You’ve got your new episode polished and ready for prime time. But before you hit “publish,” let’s tackle the burning question: When is the best time to push that episode live? At Ringmaster, we’ve tested this question more times than we’d like to admit, and while there may be many opinions floating around, let’s cut to the chase—the best time to go live is 5 AM.
Why 5 AM? Here’s the Breakdown:
- Prime for Download: Releasing at 5 AM gives podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify enough time to recognize and fully download your episode. These platforms take a little while to index and make your episode discoverable, so an early release ensures it’s ready for those first eager listeners.
- Morning Listeners: Let’s face it—most B2B listeners are early birds. They’re catching up on content during their morning routine, whether it’s during breakfast, their commute, or their workout. By going live at 5 AM, your episode is queued up and ready when they are.
- Not Too Early: Anything before 5 AM, and you’re risking your episode being buried by other content labeled as “newer.” 5 AM strikes the balance perfectly.
- Quick Appearance in Feeds: Posting in the early morning minimizes the delay between when you upload your episode and when it shows up in listeners’ feeds. Podcast directories refresh their RSS feeds regularly, so the earlier you upload, the quicker it gets published.
- Maximizes Time Zone Coverage: Releasing your podcast at 5 AM allows you to cover multiple time zones effectively. It ensures that listeners on both the East and West Coasts (and everywhere in between) have your episode ready when they’re up and starting their day.
- Perfect Timing for Indexing: Pushing your episode live at 5 AM gives podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify enough time to recognize and fully index your content. This ensures that your episode is primed and visible by the time listeners start their day.
- Capturing the Morning Routine: B2B listeners are often early risers, using the morning hours to catch up on industry insights during their commute, workout, or while getting ready. A 5 AM release puts your content front and center when they’re most receptive.
Real Talk: A Ringmaster Client Success Story
One of our clients came to us with the classic dilemma: They were releasing their episodes at 8 AM, thinking it was the perfect time to catch the morning crowd. But they noticed their numbers weren’t where they expected. We suggested a simple switch—release at 5 AM instead. Boom! Their downloads shot up. The episode was indexed and ready for listeners first thing in the morning, capturing those early birds who had been missing out.
How to Maximize Your 5 AM Release
- Consistency: Commit to that 5 AM release every week. Your audience will start to anticipate and look forward to your new episodes.
- Monitor Engagement: Track the performance of your 5 AM releases. Watch when your audience is tuning in and adjust your promotion strategy to match their listening habits.
Why Not Another Time?
- Too Early (3-4 AM): Sure, your episode will be downloaded, but it might get overshadowed by other content that comes out after it. By the time your audience is up, your episode could be buried.
- Too Late (8-9 AM): Releasing this late means you miss those early risers who’ve already tuned into their morning playlist. Plus, platforms might not have indexed your episode fully yet.
The Final Word
When it comes to timing, 5 AM is the Goldilocks zone. It’s early enough to ensure your episode is downloaded and ready for morning listeners, but not so early that it’s buried by newer content. It’s a small adjustment that can make a big difference in your podcast’s visibility and engagement.
⏰ So, set that alarm, get your episode queued up, and give your audience exactly what they’re craving—fresh content to kickstart their day.
Now are you ready to schedule that 5 AM release? 🎙️
