Predictive Sending

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How to use predictive sending to automate send times

With ActiveCampaign's predictive sending feature, you can automate the timing of your email campaigns based on when your contacts usually engage with emails. This technology tailors send times to individual preferences, enhancing engagement and providing a more personalized experience. In this article, we will explore how predictive sending works, how to access and set it up, best practices, troubleshooting tips, and frequently asked questions.

What is Predictive Sending and Why It Matters

Predictive sending is a feature designed to optimize the delivery times of your email campaigns. By analyzing each contact's habitual open times, ActiveCampaign allows you to automate when your emails are sent. This capable functionality plays a significant role in ensuring your communications reach contacts at the opportune moments, thereby increasing the likelihood of engagement.

How to Access This Feature

Predictive sending can be utilized in two scenarios: 1. As part of an automated campaign through the Automations feature. 2. Within a one-time email campaign using the Campaigns feature.

To ensure predictive sending is available, you must have a qualifying plan, as it is only accessible for Pro and Enterprise plans.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Using Predictive Sending in Automations

If you want to enable predictive sending in your automations, follow these steps:

1. Click Automations on the left menu.
2. Enter an existing automation or click the Create a new automation button.
3. Click the (+) node at the location where you'd like to add your email.
4. Select Sending, then click the Send an email action from the right pane.
5. A modal window will appear. You can choose to:

  * Create a new email: Design a new email from scratch.
  * Start from an existing email: Use a previously created campaign.
  * Save and design later: Add the action now to design the email later.
  * Select an email in this automation: Pick an existing campaign already assigned to this automation.

1. Click the Continue button.
2. For the first two options, follow the next steps to create your email, then click Create. Choose the Predictive Send option on the subsequent modal and click Save.
3. For selecting an existing email, open the dropdown to select the campaign and then click Save and select the Predictive Send option.

Adding a "Wait" Action

It is recommended to add a Wait action immediately after your Send Email action within your automation to prevent contacts from moving through the automation before their emails are sent.

Using Predictive Sending in Campaigns

To utilize predictive sending in campaigns, you can manage it either from the Campaigns Overview list view or the Campaigns Calendar.

From the Campaigns Overview List View

1. Click Campaigns on the left menu. 2. Navigate to the List View tab. 3. Click into an existing campaign or click the Create a campaign button. 4. Select the Standard campaign type and click Next. 5. On the Campaign Summary page, access the Schedule section and hit the Schedule button. 6. Select the Use Predictive Sending option. 7. Set your Delivery Date and Start Time. 8. Click Set schedule. 9. Design your email and fill out the necessary fields in the Campaign Summary page. 10. Click the Finish button when your email is ready.

From the Campaigns Calendar

1. Navigate to Campaigns on the left menu. 2. Click the Calendar tab. 3. Click on a future date for when you want to send your campaign. 4. In the Schedule a campaign modal:

  * Enter a Campaign Name.
  * Choose the Standard Campaign Type.
  * Select Use Predictive Sending and set the Delivery Date and Start Time.

5. Click Next, create your campaign, and click Finish.

Configuration Options and Settings

- The feature is only applicable to the Standard campaign type. - Predictive sending will automatically recalculate timing weekly. - If a contact has no open activity data, their campaign will be sent randomly within 24 hours once they reach the Send an email step. - Emails sent to contacts with iOS 15 Apple devices and Mail Privacy Protection (MPP) enabled will be included in the open counts.

Best Practices and Tips

- Always incorporate a Wait action after your Send an email action in automations. - Regularly monitor your predictive sending results as performance improves with consistent use. - Avoid using the Send at predicted time option for any time-sensitive emails, as the email's scheduled send time may not coincide with the actual delivery.

Troubleshooting

If you notice that predictive sending is not functioning as expected: - Check that you have the feature enabled in your account. - Verify that you are using the Standard campaign type. - Ensure that a sufficient amount of open activity data is available for your contacts.

Common Use Cases with Examples

- **Automated Birthday Emails**: Utilize predictive sending to automatically send birthday wishes to your contacts at times they are most likely to engage based on their previous behaviors. - **Engagement Campaigns**: Schedule follow-up emails about new products or content releases during the predicted optimal window for each contact, enhancing the chance of opens and interactions.

FAQ

1. What plans support predictive sending?

Predictive sending is available for Pro and Enterprise plans.

2. Is predictive sending available for one-to-one emails?

No, predictive sending is not available for one-to-one emails.

3. Can I still use predictive sending without sufficient open data?

If there is no open data recorded, the campaign will be sent randomly within 24 hours of reaching the "Send an email" step.

4. How often is the predictive sending timing recalculated?

Timing is recalculated weekly to ensure optimal send times.

5. How do I add a wait step in my automation?

Add a Wait action directly after the Send Email action to hold contacts in that step until their email has been sent.

6. What types of campaigns can utilize predictive sending?

Only campaigns created with the Standard campaign type can utilize predictive sending.

7. Will my contacts with Mail Privacy Protection be included in metrics?

Yes, opens from contacts with Apple devices using iOS 15 and MPP will be counted towards predictive sending metrics.

For further assistance, refer to the Automations documentation or the Email category articles. ```