Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you’re test driving our products, getting started with your marketing efforts or taking them to the next level, we've got the answers to your questions.
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When is the best time for sending emails to improve my open rates?
Find the best time to send emails
To help improve your open rate, send your email just before the time when most of your contacts check their email. The best time to send varies with the demographics of the recipients and the email's purpose.
General Trends for the Best Time to Send Email
Although there is no one best time to send, here are some very general trends. Be sure to consider testing the best time to send to your unique audience.
- Days of the Week - Previously, Tuesday through Thursday were considered to be the best performing days. Recent surveys indicate Monday may be the new favorite.
- Time of Day - Because the volume of email sent is highest between 10 am and 2 pm, your emails may have a greater chance of being seen from 8 am - 10 am or 4 pm - 6 pm.
- Frequency - While most companies will not want to send more than one email a day to a list, the average pattern of sending is two emails a month. Always set your customers' expectations for how often you will be sending and tell them if your sending patterns will be changing ahead of time.
Ways to Find Your Best Time to Send Email
Use the following methods to find out when most of your contacts are most likely to see and read your email.
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Trends from Past Emails - To look for trends in when contacts have opened your emails in the past, review your past emails' Unique Opens reports.
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Consider Purpose - Why and when would your contacts be most interested in engaging with your email content?
Example:
When a career counselor realized her audience reads her emails after work hours, she tried sending at 6 pm instead of 11 am. Her open rates tripled because her emails appeared at the top of her contacts' inboxes when they got home. -
Test to See What Works - A popular way to test the best time to send is to try "AB Testing".
Here is an overview of how AB testing works:
- Create two new test contact lists in Constant Contact.
- Copy (not move) or import one half of your contact list into each test list.
- Create two copies of your next email: "Copy A" and "Copy B".
- Send Copy A to one-half of your contact list at a time of day or week that you believe will be popular.
- Send Copy B to the other half of your list at a different time of day or the week.
- Compare the open rates for each email about 48 hours after each one is sent.
- Repeat steps 1-5 a few times to determine which days of the week and times of day result in the best open rates.
Note: Only paying customers can schedule an email to send at a specific time of day.
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