Choosing the right moment to hit ‘send’ on an email might seem like a minor detail. But for anyone looking to maximize their open and click-through rates, sending emails at the right hour and day is of high value.
This guide is going to be super exciting for those who are always wondering why their emails have low open rates. So without boring you further, let’s have a look at the best time, day, and hour to send emails.
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Why Timing Matters
Email inboxes are constantly bombarded with messages from friends, family, colleagues, and yes, marketers. Your email, regardless of its excellent content, can easily be buried beneath the avalanche if it arrives at an inopportune moment.
Conversely, when timed right, your message stands out, catches the recipient’s attention, and can drive significant engagement.
Best Days of the Week
Several studies have delved into the mystery of the perfect email sending time. A common trend emerges: midweek emails seem to fare the best. Specifically, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays consistently demonstrate higher open and engagement rates compared to weekends or even Mondays and Fridays.
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Tuesday: Statistically the best day to send emails.
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Wednesday: A close second. Still an excellent day for high engagement.
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Thursday: The last of the top three. While not as outstanding as Tuesday or Wednesday, it still outperforms the other days of the week.
On weekends, many people detach from their work emails or prioritize leisure activities over checking promotional content. Mondays and Fridays, being transitional days, often see individuals either catching up from the weekend or preparing for the upcoming one, leaving limited attention for additional emails.
Best Hours of the Day
Once you’ve zeroed in on a day, the next puzzle piece is identifying the optimal hour. The morning hours, particularly between 9 am and 11 am, witness a peak in email open rates. This period is when most people have settled into their work routine and are actively checking their inboxes.
Another potential window, though not as dominant as the morning slot, is the post-lunch slump around 1 pm to 2 pm. Here, individuals might be looking for a quick distraction, making it an opportune moment to catch their eye with an enticing email.
B2B vs. B2C Emails
Understanding your audience is crucial. While the aforementioned days and hours might work well for B2B (Business to Business) emails, B2C (Business to Consumer) emails play by slightly different rules. Weekend mornings and early afternoons can be promising for B2C communications, as consumers might be in a relaxed, browsing mode.
Adapting to Time Zones
With the magic of the internet, businesses today cater to global audiences. The best time to send email to a recipient in New York might be the worst for someone in Sydney. Hence, segmenting your email lists by time zone and scheduling sends accordingly can make a world of difference.
Test, Analyze, Repeat
While these guidelines offer a solid starting point, the key to perfecting your email timing lies in continuous testing. Experiment with different days and times, analyze the results, and refine your strategy.
Remember, the “best time to send email” is not a static answer but an evolving one. As the preferences and habits of your target audience shift, so should your approach. Being proactive, adaptive, and data-driven will ensure your emails always land just when they’re supposed to.
