How To Optimize LinkedIn InMail Timing

Silvio Bonomi
1 day ago
8 min read

Want better response rates on LinkedIn InMails? It all comes down to timing.

Here’s what you need to know upfront:

Best Days: Thursdays (20.32% response rate) and Mondays (20.30%) perform best.
Best Time: Mid-morning, around 10:00 AM local time, is ideal for engagement.
Avoid Weekends: Saturdays see the lowest response rate at just 2.65%.
Tailor by Role: Executives respond early (6–8 AM), while sales professionals are more active midday (12–1 PM).
Use Time Zones: Schedule messages to align with recipients’ local business hours.

Pro Tip: Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to track when prospects are online and test different times to refine your approach.

Timing your InMails right can boost response rates and improve your outreach success.

Master InMail: 5 Best Practices for Higher Response Rates

LinkedIn User Activity Patterns

Knowing when LinkedIn users are most active can make a big difference in how successful your InMail outreach is. Timing your messages right can significantly boost engagement.

Best Hours to Send InMails

Mid-morning, specifically around 10:00 AM local time, tends to deliver the best engagement rates. Why? By this point, professionals have usually wrapped up their morning meetings and are catching up on messages and notifications.

The broader time frame of 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM also performs well, with engagement steadily dropping off as the afternoon progresses.

Best Days to Send InMails

The day of the week plays a crucial role in response rates. Here's a breakdown of how different days stack up:

Day of Week	Response Rate	Key Insight
Thursday	20.32%	Peak engagement day
Monday	20.30%	Strong start to the week
Wednesday	19.77%	Mid-week high
Tuesday	18.49%	Steady performance
Friday	18.48%	Slight pre-weekend dip
Saturday	2.65%	Minimal engagement

Weekdays clearly outperform weekends, with Thursday leading at a 20.32% response rate, followed closely by Monday at 20.30%.

Timing can also vary by industry. For instance, tech professionals are more likely to respond early in the morning, while sales and marketing professionals tend to be more active from late morning to early afternoon. These insights can help you adapt your approach depending on your audience.

To refine your strategy further, keep an eye on LinkedIn's analytics tools and track engagement metrics specific to your audience.

Timing Based on Target Audience

To improve your InMail response rates, it's crucial to send messages when your prospects are most active on LinkedIn. Timing matters, and LinkedIn provides tools to help you pinpoint those ideal moments.

Tracking Prospect Online Status

LinkedIn Sales Navigator offers a green status indicator that shows when prospects are online in real time. This feature can help you figure out the best times to send your messages.

Here’s how you can use it effectively:

Build targeted lists in Sales Navigator to keep track of specific prospects.
Observe these lists regularly to identify patterns in when they’re active.
Pay attention to when they engage with content, as this can reveal their most active periods.

Keep in mind that activity patterns vary by job role, and understanding these nuances can make your outreach more effective.

Sending Times by Job Role

Different professionals have distinct schedules, which influence when they’re likely to check LinkedIn. Here’s a breakdown of the best times to send InMails based on specific job roles:

Job Role	Best Sending Times	Why It Works
C-Suite Executives	6–8 AM or after 6 PM	They’re less interrupted and often review messages outside of their core hours.
Middle Management	9–11 AM, 2–4 PM	Their schedules are typically structured around meetings, leaving these windows open.
Technical Staff	11 AM, 4–6 PM	These times align with work breaks, when they’re more likely to check messages.
Sales Professionals	8–9 AM, 12–1 PM	They’re active before client meetings and during lunch breaks.

For example, technical professionals often engage with messages around 11 AM, while sales professionals are more responsive during midday breaks. Executives, on the other hand, tend to check their LinkedIn early in the morning before their meetings begin, making this an ideal time for outreach.

Middle managers are most likely to respond mid-morning, between 9–11 AM, after their initial meetings but before their afternoon workload picks up. Understanding these rhythms can help you tailor your approach for better results.

Time Zone Management

Handling time zones well is a game-changer for global InMail campaigns. When your prospects are scattered across the globe, sending messages at the right time can make a big difference in response rates.

Finding and Using Time Zones

Start by checking their profile and company location. Most profiles show the city and country, which you can cross-check using tools like or to determine their time zone.

Time Zone Information Source	Location	Why It’s Useful
Profile Location	Found at the top of their profile	Serves as the main indicator of time zone
Company Page	Business hours section	Helps confirm working hours
Activity Pattern	Recent posts and engagements	Reveals when they’re likely online
Profile Summary	Optional working hours listed	Offers direct confirmation of time zone

If you can’t find explicit time zone details, pay attention to when they post or engage with content. This can give you a good idea of their usual online activity. Once you’ve identified their time zone, you can plan your message timing more effectively.

Global Campaign Timing

For international campaigns, timing is everything. Here’s how to approach it:

Regional Segmentation: Group your prospects by major regions like the Americas, EMEA, or APAC. This allows you to focus on each region during its peak hours.
Scheduling Matrix: Develop a schedule that matches each region’s local business hours, ensuring your messages arrive when recipients are most likely to respond.
Automated Delivery: Take advantage of LinkedIn’s scheduling tools or automation platforms to send messages at the right local time without manual effort.

These strategies can help ensure your messages hit inboxes at just the right moment, boosting your chances of engagement.

Testing and Improving Timing

Time-Based A/B Testing Steps

Fine-tuning the timing of your InMail campaigns through A/B testing can lead to noticeable improvements in response rates. Here's a step-by-step guide to set up effective timing tests:

Testing Component	Key Requirements	Purpose
Sample Size	At least 100 recipients per time slot	Ensures reliable statistical results
Test Duration	2–4 weeks per test	Captures diverse response patterns
Control Variables	Same message content for all groups	Focuses solely on timing differences
Key Metrics	Open rates, response rates, conversions	Evaluates overall campaign success

Start by analyzing your current performance. Track response rates for different times and days to establish a baseline. This historical data acts as your control group, giving you a point of comparison for new timing strategies. To maintain accuracy, keep the message content consistent across all test groups - only the sending times should vary. Once your tests are complete, dive into the results to uncover patterns that lead to higher engagement.

Using Test Results

After gathering your test data, use it to refine your InMail scheduling. Studies show that Thursdays often generate the best response rates, while weekends tend to underperform. Testing also confirms that weekdays generally yield better results than weekends.

To put your findings into action:

Identify primary and secondary time slots based on performance.
Group time slots into tiers according to response rates.
Record which timing combinations work best for specific audience segments.

Don’t forget to factor in seasonal trends and industry events when interpreting your data. To stay aligned with changing recipient behavior, plan for quarterly testing and updates.

Keep an eye on these key metrics:

Response Rate: Track overall performance and adjust timing if needed.
Open Rate: Watch for trends and experiment with new time slots if rates dip.
Engagement Timing: Pinpoint when recipients are most active and responsive.
Reply Speed: Measure how quickly responses come in to identify the best engagement windows.

Make incremental adjustments to your timing strategy to better understand their impact. These ongoing refinements will help you consistently optimize your campaigns for better results.

Conclusion

Key Timing Guidelines

Timing can make or break your InMail strategy, and the data speaks for itself. Here’s how response rates stack up by day of the week:

Day	Response Rate	Best Practices
Thursday	20.32%	Ideal day for outreach
Monday	20.30%	A close second
Wednesday	19.77%	Consistently effective
Tuesday	18.49%	Reliable but less optimal
Friday	18.48%	Avoid sending critical asks
Saturday	2.65%	Best to skip entirely

For the best results, keep your InMails concise - stick to 2–3 sentences. It’s also important to regularly analyze response metrics to uncover timing patterns that resonate with your specific audience.

Getting Started

Start by auditing your current InMail performance. Focus your efforts on weekday mornings, especially Thursdays around 10:00 AM, and always consider your recipient’s time zone to ensure your messages hit their inbox when they’re most likely to engage.

If you’re looking for expert help, Artemis Leads offers tailored B2B lead generation services. Their strategy combines email and LinkedIn outreach, ensuring your messages reach key decision-makers at the most opportune moments.

FAQs

How can I use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to find the best time to send InMails?

How to Optimize Your InMail Timing with LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Timing is everything when reaching out on LinkedIn. To make the most of your InMail efforts, start by examining your target audience's activity patterns. Pay attention to when they post updates, comment on discussions, or interact with content. These habits can reveal the times they’re most active, increasing the likelihood that they’ll notice your message.

It’s also worth testing different times to see what works best. Track response rates and adjust your approach as needed. LinkedIn Sales Navigator’s advanced search filters can be a game-changer here, helping you zero in on the right prospects. When your outreach is aligned with their engagement patterns, you’ll boost your chances of making meaningful connections.

How can I effectively manage time zones when sending LinkedIn InMails to a global audience?

Managing time zones effectively is crucial if you want your LinkedIn InMails to get noticed and acted upon, especially when reaching out to a global audience. Here’s how you can fine-tune your approach:

Know their local time: Use tools like world clocks or scheduling apps to figure out when your recipients are likely at their desks. Sending InMails during their working hours - typically 9 AM to 5 PM - can make all the difference.
Segment by region: If you're reaching out to people in different countries, group them by geographic regions. This makes scheduling easier and ensures your messages hit their inboxes at the right time.
Use automation tools: Tools like LinkedIn Sales Navigator or other scheduling platforms can automate the process, sending your InMails at the perfect time based on the recipient's time zone. This saves you time and ensures your outreach feels timely and relevant.

By aligning your InMail delivery with your audience’s local schedule, you’ll not only boost engagement but also strengthen your connections with key decision-makers across the globe.

How can I use A/B testing to find the best time to send LinkedIn InMails?

To figure out the best timing for your LinkedIn InMail campaigns through A/B testing, here’s how you can approach it:

Divide your audience: Start by splitting your target audience into groups based on shared traits, like their job titles or industries. This ensures your test results are relevant and meaningful.
Experiment with timing: Send InMails to these groups at different times. Try comparing mornings to afternoons or weekdays to weekends to see what resonates better.
Analyze the results: Keep an eye on metrics like open rates, response rates, and overall engagement. These numbers will reveal which timing works best.

By repeating this process and refining your approach, you’ll gather valuable insights into the optimal times to connect with your audience. Over time, this strategy can help you boost your campaign’s effectiveness and engagement.