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

If you’ve spent time and money crafting just the right SMS marketing campaign for your business only to have it fall flat, don’t blame the campaign. While texting your customers is simple, understanding the best time to send marketing text messages can directly impact the success of your SMS marketing efforts. 

Timing is everything. In this article, we’ll share a few helpful tips to help you nail your SMS timing and maximize your text messaging campaigns:

• What’s the best time to send marketing text messages?

• Timing your marketing messages 
• Use cases for SMS marketing campaigns

What Is the Best Time to Send Bulk SMS Campaigns?

Full disclosure: There isn’t a single perfect time to send marketing text messages. While SMS’s phenomenal 98% open rates indicate otherwise, there are good and bad 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 your messages at the end of the day.

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

• Between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. on weekdays. People tend to check their notifications and read messages as their workday begins.
• Between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays. By this time, many customers have likely ended their workday and will be on their phones. 

Pro Tip: you may want to allow for rush hour drive time and narrow this window to between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. for better results.

• Between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. 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 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays. This is an opportune time to catch your customer’s attention, as they will likely be winding down and readying themselves for the week.

Pro tip: Try to avoid Mondays, as you’ll compete with content people receive over the weekend.

Time Your Marketing Text Messages: 3 Tips

On average, Americans check their phones 262 times per day. So why is timing important?

Business text messages are different from casual texts between friends or family members. Although customers will likely see your text at some point, they won’t always be receptive to the message you’re sending. 

The ideal send time for your SMS marketing messages will depend on your goals, industry and customer habits. Review these three tips to determine the best time to send marketing text messages to your customers.

1. Consider the Type of Message You're Sending

Think about the content of your text message to narrow down an ideal send time. Business text messages typically fall into two categories: promotional and transactional text messages. 

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 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. 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.

Pro Tip: 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.

2. Watch the Clock — and the Calendar

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 they’ll check them more actively after work or in the evening.

While there isn’t one best time to text, there are wrong times to send marketing texts:

• Keep time zones in mind when sending bulk SMS campaigns. Sending a text message at 8 a.m. in New York would be a rude wake-up call for Californians.

• Avoid sending marketing texts on widely celebrated holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter.

3. Test Different Days of the Week

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 different days and record metrics like open rate and response rate. This strategy will allow you to find out which days work best for your audience and, in turn, increase your engagement and conversion rates. 

Use Cases For SMS Marketing Campaigns: 3 Examples

Customer Service

Stop making phone calls or sending emails when you can use SMS to perform customer service duties such as:

• Scheduling and confirming appointments
• Sending order confirmations and shipment tracking information
• Answering FAQs  
• Handling support tickets
• Gathering customer feedback

Customer service texting improves customer engagement, provides convenience and personalization and saves time and money.

Pro tip: Send reservation and appointment reminders at least 24 hours before the designated time to allow for changes or cancellations.

Restaurants

Pairing restaurant promotions with SMS can fuel your restaurant’s success. Advertising restaurant openings, customer loyalty programs, and special events via SMS build brand awareness and get customers in the door.

Pro tip: If you’re trying to increase foot traffic into your restaurant, consider sending SMS offers 30 minutes to one hour before popular mealtimes.

Concert and Event Promotion

If you’re an event promoter, venue manager or publicist, you know how important it is to promote live events. But, did you know 75% of customers want to receive offers and information via SMS? Text messages are easily forwarded to family and friends, broadening your target market – and your subscriber list – via word of mouth. 

Pro tip: Once an event gets closer, share information like parking locations, ticket downloads, and security alerts. One or two messages in the week leading up to the event are sufficient.

Nail Your SMS Campaign Timing With Textedly 

Need help scheduling your marketing text messages? We’ve got you covered.

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. 

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