What is Send Time Optimization

Send Time Optimization (STO) is a feature that relieves you from the difficult choice of send time in your program. Based on contacts' behavioral data, STO calculates when they are most likely to open the next message you send in the program. Each message is assigned with a custom send time in a 24-hour cycle so that it doesn't interfere with following program steps.

How STO works for you

STO brings several benefits for your marketing goals and your customers alike:

• helps increase open rate and other engagement metrics,
• creates a more personalized experience across the customer journey,
• helps to warm your leads and strengthen relationships with customers,
• brings more accurate insights for your campaign performance.

STO configuration

To put STO to work, you need to configure each email individually. Make sure you set up STO on each step within a program to maintain a consistent send schedule.

1. Add a step to your canvas.
2. Click Configure.
3. Name your email.
4. From the Interaction dropdown, select Email, then click Configure.
5. Choose the email you want and click Done.
6. On the Configure email screen, click the Edit link next to Scheduling.
7. Select the radio button for Use Send Time Optimization to send at a contact's preferred send time over the next 24 hours.
8. Click Next.
9. Click Configure.
10. Click Apply.

As contacts reach the step, the email will be scheduled to send based on their send hour value. If the send hour value is equal to zero, the email will be sent immediately until a different value occurs, based on the contact's open history.

STO and other scheduling features

STO may override other program scheduling features. Check if it does not interfere with your program settings:

• Fixed date: To make sure your message is delivered on the specified date, STO will send at the preferred time on that day. If that time has passed for that date, or if a preferred time has not yet been established for a contact, the email is sent according to the fixed date requirement.
• Relative date wait interval: The email is scheduled at the preferred time on the qualifying day that they reach the step or to send normally if send hour value is zero.
• Send windows: Send windows are not followed when also using STO. This is because the optimal time to send an email, calculated with STO, might fall outside the defined send window.
  • Send between the hours of: If the send hour value for a contact is zero, it will send the email when the contact arrives at the step which can be outside the send window.
  • Only send on weekdays: This schedule can override STO if a contact reaches the program step during the weekend. If a contact’s send time value is within a weekday schedule, the weekday only schedule is followed. There are circumstances when STO may override the weekday only schedule; for example, if a contact enters a program step at 4 PM on Friday and that contact’s send time is 10 AM on Saturday, the email will be sent on Saturday.