depth about the best times to post YouTube Shorts and how you can determine the specific time for your channel.
What is the Best Time to Post YouTube Shorts?
While there is no single best time to post YouTube Shorts, the optimal posting time varies based on multiple factors. These include your target audience, time zones, industry, content type, and more.
When you post content on YouTube, it takes some time to index your video, understand it, and process it before it appears on people’s screens. Therefore, if your best posting time is between 2-4 pm, you have to post it between 10-12 pm.
Now that you understand this let’s quickly check out the best times to post YouTube Shorts.
By Days of the Week
The best days to post are Monday and Tuesday, as a lot of people look for new content to consume. Weekends, on the other hand, can be a hit-and-miss as some people may have other plans while others use it to scroll social media. This ultimately depends on your target audience.
As per various statistics, here’s the best time to post on specific days:
| Day | Time |
| Monday | 7 to 8 am, 2 to 4 pm |
| Tuesday | 7 to 11 am, 2 to 4 pm |
| Wednesday | 2 to 4 pm |
| Thursday | 2 to 4 pm, 7 to 11 pm |
| Friday | 2 to 4 pm, 9 to 11 pm |
| Saturday | 9 to 11 am, 10 to 12 am |
| Sunday | 9 to 11 am, 10 to 12 am |
One thing you should remember is that this is the average best time to post YouTube Shorts. Your best time will depend on your location, target audience, content type, and other factors, including your YouTube analytics.
If you’re a new channel with not enough data, it is best to use the times suggested here. However, if you have a fair amount of data available, it is best to use it to find your personal best time.
By Country
The best posting time also varies according to the country you live in. This is because the behavior and habits of people differ based on culture and social factors. For example, in Japan and Colombia, most people are early risers, which means their peak hours are earlier (preferably mornings).
In comparison, people in Spain and Russia are late risers, so their peak hours are also later. So, posting in the afternoons may result in higher engagement. Therefore, it is crucial to test different times and check what works best for your channel.
By Industry
Depending on which industry you’re making content for, your best time can vary. As a general rule, if you are making content related to food, posting Shorts between 11 to 12 pm and 5 to 6 pm may be best, as this is the time for people to indulge in their food choices.
Similarly, if you’re making content for entertainment purposes, consider posting around relaxation periods such as lunch hours, late night, and early morning. So, your times can be 12 to 1 pm and 9 to 10 pm.
If you publish educational content, consider posting between 3 to 4 pm and timings that do not clash with school or college hours. For travel content, the best times are 10 am to 12 pm and 9 to 11 pm. These are often the times when people prepare for their next trips.
How Do You Determine the Best Time to Post YouTube Shorts?
Now that you know the average best times to post YouTube Shorts, let us move on to how to determine your best time for posting. As mentioned before, there are several factors you should check, including your YouTube report. Let us understand.
Your Target Audience
The first and most important factor you should check is your target audience and their demographics. Is your audience made up of working professionals? What is their age? What are their preferences? Where do they live?
For example, if they are working professionals, the best time to post would be work days when they’re looking for some relaxation. Use this information and your YouTube Analytics to see when your followers are most active.
Check YouTube Analytics
The second thing to do is to check your YouTube Analytics. It will give you information about your audience’s preferences and active times. To access your Analytics, follow these steps:
- Go to the YouTube Studio tab on the right side of your account.
- Select Analytics on the left-hand side of your channel.
- You’ll be able to see the overview, audience, and research related to your page’s performance.
- The information you’re looking for is available in the Audience tab.
- If your channel has had enough viewer data in the past 28 days, there will be a graph under this section. This graph will include when your audience is most active.
You can use this information to identify your best posting times.
Experiment
As there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, it is crucial to experiment with different times. Therefore, start by posting at different times of the day. Note down the engagement you receive on your Shorts. Start noticing patterns to figure out the times that get the maximum engagement. Keep adjusting your schedule as the pattern changes.
Types of Content
Different types of content have different best posting times. So, informative content works best when posted during peak hours on weekdays. Entertainment content works better when posted in the evening, as this is when your audience looks for lighthearted fun.
How to Stay Consistent With Posting YouTube Shorts?
Consistency is the key to success in everything we do. And it is no different for creating a successful YouTube channel. However, it can be difficult to be consistent, especially when you have multiple best times to post and several other social media accounts to maintain.
This is where Predis.ai can help. Predis is a one-stop solution for managing all your social media requirements. You can schedule your YouTube Shorts using the one-click scheduling option.
And that’s not all! You can plan your campaign for an entire month using the Predis calendar and schedule it at your ease. This way, you do not have to switch between apps constantly and can manage all your requirements in one app.
Final Words
Making your YouTube Shorts successful is no easy task. It requires a lot of effort, time, and resources. However, knowing the best times to post YouTube Shorts can work wonders. It can help develop better engagement, increase visibility, improve ROI, and enhance discoverability.
While there are average best times for posting, it is best to find your personal posting times in the long run. You can do this by using YouTube Analytics and tools like Predis.ai.
Predis.ai can help you schedule your content and ensure you stay consistent with posting. Want to learn more? Create a free account today!
