What is the best time to send emails for optimal engagement?

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
14Marketer 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.

June 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.

September 2024 - Neil Patel's Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot Blog explains that Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays tend to have the highest engagement rates, with 10 AM being a generally effective time to send. They emphasize the importance of knowing your audience and tailoring send times accordingly.

December 2022 - HubSpot Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit shares that it depends heavily on the target audience. They suggest considering the recipient's industry and daily routine when choosing a send time.

January 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus highlights the importance of sending emails based on the recipient's time zone to maximize open rates and engagement, and explains how to use time zone sending features available in many ESPs.

November 2022 - Litmus
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that one size does not fit all and recommends test and learn models. They also link to a tool (Listfit) for audience-dependent timing insights.

March 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks seconds Steve's comment about avoiding the top of the hour.

December 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Campaign Monitor responds that generally, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 8 AM and 5 PM perform well. However, they advise segmenting your audience and sending emails based on their time zones.

July 2021 - Campaign Monitor
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign Blog shares that the best time to send emails can vary greatly by industry. Provide examples of sending times that works best for industries like retail, education, and hospitality.

December 2024 - ActiveCampaign Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailchimp shares that analyzing your own email data within Mailchimp provides the most accurate insights into optimal send times for your specific audience. They recommend using their send-time optimization feature.

December 2024 - Mailchimp
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid blog shares A/B testing different send times. Splitting your audience and sending the same email at different times to each group can help identify the peak engagement time for your specific list.

September 2022 - Email on Acid Blog
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that some ESPs have features that enable sending at the "best time" for each specific recipient, with varying levels of granularity.

July 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that it's a fallacy to say there's one best time for sending. Recommends using contact history to identify peak engagement times.

September 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from SuperOffice Blog states that 8-9 AM and 3-4 PM are good general guidelines, but strongly recommends A/B testing different times and days for your specific audience to determine the true best time.

December 2023 - SuperOffice Blog

What the experts say
3Expert 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.

September 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks simply states to avoid sending at the top of the hour.

December 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that consistent engagement from your list is crucial for good inbox placement, which means the best time is when your recipients are most likely to engage. Focus on sending valuable content that encourages opens and clicks.

September 2024 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
4Technical 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.

August 2024 - 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.

May 2022 - SendGrid Documentation
Technical article

Documentation from Amazon SES details the service's email sending limits, and how they impact the timing and frequency of your email campaigns. Slower sending rates can impact engagement.

November 2021 - AWS Documentation
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace admin help explains that scheduling send allows you to choose when to send your email. You can schedule an email to be sent at a specific date and time. You can cancel or change a scheduled email within a few minutes after scheduling.

April 2023 - Google Workspace Admin Help