What is the best time to send emails for optimal engagement?
Summary
What email marketers say14Marketer opinions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Marketer from Email Geeks seconds Steve's comment about avoiding the top of the hour.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
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.
Expert from Email Geeks simply states to avoid sending at the top of the hour.
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.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
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.
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.
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.
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.