When is the best time to post on YouTube? How many videos should I upload each week?

New creators tend to ask these questions at the start of their journey, but they're not alone in wanting to 

. Virtually every creator — from those just getting started to seasoned veterans — must reassess their workload at some point. It's a great way to balance viewers' expectations while ensuring you don't burn out on YouTube.

Want to find that sweet spot in your schedule? Here's how to build a content plan based on audience behavior and your own personal goals.

1. Let Your Viewers Choose the Best Dates and Times

Sometimes, the best way to determine what your viewers want is to ask them! Do they prefer to watch videos in the morning, evening, or as soon as they're posted? Would they rather watch your videos once a week or twice a week? Questions like these give you a basic understanding of your viewers' expectations and what a content schedule could look like.

 to learn more about your viewers. You can create a poll (or two) asking viewers to choose the dates and times they want to watch your content. In fact, lifestyle creators 

 have done this multiple times on their channel (shown below).

In the first poll, 92% of viewers said they would rather watch two videos throughout the week instead of two on Friday.

A poll asking viewers which week days they would watch videos

And the second poll indicates that most viewers watch videos at night. So instead of posting at noon or 4 p.m., Josh&Sav could experiment with publishing later in the day.

A YouTube poll asking viewers what time of day they watch videos

If you choose this method, remember that viewers' beliefs and actions don't always align. So while asking them what they 

 do is an excellent first step, try to back up those stories with data.

2. Determine When Your Viewers Are Most Active

Want to know the best time to post on YouTube without second-guessing yourself? Check your audience analytics in the YouTube Studio. In this section of the site, you'll find a graph showing which days and times your viewers are on YouTube.

The Analytics option is below playlists on the navigation bar

The audience tab is between the content and revenue tabs

" section, then analyze the graph to see when your viewers are most active. The bright purple areas show increased activity.

YouTube's "when you viewers are on YouTube" graph

Want to go even deeper? Instead of only knowing when your viewers are online, 

 viewers watch your content. From there, it's easy to click through each day of the week and find the best time to post on YouTube.

3. Explore the 'Average Views Per Viewer' on Your Channel

Creating an upload schedule is tough when you aren't sure how many videos to post throughout the week. But don't worry: This is another piece of data you can pull from the YouTube Studio.

The specific metric you're looking for is 

, or AVPV for short. AVPV represents the number of videos each unique viewer watches on your channel. So if your AVPV is three, that means the average viewer watches three videos on your channel before clicking away.

Why is this important? If you know the number of videos people watch, you can build an upload schedule around that figure. 

So the first step is finding your AVPV with this handy guide

After that, here's what to do as you build your schedule:

 (1 or less): Focus on improving the quality of your content, not posting more videos.

 (2 or higher): Experiment with posting more videos. If the quality of your content goes down, go back to your previous frequency. After all, you don't want your AVPV to drop because your videos aren't as desirable as before.

4. Think About Your Current Schedule and Energy Levels

After you've done all the steps above, the only thing left to do is analyze the data and responses. Should you post one video each week or take things up a notch by posting three or more?

Once you have a number in mind, you can start asking the tough questions:

Can I commit to this schedule without burning out?

How will this new plan affect the quality of my content?

the best YouTube schedule is one you can maintain

. Try to build a realistic plan that sets you up for long-term success!

A woman writing in a journal that has a calendar

Creating an upload schedule leads to consistency, loyalty, and all-around YouTube success. Here’s how to build a content plan for your channel!

No More Scrambling: How to Craft a Foolproof YouTube Upload Schedule

Content creators must determine the best strategies to attract viewers as YouTube continues to dominate social media. Fortunately, 

 to your videos is one of the simplest ways to increase traffic and interaction on your channel. They also improve viewing duration and the likelihood that people will watch your videos all the way through.

A caption is a brief description or summary of any kind of visual. On YouTube, we most commonly associate it with the button on the bottom right side of the video player, labeled “CC.”

Captioning your content is an extra step in the editing or upload process, but it's worth the effort. Here's why!

More than 400 million individuals are deaf or hearing impaired and cannot consume video content without captions or transcripts. Equipping your video with written text helps you reach a broader audience and share your message with a larger number of people.

As mobile devices become more popular for media consumption, the number of people watching YouTube while in transit or in public will grow. We know they aren’t turning on the speakers!

Online viewers have grown accustomed to closed captions, and for good reason. In a national research study conducted with Oregon State University, it was reported that 

 as a learning aid by improving comprehension.

But do videos with captions really do better on YouTube? What’s in it for creators? According to Meta, captioned videos (ads specifically) 

increase viewing time by an average of 12%

. But even if you aren't making ads, providing captions on 

Even a 30-second YouTube Short can feel more informational than a standard video just by adding captions!

A YouTube video with captions makes it easier for users to search for information within a piece of content. They can quickly find where particular things were stated, and timestamps indicate where they may find related information in the video.

Search engine algorithms may utilize your transcriptions to locate keywords and search terms in the video, so that's another reason to caption your content. Over time, this practice can improve your SEO and make your video rank higher on YouTube.

Plus, according to one study by Discovery Digital Networks, captioned videos had a

 in views in the first two weeks after being published. The numbers say it all: Captions do get you more views on YouTube!

By adding captions to your videos, you’re also opening the door to subtitles. With the help of subtitles, you can translate your content into various languages and attract more viewers. As stated in the beginning, this is where the bigger pool of audience is, and it only makes sense to make your channel inclusive towards all.

Content creators use recorded video or audio to generate clips, reels, and montages across other platforms, which improves discoverability. And adding captions can make that much easier.

While YouTube does provide its own tool to create and add real-time captions, the result is usually riddled with errors. The same issue also exists in the case of the live captioning feature. But this issue can be resolved very easily with a few hours of manual editing.

Alternatively, you can use third-party software like 

, which takes care of the accuracy issues. You will receive the subtitles in a popular format, like .SRT, and can simply attach it to your YouTube video.

Here's how to add captions to your videos:

1. Sign in to your YouTube account and navigate to YouTube Studio.

The YouTube studio option appears when you click your profile picture

The subtitles option is on the left navigation bar of the studio

5. On the next screen, edit YouTube's automatic captions or type in captions of your own by clicking inside any line of the track panel. Click 

You can also add captions as you're uploading a video; simply go through all the steps until you get to the captions screen.

Subtitles let you translate dialogue spoken in a different language or provide an alternative text for viewers. Captions, on the other hand, are primarily used to display the spoken dialogue and other sounds in a video, including sound effects and music cues.

To add subtitles to your YouTube video, you can use the built-in subtitle editor or upload pre-made subtitle files using a service like Rev. 

Here's how to use the built-in editor on YouTube: 

After clicking your profile picture, YouTube studio option is the second menu option

Subtitles is below Comments on the left navigation bar

The add language button is near the bottom left

From there, you can create subtitles by choosing from several languages, such as Arabic, German, or French.

If you have pre-made subtitle files, you can attach them to your video as you're uploading it. Simply go through all the steps, then click 

 when YouTube asks if you want to add subtitles/captions.

Select upload a file to add pre-made captions

Captions vs Subtitles: What Should You Use?

Depending on your audience, you might need both. Captions are helpful for all viewers on YouTube, but subtitles are essential and useful when you have a multicultural audience. For example, if you have both English-speaking and Mandarin-speaking viewers, you might consider subtitles for those languages so all viewers can understand your content.

So, there you have it. Use this information on YouTube captions to skyrocket your views today!

Did you know that adding captions might bring you more views? Read on to learn more advantages of using YouTube captions.

4 Reasons to Start Adding YouTube Captions to Your Videos

One of the biggest traps we see small YouTubers fall into is making the same mistakes over and over again. These can be tiny missteps, like forgetting to write video descriptions, or bigger problems, like not 

. In either case, mistakes pile up until they snowball into one big problem.

The good news is that these mistakes are temporary. You can fix what’s broken within your content, but the first step is understanding what you’re doing wrong.

If you aren’t sure what that is, don’t stress about it. You can start here by learning the most common YouTube mistakes, plus how to correct them.

1. Asking YouTube Shorts Viewers to Watch Long-Form Videos

Promoting a long-form video within a YouTube Short doesn’t 

 like a bad idea, but it kind of is! Most people look for quick bursts of entertainment when they watch short videos — not lengthy, slow-burning plots.

In fact, viewers are in a different mode altogether when watching Shorts. They’re swiping from one video to the next, and pulling them away from this task is not easy.

Not respecting the audience you’re making content for

Instead of guiding them to a different content type, focus on the Short at hand. Here are some tips for creating a superb viewing experience:

Make a Short that’s 20-30 seconds long (or use a clip from one of your longer videos.)

Communicate one point or overall theme. Maybe you can share an interesting fact or make viewers laugh!

 alongside your shorter ones to a broader audience.

How to Get More YouTube Shorts Views on Your Channel

2. Making Your Thumbnail Text Hard to Read

Do you add text to your YouTube thumbnails? If so, go to your channel homepage and browse the video section. Row by row, look at each thumbnail, and ask yourself a crucial question: Can I read the words easily, or does it take a few seconds? 

Because uploading a thumbnail with confusing text is a major YouTube mistake!

Here’s an example of what you want to avoid. The thumbnail below (from gaming channel  

) is readable, but only after you stare at it for a while.

A youtube thumbnail with skinny, hard to read text

 for this same channel. Lil_P66 has switched to a thicker, simpler font. It’s much easier on the eyes!

An improved youtube thumbnail with bold readable text

Instead of using fancy fonts, keep these tips in mind:

Stick to sans-serif fonts, and make your text big and bold.

Choose colors that create a nice contrast between the thumbnail text and the photo's background.

Never use red text (it’s hard to read).

YouTube Thumbnail Guide - 9 Ways to Boost Click-Through Rate

Another common mistake YouTubers make is not paying attention to video lighting. After all, a well-light environment doesn’t just 

 cool. It’s essential for helping viewers see every detail and understand what’s happening visually.

 has a video with blue and purple lighting (it looks pretty cool, actually), but their face blends right into the colors. Plus, the room is pretty dim altogether.

To be fair, John has videos where you can clearly see the subject in the frame. But it’s something to watch out for if you want to keep viewers' attention every single time.

Video editing and production are complex skills, so correcting this mistake doesn’t happen overnight. Don’t hesitate to give it a shot, though. Plenty of courses will show you how to light videos properly, and you’ll feel relieved to have mastered that skill.

4. Making YouTube Videos that Anyone Could Copy

Posting unique videos is one is the best ways to stand out on YouTube. It gives you a fighting chance to catch people off guard and hook them with a concept they never saw coming.

. And this goes beyond taking inspiration from other creators. If you’re using a video idea that’s 10 years old with millions of people repeating it each day, what makes you different from them? What will viewers find in your video that they haven’t found in all the others?

Let’s play videos are a good example of severely overdone content in the gaming community. This is where someone does a walkthrough of a video game they’re playing while sprinkling in some commentary here and there. 

 is doing this (because it’s easy and repeatable), yet only large creators seem to find success with it. Small gaming channels, such as 

, have a hard time getting discovered with this strategy.

A small gaming creator has 88 subscribers

Here’s what you can do instead as a gaming creator:

Start researching other topics that interest viewers in your gaming niche.

Show them secrets in the game. Bring them along for challenges. Look for trends that will surprise and delight them.

 kind of content serves a specific viewer and stops you from competing with large, established creators.

11 Killer Tips for Starting a YouTube Gaming Channel

Everyone makes mistakes, especially video creators. There’s nothing easy about 

 in a visual format, attracting people through titles and thumbnails, and keeping it up until your channel grows. It’s hard work! You’re bound to make mistakes, but you’re also bound to get better if you learn from the blunders.

Would you rather learn about YouTube mistakes by watching a video? If so, here’s a nice guide for you!

Are you making huge mistakes on YouTube without even knowing it? Here are 4 of the most common ones to watch out for.

4 Common YouTube Mistakes (and How to Fix Them for Good)

By now, you probably know that a small percentage of people post YouTube comments. It only happens when a video is insightful, inspiring, or polarizing in a way that riles people up. In other words, comments aren't easy to attract.

That's why you should treat each one like 

. Whether you're getting 10, 50, or 500, it means you have some engaged viewers on your channel. Many of them will become the heart of your community, and if you want them to stick around, you have to show them attention.


All it takes is a few responses here and there. Here are six rules for thriving in the comment section!

t is shortly after it's posted. By doing this, you prove to viewers that their thoughts and concerns are a priority for you, which unlocks their hard-won allegiance!

But what if you're getting hundreds of comments on average? No matter how social you are, the thought of replying to each person can be daunting.

Set realistic expectations for you and your audience

. For instance, how many comments can you address before feeling overwhelmed? Whatever that number is, use it to set a healthy benchmark. Tell viewers you'll respond to the first 25, 50, or 100 comments you see after hitting publish.

2. Thank Viewers for Their Positive Feedback

A little recognition goes a long way, especially when you want to make viewers feel special. So when you see those "golden" comments, such as "awesome video" or "this is really inspiring," send a quick note expressing your gratitude.

These messages don't have to be long and flowery, either; a simple "thank you" works in many cases. We spotted a nice example from gaming creator 

, where they used a brief response to acknowledge a viewer.

A YouTube comment and a response from the video creator, which reads, "Thank you!"

No matter how positive you are, you're bound to have critics on YouTube. If someone is critiquing anything about your video, such as the lighting, intro, topic, or something else, take it as a learning lesson. Can you 

 and content structure? Could the lighting 

If so, let viewers know that you understand and will think about making improvements. After all, you're there to create content for an audience, and they should be able to weigh in from time to time.

Or you could take the comedic route. In the example below, creators 

 respond to criticism with a lighthearted response and a string of laughing emojis.

A YouTube comment and a comedic reply from the video creator

, which are messages prepared ahead of time to make the process of replying much easier. It saves time when you have a large audience, but there are better ways to engage with viewers.

Building a community takes empathy, trust, and some level of personalization. So when you craft your responses, be conversational and down-to-Earth. Make viewers feel comfortable in the comment section, and they'll keep coming back!

 response to a viewer who got scammed by a business coach. Camille gets personal, says she has also been scammed, and adds, "Sorry about your wife being victimized." It's empathetic, emotional, and a moment that likely bonded Camille and her viewers together.

A video creator responds to a YouTube comment with empathy and understanding

When it comes to fighting with trolls, you just can't win. They never show their face on YouTube, so you have no idea who they are or what they represent. Even if you manage to shut down one troll, another one pops up like a pesky garden weed. 

Unfortunately, that old, common phrase is still accurate: The internet is undefeated.

 (or any viewer, for that matter). Spend your energy on people who matter, such as viewers that offer support and healthy critique.

, especially if you have a small channel. But how much promotion is too much?

Let's just say that if every video has a "salesy" comment from you, it's time to pull back. Try to align your requests with normal YouTube behavior, such as asking questions or challenging viewers to get a specific number of likes before releasing the next video. You're simply asking for engagement, which is much safer than asking for sign-ups, money, or downloads every time.

Want to win over your comment section? Imagine that each conversation is happening in person. Be light and conversational, avoid pointless fights, and show appreciation when someone compliments you. Most people will follow your lead in having healthy, positive dialogue.

Want to take your community-building to the next level? 

Here's how to properly engage on the YouTube Community tab

A woman tapping her smartphone screen while smiling.

Replying to comments on YouTube is the key to growing an active, engaged audience. Want to do it the right way? Here are six golden tips!

6 Golden Rules for Responding to YouTube Comments

Does YouTube promote new channels, or does it only give credence to large, established ones?

Small creators always ask this question — and for a good reason. If you’re in those numbers, you’ll be happy to know that YouTube does, in fact, promote small channels! It may happen through titles and keywords instead of video recommendations at first, 

Regardless, don’t let YouTube do all the work. There are good ways to promote your YouTube channel, from optimizing your videos to collaborating with others to networking through YouTube comments.

The Best Ways to Promote a Small YouTube Channel

Are you ready to start promoting yourself on YouTube? At a minimum, you should have two things covered already:

Understanding your YouTube niche/audience

Knowing the YouTube keywords you want to target

If you’re good in both of these areas, here’s how to promote your YouTube channel for free!

1. Write a Good Description for Your Channel

One of the easiest ways to promote your channel is by simply describing it. Explain your YouTube niche, the type of videos you make, and most importantly, what viewers gain by subscribing. It also helps to sprinkle in some keywords so your channel ranks higher on YouTube search pages.

, for example. This theme park channel has keywords like “Universal Studios” and “Florida” in its channel description. Plus, they accurately describe the channel’s purpose.

YouTube keywords are highlighted within a channel description

When we type “Universal Studios Florida” into the search bar and filter by channel, Rix Flix is near the top! That’s YouTube promotion at its finest.

A channel shows up high in YouTube search for the keyword "universal studios Florida"

If you want people to pay attention to your channel, 

 they can’t ignore. Typically, the best titles appeal to our strongest emotions, like fear, desire, and curiosity.

Fear: “The Dark Side of the Stock Market (Protect Your Money Now)”

Desire: “What You’re Doing Wrong in the Dating Scene”

Curiosity: “How Getting Rejected by Harvard Changed my Life”

Emotional intrigue is the first thing to tackle when writing titles. After that, try adding relevant keywords near the front of your phrase. That helps 

 understand your content and promote it to the right audience!

Just like your channel needs a description, so does every YouTube video. The better you describe your content to viewers (and the algorithm), the more likely you are to get clicks, views, and watch time.

But writing a good description is an art form. You definitely want to use the right keywords and make your content sound intriguing. But beyond that, you want to get the length right — not too many words and not too few.

As a general rule, put your best keywords and descriptors in the first 100 characters, so viewers get the best information upfront.

Plus, here’s a complete guide for writing video descriptions

YouTube hashtags help people discover your videos, which leads to more people noticing your content over time. It’s an underrated way to get more views, and it definitely works when you target the right topics.

So, how does it all come together? When viewers click a hashtag, they go to the official 

 has dozens of nursery rhyme videos for young children.

A collection of videos on the #babysongs hashtag page

Getting featured on a hashtag page offers 

 exposure, especially if your content surfaces near the top. All you have to do is add relevant hashtags to your title and description!

The power of thumbnails can’t be overstated on YouTube. The more intriguing they are, the more people want to click on them out of sheer curiosity.

Here are some best practices for thumbnails:

Use images related to the video’s topic.

Create a design that’s simple and easy to understand.

Create harmony between the thumbnail and video title.

Promoting your YouTube channel is the fastest way to reach more viewers and gain thousands of subscribers. Here’s a complete guide for small creators!

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