When done correctly, sending an email newsletter can lead to a noticeable spike in website traffic, enquiries, and leads. However, one common mistake many marketers make is sending their newsletter as soon as it’s signed off, without considering the best day or time for their audience. Does that sound familiar?
Did you know that the timing of your newsletter can significantly affect its performance? Sending it at the right time of day and on the right day of the week can make all the difference. Let’s dive into how to determine the best timing for your emails.
Do all businesses perform the same?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a universal answer to the best day or time to send an email newsletter. Every business’s audience behaves differently. For example, in my previous B2B business that catered to office-based staff, Thursdays at 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. worked best. Mondays and Fridays, however, were consistently the worst-performing days (aside from weekends).
It was easy to see why:
2 p.m.: After lunch, people often check their email before diving into the afternoon’s work.
Monday: People are catching up from the weekend, dealing with reports, and attending meetings.
Friday: Most people are winding down for the weekend, not focusing on emails.
10 a.m.: After clearing their inbox from the day before, they’re ready to engage.
How to test the best day or time to send your email newsletter
To identify the best timing for your audience, testing is essential. Here’s how to do it:
- Start with an Assumption Begin by considering your audience’s habits. For example, if your client base consists of hairdressers and beauticians, their working week and busy periods should guide your assumptions:
- Salons are generally open from Tuesday to Saturday.
- Fridays and Saturdays are often their busiest days, leaving little time for emails.
- Many salons are closed on Mondays.
- Assumption: Tuesday might be the best day to send emails, as people are back to work and catching up.
- Split Test Your Audience For accurate results, divide your email list into test groups. Ideally, each group should have at least 2,000 contacts. If your list is smaller, test across two days instead of the entire week. Ensure the email content remains identical for all groups to avoid skewed data.
- Measure Key Metrics Track these performance indicators:
- Open Rate: The percentage of recipients who opened your email.
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage who clicked on links within your email.
- Unsubscribe Rate: The percentage who opted out after receiving your email.
Measuring success of your email newsletter send
Example Test Results
Here are the results of a split test conducted over two email sends:
| Metric | Monday Send | Tuesday Send | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Rate | 21.1% | 30.6% | +45% |
| Click-Through Rate | 7.3% | 2.6% | -64% |
| Unsubscribe Rate | 13.2% | 49.3% | +273% |
On the surface, Tuesday appears to be the clear winner with a 45% higher open rate. However, the click-through rate on Monday was 64% better than Tuesday’s, suggesting that while fewer people opened the email, those who did were more engaged. The unsubscribe rate on Tuesday was also significantly higher, indicating that the timing may not have resonated well with recipients.
In this case, Monday emerged as the winner. This highlights the importance of not relying on a single metric and considering the overall performance of your email.
How does email timing fit into the bigger picture?
The timing of your email newsletters is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to email marketing success. For a deeper dive into the overall effectiveness of email marketing, check out our blog post: How Effective Is Email Marketing These Days? You’ll learn why email marketing remains one of the most powerful tools for engaging your audience and driving results.
Final thoughts
To improve your email marketing performance, testing is crucial. By identifying the most effective day and time to send your newsletters, you can maximise engagement and build consistency with your audience. Regular testing and analysis will help you adapt to changes in your customers’ behaviour over time.
If you’d like support in understanding the best time to send your email newsletters or need help with your email marketing strategy, feel free to get in touch. We’d love to help you achieve the results you’re looking for!