Smart Send Time
Smart send time (or send time optimisation) is the use of data and algorithms to determine the optimal time to send emails to each subscriber for maximum engagement.
What Is Smart Send Time?
Smart send time analyses historical engagement data — when each subscriber typically opens and clicks emails — to calculate their optimal delivery window. Instead of sending your newsletter to everyone at 9am Tuesday, smart send time might deliver it at 7am for early risers, 12pm for lunchtime readers, and 6pm for evening readers. The technology uses machine learning to identify patterns in individual subscriber behaviour and predict the best delivery time. Some platforms optimise at the individual level, while others optimise at the list level by finding the single best time for the majority. Individual-level optimisation produces better results but requires more data and computational resources.
Why It Matters for Newsletters
Send time can impact open rates by 10-25%. An email that arrives when a subscriber is actively checking their inbox is far more likely to be opened than one buried under 50 other emails that arrived overnight. Smart send time is one of the easiest ways to improve engagement without changing your content at all.
Best Practices
- Collect at least 4-6 weeks of engagement data before relying on smart send time
- Test smart send time against your current fixed send time to measure the lift
- Consider time zone distribution — a global audience benefits most from send time optimisation
- Monitor results by segment to ensure optimisation works across your audience
- Combine with subject line testing for maximum impact on open rates
How Aldus Handles This
Aldus's scheduling system lets you set optimal send times for your newsletter. The platform's AI optimises for engagement by learning from your audience's reading patterns over time.