Summary
When it comes to email marketing, finding the right emailing frequency is an important point. Send too many messages, and you risk tiring your subscribers, causing them to unsubscribe or mark you as spam. On the other hand, if you send too few, you could become invisible.
In this article, we’ll guide you in determining the ideal emailing cadence, while maintaining a good deliverability rate and maximizing subscriber engagement.
Frequency vs. cadence: understanding the difference
Before delving into the heart of the matter, it’s important to clarify two terms that are often confused: frequency and cadence. Although these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they refer to slightly different concepts.
- Sending frequency: This is the number of emails you send over a given period, for example, one email per week or three per month.
- Sending cadence: This includes not only the frequency, but also the precise time at which these e-mails are sent. This can include the day of the week, the time of day, or even specific moments based on your subscribers’ behavior.
Why is this distinction important?
The distinction between sending frequency and cadence is essential for fine-tuning your marketing campaigns. A good rhythm keeps your subscribers interested, while a well-managed cadence ensures that your emails arrive at the best time to send and maximize open and conversion rates. If you’re not sure which approach to take, don’t hesitate to test different combinations to see what works best for your audience.
How do you determine the ideal mailing frequency?
There’s no single answer to the question of the perfect emailing frequency. It depends on a number of factors, such as your business sector, the type of content you offer, and the relationship you have with your subscribers.
- Example: e-commerce vs. SAAS
For an online store, sending several emails a week can be beneficial for informing customers of new promotions. On the other hand, a B2B company in the software sector (SAAS) might opt for a lower optimum frequency, such as one email per month, to avoid overwhelming subscribers with too much technical information.
Start from your goals and your type of content
Before choosing a frequency, define what your emails need to achieve, then work out how many emails it takes to get there.
- Driving sales: more frequent emails with promotional offers can make sense.
- Building brand awareness or authority: send fewer emails, when you have a high-quality article or news to share.
- Nurturing leads: a sustained cadence keeps your brand top of mind while prospects are considering a purchase.
- Newsletters with industry news: a weekly or monthly rhythm works well.
- Time-sensitive sales: increase frequency in the days leading up to the deadline, then return to your usual rhythm.
Test and adjust your mailing frequency
It’s essential to test different emailing frequencies to find the one that best suits your audience. Use A/B tests to compare performance, monitoring statistics such as open rate, click-through rate and unsubscribe rate. If your subscribers are unsubscribing in large numbers or marking your emails as spam, it could be a sign that you’re sending out too many messages.
The dangers of poor mailing frequency
Too high a frequency
Sending too many emails can quickly bore your subscribers, increasing the risk of unsubscribing or being marked as spam. Not only does this damage engagement, it can also affect your reputation as a sender, making future emails more likely to be filtered out.
Too high a frequency can also lead to message saturation. If your subscribers receive several emails from you every week, they can quickly lose interest in your offers, even if they are relevant. What’s more, an overabundance of emails can lead to confusion as to the purpose of each email, reducing the overall effectiveness of your communication.
The consequences of too low a frequency
On the other hand, if your mailing frequency is too low, you may lose sight of your subscribers, and consequently sales or communication opportunities. Sporadic communication can diminish brand recognition and give the impression of an inactive company.
Why a consistent cadence protects your deliverability
Mailbox providers such as Gmail and Yahoo watch your sending patterns. A regular, predictable schedule builds trust with them and with your subscribers. Sudden spikes, or long silences followed by large sends, look like risky behavior and can push your emails to spam. A well-planned cadence strikes a balance between frequency and relevance: it respects what subscribers expect and keeps engagement high, which is the signal providers weigh most.
Optimize your mailing frequency
Gather feedback from your subscribers
Include questions about mailing frequency in your satisfaction surveys or at registration. This will enable you to segment your list according to individual preferences.
Segment your mailing list
Not all your subscribers are the same. By segmenting your list according to engagement, purchasing behavior or stated preferences, you can personalize the frequency of mailings for each group.
Start with what subscribers tell you (topics and preferences chosen at sign-up), then add behavior: subscribers who regularly open and click can receive more emails than those who haven’t opened anything in months. Purchase history and interaction data refine these groups further.
Use automation to follow subscriber behavior
Marketing automation lets you align sending with what each lead or customer does: a sign-up, a visit, a purchase, a period of inactivity. Subscribers receive relevant emails at the moment they matter, on top of your regular campaigns, without raising your overall frequency.
Regular testing
Your subscribers’ preferences and email providers’ algorithms are evolving. Keep testing and adjusting your strategy to remain effective.
The best time to send your campaigns
One of the crucial elements in determining the frequency of sending is finding the best time to send your emails. The day and time of day can have a significant impact on open and click-through rates. For example, sending a newsletter early in the morning can reach subscribers before they are drowned out by other e-mails, increasing your chances of engagement.
Tracking results to optimize frequency
To get the best results, it’s essential to constantly monitor your campaign statistics. Tools such as MailChimp or Brevo offer you detailed data on the performance of your emails. By regularly analyzing these statistics, you can adjust your sending frequency to maximize engagement and conversion rates.
FAQ: Our Spamouraï’s answers on the frequency and optimization of your email campaigns
MailSoar helps you optimize your emailing strategy
At MailSoar, we know that email deliverability is essential for maximizing the ROI of your campaigns. Our team of experts works closely with you to optimize every aspect of your emails, from analyzing emailing frequency to adjusting your emailing cadence. We help you avoid common pitfalls and maximize the impact of your communications.
Whether you’re looking to improve your newsletter engagement or adjust the optimal frequency for your mailings, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Contact us for a free audit of your emailing strategy and find out how we can help you achieve your marketing goals.
