Showing an ad for coffee to go in the middle of the night is not as useful as showing it during the morning peak hour. Timing is crucial in advertising as much as the message itself. Dayparting, also known as time-of-day targeting, allows advertisers to schedule their campaigns during specific hours or days to maximize effectiveness. This glossary entry will explore what dayparting is, how it works, and when to use it for the best results.
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Dayparting is a campaign scheduling strategy that enables advertisers to deliver ads at designated times of the day or days of the week. This tactic is used for different advertising channels, such as web, connected TV, and DOOH. The goal is to align ad delivery with periods when the target audience is most likely to engage, such as during business hours, commuting times, or evenings
Consumers behave differently depending on the time of day. For example, a B2B audience may respond better to ads during working hours, while a streaming service might see higher engagement in the evening. By timing ads strategically, marketers can increase click-through rates (CTR), reduce wasted impressions, and improve return on ad spend (ROAS).
Examples of campaigns that involved dayparting include the Nexon case study.
Dayparting uses campaign management tools within demand-side platforms (DSPs) to control when ads are shown. Advertisers can create time-based rules, such as running ads only on weekends or pausing campaigns during off-hours. These schedules are typically set based on historical performance data and audience behavior trends.
Dayparting breaks the day into segments, or “parts”. For example: morning ( 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. ), afternoon (12 p.m. to 6 p.m.), evening (6 p.m. to 12 a.m.), and overnight (12 a.m. to 6 a.m.). Advertisers assign specific bids or creative versions to each part based on the expected ad performance at that time.
Data is the basis of effective dayparting. The platform uses historical metrics such as conversion rates, engagement times, and traffic patterns to identify high-performing time slots. Real-time data from analytics platforms or customer relationship management (CRM) systems helps refine and adjust schedules dynamically.
Most DSPs offer dayparting controls within their campaign settings. This feature allows advertisers to adjust campaign schedules and control when their ads are shown. To set it up:
Despite its ability to optimize ad delivery, dayparting presents several operational and strategic challenges that advertisers must address to maintain campaign effectiveness. One of the most complex issues is time zone management.
For global campaigns, ensuring that ads appear at the correct local time across regions is critical. Without careful coordination, advertisers risk serving ads during inactive periods in target markets, resulting in wasted impressions and lower engagement rates.
Another challenge is the reliance on data granularity. Effective dayparting depends on access to accurate, real-time behavioral data that reveals when audiences are most likely to engage. If the data is too generalized or outdated, advertisers may schedule ads during low-performing time slots, undermining the potential return on investment. Inaccurate insights lead to misalignment between delivery and user behavior, which reduces campaign efficiency.
Additionally, audience behaviors are not fixed. Viewing habits and engagement patterns can shift due to seasonal changes, holidays, or evolving lifestyles. A schedule that works today may be ineffective next month. Static dayparting strategies quickly lose relevance without regular performance reviews and adjustments. To remain effective, advertisers must continuously analyze user trends and adapt their time-based targeting accordingly.
Dayparting is especially useful when audience engagement patterns fluctuate significantly throughout the day or week. It allows advertisers to align ad delivery with periods of heightened attention and intent, maximizing visibility and impact without increasing spend.
Retail promotions, for example, benefit from being scheduled during store hours. Running ads when stores are open encourages immediate foot traffic and supports time-sensitive sales events. In the B2B sector, campaigns perform better during business hours, when professionals are most likely to be online and receptive to business-related content.
