What Is the Best Time to Send an Email [55+ Stats for 2024]

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Timing is of the essence.

That’s largely why Roger Federer has won more Grand Slams than any male player in the history of tennis.

In part, that’s also why he promotes Rolex watches, as anyone who’s subscribed to that particular Swiss brand’s newsletter will tell you.

And, like Federer’s forehand, the timing of Rolex’s email newsletter is perfect.

How about the timing of your email newsletter? Is it spot on?

By this point, you’re probably wondering:

“What is the best time to send an email?”

If that’s the case, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve got you covered with the latest trends on the topic.

But before digging deep into every interesting stat, let’s have a look at some mind-blowing facts first.

When Is the Best Time to Send an Email and Other Fascinating Facts

  • Tuesday is the best day of the week to send an email.
  • Experts typically recommend sending emails on Tuesdays and Wednesdays around 10-11 am.
  • 53% of emails are opened between 9 am and 5 pm (minus lunchtime).
  • Transaction rates for emails sent between 4:00 am and 8:00 am are 33%.
  • 99% of people check their email at least once a day.
  • Approximately 124.5 billion business emails were sent and received each day in 2018.
  • The average office worker receives 121 emails per day.

Those are some pretty eye-catching statistics, right?

So, without further ado, let’s address the main question:

When Should I Send an Email?

The simple answer is:

It depends on your niche.

Doesn’t it always, though?

Don’t worry. There are plenty of studies on the topic, and the stats will flesh things out.

1. According to most studies, Tuesday is the best day of the week to send an email.

(Source: CoSchedule)

  • What is the best time to send an email campaign? If you’re going to send two emails a week, you should choose Thursday for the second one.
  • Wednesday is also a good option for sending emails.
  • According to GetResponse, peak inbox activity takes place on Thursday.

It’s a no brainer, really.

If you’re going to get your target audience’s attention, you should send emails between Tuesday and Thursday.

The thing is:

Most people are catching up with leftover work on Monday and gearing up for the weekend on Friday. So, it’s best to avoid those days. Stick to the main part of the working week, and you’re more likely to get your message across.

But that’s not a universal solution for all businesses and niches. Keep reading to find out why.

2. When it comes to what is the best day and time to send an email, experts typically recommend Tuesdays and Wednesdays around 10-11 am.

(Source: ConvertKit)

In terms of time, late mornings are best for sending emails. However, it might come as a surprise that only slightly more than half of emails are opened during regular office hours.

Yes, you read that right:

With digital commuting and flexible working hours on the rise, the old 9-5 is no longer what it used to be. In fact, many workers check their email at virtually all hours.

But should you send emails late at night?

If you’re going to go down that road, you should try doing it very early in the morning.

3. 35% of people open an email based on the subject line alone.

(Source: HubSpot)

In addition to being aware of what is the best time to send an email newsletter, it’s vital to capture readers’ attention from the get-go. And there’s no better way of doing that than coming up with a catchy subject line.

After all:

You only get one chance to make a good impression. Try to personalize the subject line and avoid generic templates.

Here’s why:

4. Approximately 124.5 billion business emails were sent and received each day in 2018.

(Source: Campaign Monitor)

This is why it’s absolutely crucial to know the best time to send an email, as our key email statistics for 2021 also suggest.

Quite simply:

People send and receive billions and billions of emails every single day. And if you thought that number was already ridiculously high in 2018, just wait until it triples within the next four years. CLICK TO TWEET

Mind – blown!

With ever more competition for customers’ attention, you’ll have to craft an outstanding email and yes, that does include it being grammatically correct. Not quite a walk in the park, is it?

5. There will be 4.4 billion email users in 2023.

(Source: Statista)

It’s not just the number of emails that’s rising.

The thing is:

The number of people using email has also increased exponentially in recent years – and it’s forecast to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The iPhone app and Gmail are the two most widely used email clients.

6. In March 2019, 56% of all email traffic was spam.

(Source: Statista)

Spamming and malicious emails remain a serious problem, as our outrageous hacking statistics demonstrate. However, the percentage of emails that are spam has gradually been decreasing since 2012, when it reached a high of 69%.

And it gets even better for marketers trying to figure out what is the best time to send a marketing email:

More and more of their emails are making their way into customers’ inboxes rather than spam folders.

But how many of them are actually opened and read?

Let’s find out.

What Is a Good Open Rate for Email?

7. The overall email open rate average across multiple industries in 2017 was 37%.

(Source: HubSpot)

It should come as no surprise that email open rates vary significantly across different industries. While only about one in every three emails are opened on average, you should pay close attention to the trends in your chosen niche and the best time to send email and judge accordingly.

Don’t want to crunch the numbers all by yourself?

You’re in luck:

This nifty tool by Hubspot will do it for you! How about that!

But that’s not all:

8. The highest email open rate for entrepreneurs & workaholics is at 10 am on Saturday.

(Source: Smart Insights)

At this point, you’re probably thinking:

“Hold on a second there, buddy, didn’t you just say it’s best to send emails around 11 am EST on Tuesday?”

I did indeed.

News flash:

While that’s a good rule of thumb – and, indeed, one that many experts swear by – things may vary depending on your target audience.

For example, workaholics compulsively check their work email all the time, including first thing in the morning on Saturday over a cup of coffee in bed.

The same goes for response rates:

Opening an email is one thing – actually replying to it is quite another. So, the optimal time for opens is not necessarily the best time to boost your email response rate and vice versa.

You should bear this in mind when trying to determine what is the best time to send a mass email to your target audience.

But wait!

There’s more:

9. Most college students open their emails between noon and 2 pm.

(Source: Sumo)

  • Open rates for older subscribers peak between 9 am and 11 am.
  • Open rates for lawyers peak between 9 am and noon.
  • People respond best to offers for “clothes, live events, restaurants, and consumer goods” between 6 am and 10 am.
  • When it comes to the best time to send an email in the afternoon, readers open emails connected to property and financial services more than any other between 3 pm and 5 pm.
  • Emails with promotional sales and specials lead to more opens between 5 pm and 10 pm.

Think of the type of email you’re sending and who your target audience is.

Are you trying to pitch discount gym memberships to college freshmen? If that’s the case, you should keep in mind that they like to sleep in and use that fact to determine what is the best time to send an email.

Lawyers, on the other hand, are a completely different school of fish. They like a bright and early start to their day.

Except maybe during the holidays.

10. Send emails the Monday before Thanksgiving or the following Tuesday or Wednesday.

(Source: HubSpot)

Let’s face it:

Nobody likes to open, let alone reply to business or marketing emails during the holidays. Instead, people want to spend their time catching up with friends and family or simply relaxing and recharging their batteries.

That’s why they won’t bother opening your precious email, even if the subject line piques their interest. And the longer your message sits in their inbox, the less likely people are to read it.

When it comes to what is the best time to send an email during the holiday season, this is the bottom line:

Send emails during the last couple of business days leading up to major holidays or immediately after.

And on that festive note:

Wrap-up

Whether you’re a legendary tennis player with a silky-smooth forehand or an up-and-coming marketer who wants to take over the world, perfect timing is everything.

In this day and age, when users are bombarded by countless emails, it’s vital that you send out an email at the optimal time.

Here’s the key takeaway:

First, get to know your target audience and its email reading habits.

Second, calculate your email open rate and see how it compares to the average in your industry.

Third, don’t be afraid to experiment with different approaches to see what works best for your business.

And now that you know, what is the best time to send an email, you have a solid foundation to build on.

Game, set, and match.

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