When is the best time to release a podcast? My answer is on the clock…

I release my podcast episodes when they’re ready to be released. So, when I stream at 8 a.m. on a Tuesday and I get everything done (trim countdown mostly) by 11 a.m. I will publish the video podcast version at that time. Other weeks I will stream on a different day and a different time but I still follow that same process. So in short, my answer to when is the best time to release a podcast is when the episode is done.

Of course, there are plenty of people who will not agree with that strategy, and they need a specific time. How can anything be done in content without specificity after all (Read: Sarcasm). And the industry wisdom as a whole tells us that Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, especially in the morning are the best times to release a podcast.

And maybe there’s some truth to that but that’s also the best times to send emails. So now everybody is sending emails on those days and everybody is releasing their podcast episodes on those days. Who has the time to read all those emails AND listen to all those podcasts? So, on those days, my podcast feed is just going crazy with new episodes. On the weekends there isn’t much except basically the “The Intuitive Customer Podcast.”

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Choosing podcast release times

So here’s how I think of finding the best time to release a podcast:

If you livestream

If you have a podcast that is live-streamed, just release it as soon as possible after the stream. You might as well. It’s not like it hasn’t been publicized on your live-stream channels. Don’t make the podcast channel audience. Wait for no reason.

Podcast channels only

if you do publish a weekly episode on podcast channels – the traditional Apple, Spotify, etc. – there is a potential advantage to getting people accustomed to a schedule.

I would not recommend publishing on the days when everybody else publishes. It’s getting a bit crowded. And when I publish on the weekend, for example, I do see a spike in listenership on those platforms.

And also, let’s be realistic, most people don’t set a reminder that anyone’s podcast publishes at a certain time. They see hear it when they see it. Sorry, I know it hurts to hear.

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Test, test, test

At the end of the day, test and see what works for you. Also, keep in mind that many people listen to podcasts later and even find them through discovery or even search a time after initial publication. So, the publication time matters less and less, in my opinion, but my recommendation would be to:

• publish when an episode is ready

OR

• publish when not everyone is publishing (so definitely not those early mornings on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)

Frequency does matter

I release episodes every week – sometimes multiple per week. And once you haven’t published an episode in 90 days, the show could be considered inactive. So, get on a schedule – one that works for you out of the gate. And then adjust it.

I’ve seen plenty of podcasts stop publishing because they were so hung up on recording at 10 am. Mondays and then publishing on Fridays that things fall apart when guests aren’t always available at that exact time.

That’s why I use Calendly to offer a range of times available.

Create good content for your defined target audience and create stuff that has the chance to make a difference. The exact release schedule matters way less than that.

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