This is one of the most frequently asked questions I see – “What day of the week should I send my emails?” and there really is no solid answer on this other than test, test, test… Your list will perform differently that other marketers based on your audience, their acceptance of your email messages and the frequency that you send.
Because I see this question all the time I was kind of curious about the actual email patterns for the marketing and promotional emails I personally receive… I started tracking my daily email volumes on September 1, 2010 and update the list weekly. After 4 months of monitoring I have an answer to at least part of the question…
What is the most popular day of the week to send email?
Day of the week % of mail rec’d Sunday 4.00% Monday 14.91% Tuesday 17.78% Wednesday 21.53% Thursday 19.33% Friday 17.75% Saturday 4.72% Based on email received from Sept 1, 2010 to Dec 31, 2010.
And the answer is Wednesday! Kind of anti-climatic don’t you think… Mid-week wins hands down with Thursday in second and Tuesday and Friday in a close race for third place.
Does this make Wednesday the best day to send email to your subscribers?! Maybe, maybe not. Would you rather be competing for the inbox (highest Wed on record 122 messages) with your competition or targeting quieter days (like Monday) where your message will not get lost in the busy daily shuffle of a cluttered email account. Test and see if minor changes work in your favor.
