Summary
Safely messaging inactive email addresses requires a multi-faceted approach to protect sender reputation. Recognize that pandemic-related changes might skew inactivity metrics. Implement re-engagement campaigns with targeted, segmented messaging and incentives. Gradually warm up inactive emails in small batches, blended with regular sends. Use sunset policies to define when and how to remove inactive subscribers. Ensure explicit permission and consent. Monitor spam rates, handle bounces, and practice rigorous list hygiene. Segment lists and suppress inactive addresses from standard campaigns. Implement email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
Key findings
- Reputation at Risk: Sending to inactive email addresses presents a significant risk to sender reputation.
- Re-engagement Campaigns: Re-engagement campaigns are crucial, using targeted messaging and incentives.
- Gradual Warm-up: Inactive emails should be warmed up gradually in small batches.
- Sunset Policies are Key: Sunset policies, defining inactivity and removal procedures, are essential.
- Segmentation Matters: Segmentation of inactive users allows for tailored re-engagement strategies.
- List Hygiene Critical: Regular list cleaning, removing bounces, and suppressing inactive addresses is a must.
- Authentication Imperative: Email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) improves deliverability.
- The Pandemic Effect: Recent global events may alter typical inactivity signals.
Key considerations
- Define Inactivity: Establish a clear definition of inactivity appropriate for your audience.
- Monitor Metrics: Continuously monitor email metrics (open rates, spam complaints) and adjust strategies.
- Ensure Compliance: Comply with email marketing regulations (e.g., GDPR, CAN-SPAM).
- Segment Carefully: Carefully segment inactive subscribers for targeted messaging.
- Warm-Up Gradually: Avoid sending mass emails to all inactive subscribers at once.
- Implement a Sunset Policy: Create and implement a clear sunset policy for inactive subscribers.
- Consent Management: Obtain and maintain clear consent for sending emails.
What email marketers say
10 marketer opinions
To safely message inactive email addresses without damaging sender reputation, marketers recommend a multi-faceted approach. This includes recognizing that recent global events might impact traditional inactivity metrics, implementing re-engagement campaigns with segmented messaging and incentives, and gradually warming up inactive emails in small batches. Experts also emphasize the importance of sunset policies to remove unengaged subscribers and ensuring explicit consent. Regular list cleaning, monitoring spam rates, and proper email authentication practices are vital for protecting deliverability.
Key opinions
- Pandemic Impact: Recent global events may alter typical inactivity signals, requiring a more nuanced approach to identifying truly disengaged subscribers.
- Re-Engagement is Key: Re-engagement campaigns with targeted messaging and incentives are crucial before sending to inactive subscribers.
- Segmentation Strategy: Segmenting inactive subscribers into smaller groups allows for testing different re-engagement strategies and tailoring the approach.
- Gradual Warm-Up: Warming up inactive emails in small batches integrated with active sends can help assess deliverability and engagement risks.
- Sunset Policies: Implementing a sunset policy, which defines when and how to stop emailing inactive subscribers, is vital for maintaining list quality.
- Permission & Consent: Explicit permission and consent are paramount, ensuring subscribers have actively opted-in to receive emails.
- Regular List Cleaning: Regularly cleaning your email list, removing inactive or unengaged subscribers, improving deliverability and reducing the risk of being marked as spam.
Key considerations
- Segmentation and Targeting: Carefully segment your inactive subscribers and tailor your messaging to increase the likelihood of re-engagement.
- Gradual Approach: Avoid sending mass emails to all inactive subscribers at once. Instead, gradually re-engage them in small batches.
- Monitoring and Analysis: Continuously monitor your email metrics (open rates, click-through rates, spam complaints) and adjust your strategy accordingly.
- Legal Compliance: Ensure you comply with all applicable email marketing regulations (e.g., GDPR, CAN-SPAM) regarding consent and data privacy.
- Authentication and Deliverability: Implement email authentication protocols and regularly clean your list, monitoring and improving your spam rate.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reddit shares a practical strategy. The redditor suggests to begin warming up the inactive emails. Segment them into smaller groups and send them emails with high open rates in your regular campaigns. If a few convert you can target more.
31 Dec 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that a re-engagement campaign is crucial before sending to inactive subscribers. The marketer suggests segmenting inactive users and crafting targeted messaging to entice them to re-engage, offering incentives or highlighting what they've missed.
24 Nov 2023 - Mailjet
What the experts say
5 expert opinions
Experts emphasize the risk of damaging sender reputation when emailing inactive addresses. A recommended strategy involves implementing sunset policies to remove inactive users after a defined period and using targeted re-engagement campaigns. Gradual re-introduction of inactive users in small segments, blended with regular sends, minimizes risk. It's crucial to segment lists by activity and suppress inactive addresses from standard campaigns to avoid spam reports.
Key opinions
- Reputation Risk: Sending to inactive email addresses poses a significant risk to sender reputation.
- Sunset Policies: Sunset policies are crucial for defining inactivity periods and implementing removal processes.
- Targeted Re-engagement: Re-engagement campaigns should be carefully designed and targeted to win back inactive users.
- Gradual Re-introduction: Reintroducing inactive addresses should be done gradually and strategically to minimize impact.
- Segmentation and Suppression: Segmenting lists and suppressing inactive addresses is key to preventing spam reports.
Key considerations
- Defining Inactivity: Establish a clear definition of inactivity based on your audience and industry benchmarks.
- Re-engagement Strategy: Develop a well-defined re-engagement strategy with compelling content and clear calls to action.
- Segmenting Strategy: Segment inactive users by time of inactivity, and warm them up in stages.
- Deliverability Monitoring: Continuously monitor deliverability metrics to identify and address potential issues.
- List Hygiene: Maintain a clean and up-to-date email list by removing invalid or unengaged subscribers.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource advises email marketers segment their email lists based on subscriber activity and actively suppress inactive email addresses from regular campaigns. Inactive addresses may report your email as spam and negatively impact sender reputation.
10 Apr 2022 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks shares advice on sending in waves, suggesting adding no more than 10% volume to any given day and sending around the same time as usual campaigns. Matt advises segmenting by inactivity duration (e.g., 181-220 days, 221-250 days, etc.) or alternatively, adding no more than 10% of the active list to the win-back/sunset campaign.
14 May 2023 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Technical documentation consistently emphasizes maintaining a good sender reputation when emailing inactive addresses. Key strategies include diligently monitoring spam rates and reducing sending frequency if rates are high, regularly cleaning email lists to remove unengaged subscribers and hard bounces, implementing confirmed opt-in processes to ensure valid consent, applying proper email authentication methods (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and effectively handling bounces to prevent deliverability issues.
Key findings
- Reputation Impact: Sending to inactive addresses negatively impacts sender reputation.
- Spam Rate Monitoring: Monitoring spam rates is critical; high rates necessitate reducing sending frequency and improving list hygiene.
- List Cleaning: Regularly cleaning email lists is essential for removing unengaged subscribers and hard bounces.
- Confirmed Opt-In: Implementing a confirmed opt-in process helps ensure valid consent and improves list quality.
- Email Authentication: Proper email authentication methods (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are crucial for improving deliverability.
- Bounce Handling: Effectively handling bounces prevents deliverability issues and protects sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Proactive Monitoring: Actively monitor spam rates and bounce rates to identify and address potential issues promptly.
- Strict List Hygiene: Implement a rigorous list cleaning process to remove inactive subscribers and invalid email addresses.
- Authentication Implementation: Ensure proper implementation and configuration of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
- Consent Management: Maintain a clear and documented consent process to ensure subscribers have actively opted-in.
- Feedback Loop Analysis: Analyze feedback loops from ISPs to identify and address deliverability problems.
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost explains the importance of list hygiene. Sending to a large number of inactive addresses can lead to deliverability issues. They recommend regularly cleaning your list by removing unengaged subscribers and those who hard bounce or unsubscribe.
16 Dec 2024 - SparkPost
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft emphasizes the importance of maintaining a good sender reputation. Sending emails to inactive addresses can negatively impact your reputation. Microsoft recommends regularly cleaning your email lists and implementing a confirmed opt-in process.
13 May 2023 - Microsoft
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