Inevitably, when planning an email marketing campaign, we will be asked: When is the best time to send the emails? The answer is not as obvious as it seems. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each option to get you started.
Morning
The most popular option for sending email marketing is in the morning. This is mostly due to the fact that people are more prone to opening their emails in the morning.
Sending your marketing emails in the morning puts you in front of a large audience when they are most likely to read your email. It also means you can get the most out of your emails’ contents, as people will likely have had time to think about what they read by the time they read the next one. Finally, email marketing sent in the morning is easily measurable, as you will know whether or not the email was opened and what actions were taken as a result of it.
The downside is that, although people are more likely to have opened your email by the time they get to it in the morning, they are also less likely to have started doing something about it by that point. So, by the time you get to the last email in your sequence, your target audience may already be a little tired of your constant messaging and are hoping you will go away. This is where segmentation comes into play. You can make the case that sending email in the morning is best used for transactional emails, such as those announcing a sale or an upcoming event. For this reason, many companies elect to send their emails in the morning, but use various scheduling tools to ensure they do not send too many to the same person on a given day.
Evening
Late afternoon and early evening are also popular time slots for email marketing. This is usually because people are more relaxed in the evening and, therefore, more likely to be open to receiving emails at that time.
In the evening, your target audience will have had a break from their busy day, so your messaging will have the opportunity to sink in. It also means you can use somewhat lighter copy, as there will be less competition for the reader’s attention. Finally, the time in the evening when people are most likely to be using their computers is also the same time when they are likely to be engaging with your content online, so early or late evening are good times to gain online traction.
The downside to sending email in the evening is that the audience is less likely to have had a chance to think about your message by the time they get to it. This is why many people avoid using this time for their marketing emails. If you require a result from your campaign, i.e. action on the part of your audience, then evening is probably not the best time to send your email.
Around the World in Eighty Books
We have compiled a list of the best time slots for email marketing based on the number of people who open emails in each time period. The data comes from InboxPulse, an email marketing tool which surveys thousands of email opening patterns every day and uses an algorithm to identify the most popular times to send emails.
Each time period is ranked from most to least popular, so you can easily find the best time to email your audience. When it comes to getting clicks and conversions, using a tool like InboxPulse to find the best time to send your emails can be a shortcut to getting results.
Monday to Friday
On the whole, people are more likely to open emails on a Monday. This is mostly due to the fact that, on a Monday, people are more likely to have had time to read your message and are, therefore, more likely to open it.
The data also shows that people are more likely to open emails on a Friday. This may be because people are winding down from their busy week and may be looking for something to relax with. Additionally, on a Friday, people are more inclined to check their email, as it is usually the last thing they will do before going to sleep. So, if you want to get maximum engagement from your audience, you should send your emails on a Monday or Friday.
The downside of sending email on a Monday or Friday is that you are competing with a lot of other messages for the reader’s attention, so your message is less likely to stand out. Additionally, the days between a Tuesday and a Thursday are the busiest days of the week for most businesses, so it is unlikely you will get the attention of anyone on a Tuesday or Thursday. These are best used for sending out notifications about new products and events, as people will have had their hands full on the previous days.
Saturday and Sunday
On a Sunday, people are more likely to have had enough sleep and are, therefore, more likely to be relaxed and open to receiving your emails. Additionally, on a Sunday, less people are online, so the pool of potential readers is smaller. This is likely why most email marketing tools rank Sunday as the least popular day of the week when it comes to opening emails.
However, on a Saturday, people are more likely to have had their hands full all week and are, therefore, less likely to have had time to read your message. The upside of sending email on a Saturday is that it is the least popular day for opening emails, so your message is more likely to stand out. Finally, on a Saturday, people are more inclined to be on the move, as there is more going on outside the home. This can mean your message is more likely to be read.
The downside of sending email on a Saturday or Sunday is that, unless there is something really special going on, people may already know you are trying to reach them. This is why it is generally a bad idea to use these times for your marketing emails. If your target audience is already familiar with your brand or business, using these times is likely to turn away some potential customers.
Early Morning
In some cases, the best time to send your emails is in the early morning. This is especially useful for international users, as there will be fewer hours in the day for them to read your message.
However, for others, the best time to send your email marketing is in the late morning or early afternoon. This is generally because people are more relaxed in the afternoon and, therefore, more likely to be open to receiving new messages.
The important thing to note about the best time to send your emails is that you should avoid sending them at night. This is because people are generally less likely to be open at night and, therefore, your email is less likely to be read. It is always best to send your email during the day, as there is less chance your target audience will be distracted by other tasks.
Choosing the Right Email Marketing Platform
When choosing an email marketing platform, you want to look for three things; functionality, features, and usability. It should be easy to set up and use, with intuitive designs and layouts. The platform should also offer a diverse set of features, such as dynamic content, advanced segmentation, and automation. With so much competition in the email marketing sphere, customers are more likely to choose a platform that is user-friendly and offers a range of features. These are just some of the things to consider when choosing an email marketing platform, but it is a good place to start.
Cloud-Based vs. Desktop
Another important factor to consider when choosing an email marketing platform is whether you want to host your emails online or on a computer. It is always best to go for a cloud-based solution, as you will not have to worry about the security of your device or data. Although, you will still be able to use a desktop solution to send emails, you should not expect the same level of security as with a cloud-based solution. Also, make sure the platform you choose offers a mobile app so you can reach your audience wherever they are.