Texttiming

Texttiming is a term used to describe the study and practice of timing in textual communication. It encompasses when messages are sent, how quickly recipients respond, and the pacing of exchanges across messaging platforms. Although not universally formal, it is a pertinent concept in psychology, communications, human-computer interaction, and marketing because timing can shape perceived immediacy, politeness, and conversational flow.

Key concepts include response latency (the delay between sending and receiving), inter-message intervals, and the deliberate scheduling or delaying of messages. Platform features such as typing indicators and read receipts, as well as user context like relationship, urgency, and time zone, influence how timing is experienced and managed.

Researchers and practitioners measure texttiming through analysis of message logs, experiments, and A/B testing of timing strategies, while respecting privacy. Common metrics include median and percentile response times, distribution shape, and pacing curves of conversations.

Applications span user experience design, where apps optimize notifications and respond timing, to chatbots that imitate human conversational rhythm. In marketing and customer support, timing strategies aim to maximize engagement, satisfaction, or conversion by aligning messages with audience availability.

Limitations include variability across individuals and contexts, cultural norms about promptness, and privacy concerns when collecting timing data. Best practices emphasize consent, transparency, and option to adjust or opt out of timing features.