Mobile email opens are on the rise, and it seems that there are distinct times of the day that are most effective for reaching mobile users by email, finds TailoredMail in an October 2012 study.
Based on an analysis of more than 150 million emails sent between August 2011 and September 2012, the study shows that 14% of all opens and clicks on a mobile device occurred from 6AM to 8AM. The second-biggest peak, at 12% share, occurred between 6PM and 8PM.
No other period garnered double-digit share of opens and clicks, although there was a smaller peak around lunchtime (12PM-2PM; 9%). This suggests that consumers are actively checking email when they are away from their desktops, whether that be while commuting or at mealtime.
Marketers recognize the importance of email timing, but aren’t yet leveraging it’s potential, according to [pdf] an October report from StrongMail. About 85% of those surveyed said it’s a least somewhat beneficial to have their promotional emails arrive during a set delivery window. The chief benefits? Increased engagement (64.6%), the ability to run more time-sensitive promotions (52.4%), and increased revenue (33.2%). But despite this overwhelming response, less than 4 in 10 respondents said they currently segment their email campaigns by time of day or are testing for an optimal delivery window.