These days, everyone feels like they can make a living as a YouTuber, since all you need to do is post a couple of videos a week and wait for the money to come rolling in… right?
Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple. Making money through YouTube is hard work, and one of the factors that will determine your level of success is your YouTube upload schedule, so does that mean you should be posting on YouTube everyday?
Generally speaking, you don’t need to upload to post daily, but your YouTube posting schedule should be regular. At least try to upload one new video either on a weekly or monthly basis. That way, your viewers know when to expect content.
If you’re an aspiring YouTuber or you just want to post videos for personal benefit or friends and family, then it’s good to know how often to upload your content.
Many people who start out on the video sharing platform at one point or another ask themselves: ‘how many videos should I upload a week?’ or ‘how often should I post on YouTube’, and these questions need answering if you are to develop consistency.
Create a Posting Schedule
If you are one of those people who has uttered the sentence ‘how many videos can I upload to YouTube in a day?’ then we know how you feel.
Scouring the YouTube landscape, sometimes it can seem as if just about everyone is posting more regularly than you. It seems as if even young children are executing content strategies on the platform that put you to shame.
Don’t worry, though, one of the first things you need to internalize when it comes to YouTube is that focussing on the perceived competition is only going to lead to heartache and frustration. This also happens to a great life lesson, too, especially in a world in which everyone looks like they’re living a dream life through their social media posts.
Ok, so now it’s just you and nobody else, what next?
Well, you need to develop a posting schedule. Without one, your uploads will feel haphazard at best, and downright random at worst.
A posting schedule needn’t be complex, it’s just a way of simplifying the upload process so you don’t have to think about it anymore. If you watch YouTube yourself, you’ll notice that most of the top-rated YouTubers will have a large banner on their channel page that says something to the effect of ‘new video every Tuesday’.
Why is this effective?
Because the viewing audience knows exactly when you are going to release a new video. That means you can build anticipation for the new video, and that your viewers are likely to set aside time to watch it when it is released.
Examples
The most important thing to bear in mind when you create an upload schedule is that you can feasibly stick to it.
In the beginning, don’t overestimate how fast you can produce content. The last thing you want to do is overpromise and underdeliver, as this is a surefire way to scare off viewers.
To give you an idea of what your posting schedule might look like, here are some examples:
Weekly
Monday: Gameplay video (5pm)
Wednesday: Gameplay video (5pm)
Friday: Live gameplay stream (8pm)
Monthly
Saturday: Live music stream (2pm)
Sunday: Live music stream (2pm)
Daily
Monday: Vlog (9am)
Tuesday: Vlog (9am)
Wednesday: Vlog (9am)
Thursday: Vlog (9am)
Friday: Vlog (9am)
As you can see, there are many ways of putting out your content whether you want to stick to a daily, weekly, or monthly upload schedule.
The key though is consistency. If you put out videos on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of your gameplay footage, then it’s a good idea to post them at the same time. Just like with their favorite TV shows, people like to know when to expect content without having to constantly check in with the YouTuber.
Consider Your Audience
Another important factor to bear in mind when creating an upload schedule for YouTube is who your audience is.
If you’re just starting out, it’s reasonable to assume that you won’t have a large audience, which is fine. In this case, you can make an educated guess at what the average viewer of your videos will look like.
If your videos are all gameplay footage for example it’s a safe bet that you will draw in a large percentage of young male viewers, whereas if your videos are makeup tutorials it will more likely be a female-dominated audience.
Use this information to your advantage. If you have to, picture a member of your audience in your mind – to make this easier, it could be a friend of yours that would enjoy the kind of content you create. Now, imagine what their day looks like, and particularly when they would be looking to unwind and watch YouTube videos.
Do they have spare time in the morning to watch a video as some light entertainment before work?
Do they come home over a day at school around 3pm looking for new posts on YouTube to unwind with?
Do they work a long day and arrive home at 5pm or later, and won’t be able to watch videos until later in the evening?
The answers to these questions will help you figure out if it’s better to post on weekdays or weekends, and approximately what times are best for uploads.
Type of Videos
Arguably the last important factor to consider when coming out with a YouTube upload schedule is what type of videos you are going to put out.
Vlogs
If you want to be one of the many YouTubers who talks into a camera on a regular basis and makes a living from it, then you have several options.
One option is the high-qualiy, meticulously edited vlog which you might only be able to put out once a week, and the other main option is daily vlogging.
Either way, as a vlogger, you need to tell your audience exactly when your videos will be coming out to keep them interested.
Live Streams
Live streams can have a more flexible schedule, especially if they are something you do as a special event from time time.
However, it is still a good idea to let your audience know when these would usually happen, for example on Sundays at the end of the month.
Gameplay Videos
Gameplay videos are like vlogs, in that some are highly edited and take longer to produce, while others have minimal editing and can be put out daily.
If you do ‘let’s play’ style gameplay, it’s a good idea to post every day since viewers can lose interest quite quickly. If you do game reviews, then try to do them as soon as possible after the game is released for the most views.
Frequently Asked Questions About Posting on YouTube
How frequently should I post on YouTube?
This is a tough question to answer definitely, due to the fact that it will depend on the type of content you create and your goals for YouTube.
However, as a rule of thumb the answer to the question ‘how often should I upload to YouTube’ is: you should post consistently.
That means whether it’s once every Monday or every month, stick to the same time and day if possible.
How much money does 1 million YouTube views make?
If you’re lucky or good enough to hit a million views on YouTube, you can expect earnings of around $3,400 to $40,000.
The number will vary dramatically, based on several factors.
Most of the money generated will be through ads on your videos.
How long does it take to get 100 subscribers on YouTube?
Reports suggest that an average of 2-3 months is how long it takes to get 100 subscribers.
This may sound like a lot time, and this is why you need patience to succeed as a YouTuber.
Pewdiepie and Markiplier didn’t become popular overnight, they grew their audiences over time with consistency.
A Final Word From Run Gun Shoot
It’s hard to say exactly how often you should post, but one thing is universally agreed upon: you need to be consistent.
It’s no good posting on Tuesday one week at 3pm and Monday the following week at 1pm. Stick to a regular schedule in the beginning, and go from there.