When deciding the best day and time to release a podcast, it's important to consider the format, genre, and audience expectations.
Different types of shows cater to different listener habits, and adjusting your release schedule can help optimize engagement.
While opinions vary widely across the industry, we've gathered some basic best-practice guidance. Check out the conventional wisdom, along with some popular examples:
Entertainment and Comedy Podcasts
Best Day: Mid-to-late week works best for these genres. For example, Wednesday is often seen as a “hump day” when listeners want light content to break up the week. Friday is also popular as listeners are transitioning into weekend mode.
Best Time: Early morning remains optimal, but later in the afternoon can also work as people unwind from work.
Examples: Comedy Bang! Bang! releases episodes on Mondays to offer a humorous start to the week. However, The Joe Rogan Experience often releases multiple episodes per week, leaning on audience consistency more than specific days.
News and Politics Podcasts
Best Day: Release on the same day as the news occurs or right after significant events.
Best Time: Early morning (5-6 AM) is ideal for news podcasts, as listeners want to stay informed as they start their day.
Examples: Pod Save America often releases episodes when there's breaking news rather than sticking to a specific day. Similarly, news-focused podcasts like The Daily or Up First release early in the morning to catch the daily commute and capitalize on the news cycle.
Educational or Self-Improvement Podcasts
Best Day: Mondays and Tuesdays are generally the best for these shows. Many people like to start their week with content that motivates or helps them plan their goals.
Best Time: Early morning releases (5-6 AM) catch people during their commute or morning routine, allowing them to integrate self-improvement content into their day.
Examples: The Tim Ferriss Show and Huberman Lab release at the beginning of the week, giving listeners something actionable and informative as they set goals.
Fiction and Narrative Podcasts
Best Day: Typically, these shows follow a seasonal release pattern (like Netflix’s drop-all-at-once model), making the day of release less crucial. However, releasing towards the weekend works well if episodes are standalone.
Best Time: Releasing on a Friday at 5 AM allows listeners to download and listen at their leisure over the weekend.
Examples: Welcome to Night Vale and Limetown are popular narrative podcasts that have experimented with different release strategies, sometimes dropping full seasons at once.
Health, Wellness, and Lifestyle Podcasts
Best Day: Monday is often preferred for wellness-related content. People like to start their week by focusing on health and personal improvement.
Best Time: Releasing in the early morning (5 AM) works best, especially for listeners who might include wellness practices as part of their morning routine.
Examples: The Mindful Kind and The Happiness Lab align their releases early in the week, tapping into listeners’ desire for mindfulness and well-being tips as they reset after the weekend.
True Crime and Mystery Podcasts
Best Day: Wednesdays and Thursdays are often the best for these genres. By midweek, listeners may be looking for something to keep them entertained or intrigued during their commutes or evening downtime.
Best Time: While early mornings work well, releasing later in the afternoon or evening can build suspense for late-night listening, which some audiences might prefer for the mood-setting aspect.
Examples: Crime Junkie and My Favorite Murder have adopted midweek release schedules to great success. Their episodes often coincide with listeners seeking distraction and entertainment.
Sports and Event-Based Podcasts
Best Day: If your podcast follows a sports league or season, the day after the major event is often the best time to release episodes.
Best Time: Releasing late in the evening or early the following morning ensures you capture listeners when they’re eager to hear commentary and analysis post-game.
Examples: New Heights (with Travis and Jason Kelce) releases on Wednesdays to capture post-NFL game analysis, while Pardon My Take releases frequently to stay aligned with major sports news.
Music and Cultural Commentary Podcasts
Best Day: Fridays are ideal for music-related podcasts, coinciding with new music releases and entertainment events.
Best Time: Early morning works best to capitalize on listeners tuning in for their weekend playlists and cultural commentary.
Examples: Song Exploder and Dissect often release episodes on Fridays to match the excitement of new music and culture entering the public sphere.
Religious or Spiritual Podcasts
Best Day: Weekends, particularly Sunday, can be a good day for spiritual content, especially if people are incorporating it into their religious observances.
Best Time: Morning releases can coincide with Sunday worship activities or other spiritual practices like meditation.
Examples: Joel Osteen Podcast releases episodes on Sundays to align with typical church service times, providing additional spiritual content for believers.
Choosing the best day and time to release your podcast depends largely on the habits of your target audience and the type of content you offer.
Across all genres, early morning releases (5-6 AM) are generally preferred to capture listeners during their commutes, with midweek days (Tuesday-Thursday) performing well for many types of podcasts.
Aligning your schedule with your specific genre, as well as maintaining consistency, is the most effective strategy for building and retaining a loyal audience.
