Launch your Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign on a weekday during business hours, since weekends are the slowest times for crowdfunding. Time it around your audience's paydays at the start and middle of the month when disposable income is highest. Avoid Black Friday, tax deadlines, and year-end launches, which can trigger capital gains tax.
Article Quick Facts
Best timing tips Launch optimization Success focusedKnowing when to start your Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign can be just as important as the information contained within it. There are certain seasons of the year that are good to avoid because people just don't have the money to support anything.
Key Timing Areas to Avoid
Black Friday and around the taxing deadline of your targeted population are two key timing areas to avoid.
When Are You Up?
If you start your Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign at 2 am, then your campaign will also end at 2 am. Your first and last days of a campaign are hectic. You'll be managing updates, communications, and social networking for most of the day. It is essential to make sure you're giving yourself enough time to get everything done, but still be able to interact with people in real time if needed.
| Timing Factor | Launch | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Day of week | Weekdays during business hours | Saturday and Sunday, the slowest days |
| Point in the month | Start and middle of month (payday) | Stretches when disposable income is low |
| Season and events | Alongside a relevant film, holiday, or viral story | Black Friday and your audience's tax deadline |
| End of year | Within a single tax year | Year-end raises that risk capital gains tax |
Did Something Happen?
Current events can spur a lot of donations. If you are a science fiction writer looking to get funded and a major sci-fi film is about to drop into theaters, you can take advantage of that fact and launch at the same time. The excitement that people have for the film can transfer to your project. The same is true for national holidays, birthdays for famous people, or even a viral news story that shows a problem you can fix.
Get the Last Minute Pledge
The 48-hour reminder comes out when there are just 2 days left. If you have timed your campaign incorrectly, this email will just get lost in the folders of spam that get deleted automatically. Catch people at their computer, and you'll be much more likely to get a pledge.
Related Resource:
Facebook Ads for Kickstarter →Avoid the Weekends
The slowest times for Kickstarter or Indiegogo are Saturday and Sunday. That's not to say that you can't have a successful campaign that starts and ends on the weekend. It just means that you're more likely to find success when you're operating during regular business hours. That's because many people see this crowdfunding platform as a business opportunity, even though it is a rewards-based platform.
- Pick a weekday launch during regular business hours, not the weekend
- Remember the campaign ends at the same time it starts - a 2 am launch closes at 2 am
- Choose a start time that lets you manage updates and talk to backers in real time on hectic first and last days
- Time the launch around your audience's paydays at the start and middle of the month
- Line up the 48-hour reminder email to land when backers are at their computer
- Skip Black Friday and your target population's tax deadline
- Avoid year-end launches that could trigger capital gains tax
End of The Year
Try to avoid a crowdfunding campaign that comes in at the end of the year. If you get your funds in one taxing year but are planning on spending that money in the next season, then you'll be charged a capital gains tax for the pure profit that the crowdfunding campaign provided.
Find Payday
Most people are paid at the beginning and the middle of the month. This is when they have the most disposable income to be able to support an Indiegogo campaign. If you plan your launch around your target demographic's known paydays, you'll be more likely to get those smaller donations that can mean so much.
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See Our Packages & Prices Contact Us TodayFrequently Asked Questions
What is the best day of the week to launch a Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign?
Launch on a weekday during regular business hours. Saturday and Sunday are the slowest times for crowdfunding, so you are more likely to find success operating when people treat the platform as a business opportunity.
What time of day should I launch my campaign?
Remember that your campaign ends at the same time it starts, so launch at 2 am and it closes at 2 am. Pick a launch time that lets you manage updates and interact with backers in real time on your hectic first and last days.
When should I avoid launching a crowdfunding campaign?
Avoid Black Friday and the tax deadline for your target audience, when people have less money to give. Also avoid the end of the year, since funds raised in one tax year but spent the next can trigger capital gains tax.
Does timing my launch around payday actually help?
Yes. Most people are paid at the beginning and middle of the month, when they have the most disposable income. Planning your launch around your target demographic's known paydays helps you capture those smaller pledges that add up.
How can current events help my campaign launch?
Current events can spur a lot of pledges. If a major film, holiday, or viral news story connects to your project, launching alongside it lets that built-in excitement transfer to your campaign.
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