The Best Time of Day for Email Marketing

Email marketing is one of the most effective digital marketing strategies, delivering a return on investment (ROI) of up to $42 for every $1 spent. However, success doesn’t solely depend on the quality of the email content or the product being promoted. The timing of your emails can significantly impact open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.

This blog post explores the best time of day to send emails, backed by research, and provides actionable insights to optimize your email campaigns.

Why Timing Matters in Email Marketing

Timing is a critical factor in email marketing because it directly affects how recipients interact with your emails. Sending emails when your audience is most active and receptive increases the chances that they’ll open your email, engage with it, and take action.

Different factors influence the optimal send time:

Recipient’s time zone
Industry or sector
Email type (e.g., promotional, newsletter, or transactional)
Recipient behavior patterns

By strategically timing your emails, you avoid the clutter of competitors’ messages, increasing the likelihood of catching your audience’s attention.

The Ideal Time of Day to Send Emails: What the Research Shows

Multiple studies and analyses have sought to determine the best time of day for email marketing. Here are some of the most significant findings:

1. Mornings (6 AM – 10 AM)

Morning emails consistently perform well. Many people start their day by checking their inboxes before they even get out of bed or while having breakfast. This behavior makes the early morning window an excellent time to send emails. Key Research Insight: According to a study by GetResponse, morning emails have an average open rate of 20.61%, with the highest click-through rates (CTR) peaking between 6 AM and 10 AM.
Why it works: Many people are in “information-gathering” mode in the morning, making them more likely to read emails. Additionally, inboxes are less cluttered earlier in the day, giving your email a better chance of standing out.
Consideration: If your target audience consists of professionals or individuals who work traditional hours, sending an email before they get caught up in their workday could yield better results.

2. Late Morning to Midday (10 AM – 12 PM)

The late morning is another high-performance window for email marketing. By this time, many people have cleared their inboxes of early morning emails, and they may check their emails again before lunch or a meeting. Research Insight: Campaign Monitor’s study found that 10 AM is one of the most optimal times to send marketing emails. Recipients are likely to be at work, ready to consume content before they get deeply involved in their tasks.
Why it works: Most people are already at their desks by 10 AM, checking their inbox to prioritize important work. This period offers a second opportunity to capture their attention before they fully dive into the day.

3. Early Afternoon (1 PM – 3 PM)

Sending emails during the early afternoon can be beneficial as well. Many people tend to check their email during or just after lunch as a way to mentally prepare for the second half of the day. Key Insight: CoSchedule’s data shows that emails sent around 1 PM to 3 PM are opened as people return from lunch breaks and resume working.
Why it works: People often use this time to catch up on their email backlog before they finish their day, making it a great opportunity for email marketers. It’s a period when recipients may be looking for distractions or productivity breaks.

4. Late Afternoon to Evening (3 PM – 6 PM)

During the late afternoon, emails may experience slightly lower engagement compared to morning hours, but this period can still be effective. Many people check their emails once more before leaving the office or transitioning out of their workday. Research Findings: HubSpot’s research indicates that emails sent between 4 PM and 5 PM can perform well, especially for work-related campaigns targeting professionals.
Why it works: By this time, the inbox is less crowded with work-related messages, and people may take a last-minute glance at their emails before logging off for the day.

5. Evening (6 PM – 9 PM)

The evening window, while not as productive as earlier in the day, can still offer opportunities for engagement. Many people check their personal email after dinner or while unwinding in the evening. Research Insight: Campaign Monitor’s analysis shows that 8 PM – 9 PM can work for specific audiences, such as those in the B2C space. People may be browsing their phones or desktops while watching TV or relaxing.
Why it works: People are more relaxed and have more time to open and read promotional emails after work. The evening can be particularly effective for targeting consumers rather than business professionals.

6. Late Night (9 PM – 12 AM)

While sending emails in the late hours might seem counterintuitive, this time slot can actually be effective for certain segments, such as night-shift workers or international audiences in different time zones. Research Insight: Some studies, including those from MailerMailer, have shown that emails sent between 10 PM and 12 AM have higher engagement among younger audiences or specific consumer groups.
Why it works: People who are awake at these hours may not have many distractions, and fewer marketing emails are sent during this period, giving your email less competition in the inbox.

Weekday vs. Weekend: Does the Day Matter?

Now that we’ve covered the best time of day to send emails, let’s address another key factor: the day of the week.

Best days to send emails: Research consistently shows that Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are the best days to send email campaigns.
Tuesday: This is often regarded as the prime day for email marketing. People are back to work after the weekend, but the workload is usually manageable. A report by CoSchedule shows that Tuesday is the highest-performing day, with the highest email open and click-through rates.
Wednesday: Mid-week, many people are settling into their weekly routines, making it another optimal day for email marketing. A study by GetResponse found that Wednesday has high engagement rates, particularly in the morning.
Thursday: Thursday is considered a good day for follow-up emails or sending reminders as people prepare to wrap up their work week.
Avoid sending emails on Mondays and Fridays. On Mondays, people are often catching up on work and inbox clutter from the weekend, making it easy for your email to be overlooked. Similarly, on Fridays, many professionals are focused on completing tasks before the weekend, which could reduce engagement.

Considerations by Industry

Different industries have varying optimal times for email marketing. Below are some guidelines based on industry:

E-commerce: Weekends and evenings (6 PM – 9 PM) tend to work well, as consumers are more likely to shop during these times.
B2B: Mornings (9 AM – 11 AM) on weekdays, especially Tuesday through Thursday, are ideal, as professionals tend to engage with work-related emails during these hours.
Newsletters: Mornings (6 AM – 9 AM) are excellent for sending newsletters, as readers prefer starting their day with content that keeps them informed.
Non-profit/Charity: Mid-week emails, especially on Tuesday or Wednesday, during late morning to early afternoon (10 AM – 1 PM) tend to perform well.

Time Zone Considerations

Sending emails at the right time isn’t enough if you don’t consider the time zones of your recipients. The best time for someone in New York (EST) might be completely different for someone in Los Angeles (PST). Ensure you segment your list based on location or set up an email scheduling tool to adjust the send time based on the recipient’s local time zone.

Email Automation and A/B Testing

To maximize the effectiveness of your email campaigns, consider using automation and A/B testing. Many email service providers allow you to automate your campaigns and send emails at optimal times based on the recipient’s behavior.

A/B testing: You can experiment with different send times to see when your audience is most engaged. Test morning vs. afternoon or weekdays vs. weekends to determine the best time for your specific email list.
Automation: Use tools that allow you to set specific delivery times based on each recipient’s time zone or behavior. This feature ensures that your emails arrive when your audience is most likely to engage, regardless of where they are.

Conclusion

The best time of day for email marketing largely depends on your target audience and industry. However, general research points to mornings (6 AM – 10 AM) and late mornings to early afternoons (10 AM – 3 PM) as prime times for most campaigns. Weekdays, particularly Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, outperform weekends in terms of engagement.

To truly unlock the potential of email marketing, it’s important to:

Regularly analyze your audience’s behavior
A/B test your campaigns for optimal timing
Use automation tools to adjust for time zones and personalized behaviors

By following these strategies and considering the insights from research, you’ll be well on your way to optimizing your email marketing campaigns for maximum results.

FAQs: Best time of day for email marketing

What is the best time of day to send marketing emails?

Research suggests that the optimal time to send marketing emails is typically between 10 AM and 2 PM, with higher engagement rates often observed during mid-morning and early afternoon when recipients are more likely to check their emails.

Does the best time for email marketing vary by industry?

Yes, the best time can vary by industry. For example, B2B emails usually perform better during weekdays, while B2C emails might see higher engagement on weekends or during the early evening when consumers are more relaxed.

How can I determine the best time for my specific audience?

The best way to determine the optimal send time is to analyze your own email campaign data and conduct A/B testing, sending emails at different times and monitoring the open and click-through rates for each.

Does the audience’s time zone affect the timing of my email campaigns?

Yes, considering your audience’s time zone is crucial. Segment your email list by time zone to ensure that your emails reach recipients at the appropriate local time for maximum engagement.

Are there any days of the week that are better for sending marketing emails?

Generally, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are considered the best days for sending marketing emails, as these days tend to have higher open rates compared to Mondays, when people are swamped with emails, and Fridays, when many are checking out for the weekend.