The Best Time To Send Emails In 2024 (Latest Data)
Wondering when to send out emails to achieve the highest conversions? We’ve got you covered.
Email marketing is still among the best marketing strategies alive. But guess what? Your marketing emails will be good for nothing if they don’t get read— even worse, if they don’t get opened. Ouch!
In this blog post, we’re breaking down the best time to send emails to increase conversions for your marketing campaigns. We explore the best days and the best times of the day to send different types of emails, informed by the latest email marketing statistics.
Why does timing matter in email marketing campaigns?
Email marketing is not just a gambling game. It’s a marketing practice that you need to approach with meticulous skill and a well-thought-out strategy.
The performance of your email marketing campaigns will highly depend on when you send out your emails.
In fact, 35% of emails remain unread every day, and one of the main reasons is —you guessed it —wrong timing!
Email timing is significant since it determines the three KPIs of an email marketing campaign: The click-through rates, click-to-open rates, and, ultimately, the conversion rates.
You, therefore, need to understand when your audience is most receptive and engaging and tailor your timing according to their habits and preferences.
Without a proper grasp of the timing, you’ll be wasting precious resources on email campaigns that don’t benefit your business.
General guidelines for email timing
Before we dive into the specifics, there are some general rules of thumb that every email marketer or business person should know.
Here are some general guidelines for email timing:
- Avoid Mondays: On Mondays, inboxes are often cluttered with emails from the weekend, so your message might get lost in the frenzy.
- Test out weekends: While weekends are generally considered unideal for email, some industries, like online retail, experience high success rates with weekend emails. Consider testing weekend sends for your specific audience.
- Avoid holidays: Sending emails on major holidays or during cultural events might not yield the desired results. The recipients may be too preoccupied to check their inboxes.
- Consider local time zones: If you have a global audience, you should schedule emails to arrive during the recipient’s local business hours.
- Consistency is key: Once you identify the best email times for your audience, you need to stay consistent with your email sends. Regularly send emails at the same times and days to establish a routine for your subscribers.
What’s the best time to send marketing emails?
The best time to send marketing emails may vary depending on factors like the industry, the target audience, and the specific goals you want to achieve with your email campaigns.
While there’s no one-size-fits-all, many marketing studies, including HubSpot’s user research report, show that emails perform best when sent around 9-12 AM.
Emails sent around this time yielded the highest conversions in terms of click-through rate, open rate, response, and engagement rate.
On the other hand, emails sent past 4 p.m. report the lowest open and engagement rates. This is because, around this time, people are closing their workday and are less likely to check their inboxes.
As mentioned, different industries may experience slight differences in conversion rates at different times. This is due to differences in the audience behavior, their unique habits, preferences, and daily routines.
Therefore, as much as you may want to go with the reports and schedule all your emails between 9-12 a.m., it’s essential to research and understand the current trends in your specific industry beforehand.
What’s the best day to send marketing emails?
You have a bunch of emails in your draft, and with each passing day, you wonder whether to send them out or wait for the next day!
I get you. Not all days of the week are ideal for sending emails.
Take Sunday, for example.
How often do you check your inbox on Sunday, if at all you ever do?
On a day like this, people are usually in a relaxed mode— they are so preoccupied with church and spending time with family and friends that they barely remember to check their emails.
So, you’re wondering, which is the best day of the week to send out emails?
According to WordStream, marketing emails occurred to convert better when sent on midweek days, that is, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. During these days, people are more settled into their workweek routines and are less likely to pile up emails. This means the chances of engaging with your emails are at their highest.
Tuesday: This is frequently cited as one of the best mailing days since people are normally past the Monday rush and not yet thinking about the weekend.
Wednesday: Similarly, on Wednesday, people are still in receptive mode and are more likely to open and engage with emails.
Thursday: Thursday is the #1 best day to send emails, according to Moosend’s user data study. Email sent on this day performs best in terms of open rates.
This is especially true with eCommerce emails since, on Thursdays, people begin planning and shopping for the weekend ahead.
Therefore, if you plan to send out two emails in a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays are the best days to go with.
Mondays and Fridays: Emails sent on Mondays and Fridays show relatively lower open rates and engagement.
On Mondays, people are just embarking on the weekend and planning their week ahead. They may not be settled enough to engage with emails.
Friday also sees lower email engagement as people are looking forward to the weekend and are less focused on checking or engaging with emails.
Saturday: Engagements on Saturday highly depend on your audience and industry. Certain types of emails, like promotions, events, or leisure-related emails, perform well on this day.
However, this is not guaranteed, so it’s essential to conduct A/B testing for your specific industry.
Generally, Saturdays and Sundays are considered the worst days to send a marketing email.
The best times to send emails (by days of the week)
Email recipients in different industries tend to behave differently every day of the week.
That means that emails sent at the same time on different days of the week may register different open rates, click-through rates, and click-to-open rates.
Wondering what are the best times to send emails on weekdays?
Here’s a table with some general insights from the Salesforce Marketing Cloud’s report:
| Day of the week | Best time to send emails |
| Monday | 10 am |
| Tuesday | 9 am-11 am |
| Wednesday | 9 am- 3 pm |
| Thursday | 9 am – 10 am |
| Friday | 9 am |
| Saturday | 9 am |
| Sunday | 8 pm |
Remember, these are just general guidelines, and the results can vary based on your specific audience’s behavior and preferences.
It’s important to conduct A/B testing to discover the most effective send times for your marketing campaigns and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Also, consider the industry you’re in, as well as any regional or time zone differences among your subscribers, when determining your optimal send times.
The best times to send emails (by email type)
Did you know that email send times can also yield different results based on the type of email you’re sending?
There are many different types of marketing emails, and they all tend to be received differently by your target audience. Therefore, you need to understand when to send which type of email to reap the highest conversion rates.
Let’s analyze some of the best times to send different types of emails for your email marketing strategies.
Cold emails
The best time to send cold emails is on Midweek mornings (Tuesday or Wednesday Mornings).
Midweek mornings are generally less hectic compared to Mondays, when inboxes are often flooded with messages from the weekend.
Since people are already settling into their workweek, they are more likely to receive new information positively.
Send cold emails between 5.00 a.m. and 9.00 a.m. so your recipients can see them first thing in the morning before starting their workday.
Promotional emails
Promotional emails tend to convert best when sent on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
These emails often contain offers or discounts, which people like to take advantage of during midweek.
Since promotional emails are often uninvited, you need to make the spontaneous and schedule them at a time when recipients are likely to be on their devices.
Sending promotional emails on Tuesday or Thursday mornings (9 a.m. to 12 a.m.) allows recipients to take advantage of your promotion, increasing the chances of conversion.
Welcome emails
Welcome emails are among the most critical emails in a sales funnel. They show an 82.21% open rate, which is 4x higher than a standard email marketing campaign.
According to Campaign Monitor, the best time to send a welcome email is immediately when someone subscribes to your newsletter or signs up for a service.
This immediate response shows your commitment to customer engagement and creates a positive first impression of your brand.
Some brands schedule second and even third welcome emails in a bid to convert the visitor. If you have to send a second welcome email, do so within 24 hours after the first email.
The third welcome email should also come within 24 hours of the second email or within 2 days of the first welcome email.
Email follow-up
Email follow-ups perform best when sent within 24 hours of the first email.
Follow-up emails should be sent promptly, especially if you need the recipient to take specific actions (e.g., download a resource or express interest in your product or service).
A quick follow-up will maximize your chances of converting the recipient while their interest in your brand still stands high.
Email newsletters
Wondering when is the best time to send email newsletters?
Well, people like to receive newsletters when they are relaxed and have time to read.
User research data from ConvertKit shows that on Tuesdays and Thursday mornings (at 10 a.m.), newsletters report the highest click-through rates and open rates.
Newsletters often contain valuable content or updates. Sending them midweek in the morning allows recipients to engage with the content when they’re alert and less likely to be distracted.
Email newsletters can also perform well when sent between 3.30 a.m. and 5.00 a.m. when recipients are just preparing to start their day.
Abandoned cart emails
Abandoned cart emails are meant to encourage customers to complete a purchase if they leave the site after adding items to their shopping cart.
Regardless of the day and time of abandonment, ensure the customer receives the abandoned cart email within one hour of abandonment.
This will help recover potentially lost sales by reminding customers of their abandoned items while the purchase is still fresh in their minds.
Sending emails in the mornings vs. evenings
Is it best to send out emails in the mornings or in the evenings?
While some brands prefer sending emails during morning hours, some report that evening hours work best for them.
However, it’s good to understand the upsides and downsides of both before taking a stand.
Pros of morning emails
- Fresh start: Early mornings are when most people check their emails as they begin their workday. This means your email may be one of the first things they see, increasing their chances of opening and reading it.
- Low competition: In the morning, inboxes are typically less cluttered with new emails, reducing competition for attention.
- High productivity: People are often more alert and focused in the morning, making it an opportune time for sending action-oriented emails.
- Business hours: If your target audience consists of working professionals, sending emails in the morning during working hours can yield the highest returns.
Cons of morning emails
Early mornings can be a busy and stressful time for many people.
For instance, work-from-home moms may still be busy getting their kids ready for school, while office professionals may be attending their daily opening meetings.
In that case, lengthy, non-urgent emails may be easily overlooked.
Pros of evening emails
- Relaxed atmosphere: Evenings are when people unwind and have more leisure time. Sending emails in the evening can be suitable if the content is meant for relaxation or entertainment.
- Mobile usage: Many people check their emails on mobile devices in the evenings, potentially reaching a broader audience.
- Decision-making: Some people use their evenings for planning, decision-making, and online research. Therefore, they are more likely to open emails, especially if they are related to personal decisions or purchases.
Cons of evening emails
- Less concentration: Late-evening emails may find your audience tired or less attentive after a long day. This means your email is likely to be ignored.
- Type of content: Many people don’t like to carry work home. This means work-related or demanding content may not be well-received in the evening.
How to conduct A/B send time testing for your brand
Email send time rules are not cast in stone.
What may be working for me in my industry may not work for you if you’re operating in a different industry. The results may also vary due to differences in audience behavior and preferences.
That’s why it’s always advisable to experiment through A/B testing and identify the best send times for your specific brand.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to conduct A/B send time testing effectively:
Step 1: Define your goal
Clearly define the goal of your A/B testing.
Do you want to determine the optimal time for higher open rates, click-through rates, or conversions? The best practice is to measure one KPI at a time.
Step 2: Create target groups
Segment your email list into two or more statistically similar groups (A, B, C, etc.) for testing.
Ensure each segment is large enough to give meaningful results.
Step 3: Choose the variable
In this case, the variable is the send time.
Decide how many different send times you want to test. For example, you might want to test three different send times: Morning (10 am), afternoon (3 pm), and evening (6 pm).
Step 4: Create identical email content
Create an email with identical content, subject line, and CTAs for each group. The only difference should be the sending time.
Step 5: Randomize the send times
Randomly assign send times to each group, then send the emails to the respective groups at the assigned send times.
You can also use your email marketing platform to schedule the sends accurately.
Step 6: Monitor performance and collect data
Track the performance of each email campaign by monitoring key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates.
Collect the data over a specific time frame (e.g., one week) for each group and compare the performance of each group to determine which send time resulted in the highest engagement or conversion rates.
Step 7: Draw conclusions and implement
Based on the results, draw conclusions about the best email send time for your brand and implement them into your email marketing strategy.
Remember, continuous testing and periodic A/B tests will be necessary to account for changes in subscriber behavior or preferences.
Best tools and resources for email timing and optimization
Every marketer or business person who wants to achieve more with their marketing campaigns must understand how to optimize timing.
Fortunately, there are several tools and resources online that can help you analyze, strategize, and implement the best email send times.
Here are some of the best tools and resources for email timing and optimization:
Email marketing platforms
Most email marketing platforms provide built-in features and analytics to help you optimize email timing.
Popular platforms like MailerLite, Moosend, and ActiveCampaign offer A/B testing capabilities to help you determine the best email send times for your audience.
Email analytics tools
Email analytics tools like Litmus offer analytics and testing tools that can help you track the performance of your emails based on different send times.
But the good news is that most email marketing platforms have some form of analytics built-in.
So, you’ll likely find that your current email tool offers real-time email tracking and reporting.
Insights from these tools can help you analyze how your emails perform at various times and make data-driven decisions.
Send time optimization tools
Want to calculate the best time to send emails to your recipients? Brevo is among the most effective tools you can utilize.
Brevo offers a Send Time Optimization feature that calculates the best time to send your emails based on the recipient’s past engagement.
Social media and audience insights
Social media analytics and audience insights from platforms like Facebook Insights and Twitter Analytics can inform you when your audience is most active online.
This information can also help you time your emails more effectively.
Email timing benchmarks
Finally, you can refer to industry benchmarks and studies from experts like Litmus and GetResponse.
They usually analyze extensive data and compile authentic reports on email timing trends and performance for different industries.
These benchmarks can be a powerful reference point for your email timing decisions.
How to evaluate the performance of your marketing emails
Once you’ve optimized your email send times, it’s important to continuously monitor performance to identify whether your strategy is producing the desired results.
You’ll also be able to make data-driven decisions and improvements onwards.
Here are the key metrics you can use to evaluate the performance of your email campaigns.
- Email Open Rate: Your email open rate refers to the percentage of total emails opened out of the total emails delivered.
A high open rate suggests that your subject lines and sender information are compelling enough.
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): CTR refers to the percentage of recipients who clicked on a link or call-to-action (CTA) within your email. A high CTR suggests your email content and CTAs are compelling and engaging.
- Bounce Rate: This is the percentage of emails that couldn’t be delivered. High bounce rates may indicate issues with your email list quality or sender reputation.
- Unsubscribe Rate: This shows the percentage of recipients who opted out of your email list. The unsubscribe rate can help you gauge subscriber satisfaction and the relevance of your email content.
- Sales/Conversions: Sales or conversions resulting from your email campaigns directly show whether your emails effectively drive sales revenue or desired actions for your business.
- Website traffic from Emails: Website traffic from email shows how much traffic your emails drive to your website. Identify which emails generate the most website visits and how those visitors engage once on your website.
Emerging trends and changes in email send times
As consumer behavior and technology use patterns change daily, optimal email send times are also subject to change.
Here are some emerging trends and changes in email send times that marketers should keep in mind and, if possible, adapt to.
Mobile-first send times
There’s an increasing use of mobile devices for email consumption–most emails are opened during downtime or commutes.
This has led to the rise of “mobile-first” send times (e.g., early mornings and late evenings) when people are commuting and more likely to use their smartphones.
AI-driven send-time optimization
Email marketing platforms are incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize send times.
AI tools help to analyze recipient behavior and send emails when individual subscribers are most likely to engage. This personalized approach maximizes open rates and maximizes conversions.
Behavior-triggered Emails
Rather than adhering to strict schedules, many brands are now sending emails triggered by real-time user behavior.
For instance, an individual may receive an email immediately after visiting a website or abandoning a cart.
Cross-channel timing
Brands are now synchronizing email send times with other marketing channels like social media.
This helps them identify when customers engage most with these other channels and schedule emails to coincide with these times.
Personalization and time zones
Email marketers are now personalizing send times based on recipients’ time zones.
With a global audience, sending emails at the same absolute time for everyone may not be effective.
Therefore, brands are now using data to ensure that emails arrive in recipients’ inboxes during their local business hours, increasing the likelihood of engagement.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to send an email late at night or early in the morning?
Early morning emails can be effective if your audience tends to check their inboxes first thing in the morning. Late-night emails may not perform well as people are often tired from a long work day and barely check their inboxes.
What is the best time to send an email asking for something?
Generally, midweek mornings (Tuesday through Thursday) are suitable for sending emails requesting something. People are often focused and more likely to engage or respond to your email during this time.
What time are most emails read?
Email user reports show that most emails are read during morning hours (from 9 a.m. to 12 noon), just when most people are starting their workday. However, email reading habits can vary widely, so it’s important to consider your audience’s unique behavior before scheduling emails.
What time should you not send an email?
The worst times to send emails are late at night and during weekends. Unless you’re sure that your audience is active during these times, it’s better to wait for weekdays or early mornings. People tend to be less responsive during these off-work hours, and your emails can easily go unnoticed.
Final thoughts
Now that you know the best time to send emails, managing email campaigns couldn’t get easier! Go ahead and tweak your marketing campaigns to yield the highest conversions for your business.
The best part is that you don’t have to do all the legwork— simply find an email send time optimization tool that can meet your needs, then sit back and watch the magic happen.
Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all rule. So, feel free to experiment and discover what works for your brand, and run with it!
