How long should users be inactive before deleting them from my ESP?

The provided answers converge on the idea that the optimal time to delete inactive users from an ESP is not fixed but rather depends on several factors, including sending frequency, business model (B2B vs. B2C), the nature of the relationship with subscribers, and engagement strategy. A consistent recommendation is to prioritize list hygiene by regularly removing unengaged subscribers to maintain deliverability, improve engagement rates, and reduce costs. Implementing a re-engagement campaign before removing subscribers is also a widely supported practice. Several sources suggest segmenting lists based on engagement levels to personalize communication and identify subscribers for removal. While specific timeframes vary (3-6 months, 6-12 months, or 90 days), the overarching theme is that a proactive approach to managing inactive subscribers is crucial for a healthy email marketing program. Additionally, a robust suppression list must be maintained.

The responses indicate that there's no single ideal timeframe for deleting inactive users from an ESP. Instead, the optimal duration depends on several factors, including sending frequency, relationship with contacts, business type (B2B or B2C), and engagement strategy. A common theme is the importance of regular list cleaning to maintain good deliverability, engagement rates, and cost-effectiveness. Many sources recommend implementing re-engagement campaigns before removing subscribers and segmenting lists based on engagement levels. Some sources suggest timeframes ranging from 3-6 months for more frequent senders to 6-12 months for less frequent senders, while others suggest 90 days of inactivity.

Laura Atkins from Word to the Wise highlights the importance of a clean email list for deliverability, focusing on engagement-based segmentation and valuable content for active subscribers. While a specific timeframe for deleting inactive users isn't given, the guidance implies their removal after failed re-engagement efforts and emphasizes honoring unsubscribe requests, as unengaged users become spam complainers.

Email platform documentation emphasizes identifying inactive subscribers based on engagement metrics and the importance of list hygiene for maintaining a good sender reputation and deliverability. Mailchimp suggests a removal timeframe of 6-12 months, depending on sending frequency and business type, preceded by a re-engagement email. Klaviyo advocates for using a 'sunset policy' to automate the process of identifying, re-engaging, and potentially removing unengaged subscribers using sunset flows. SparkPost highlights the general importance of removing inactive users to reduce the likelihood of hitting spam traps. AWS focuses on suppression lists, advising that hard bounces and manual unsubscribes should automatically be added to ensure they are never emailed again, which increases sender reputation.