Summary
Determining the best time to send emails for optimal engagement is a multifaceted challenge with no one-size-fits-all solution. While general guidelines suggest sending between 8 AM and 10 AM or 3 PM and 4 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays, the most effective strategy involves a data-driven, audience-centric approach. This includes analyzing your own email data, A/B testing different send times, segmenting your audience, and considering factors such as recipient time zones, industry-specific patterns, and engagement history. Furthermore, maintaining consistent engagement and a positive sender reputation are crucial for ensuring deliverability and maximizing the impact of any chosen send time. Avoiding sending at the top of the hour is also a suggested best practice.
Key findings
- No Universal Time: There's no single 'best time' to send emails; it's highly dependent on various factors.
- General Guidelines: Commonly cited optimal times are between 8 AM and 10 AM, and 3 PM and 4 PM, particularly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
- Audience is Key: Understanding your specific audience (demographics, habits, industry) is crucial.
- Data-Driven Approach: Analyzing your own email data provides the most accurate insights.
- A/B Testing is Essential: A/B testing different send times helps identify what works best for your audience.
- Time Zone Matters: Sending based on the recipient's time zone can significantly improve engagement.
- Engagement History: Leveraging recipient engagement history allows optimization of send times for individual subscribers.
- Avoid Top of Hour: Avoid sending emails at the top of the hour.
Key considerations
- Analyze Your Data: Consistently analyze your email marketing data to identify trends and patterns.
- Segment Your Audience: Segment your audience and tailor send times based on specific characteristics.
- A/B Test Regularly: Make A/B testing a continuous process to refine your sending strategy.
- Utilize ESP Features: Leverage features offered by your ESP for send-time optimization and time zone sending.
- Maintain Engagement: Focus on providing valuable content to encourage consistent engagement and improve inbox placement.
- Sender Reputation: Build and maintain a good sender reputation, including properly warming up IP addresses if necessary.
- Deliverability First: Ensure your emails reach the inbox; optimal timing is secondary to deliverability.
What email marketers say
14 marketer opinions
Determining the best time to send emails for optimal engagement is complex and highly dependent on various factors. While some general guidelines exist, such as sending between 8 AM and 10 AM or 3 PM and 4 PM in the recipient's time zone, and targeting Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays, these are not universally applicable. The most effective approach involves analyzing your own email data, understanding your specific audience, and A/B testing different send times. It's also essential to consider time zone differences, industry-specific patterns, and the engagement history of your subscribers.
Key opinions
- General Times: 8-10 AM and 3-4 PM in recipient's time zone are often cited as good general times to send emails.
- Best Days: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays generally show higher engagement rates.
- Audience Specific: The optimal send time varies significantly depending on your specific audience's demographics, habits, and industry.
- A/B Testing: A/B testing different send times is crucial for identifying what works best for your unique subscriber base.
- Time Zone Matters: Sending emails based on the recipient's time zone can improve open and click-through rates.
Key considerations
- Data Analysis: Analyze your own email marketing data to identify trends and patterns in your audience's engagement.
- Segmentation: Segment your audience and tailor send times based on their specific characteristics and behaviors.
- Industry Variations: Consider industry-specific patterns when determining optimal send times.
- Consistent Engagement: Prioritize sending valuable content that encourages consistent engagement to improve inbox placement.
- ESPs Features: Utilize features offered by your Email Service Provider (ESP) for send-time optimization and time zone sending.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests sending to each recipient at the hour they show best engagement on Fridays and, if that data isn't available, check website traffic analytics for the busiest time slots.
9 Jul 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog shares that the best time to send emails is between 8 AM and 10 AM, and 3 PM and 4 PM in your recipient's time zone. He also suggests testing different send times to optimize engagement.
26 May 2022 - Neil Patel's Blog
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
The provided answers emphasize that optimal email send time is not just about specific hours or days, but also about avoiding certain times (like the top of the hour) and fostering consistent engagement. Building a good sender reputation through practices like warming up email IPs is also crucial for ensuring that emails reach the inbox at all. The best send time is ultimately when recipients are most likely to engage with valuable content.
Key opinions
- Avoid Top of Hour: Avoid sending emails at the top of the hour (e.g., 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM).
- Consistent Engagement: Consistent engagement from your list leads to better inbox placement, making the 'best' time the time when recipients are most likely to engage.
- Sender Reputation: Building a good sender reputation, including warming up email IPs, impacts deliverability and the effectiveness of any chosen send time.
Key considerations
- Valuable Content: Focus on creating valuable content that encourages opens and clicks to maximize engagement.
- IP Warm-up: If using new IP addresses, follow IP warm-up best practices.
- Deliverability: Remember that deliverability is paramount; ensure your emails reach the inbox before worrying about precise send times.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise details the best practice of warming up email IP addresses. Although this doesn't specifically define send time, they explain how building a good sender reputation by gradually increasing volume impacts deliverability and, thus, the effectiveness of any chosen send time.
22 Oct 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks simply states to avoid sending at the top of the hour.
26 May 2023 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
The provided documentation highlights the importance of strategic email scheduling for optimal engagement. Key strategies include leveraging recipient time zones and engagement history, understanding email sending limits which may impact engagement and using scheduling features for specific date/time sends. Monitoring email performance metrics allows for fine-tuning send schedules based on observed patterns.
Key findings
- Time Zone Scheduling: Scheduling emails based on recipient time zones improves open and click-through rates.
- Engagement History: Leveraging recipient engagement history optimizes send times for individual subscribers.
- Sending Limits: Email sending limits from providers impact the timing and frequency of campaigns, potentially affecting engagement.
- Performance Monitoring: Monitoring email performance metrics helps identify optimal send times through pattern recognition.
Key considerations
- Utilize ESP Features: Take advantage of scheduling features and time zone sending options offered by your Email Service Provider (ESP).
- Account for Sending Limits: Factor in any sending limits imposed by your email provider when planning your email campaigns.
- Track Performance: Regularly monitor your email performance metrics to continuously refine your sending schedule.
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost answers that monitoring email performance metrics (open rates, click-through rates) over time can reveal patterns related to send time and help you fine-tune your email sending schedule.
30 Nov 2021 - SparkPost
Technical article
Documentation from SendGrid explains that scheduling emails based on recipient time zones and engagement history can improve open and click-through rates. They offer features to facilitate this.
3 Oct 2021 - SendGrid Documentation
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