Text Marketing: What’s the Best Time to Send SMS Blasts?

Have you ever put in the effort and resources to create a top-notch SMS marketing campaign, only to see it fall flat? Don’t automatically blame the campaign. Texting customers is easy, but knowing the best time to send SMS marketing blasts can greatly influence your digital marketing success.

It's important to realize that business text messages differ from the casual texts we share with friends and family. Even though your customers will most likely read your text, not every moment is ideal for receiving your intended message.

On average, Americans check their phones 144 times per day. In addition, Americans love their devices so much that 65% sleep with them at night. Why does timing matter so much? Because timing is everything. 

In this article, we’ll share some simple yet powerful tips to help you nail your text messaging campaigns and maximize their effectiveness.

What Is the Best Time to Send Bulk SMS Campaigns?

Spoiler alert: There isn’t a single perfect time to send marketing text messages. While SMS’s phenomenal 98% open rates indicate otherwise, there are better and worse times to send texts. 

Everyone responds to marketing text messages differently. For example, some customers may respond well to texts sent early in the morning, while others may be more likely to read them at the end of the day. The ideal send time for your SMS marketing messages will depend on your goals, industry and customer habits.  

Best Times to Send SMS Blasts

With that in mind, these are generally considered the best times for businesses to send marketing text messages.

• WEEKDAYS: Between 9 am and 12 pm, and between 5 pm and 9 pm.
      Weekday power hours: Send between 7 pm and 9 pm to avoid rush hour
• BEST DAYS OF THE WEEK: Thursday, Friday and Saturday
• WEEKENDS: Between 10 am and 12 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, and between 4 pm and 7 pm on Sundays, specifically

• TRANSACTIONAL MESSAGES: Anytime

• PROMOTIONAL MESSAGES: Only during business hours: 8 am to 9 pm

• Between 9 am and 12 pm on weekdays. People tend to check their notifications and read messages as their workday begins.
• Between 5 pm and 9 pm on weekdays. By this time, many customers have likely ended their workday and will be on their phones. Skip rush hour and send between 7 pm and 9 pm for best results.

• Best days of the week: Thursday, Friday and Saturday
• Between 10 am and 12 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Saturdays and Sundays are great days to send bulk SMS before your audience gets busy with their weekend plans.
• Between 4 pm and 7 pm on Sundays. This is an opportune time to catch your customers’ attention, as they will likely be winding down and readying themselves for the week.
  
  

When Should You Avoid Sending Text Blasts?

Most people bring their cell phones everywhere and check them constantly. However, there are times when they spend more time on their phones than others. For example, customers may passively check their cell phones throughout the workday, but actively check them after work or in the evening.

By reverse engineering the tips above, here’s a handy list of tips on when not to send SMS blasts.

• Outside business hours. Keep time zones in mind when sending bulk SMS campaigns. Texting at 8 am in New York would be a rude (and illegal) wake-up call for Californians.

• On widely celebrated holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day or Easter.
• Mondays, as you’ll be competing with content people receive over the weekend.
  
  

Strategies for Effective SMS Campaigns

Unlocking the full potential of your SMS campaigns goes beyond sending messages. Get ready to enhance your strategy with insights that make your communication truly effective.

Promotional vs. Transactional Messages

When narrowing down an ideal send time, think about the content of your message. Business text messages typically fall into two categories: promotional and transactional. 

Promotional SMS messages generate sales, promote your product or service or increase brand awareness. Discounts, coupons, sweepstakes and Black Friday sales are common promotional messages.

• Send SMS promotional texts only during regular business hours. Business hours are defined as 8 am to 9 pm according to mobile marketing laws set by the TCPA.
• Before sending promotional messages, give your customers enough time to digest the information and take the desired action. For example, alerting customers about a weekend sale on Thursday or Friday (not Saturday morning!) will give them enough notice to act when the sale begins.

Transactional SMS messages contain time-sensitive information required for customers to use your product or service. Transactional text messages include order and payment confirmations, shipping alerts, appointment reminders, and verification codes.

• Unlike promotional texts, you can send transactional texts anytime because a customer’s action usually triggers them.  
• Send transactional messages as soon as possible to alert customers of things like account updates and payment confirmations. Waiting too long to send these texts may worry or confuse customers.

Important note: Sending promotional SMS messages requires express written consent from customers. Make sure you gain permission before sending a promotional text to comply with TCPA regulations.

Days of the Week: Test and Tweak

Conduct tests to determine which days of the week and times of day get the best responses from your audience. 

Spread your text campaign across a few days and record metrics like open and response rates. This strategy will allow you to find out which days work best for your audience, increasing engagement and conversion rates. 

Get Personal

Ok, so maybe it’s not all about the time of day. A 2020 study conducted by ResearchGate found that personalized repurchasing reminders (vs. reminders sent at fixed time intervals) were more effective at engaging customers and getting them to repurchase.

Using a personalized scheduling method (1, 2, 12, and 24 hours after sending the initial text) led to much better customer interactions and conversions:

• A clear rise in the percentage of customers who engaged with the message once they received it (up to 17.5% higher) was observed. 
• Additionally, there was an increase in the percentage of customers who made a repurchase (up to 12.5% higher).

Nail Your SMS Campaign Timing With Textedly 

Mastering the art of timing in your SMS campaigns is the key to unlocking higher engagement and conversion rates. And the good news is you don't have to navigate this journey alone.

Textedly is the ultimate partner in optimizing your SMS marketing game. Textedly gives you the tools to reach your target audience at the perfect time. With features like text message scheduling and unlimited subscribers, you’ll have all the resources you need to connect with your customers. 

Ready to take your SMS campaigns to the next level? Elevate your messaging strategy and discover the true potential of well-timed communication in driving your business forward. 

Sign up for a free Textedly trial and schedule your first SMS marketing campaign today!