Even though every industry is unique, research shows some common patterns in email marketing timing that all marketers should know.

When Is the Best Time to Send Marketing Emails?

The survey determined that the highest email engagement rates occurred during these hours. This metric is important because it shows how effectively your emails connect with your audience, indicating whether they find your content relevant and engaging. High engagement rates often lead to better campaign success, such as increased sales or customer loyalty.

Source: HubSpot

Building on the overall best time of 9 AM to 3 PM, let’s look at more precise and effective times for sending emails:

Source: Brevo

What Are the Best Days to Send Marketing Emails?

Research reveals that the effectiveness of email marketing depends on the day of the week. Various studies have been conducted to identify which days yield the highest engagement for marketing emails.

In-depth studies on email marketing effectiveness, analyzed by CoSchedule, reveal that day-specific strategies are key to maximizing engagement.

For instance, Mondays showcase a notable 22% open rate, making them ideal for ensuring your emails are seen.

On Tuesdays, the click-through rate peaks at 2.4%, which is crucial if your goal is to drive actions from your emails.

Similarly, Wednesday and Tuesday are almost equally effective in terms of click-to-open rates, standing at 10.7% and 10.8% respectively. This means that these days are good for both getting your emails noticed and having recipients interact with them.

Email Engagement by Day of the Week

Source: Brevo

When planning your email campaigns, it’s advisable to avoid weekends. Sundays experience a notably low open rate of just 20.3%, and both Saturday and Sunday suffer from an extremely low click-through rate of merely 2.1%.

Best Time of the Day for Email Marketing Campaigns

Based on research, the best time to send marketing emails varies for each day of the week. For instance, early mornings on weekdays might be more effective due to professional work routines, while evenings or specific times on weekends cater to different lifestyle patterns.

Understanding daily variations is crucial for tailoring email marketing strategies to maximize reach and engagement.

Best Time for Email Marketing: Data by Business Model

The effectiveness of email marketing varies significantly by business model. Different audiences and industries respond to emails at various times. Understanding when your specific audience is most likely to engage with your emails can greatly enhance your marketing efforts.

Best Time to Send Email Marketing by Industry Type. Source: Brevo

Best Time to Send B2B Emails

When should you send B2B marketing emails? Based on a research on Business-to-Business email marketing presented by AtOnce, mid-morning hours, specifically between 10 AM and 12 PM, are the sweet spot for sending out your campaigns. This period aligns with when professionals are most active in their inboxes.

Wednesdays and Tuesdays are your best bets, with Tuesdays boasting the highest open rates and Wednesdays following closely. Avoid Mondays and Fridays, as they typically underperform in terms of engagement.

Remember, these guidelines can vary depending on your industry and target audience. Always keep an eye on your own metrics to fine-tune your strategy for your business’s needs.

Best Time to Send B2C Emails

Each industry within the B2C (Business-to-Customer) sector has its unique optimal times for email engagement. HubSpot’s survey found that 30.9% of B2C marketers report the highest engagement between 9 AM and 12 PM. This suggests that late mornings are also a key time for reaching out to consumers.

As a B2C marketer, you have the opportunity to try out sending emails on weekends or in the evening. This approach might turn out to be successful for reaching your specific audience.

Best Timing for eCommerce Email Marketing

Analysis across industries by Brevo indicates that times around 10:00 AM and 3:30 PM are the peaks for email engagement, with both open rates and click-through rates showing significant activity.

For ecommerce businesses, aligning email campaigns with these suggested timings can potentially enhance engagement and effectiveness. Sending emails on Tuesdays or Thursdays aligns with peak engagement times noted in the industry. It’s also noted that the late morning to early afternoon hours are generally effective.

What Is the Worst Time to Send Email Marketing Campaigns?

• Sundays: The open rate for emails sent on Sundays is only a little over 5%. This low engagement is attributed to people enjoying their weekends and not wanting to be reminded of the upcoming work week, commonly referred to as the “Sunday scaries.”
• Fridays: Fridays experience a drop in open rates, hovering a little over 15%. The approach of the weekend typically shifts focus away from work-related emails.
• Evening and Late Night (Post 8 PM): For most industries, sending emails after 8 PM, especially beyond 10 PM, is considered invasive and ineffective, as most people are winding down or asleep.

How Often Should You Send Marketing Emails?

According to Campaign Monitor’s analysis of 2 billion emails, companies with the highest open rates typically send around 5 campaigns per month.

It’s advisable to send at least one email per week, which could be transactional, relational, or promotional. Sending fewer than one email weekly could lead to a disengaged audience.

For your business, it’s crucial to find a balance that keeps your audience engaged without causing email fatigue. Starting with one or two emails per week and adjusting based on subscriber response is a prudent approach.

How to Find the Best Time To Send Email Campaigns? 9 Tips

1. Analyze Past Campaigns: Look at your previous email campaigns. Identify which ones had the highest open and click-through rates and note the days and times they were sent. This historical data is a goldmine for understanding your audience’s preferences.

2. Segment Your Audience: Different segments of your audience may engage with emails at different times. For instance, young professionals might check emails early in the morning, while retirees might be more responsive in the afternoon. Segment your email list and test different times for each group.

3. Consider Time Zones: If your audience is global, time zones play a crucial role. You might need to segment your list by geographic location to ensure that emails land in inboxes at a reasonable local time.

4. Leverage A/B Testing: Send emails at different times and days, then analyze which gets better engagement. For example, test sending emails on Tuesday at 10 AM versus Thursday at 3 PM and compare results. This method provides concrete data specific to your audience.

5. Use Email Marketing Scheduling Software: Tools like HubSpot or Mailchimp offer analytics that can provide insights into when your audience is most likely to open and engage with your emails. Bravo offers a Send Time Optimization feature that analyzes your email list’s engagement patterns and automatically sends emails at the most optimal time. Use these tools to refine your send times.

Brevo’s Send Time Optimization tool has been shown to improve open rates by up to 30%.

6. Use Artificial Intelligence (AI): Some advanced email marketing platforms use AI to predict the best send times based on user behavior and engagement patterns. This can be especially useful if you have a large and diverse email list. Read more about AI in Email Marketing in our blog.

7. Monitor Competitors: Observe when your competitors send their emails and how their audience responds. While you shouldn’t copy their strategy, this can give you a baseline to start your own testing.

8. Be Mindful of Seasonality: During certain times of the year, like holiday seasons or summer vacations, normal engagement patterns might change. Adjust your email timing accordingly. You might like to learn more about seasonal marketing best practices in our blog.

9. Ask Your Audience: Sometimes, the simplest way to find out the best time to send emails is to ask your audience directly. This can be done through quick surveys or polls.

Essential Email Marketing Performance Metrics You Should Track

• Open Rate – This measures how many people open your emails. If you send 100 emails and 20 are opened, your open rate is 20%. It’s like seeing how many people open a letter you mailed.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR) – CTR shows how many people clicked on a link in your email. If 10 out of 100 people clicked a link, your CTR is 10%. It’s like counting how many people respond to an invitation in your letter.
• Bounce Rate – This tells you how many emails didn’t reach the recipient. If 95 out of 100 emails are delivered, your bounce rate is 5%. It’s like knowing how many letters were returned to you.
• Conversion Rate – This measures how many people did what your email asked, like buying a product. If 5 out of 100 recipients make a purchase, your conversion rate is 5%. It’s like tracking how many people followed your letter’s call to action.
• Unsubscribe Rate – This shows how many people opted out of your email list. If 3 out of 100 recipients unsubscribe, your rate is 3%. It’s like counting how many people ask not to receive your letters anymore.
• Email Cadence – This refers to how often you send emails. Balancing your email cadence is crucial; too many emails can annoy your target audience, but too few might make them forget you.

Final Word: Tailor Email Campaigns to Your Audience’s Needs

While statistics offer a general guide, the best time to send marketing emails truly depends on your unique target audience. General trends might suggest mid-week mornings as ideal, but your specific audience might behave differently.

Closely track your own campaign metrics and understand your audience’s preferences. This personalized approach, informed by real data from your interactions, will yield the most effective and engaging email marketing strategy for your business.

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