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How do I target inactive email users without hurting my domain reputation?

Summary

Targeting inactive email users without harming domain reputation requires a comprehensive strategy incorporating permission-based marketing, list hygiene, and proactive monitoring. Segmentation is key to isolating inactive users for targeted re-engagement campaigns with incentives and value propositions. Regular list cleaning, including implementing a sunset policy, is crucial for removing unengaged subscribers. A gradual ramp-up approach for re-engagement minimizes risk, complemented by A/B testing and personalization to optimize engagement. Providing easy unsubscribe options respects user preferences and reduces spam complaints. Monitoring tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS offer insights into domain reputation. Feedback Loops (FBLs) and suppression lists help manage spam complaints and prevent sending to problematic addresses. Adhering to email authentication standards (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) establishes trust with email providers. Fundamentally, deliverability is earned through responsible practices, and strategies should be grounded in understanding the client's risk tolerance and adhering to relevant regulations.

Key findings

  • Segmentation and Re-engagement: Segmenting inactive users and targeting them with value-driven re-engagement campaigns is critical.
  • List Hygiene is Paramount: Regular list cleaning, including sunsetting inactive users, is crucial for maintaining a healthy sender reputation.
  • Gradual Ramp-Up Minimizes Risk: Gradually increasing the volume of emails to inactive users allows for monitoring and mitigation of potential issues.
  • Personalization and A/B Testing Optimize Engagement: Personalizing re-engagement emails and A/B testing different approaches improve response rates.
  • Monitoring Tools Provide Insights: Monitoring tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS offer valuable data on domain and IP reputation.
  • Authentication Builds Trust: Implementing email authentication standards (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) increases trust with email providers.
  • Permission-Based Marketing is Essential: Gaining and maintaining explicit permission from subscribers is fundamental.

Key considerations

  • Understand Client Risk Tolerance: Consider the client's risk tolerance and ensure they understand the potential downsides of targeting inactive users.
  • Define Clear Inactivity Thresholds: Establish specific criteria for defining inactive users and implementing a sunset policy.
  • Comply with Data Privacy Regulations: Ensure all re-engagement practices comply with relevant data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
  • Monitor and Respond to Feedback: Regularly monitor feedback loops and suppression lists, and promptly address any issues.
  • Value Proposition is Key: Craft compelling re-engagement messages that clearly communicate the value of remaining subscribed.
  • Easy Unsubscribe Options: Provide clear and easily accessible unsubscribe options.
  • Remember Deliverability is Earned: Approach re-engagement with a mindset that deliverability is earned and not guaranteed.

What email marketers say

10 marketer opinions

To target inactive email users without harming domain reputation, a multi-faceted approach is recommended. Segmentation allows for isolating and specifically targeting inactive users with re-engagement campaigns featuring incentives and value propositions. Regular list cleaning, including implementing a sunset policy (automatically removing users after a defined period of inactivity), is crucial. A gradual ramp-up approach to re-engagement campaigns, coupled with A/B testing and personalization, optimizes engagement. Providing easy unsubscribe options and prioritizing permission demonstrate respect for user preferences. These strategies collectively mitigate risks and maintain a healthy sender reputation.

Key opinions

  • Segmentation: Segmenting inactive users is critical for targeted re-engagement and preventing damage to overall sender reputation.
  • Re-engagement Campaigns: Re-engagement campaigns should offer incentives and highlight the value of staying subscribed.
  • List Cleaning: Regular list cleaning through removing consistently unengaged users is vital for deliverability.
  • Sunset Policy: Implementing a sunset policy automates the removal of long-term inactive users after a final re-engagement attempt.
  • Gradual Ramp-Up: A gradual ramp-up approach to re-engagement minimizes risk, starting with engaged users and incrementally adding inactive ones.
  • A/B Testing: A/B testing re-engagement campaign elements optimizes for improved engagement rates.
  • Personalization: Personalizing re-engagement emails improves relevance and appeal to inactive users.
  • Easy Unsubscribe: Providing an accessible unsubscribe option reduces spam complaints and improves sender reputation.
  • Value Proposition: Re-engagement emails should remind users of the value they receive from being subscribed.

Key considerations

  • Sender Reputation: Prioritize maintaining a positive sender reputation to ensure email deliverability.
  • Segmentation Strategy: Carefully define segmentation criteria to accurately identify truly inactive users.
  • Re-engagement Messaging: Craft compelling re-engagement messages that offer tangible value to the recipient.
  • Inactivity Threshold: Determine an appropriate inactivity period for implementing a sunset policy.
  • Monitoring Metrics: Track key metrics like bounces, spam complaints, and engagement rates during re-engagement campaigns.
  • Legal Compliance: Ensure re-engagement practices comply with data privacy regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).
  • User Experience: Design a positive user experience throughout the re-engagement process, including easy unsubscribe options.

Marketer view

Email marketer from StackOverflow recommends a gradual ramp-up approach when emailing inactive users. Start by sending to a small, highly engaged segment and gradually increase the volume to inactive users, monitoring metrics like bounces and spam complaints.

18 Jul 2021 - StackOverflow

Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue shares the importance of creating re-engagement campaigns specifically designed for inactive users. These campaigns should offer incentives or highlight the value of staying subscribed, encouraging users to become active again.

25 Feb 2023 - Sendinblue

What the experts say

5 expert opinions

Targeting inactive email users requires a risk-minimized approach focused on permission and list quality. Removing unengaged subscribers is essential to protect domain reputation, as deliverability is earned. While list validation tools remove undeliverable addresses, they don't address the broader issues of sending to inactive users. Sending to users who engage with other brands does not guarantee they want mail from you, potentially leading to spam reports. Proper subscriber management, including sunsetting inactive users, is crucial for maintaining a positive sender reputation, as sending to disengaged users negatively impacts metrics and deliverability. Understanding client's risk tolerance and ensuring they understand the downsides of sending to inactive users is also a key consideration.

Key opinions

  • Risk Minimization: Taking a perspective of risk minimization is crucial to protect deliverability when targeting inactive users.
  • Permission is Paramount: Obtaining and maintaining permission is fundamental for email deliverability and protecting sender reputation.
  • List Quality: Maintaining a high-quality list by removing unengaged subscribers is essential.
  • Subscriber Management: Proper subscriber management, including sunsetting inactive users, is crucial.
  • Relevance is Key: Engagement with other brands does not guarantee interest in your mail, increasing spam risk.
  • List Validation Tools Limitations: List validation tools only remove undeliverable addresses and do not solve the problem of sending to unengaged users.

Key considerations

  • Client Risk Tolerance: Understand and consider the client's risk tolerance and ensure they understand the downsides.
  • Deliverability is Earned: Recognize that deliverability is not a right but must be earned through responsible sending practices.
  • Sunset Policy Implementation: Implement a sunset policy to automatically remove inactive users.
  • Understanding the Downsides: Ensure the client understands the negatives of sending to inactive users.

Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that permission is paramount and maintaining list quality by regularly removing unengaged subscribers is essential to protect domain reputation. They emphasize deliverability is earned, not a right.

9 Apr 2022 - Spam Resource

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that list validation tools will remove undeliverable addresses, but won’t do anything about the bigger problems of sending to inactive users.

7 Sep 2024 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says

5 technical articles

Targeting inactive email users without damaging your domain reputation requires careful monitoring and adherence to best practices. Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS are essential for monitoring domain and IP reputation with Gmail and Outlook.com respectively, helping identify deliverability issues related to inactive users. Setting up Feedback Loops (FBLs) with major email providers allows for the prompt removal of users who mark emails as spam. Utilizing suppression lists ensures that previously unsubscribed or problematic addresses are not targeted, protecting sender reputation. Implementing email authentication standards like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC builds trust with email providers, reducing the likelihood of emails being filtered as spam, even when sent to inactive users.

Key findings

  • Monitoring Tools: Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS provide crucial data for monitoring domain and IP reputation.
  • Feedback Loops: Feedback Loops (FBLs) enable timely removal of users who mark emails as spam.
  • Suppression Lists: Suppression lists prevent sending to addresses that have previously unsubscribed, bounced, or marked emails as spam.
  • Email Authentication: Email authentication standards (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) build trust with email providers and reduce spam filtering.

Key considerations

  • Regular Monitoring: Consistently monitor your domain and IP reputation using available tools.
  • Prompt Action: Take prompt action to address any negative feedback received through FBLs or monitoring tools.
  • List Hygiene: Maintain clean and up-to-date suppression lists to avoid sending to problematic addresses.
  • Authentication Implementation: Properly implement and maintain email authentication standards.

Technical article

Documentation from RFC explains the importance of setting up feedback loops (FBLs) with major email providers. FBLs provide information about spam complaints, allowing you to promptly remove users who mark your emails as spam, including potentially inactive ones.

27 Nov 2022 - RFC-Editor

Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft shares that using Sender Network Data Services (SNDS) provides data about your IP address's reputation with Outlook.com users, enabling you to identify and address any negative impact from sending to inactive addresses.

4 Apr 2022 - Microsoft

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