When conducting an email marketing campaign in Spain, we are always trying to get the highest opening rate for emails sent to all our contacts, that is why deciding at what time and difficult we are campaigning.

On the best day and time to run a campaign and send our Newsletters there is a lot of written and it really is not an exact science. On this occasion we will try to analyse with real results, what are the generic reading behaviors and what may be the best day and time to achieve the best results.

In particular, the study is carried out by a group of clients from different sectors, based on email marketing campaigns sent from Spain and lists of subscribers mostly resident in Spain. This is very important to take this into account as the habits and customs of opening and reading vary depending on the countries in which email marketing campaigns are carried out.

When do we decide to run email marketing campaigns in Spain?

Before we can assess the best time and day to run an email marketing campaign in Spain, we wanted to analyse the behaviour of marketing departments in conducting their campaigns and choosing the best time.

Naturally, this parameter affects reading ratio analyses as if mostly the day chosen were a Monday, the reading results will always increase this day more than the rest.

Fundamental elements before deciding time and day

Type of target audience

Analyzing the recipient's age and typology profile can give us an idea of their behaviour in the face of an email marketing campaign. A young audience, student and without a defined work habit, it is more normal for them to make different readings than a more adult profile and constant work activity.

Similarly, B2B-oriented products or services do not have the same reading habit as B2C-oriented products, making it important to analyse what kind of customer is and what their general email habits are.

Product type or promotion

It is important to note that it is not the same to promote a general product or service which is not influenced by time or day, than an event with a certain date. Analyzing the type of campaign and how it affects us over time, it is important before taking a decision to define the best day and the best time.

A concert, play, event or promotion with a given completion date should not have the same analysis as a general service or timeless product.

Times in campaigns

Because of the many factors affecting an email marketing campaign, both external and internal, we cannot intend to plan it at a millimeter as we can encounter ungrateful surprises. Conducting a campaign without assessing time how delivery speed, ISP mail retention, network saturations, day of the week,... may be a failure.

Because these factors may influence a campaign, it is desirable to assess a logical time margin from the time it is carried out until the email reaches the recipient.

Factors that may affect the time and day before deciding

Each and every one of these factors discussed below will not drastically affect our email marketing campaign, but they should be assessed for those planning their campaigns at the last minute and without considering a prudential time.

Volume of emails

If our database has a considerable volume, it may take a little more time to process the campaign. Estimating the time it takes to make all email sends of emails, we must add up to the times for ISPs to distribute the email received. Normally in small-volume campaigns this factor is invaluable, but it can sometimes add 1 to 2 hours of margin for high-volume campaigns.

Temporary retention of emails

Some ISPs accept only a maximum number of emails received from the same sender either per hour or day, so that if our volume is too high our campaign is considerably delayed. For small volumes this factor is hardly appreciable.

It also influences the decision to temporarily retain a campaign, the reputation of the issuer, variability of the volumes sent, blacklists, content...

Saturations on networks

Normally this is a fairly stable factor and does not largely affect the planning of our email marketing campaign. But if it is important to note that on points out such as Christmas, holidays, or significant events, this aspect should be foreseen and assessed as there may be some saturation in our network.

Day of the week

This factor is important as there are many emails we receive throughout the week and if it is true that there are days that are received more than others. Depending on the day, it may happen that the arrival of the emails is delayed. Weekends, bridges and holidays can be somewhat further delay in the number of emails circulating on the network.

What is the best time and day for my email marketing campaign?

It all depends on our audience, on the type of product or service and our objective. Here are the best or worst days for an email marketing campaign.

Monday

(cleaning day)

It is considered one of the worst days for email marketing campaigns. It is considered a day of cleanliness, when we get to work one of our main actions is to remove all emails received at weekend that are not interested in, so that we can capture those that can be interesting for our performance. It is also a day of work planning and organization of the week, making attention more work-centred.

Naturally this is a generalist theorist and it may be that our target audience or our product is interested to be shipped on Monday. If not, and as a general recommendation it is better to avoid Monday as you say to carry out our email marketing campaign.

In favour: After a long weekend, many email users give priority priority to cleaning the inbox, this means that there may also be a good chance that our email will be used if our product is very interesting.

Against: In the absence of much time in the early morning, prioritizes the cleaning and deletion of unrelevant emails, there is a greater chance that our mail will be discarded by little relevant.

Recommendation: if you have to send a Monday, make it very early in the morning or at the end of it, preferably before or after lunchtime, it is possible to check the want to see more emails.

Best time: Undoubtedly the best time can turn out at the first hour, before 6-7 a.m. if our intention is to enter the post office to cleanse and try his luck, if not. In the afternoons it is very likely that much attention will be paid to the email received as Mondays are generally heavy days.

Tuesday

(day of opportunities)

It can be a very interesting day as the first action of an email marketing campaign. Tuesdays are days that we already have our planned work objectives and we have a little more time to check the emails received.

Campaigns related to events during the week or weekend promotions can be very attractive as Tuesday allows us a room for movement to make decisions.

In favour: Say more likely to be read and highly recommended for events, promotions or services to take place at the end of the week or at weekend.

Against: In very early campaigns in the week, there is a high probability of being forgotten, another campaign may be necessary in the middle or end of the week as a reminder.

Recommendation: If you have to send a Tuesday, guide your campaigns to events, products or services that are performed or sold a few days later, so we give the recipient time to make decisions.

Best time: Undoubtedly the best time can be in the first hour, before 8-9 a.m. at half a day between 12:00 and 16:00.

Wednesday and Thursday

(in the middle is virtue)

In the vast majority of studies carried out and analyses of email marketing campaigns, these two days, along with Tuesday, are considered to be the best. Basically this information is supported by the consequent increase in the opening ratio in different tests carried out. They are higher family or personal planning days and there are many views to organise the weekend, possible trips, shopping,...

As mentioned above, it is not a generic rule, and it may not apply to our campaign, but in general these three days (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) show a greater opening than the rest of the time.

In favour: Many recipients prepare the weekend and how they will spend their personal time, this allows it to be a good time for email marketing campaigns.

Against: Approaching Thursday, it may be too late for campaigns, perhaps a sales opportunity will be missed. In weeks of much work, the central days of the week less attention is paid to email.

Recommendation: Guide your campaigns to rapid acting promotions, products or services. Short-term or limited offers are perhaps the most advisable.

Best time: Undoubtedly the best time can be in the first hour, before 8-9 a.m. at half a day between 12:00 and 16:00.

Friday

(for undecided)

Although it is considered how one of the worst days, along with Monday, it is true that Fridays can prove quite the opposite. If we are looking for an undecided niche that can react quickly to good promotion, this is our day. Events, discounts and weekend promotions are ideal if we are looking for an audience profile with indecision or without plans.

In favour: It is the day of the week that the least mail is received, with the exception of the weekend, so there may be a greater chance of being read, it is a very good opportunity for an audience. It is often a more relaxed day at work and the mood is better.

Against: It is the last day of the week, most of our recipients have planned their personal time and many emails that are not purely working can be ignored.

Recommendation: Guide your campaigns to last minute promotions, products or services. High-value information and offers can be an opportunity for indecisive.

Best time: Undoubtedly the best is at the first hour, before 7-8 p.m., a large number of companies shorten working hours so they can not even read the mail.

Weekend

(less may be more)

The weekend is not a good time for email marketing campaigns, it is obvious that Internet browsing activity is falling considerably and the likelihood of reading the email received is lower. Both Saturday and Sunday, fewer emails will be read, but perhaps the few emails read will be made more carefully. Like Friday, this lower reading can give us a chance as the attention in an email received may be greater.

Seeking the type of audience is essential and targeting our products or services to the right profile is the key.

In favour: These are much less active on the Internet and fewer email movement in mailboxes, so we can have a good opportunity to be read and more closely to the content sent than during the rest.

Against: Days of very little work activity and virtually no reading of emails due to public attention to personal activities.

Recommendation: Guide your campaigns to promotions, products or services for more family or adult profiles. Weekends can be a good opportunity to reach such audiences and conduct simple and easy-to-understand campaigns.

Best time: Undoubtedly the best is at mid-morning, before 10-11 a.m., the largest reading activity is concentrated from mid-morning.

Final conclusion

The best day and time for an email marketing campaign in Spain depends on many factors, mainly on the profile of our target audience and the type of product or service our company offers.

The best formula to find out is to carry out opening tests by conducting campaigns at different times and days. These tests must have similar promotion or information so as not to alter the results and finally decide for ourselves what may be the best day and time for our mail marketing campaign.

According to the campaigns analysed by the Commission to recipients in Spain, the preferred day by the Marketinians is Thursday, in turn it is shown that the central days of the week of reading as Tuesday, Wednesday and Wednesday.

Mondays and Fridays are the least active but perhaps the most likely ones for a specific audience sector.

On weekends activity declares considerably, although it is also true that fewer email marketing campaigns are carried out, so we can have an opportunity to improve sales or loyalise customers.

The prevailing time for emails is in the morning or at least the one with the highest opening indications. Making a comparison between reading hours and click hours can show us whether not only the email is read but also corresponds to the action through clicks.

Ultimately each company or product is a world and there is no formula for everyone equal, testing is always the best answer.