24-Hour Clock Time Conversion Table and Other Useful Tools for Email Marketers and Communicators (2024)

Email is one of today's most effective marketing channels because you're communicating directly with your audiences who want to hear from you. This opens up endless possibilities to strengthen long-term relationships and to learn what people like about your products and services.

Communicating with audiences around the globe presents both an exciting opportunity as well as some unique challenges and considerations. Here are some helpful resources to avoid confusion and get your best results.

24-Hour Clock Time Conversion

Naturally, there are differences to consider from one country and culture to another, and one of the most practical ones is the timing of your communications. As a refresher, the United States uses an AM and PM format, whereas the 24-hour clock, sometimes referred to as military time, is more commonly used in Europe. Here's a handy table to help you easily convert AM and PM times to a 24-hour clock time format.

International Time Zones

Another time-related aspect to stay on top of is time zones. For instance, you may be planning your email marketing and communication campaigns from your office in New York, while your target audiences are in Paris. In this case, you'll need to convert Eastern Time (ET) for New York to Central European Time (CET) for Paris.

Time Zones on Wikipedia »

Daylight Saving Time (DST)

Twice a year, you'll need to factor in Daylight Saving Time (DST), in which many countries adjust their clocks. Each country determines its specific time change procedures. These clock adjustments are made in the spring and fall, usually from mid-to-late-March and late-October to early November. As some marketing content is seasonal, be sure to keep in mind that spring in the Northern Hemisphere begins in March, while March marks the start of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

Daylight Saving Time on Wikipedia »

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)

UTC is the time standard used in clocks around the world. It is used for international coordination because with UTC there is no risk of confusion about the various time zones. UTC in any locality is designated as UTC- in the west or UTC+ in the east.

Coordinated Universal Time on Wikipedia »

Date Formats (YYYY-MM-DD)

A reminder that date formats are presented differently in different countries. The order of the numbers can vary, for instance from YYYY-MM-DD to DD-MM-YYYY.

Date Format by Country on Wikipedia »

International Holidays

As you know, holidays and special celebrations differ from one country to another. So before planning the date and time to send your communications, be sure to check the national holidays and other important observances of your target audience locations.

List of Holidays by Country on Wikipedia »

Email Laws and Regulations ("Opt-in Laws") Around the World

With email marketing, it's a must to understand and follow the legislation and other requirements of the country or countries where your email recipients are located. Email regulations vary among regions and countries, and significant fines are imposed for breaching these laws. For instance, in the European Union (EU), you need to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which requires senders to have recipients' explicit permission for both email marketing and email tracking.

Opt-In and Privacy Laws in North America and Europe »

Must-Haves for Email Marketing Platforms

When you choose permission marketing technology solutions for your global communications, be sure that they include these essential features at a minimum:

• Scheduling: The ability to schedule an email marketing campaign for automatic delivery, with a specific date and time, in any time zone.
• Compliance: Support for complying fully with laws and regulations, such as the EU GDPR. Keep in mind that you are required to obtain and store the explicit consent from each recipient, granting you permission to send email marketing messages to this individual. Stored explicit consent also applies for email tracking if you track on the personal level.
• Language: UTF-8-character support is recommended if you communicate in non-English languages and rely on non-English characters.

L-Soft's Email Marketing Technology

Exploring solutions for your global email marketing? LISTSERV^® Maestro is built on best practices and compliance with the stricter regulations in Europe. L-Soft's email marketing solution offers you four different email tracking levels, providing additional support for compliance with the EU GDPR.

LISTSERV Maestro is available as software or a cloud service, from L-Soft.

• Explore features and benefits of the ListPlex Maestro email marketing cloud service (ESP)
• Explore features and benefits of the LISTSERV Maestro on-premises email marketing software

We're happy to help you find the best solution for your global communications and marketing.

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