What the 2026 data says
For long-form YouTube videos, mornings from 8 to 11 a.m. are the strongest band in Buffer's data, and Sunday 10 a.m. is the single best slot. Wednesday and Thursday are the weakest days.
| Finding | |
|---|---|
| Top slots (Buffer 2026) | Sunday 10 a.m., Sunday 9 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. |
| Best days | Sunday, Tuesday, Monday |
| Weakest days | Wednesday, Thursday |
How to find your own best time
- Start with two or three of the slots above, in your audience's time zone.
- Post at each for two to three weeks with similar content.
- Compare reach or views after 48 hours in your analytics, and keep the winner.
Your analytics also show when your followers are online: Instagram Insights (Most active times), TikTok Studio (Followers tab) and YouTube Studio (When your viewers are on YouTube). Those beat any average.
Sources: Buffer: Best time to post on YouTube (1.8M videos, 2026). Checked November 13, 2026.