What Is The Best Day To Release A Podcast?

Does it matter what day you publish a podcast episode? In short – YES! However, it’s not as simple as us just telling you that Monday at 6 am is the best time slot. Just like every other aspect of launching a podcast, research, planning, and understanding your audience are essential.

Work out your ideal podcast release day and stick with it. Consistency is highly valued in podcasting and will help build your listeners' loyalty and trust. 

Once you’ve cracked your unique schedule and found the best day to release a podcast episode, you’ll start to see a significant boost to downloads, visibility, and audience engagement.

So, want to learn more? Read on! We’ll explore when to release a podcast episode, how often, and why it matters.

Understanding Your Audience

The first step is to get to know your listeners! 

Does your podcast speak to morning commuters, gym goers, or yummy mummies with weekday downtime? Listener habits differ drastically by audience type. 

For example, a business podcast will be tapping into the commuters, listening between 6 AM and 8 AM or 5 PM and 8 PM. Lifestyle podcasts will be different.

All of this plays a significant role in working out the day and time to publish your podcast episodes. Understanding your audience can go even deeper. Answer the following questions to get a fuller picture of your target demographic:

• Outline your target audience’s day-to-day activities. Where does your podcast fit in?
• When do your listeners wake up and go to sleep?
• Have you made a promise to your audience about when the next episode will drop?
• Research into other podcasts your listeners might be following. What’s their podcast release schedule?

Once you have a solid understanding of who your listener is, then you can start to work out what day and time works best.

What is the Best Day to Release a Podcast?

Research from Megaphone shows clearly that weekday podcast releases are the preferred option for podcasters:

Wednesdays are the most popular day to release a podcast episode, while Thursdays have the most total downloads. That being said, any mid-week day is a solid publishing day for podcasts as listeners are tuning in throughout Monday-Friday.

Weekends are a bit of a strange one though…

While you may have listeners that still want to hear your episodes over the weekend, the general population works 9-5 with Saturday and Sunday as their days to get out with the kids, visit friends or family, or crack on with that ever-growing to-do list.

Ideally, you want your podcast to land just in time for when your listener is opening up their listening platform to choose what to listen to next. So, what about the time of publish?

What is the Best Time to Release a Podcast?

Megaphone’s graph, shown above, also shows us that the overnight release of podcasts is the most popular time to publish. To be specific, 2 AM is the most popular time to release a podcast.

But wait, aren’t people sleeping then?! 

We certainly hope people are sleeping. However, publishing your podcast episodes in the early hours of the week means they will appear at the top of the newest and latest lists when your listeners wake up and start their day.

There are two time slots to be avoided when scheduling your podcast: 11 PM to 1 AM (aka “the midnight drought”) and 8 AM. 

Remember, who is your target audience? What is their day-to-day schedule like? Going back to our business podcast example, you’re going to want to be in that early morning time slot. This way, your episode will be ready and waiting for your busy entrepreneurs and hustlers!

Top Tier Podcast Drops

It might seem logical to release your podcast on a Tuesday or Wednesday. After all, those are statistically strong days for engagement. 

But keep in mind that many big-name shows also drop on those days, which can make it harder for smaller or emerging podcasts to stand out. 

Consider releasing on slightly quieter days like Monday or Friday, where you have more room to breathe in the charts!

Set Up A Podcast Publishing Schedule

Now we have a rough understanding of what is working on average, it’s time to decide on your schedule. 

Using the data we’ve uncovered above, statistically the best day to release podcast episodes is Wednesday, and the best time to publish a podcast is 2 AM. Let’s use this as an example release goal and work backwards to set your entire podcast schedule.

Here is an example of how your entire weekly podcast schedule could look:

Running a consistent and well-organized podcast is time-consuming. Have you considered outsourcing some of this work to free up your time? 

This is where we can help you out.

Using professionals to edit your podcast is one of the best ways to use your time wisely! We’ll be able to turn your podcast episodes around in no time, and to a professional standard, giving you peace of mind and your weekends to enjoy!

How Often Should You Post A Podcast

Similar to determining the best day to publish a podcast episode, the frequency of release is a personal choice and takes thought.

The most important thing to highlight here is to remain consistent in what you do. 

There are pros and cons to everything in life, including how you set up your podcast schedule. Let’s look into this a little more.

How much time per week can you give to your podcast?

This is the main question to ask yourself here.

If you can commit to making this your main priority, then releasing a weekly podcast episode is a great option. Weekly shows build listener loyalty and audience engagement, and they start to move into making money with higher download rates.

A weekly podcast release schedule is a commitment. And it requires a team. Trying to do everything yourself is not a smart move here, and you will start to miss deadlines. We’re going to say it again – consider onboarding podcast production experts to speed up the process and get professional results.

Bi-weekly podcasts are a good choice for casual podcasters who have other things going on in their lives. This is a good place to start when starting a new podcast.

Where To Upload A Podcast Episode

The next step is to work out where to post your podcast. To upload a podcast, you need a podcast hosting platform. 

Hosting is where you store and distribute your episodes to various podcast networks. Once uploaded to your hosting site, you’ll be provided with an RSS feed (Really Simple Syndication). You'll use this to then submit to podcast directories like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

If you are aiming to post weekly, double-check that your host allows the number of uploads. Saspod hosting allows you to upload an unlimited number of episodes! Cool, right?

How To Upload A Podcast Episode

Whether you’re looking to start a podcast on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple, you’ll need to know how to upload your episode.

Many podcast hosting platforms offer distribution as part of their services. This sends your podcast to all major streaming platforms hassle-free. 

As long as you have a decent internet connection, this part of your podcasting schedule should be straightforward and fairly quick. Typically, Spotify approves new podcast episode releases within a few hours.

In this step, you can schedule your podcast release to the specific day and time you want the episode to go live. This is a useful feature, especially if you’re going for that Wednesday 2 AM publishing day! Scheduling ahead of time allows you to get a backlog of episodes in the bank, which reduces deadline pressures.

Track Data and Analyze Listener Behavior

To release your podcast on the best possible day and time, you need more than a hunch — you need hard data. Tracking your podcast’s performance helps you understand when your audience is actually tuning in, how engaged they are, and what content resonates most.

Using Podcast Analytics Tools

Most podcast hosting platforms, like Buzzsprout or Saspod, provide built-in analytics dashboards. These tools help you track the progress of your episodes to become more efficient in management and creation.

Use these podcast analytics tools to look into what day and time your listeners are downloading the episodes. If possible, try to discern more listener demographics so you can understand your audience even better.

Key Metrics to Monitor When Deciding What Day To Release A Podcast Episode

Start by watching these core metrics:

• Downloads per episode: A baseline for audience interest.
• Listener retention: Shows how much of your episode people are actually listening to — are they dropping off early, or staying through to the end?
• Time-of-day and day-of-week trends: Identify when your listeners are most active so you can align your release schedule.
• Geographic data: Understand where your audience is based — especially useful for timing episodes across time zones.

Learn From The Data

Let’s say you notice a spike in downloads for episodes released midweek — that’s a signal. Or maybe retention is higher on shorter episodes. Use those insights to experiment with your podcast release schedule. 

Try releasing a few episodes on Tuesdays instead of Wednesdays, or shift your drop time to later in the day to catch commuters coming home.

Remember, your podcast release schedule is never set in stone! Keep an eye on analytics over time and adjust based on performance and listener feedback. Don’t be afraid to tweak your timing or perhaps even your frequency of episodes. Small changes could lead to noticeable gains in engagement and growth!

Podcast Marketing on Release Day

Publishing a great podcast episode is only half the job. The other half is making sure people know about it!

Your release day marketing efforts play a huge role in building momentum, attracting new listeners, and keeping your current audience engaged. A well-executed marketing plan ensures that every episode gets the attention it deserves.

Promote on Social Media — Before and After You Drop the Episode

Don’t wait until your episode is live to start talking about it. Tease the topic, guest, or key takeaways a day or two before to build anticipation. 

Once the episode drops, share it again across your social channels. Think outside of the box here too. Share multiple times with different angles, for example, a quote from the guest, a behind-the-scenes image, or a quick audio clip.

After release day, keep the momentum going by reposting highlights or sharing related content throughout the week.

Best Days to Post Podcast Updates on Social Media

Timing matters when posting, just like it does for releasing your podcast. Here’s a quick guide:

• Instagram: Tuesday and Thursday mornings (between 9 AM and 11 AM) tend to get the most engagement.
• Facebook: Early afternoons on weekdays, especially Wednesday and Friday.
• LinkedIn: Tuesday to Thursday, around 8–10 AM or lunchtime for professional audiences.
• X (Twitter): Midweek mornings are best, but regular posting matters more than timing alone.

Experiment with your own audience to see what gets the most traction. Don’t be afraid to repurpose your episode content across platforms.

Create a Marketing Checklist for Every Release

You’ve got a schedule in place for your podcast releases. As part of that schedule, have sub-sections with their own checklists of actions.

Having a repeatable launch-day process helps streamline promotion. Here’s a sample checklist you could follow:

Automating parts of this process using scheduling tools (like Buffer or Later) can help keep your workflow smooth and consistent.

Boost Reach Through Newsletters

Email is still one of the most effective ways of communication and to reach loyal listeners. Send out a short but compelling newsletter with each episode. Be sure to highlight the topic, key quotes, or why it matters to your audience.

Community groups (like Facebook Groups or Reddit threads) can also be powerful spaces to share new episodes. Just make sure you’re an active, authentic member rather than just dropping links.

Avoid These Common Mistakes

Even the best content can get lost if your release strategy isn’t dialled in. To make the most of every episode drop, steer clear of these common mistakes that can quietly sabotage your podcast’s growth and engagement.

1. Releasing Episodes Randomly or Inconsistently
2. Competing With Top-Tier Drops
3. Ignoring Your Audience’s Lifestyle and Time Zone
4. Forgetting to Promote Ahead of Time
5. Overloading Your Calendar Without a Sustainable Workflow

Final Tips for Releasing Your Podcast at the Right Time

Finding the best day to release a podcast isn’t just about chasing trends, it’s about understanding your audience, tracking the data, and creating a sustainable publishing schedule that supports your goals. 

Whether you choose to release your podcast on a Tuesday, Friday, or any other day of the week, consistency and quality matter more than anything else.

Use analytics to refine your podcast release schedule, test different days and times, and stay flexible as your audience grows. Promote each new episode strategically, from posting on Instagram to sending out newsletters, and always build in time to analyze what’s working.

Ultimately, the best time to release a podcast is when you can show up regularly, deliver value, and engage with your listeners. Whether you're planning a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly podcast, make your release day part of a repeatable, results-driven workflow.

Remember: The most successful podcasts aren't just well-produced — they’re well-timed.

At Saspod, we help creators craft consistent, high-quality shows with smart strategy and seamless production. Get in touch with us today to make every release day count.

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