When Is the Best Time to Launch a Kickstarter Project

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Knowing when to start your crowdfunding 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. Black Friday and around the taxing deadline of your targeted population are two key timing areas to avoid.

There are some specific timing questions about which hour of the day you should consider launching your campaign as well.

When Are You Up?

If you start your Kickstarter campaign at 2am, then your campaign will also end at 2am. Your first and last days of a campaign are extremely busy. You’ll be managing updates, communications, and social networking for most of the day. It is important 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.

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 is 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.

Avoid the Weekends

The slowest times for Kickstarter 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 normal business hours. That’s because many people see this crowdfunding platform as a business opportunity, even though it is a rewards-based platform.

Spend It All

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. Depending on your circumstances, that could be 20% off the top – and Amazon and Kickstarter combined take about 10% as well.

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 a Kickstarter 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.