Is there Send time optimization in Marketo? | Community
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Level 2
March 24, 2026
Question

Is there Send time optimization in Marketo?

  • March 24, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 30 views

Is there a way to use Send time optimization in Marketo?

1 reply

AmitVishwakarma
Community Advisor
Community Advisor
March 24, 2026

Hi ​@valentintanase 

No – Adobe Marketo Engage does not have a native AI "Send Time Optimization" feature.

It only has:

  • Recipient Time Zone – sends at the same local time for each person (e.g. 9:00 in their time zone).
  • Custom / DIY STO – you can build send‑time logic yourself using API + smart campaigns.

What you can do today

  • Use Recipient Time Zone (built‑in, simple) Closest out‑of‑the‑box feature:
    • Turn on "Recipient Time Zone" in Email Programs or Engagement Programs.
    • Marketo calculates a person's time zone from city/state/country/zip and holds the send until their local time.

Docs:

2. Build your own "Send Time Optimization" in Marketo (proven pattern)

  • Use the REST API to export past email delivered/open times per lead.
  • Use an external model (e.g. Python script, ML, or even the ChatGPT example from Adobe's own peer session) to compute a "Best Send Time" field per lead (0–23, or time bucket).
  • Import that field back into Marketo.
  • In a batch Smart Campaign:
    • Start at midnight.
    • Use a series of Wait + Send Email steps with Choices like If Best Send Time = "08:00" then Send Email etc., across 24 hours.

Walkthrough of this exact pattern: https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/events/learn-from-your-peers-recordings/marketo/2024/practical-applications-of-marketo-engage-rest-api

 

3. If you want "true" AI Send Time Optimization out‑of‑the‑box

That lives today in Adobe Journey Optimizer, not in Marketo: https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/journey-optimizer/using/orchestrate-journeys/manage-journey/send-time-optimization

You can:

  • Keep Marketo as your email engine,
  • Use AJO for AI send‑time decisioning and orchestration, and
  • Share audiences via Experience Cloud integration if you own both.
Amit Vishwakarma - Adobe Commerce Champion 2025 | 16x Adobe certified | 4x Adobe SME
Level 2
March 25, 2026

No, there is no built-in Send Time Optimization (STO) feature in Marketo.

but you can use Recipient Time Zone to improve send timing.