The reason I love data and website analytics so much is because it provides us with an incredible amount of data that can be analysed, interpreted and moulded into a variety of ways to look at it that gives us digital marketers insights into what our audience want, think, how they behave (and often how their behaviour is different to what they say) and basically it helps us make educated decisions. The power of data means that you, the consumer, the customer, the end user, should never have to receive irrelevant and unwanted advertising or messages that are not targeted at your interests. Of course, like anything in life, not everyone makes the effort to do things the right way, but it can be done, good and targeted advertising that is relevant to you does exist.

Research tells us that irrelevant advertising turns customers away from your website

Anyway, back to the data and how when you engage and click and share and comment on social media it can tell us online marketers more about what you like, want, need, love and share. By monitoring the data from your favourite facebook pages and twitter follows we can tell what is the best time of day to send our relevant messages that should interest and engage you, the customer, in a two way conversation. We know that people check their facebook before work and possibly when they get to work and are getting their first cup of coffee, so 6-9am is a good time to update our Brand pages.

Likewise, we know that 3.30-itis sets in in the afternoon and you guys are again on social media, venting, trying to reinvigorate yourself, taking a short break or perhaps organising your evening out with friends. But even more interesting is that the time from 5-7pm is when you are most likely to click on a promotion about a holiday or similar. And even later, after 7pm, when you’re relaxed and you’ve eaten and you have the time to linger and browse, this data from social networks shows us internet marketers that you’re open to new ideas and offers when your head space is clear. So for retailers, they shouldn’t waste their money in the middle of the day and save it all up for the post-work day dreaming.

After 5pm is the best time to send consumers promotional messages on social media and email