Is there Send time optimization in Marketo?

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:

• https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/marketo/using/product-docs/email-marketing/email-programs/email-program-actions/scheduling-with-recipient-time-zone/understanding-recipient-time-zone
• https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/marketo/using/product-docs/email-marketing/email-programs/email-program-actions/scheduling-with-recipient-time-zone/schedule-email-programs-with-recipient-time-zone

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.