Best Day to Send Email Newsletters

Have you ever spent hours crafting the perfect email newsletter, only to wonder when exactly you should hit send? 

As a dedicated content creator or marketer, you understand the frustration of this dilemma. The timing of your newsletter delivery is as crucial as its content.

Nowadays, inboxes are battlegrounds for attention. Sending your newsletter too late could mean missing the opportunity to connect with your audience when they are most receptive. Conversely, timing it right could make you make a “killing.”

So, how do you pinpoint that “just right” moment?

We’ll explore the nuances of picking the best day to send email newsletters. We'll look at industry trends and statistics, analyze weekdays versus weekends, and provide actionable insights to help you make informed decisions.

We will also show you how to leverage beehiiv for segmenting and scheduling your newsletters.

Key Takeaways

• Tuesdays and Thursdays are prime days for high email open rates, especially for B2B audiences.

• Send emails between 9 AM and 12 PM to capitalize on peak engagement times.

• Tailor your send time to your audience's habits—professional content performs well during the workweek, and casual content performs well on weekends.

• Use analytics, like beehiiv's 3D Analytics, to track and understand your audience's engagement patterns.

• Regularly A/B test different send times to refine your strategy and ensure your content arrives when your audience is most receptive.

Weekdays or Weekends: Which is Better for Email Newsletter Engagement?

Research data shows that weekdays generally trump weekends for email engagement.

The Monday to Friday stretch is when most people are in a work mindset, plugged into their daily routines, and more likely to sift through their inboxes. This makes weekdays a strategic bet for sending informative and professional content.

On Saturday and Sunday, the pace changes. Many people are out and about—socializing, indulging in hobbies, or tackling personal projects. Checking emails isn't the priority for most people here. This leads to lower open rates. 

However, there's a flip side. Some audiences like a leisurely weekend read. If your content is light and entertaining, a Saturday send could have a surprisingly high click-to-open rate, indicating that while fewer people may open the email, those who do are more engaged.

So, the weekdays for work and weekends for play formula isn't universal. Audience habits vary dramatically across industries. 

For instance, in the leisure and entertainment sectors, weekend emails catch readers exactly when they're looking for fun activities. But B2B communications often thrive on weekdays, when professionals are in business mode.

Consider a fitness brand where customers are likely looking for workout inspiration during their free time. This makes weekends potentially lucrative.

What are the Best Weekdays for Sending Email Newsletters?

We have seen weekdays are the best time to send email newsletters, but which days are the best?

Tuesday

According to a survey by HubSpot, 27% of U.S. marketers vouch for Tuesday as the best day for email engagement, followed by Monday (19%) and Thursday (17%). 

This suggests that while the whole midweek period—Tuesday to Thursday—is prime real estate for your email campaigns, Tuesday edges out as the frontrunner.

Tuesday is when your audience is deep into their work week, likely settled into their routines, and possibly more receptive to your messages.

Wednesday

Mid-week Wednesday holds its ground by meeting, and often exceeding, open and click-through rate expectations. 

It's the day when the workweek is at its peak, and people are looking for a respite or a piece of interesting content to break up their day.

Thursday

Then there's Thursday, which contends closely with Tuesday for the title of the best day to send marketing emails. 

If you're torn between starting your campaign on Tuesday or Thursday, you might as well flip a coin or, better yet, test which day yields better results for your specific audience.

Monday and Friday

Fridays and Mondays are often seen as the less preferred days for sending emails, but they still perform better than the weekends.

Friday, in particular, might surprise you with higher open and click-through rates compared to Monday. 

People are usually in anticipation of the weekend, which has them in a more relaxed mood, ready to engage with the content that catches their eye.

On the other hand, Mondays are a different story. It's the start of the workweek, and as people gear up for their tasks, they will skim through their inboxes, prioritizing work emails. In a situation like this, checking your newsletter email will not be on anyone’s to-do list.

Tuesdays lead the pack, closely followed by Thursdays and Wednesdays, but ALWAYS remember that these are averages and trends, not definitive rules. 

Engagement varies based on your specific audience, industry, and content.

Test and experiment. Monitor the engagement metrics for your email newsletters across different weekdays to identify what resonates with your audience.

When is the Best Time to Send Email Newsletters?

Choosing the optimal time to send out email newsletters will significantly impact your campaign's success.

A study, The Path to Email Engagement in 2021, found that 84.3% of respondents check their email at least once a day, and 63.3% check their inboxes multiple times, with 25.4% doing so five or more times a day.

So, the stakes are high to hit that sweet spot where your message gets the attention it deserves.

For example, sending your newsletter when your reader is deep in work mode will likely get lost in other work-related emails.

The outcome is the same for a late-night send. It’ll be promptly ignored or forgotten in the morning rush. You want your email to be the refreshing mid-morning read with a coffee or the go-to during the post-lunch slump when your audience is looking for a distraction.

Studies by HubSpot offer guidelines on when to send your email newsletter. 

They say you should send between 9 AM and 12 PM. However, some other studies suggest that Thursday between 8-9 AM works great, while others suggest sending newsletters between 10:30 and 11:30 PM or between 3:00 and 6:00 AM.

The reality is that there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Here is a general guideline:

• Early Morning (3:00 AM - 6:00 AM): People are just waking up. Your email will be among the first they see, but it might also compete with overnight messages, so there’s always a chance that they just hit the ‘Clear’ button to get rid of all the notifications.

• Mid-Morning (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM): Many people are starting their day and checking emails, which can mean higher engagement.

• Lunch Hours (12:00 PM - 2:00 PM): This can be hit or miss. Some may check emails during lunch, while others use this time to step away from screens.

• Afternoon (2:00 PM - 5:00 PM): The post-lunch productivity burst could see your email getting lost as people focus on work.

• Early Evening (5:00 PM - 7:00 PM): People are winding down and potentially more receptive to reading.

• Late Evening (10:30 PM - 11:30 PM): This is a quiet time for inboxes, but your email risks being left until the next day.

You should aim to test different times with your audience. Use A/B testing to reveal when your specific audience will likely open and engage with your emails. 

What works for a global brand may not work for a local boutique, and vice versa.

With beehiiv, you see real-time data on the open and click-through rates. You can analyze your engagement data, tailor your send times to your audience's habits, and continuously refine your approach for better results.

Explore more for free. Sign up for beehiiv’s 30-day free trial. No credit card is required.

Does Industry Affect Email Timing?

Yes, the industry significantly affects email timing, influencing when subscribers are most likely to open and engage with emails. 

Different industries have unique peak times for email engagement, which can be attributed to their respective audiences' varying habits and preferences.

For instance, B2B (Business-to-Business) professionals often check their emails during the workweek. Hence, B2B emails perform better when sent on Tuesdays or Thursdays, particularly between 8 AM and 5 PM.

Retail shoppers engage more with emails sent on weekends when they are planning their shopping, and others may engage during the workweek evenings when they are relaxing at home.

• Entertainment and Leisure: Emails from these industries often see better engagement rates when sent on Thursdays or Fridays as people plan their weekend activities.

• Health and Fitness: For industries like fitness, where motivation is a factor, send emails early in the week to catch subscribers when they are setting their weekly routines.

• Educational Content: Depending on the audience, educational emails see better engagement during the week, as people allocate time to personal development outside of work hours.

• Financial Services: Since these often require a reader's attention and consideration, mid-week days like Tuesday and Wednesday are optimal when people are more likely to focus on financial planning.

Ensure you understand your audience's unique patterns and do not rely solely on generic industry trends.

How Do You Determine Your Audience's Preferred Time for Email Newsletters?

Start by first understanding who your audience is, including their age, occupation, and lifestyle. This will give you insights into when they will likely check their emails.

Then, analyze past engagement data to see when your audience has opened, clicked, and interacted with your emails. Different segments of your audience have different preferences. Customize your send times for each segment.

You can also use A/B testing to experiment with different send times and days to see which yields the best engagement.

In addition, directly ask your audience when they prefer to receive emails through surveys or feedback forms. Use beehiiv’s customizable survey feature to help you get responses from your subscribers.

Ask yourself these questions when determining the best time to send email newsletters:

• What time zones do the majority of my audience reside in?

• Are there specific hours when my audience engagement is historically higher?

• How does my audience's daily routine (work hours, leisure time) impact their email checking habits?

• Do my email topics align with certain days of the week (e.g., professional content on weekdays, leisure on weekends)?

• Have I considered the seasonality or holidays that might affect open rates?

• How often does my audience want to hear from me?

• What have split tests revealed about the best times to send my emails?

By answering these questions, you tailor your email campaigns to meet your audience's preferences and enhance the overall effectiveness of your email marketing strategy.

Optimize the Timing of Your Email Newsletters Using beehiiv

Engaging with your audience is not just about great content. It's also about when this content arrives in their inbox. 

It's that precise moment when your readers are most receptive that transforms a mere open into a meaningful interaction.

The pain point for many content creators is the guesswork involved in scheduling. Are you sending too early, too late, too often? 

These questions can be paralyzing. But with beehiiv, you can transform uncertainty into precision with features designed to fine-tune your engagement strategy.

Leverage beehiiv’s 3D Analytics

At beehiiv, we provide a 3D analytics dashboard to gain a granular view of how your subscribers interact with your content. 

• When are they opening your emails?

• Which links are they clicking?

Such insights guide you to schedule your newsletters when engagement is naturally higher.

Use the subscriber's report to see when new subscriptions are rolling in. Are there certain days when sign-ups spike?

Embed Surveys and Polls with Ease

As we have seen, you should not depend on industry trends and statistics. Ask your audience when they would like to receive your email.

If you're on the Grow plan with beehiiv, use the ability to embed surveys and polls directly within your newsletter. 

This feature is a direct line to understanding when your readers want to receive your emails.

You can save your polls for future use. This continuous feedback loop and analysis will allow you to refine your send times based on real subscriber preferences.

Remember that optimizing the timing of your email newsletters isn't a one-off task. It's an ongoing learning process and adapting to your audience's habits. Get started with the beehiiv newsletter tool today for a 30-day free trial.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Factors Contribute To The Effectiveness Of Certain Days For Sending Newsletters?

Selecting the optimal time to send emails hinges on understanding your audience's routines and the specific engagement patterns of your industry. Aligning your content's nature with the most appropriate days (e.g., professional topics on weekdays, and leisure on weekends) can enhance relevance. Additionally, sending emails on days with lower inbox competition can improve visibility.

Are There Universally Optimal Times During The Day For Sending Newsletters?

Yes, there are universally optimal times during the day for sending newsletters. Many marketers find mid-morning to early afternoon effective as a general rule.

However, this greatly varies depending on audience demographics, industry, content type, and individual subscriber behavior. 

So, it’s always best to analyze your specific audience data and conduct A/B testing to determine the most effective times for your email campaigns.

Is There A Difference In Optimal Send Days For B2B Versus B2C Audiences?

Yes, there is a difference in optimal send days for B2B versus B2C audiences. B2B audiences are likelier to engage with emails during the workweek, particularly mid-morning. As reported by HubSpot, 47.9% of B2B marketers observed the most engagement between 9 AM and 12 PM.

In contrast, B2C audiences engage differently as their email checking habits are not strictly tied to business hours and are influenced by personal schedules, leisure time, and weekends.

Send your Newsletter With beehiiv

Explore beehiiv’s cutting-edge tools to enhance your email marketing strategy, ensuring every newsletter you send out is timely, engaging, and impactful.

We have features like the 3D analytics dashboard to help you visualize your email campaign performance with multi-dimensional analytics that help you understand subscriber engagement in-depth.

You can also tailor your content to different audience segments directly within your email campaigns to boost relevancy and reader connection.

Make each newsletter count with beehiiv. Eliminate the guesswork of send times. 

Get started today for a 30-day free trial.