Happy belated birthday

"Happy belated birthday" is the worst. It's a poorly timed message that doesn’t feel good to give or receive.

Your marketing will have bad timing moments too.

You can have the best message, the most creative campaign, and the perfect call to action, but if the timing is wrong, none of it matters.

The news truck that got away

Years ago, I worked on a grand opening event. It had everything: a ribbon-cutting, local officials, and even a TV news crew ready to cover it. Then, just as we were about to start, a brushfire broke out nearby. The news truck packed up and left.

Our big TV moment? Gone.

It didn’t matter that we had planned a great event. Something bigger happened, and we were drowned out. Marketing works the same way.

No matter how well-crafted your message is, if people aren’t paying attention when you deliver it, you might as well not have said anything at all.

When bad timing kills email response

One of the easiest ways to sabotage your email marketing is to send messages at the wrong time.

The worst time to send email

Overnight sends—Your email gets buried by the morning rush.

• User behavior: People wake up to a full inbox and quickly delete anything that isn’t urgent.
• Emotional state: Overwhelmed, reactive, focused on priorities not shopping or reading promotions.

Friday afternoon—People are mentally checked out for the weekend.

• User behavior: Rushing to wrap up work, making weekend plans, ignoring anything that doesn’t require immediate attention.
• Emotional state: Disengaged from work emails, focused on personal life.

Monday morning—Inboxes are flooded with weekend emails and urgent work tasks.

• User behavior: Responding to work-related emails, clearing out clutter, and catching up on missed tasks.
• Emotional state: Stressed, not in a mindset to consider marketing messages.

The best time to send email

Best time to send B2B (business-to-business) email

• Best timing: Tuesday-Thursday, 9-11 am, 12-2 pm, or 4-6 pm (when professionals check email between meetings or as they wind down the workday).
• Emotional triggers: Looking for valuable insights, industry trends, or productivity tools that help them succeed at work.

Best time to send retail and e-commerce email

• Best timing: Tuesday-Thursday, 9-11 am or 7-9 pm (morning browsing during breaks and evening shopping at home).
• Emotional triggers: Impulse shopping, self-rewarding behaviors ("I deserve this"), and boredom scrolling.

Best time to send hospitality and travel email

• Best timing: Thursday mornings and Sunday evenings (when people plan trips).
• Emotional triggers: Escape fantasy ("I need a break"), workplace frustration, and weekend regret ("I should’ve gone somewhere").

Best time to send nonprofit and fundraising email

• Best timing: Midweek, lunchtime (12-2 pm) or early evening (5-7 pm) when people have time to engage.
• Emotional triggers: Generosity spikes when people feel gratitude, empathy, or a sense of urgency.

While these trends provide general guidelines as to the best time to send email, optimal send times vary based on your specific audience, industry, and engagement patterns. The best approach? Use research as a starting point and A/B test to find what works best.

When is the best time to post on social media?

The answer depends on who you ask. While experts like Buffer and Social Pilot offer helpful guidelines, their recommendations show that there's no one-size-fits-all answer.

That said, here are some grossly oversimplified days and times to get you started.

Facebook

• Best times: 9-10 am and 1-3 pm (Tuesday-Thursday)
• Avoid: Evenings and weekends
• Emotional triggers: Seeking updates, entertainment, or distractions during work breaks or early afternoon lulls

Instagram

• Best times: 7-9 am and 11 am-1 pm (Tuesday-Thursday)
• Avoid: Late evening and weekends
• Emotional triggers: FOMO, aspirational content, and social connection—especially during morning routines or midday breaks

X (Twitter)

• Best times: 9-11 am and 1-3 pm (Monday-Friday)
• Avoid: Evenings and weekends
• Emotional triggers: Curiosity, real-time updates, and industry news—often during morning commutes, work breaks, or when checking in on trends

LinkedIn

• Best times: 9 am-12 pm and 1-3 pm (Tuesday-Thursday)
• Avoid: Weekends
• Emotional triggers: Career growth, industry networking, and thought leadership—particularly during focused work periods

TikTok

• Best times: 10 am-12 pm and 2-4 pm (Tuesday-Thursday)
• Avoid: Early mornings and late nights
• Emotional triggers: Escapism, entertainment, and trend discovery—ideal for midday distractions or social scrolling during breaks

Where the experts agree to disagree

Both Buffer and Social Pilot identify weekday mornings as prime posting times across most platforms. Mid-morning slots—roughly between 9 am and 11 am—are frequently cited as high-engagement windows for Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). For LinkedIn, the consensus is that weekdays during standard working hours offer the best opportunity for visibility.

But choosing the best time to post on social media isn't as simple as following one set of recommendations. Tools like Buffer and Social Pilot offer different approaches, highlighting how complex this decision can be.

• Buffer focuses on engagement patterns, emphasizing when users are most likely to interact with content through likes, comments, and shares.
• Social Pilot, on the other hand, prioritizes visibility, recommending times when users are generally active—even if they’re less likely to engage deeply.

While Buffer's method may be better for starting conversations, Social Pilot's approach can help ensure your content is seen. The reality is that both strategies have value, and success often comes from blending insights with your own audience data.

Thanks for nothing, Jeff

These differences highlight an important truth: while industry-specific insights are a helpful starting point, your particular audience's behavior ultimately determines what works best. Instead of relying solely on general recommendations, track reach and engagement data to see when your followers are most active and responsive.

Timing matters a lot, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Consistently creating engaging content and actively interacting with your audience is what will truly improve your social media performance.

Expect the unexpected

You can’t control the news cycle, inbox clutter, or social media algorithms but you can control when and how you show up. By testing different creative and posting times, analyzing your results, and making adjustments, you’ll put your brand in the best position to succeed.