Summary
The consensus is that sending transactional emails to role-based email addresses is generally acceptable, but it requires caution and diligent management. Experts and documentation alike emphasize the risks associated with these addresses, primarily due to multiple users, potential for spam complaints, and impact on sender reputation. Segmentation, careful list management, and close monitoring of engagement metrics are crucial for maintaining a healthy sender reputation. Sending marketing emails to role-based addresses is strongly discouraged. Implement best practices to manage these addresses including providing an easy unsubscribe and segmenting lists.
Key findings
- Transactional OK (with caveats): Sending transactional emails is generally accepted, but with the need for careful monitoring and management.
- Marketing Not OK: Sending marketing emails to role-based addresses is strongly discouraged and can cause deliverability issues.
- Reputation at Risk: Poorly managed role-based addresses can negatively affect sender reputation, leading to deliverability problems.
Key considerations
- Monitor Engagement: Closely monitor engagement metrics (opens, clicks, complaints, bounces) for role-based addresses.
- List Hygiene: Maintain strict list hygiene by regularly removing unresponsive or disengaged role-based addresses.
- Segmentation: Segment your email list to avoid sending marketing emails to role-based addresses, reserving them only for transactional communications.
- Permission: Ensure you have a legitimate reason (e.g., a transaction) to send emails to role-based addresses.
- Easy Unsubscribe: Provide an easy and clear way for recipients of role-based addresses to unsubscribe from your emails.
What email marketers say
8 marketer opinions
Most email marketers agree that sending transactional emails to role-based addresses (e.g., info@, order@) is generally acceptable, though it requires caution. While these addresses can be useful, they are often monitored by multiple people, which increases the risk of spam complaints and deliverability issues, especially if marketing content is sent. Segmentation, careful list management, and close monitoring of engagement metrics are crucial for maintaining a healthy sender reputation. Some experts suggest avoiding role accounts, or suppressing them, entirely for marketing purposes.
Key opinions
- Acceptable for Transactional: Sending transactional emails to role-based addresses is often deemed acceptable.
- Risk of Deliverability Issues: Role-based addresses can lead to deliverability problems if not managed carefully, due to multiple users and potential for spam complaints.
- Segmentation is Key: Segmenting your audience to avoid sending marketing emails to role-based addresses is recommended.
- Impacts Reputation: Poorly managed role accounts will negatively affect your sending reputation.
Key considerations
- Monitor Engagement: Closely monitor engagement metrics (open rates, complaints, bounces) for role-based addresses.
- List Hygiene: Maintain strict list hygiene by removing unresponsive role-based addresses promptly.
- Permission: Ensure you have permission or a legitimate reason (transactional) to email role-based addresses.
- Avoid Marketing Emails: Avoid sending marketing emails to role-based addresses to minimize spam complaints.
- Provide Unsubscribe Option: Always provide an easy and clear way for recipients to unsubscribe from your emails.
Marketer view
Email marketer from HubSpot says to proceed with caution with role addresses. While some can be okay for transactional emails, they can also lead to deliverability issues. They suggest cleaning your list and avoiding these addresses to improve deliverability.
1 Jan 2023 - HubSpot
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Vendor Selection explains that sending to role-based addresses can be risky, but it's acceptable for transactional emails. They suggest monitoring deliverability metrics and quickly removing unresponsive addresses to maintain a healthy sender reputation.
14 Nov 2024 - Email Vendor Selection
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Experts generally agree that sending transactional emails to role-based addresses is acceptable and often expected. However, careful list management and monitoring are crucial. It's important to ensure recipients want the emails they are receiving and that engagement metrics are closely tracked. Marketing emails to these addresses are strongly discouraged. Failure to manage role accounts correctly can negatively impact your sending reputation.
Key opinions
- Transactional OK: Transactional emails to role-based addresses are generally acceptable and expected.
- Marketing Not OK: Sending marketing emails to role-based addresses is strongly discouraged.
- List Hygiene Crucial: Maintaining clean lists and suppressing unengaged addresses are very important.
- Reputation Impact: Improperly managed role accounts can negatively affect your sending reputation.
Key considerations
- Monitor Complaints: Closely monitor complaints and bounce rates from role-based addresses.
- Track Engagement: Track engagement metrics like opens and clicks to ensure recipients are interested.
- Separate Signup: Consider a separate signup for marketing emails to allow users to specify an individual address.
- Relevance: Ensure emails are relevant and well-received to avoid being marked as spam.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks shares that transactional emails to role-based addresses are fine and expected, especially order confirmations. They suggest having a separate signup for marketing emails, allowing customers to use a different address. Transactional mail facilitating a transaction is acceptable, but straight marketing is not. SFMC concerns may not be relevant in this context.
12 Jan 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise responds that it can be acceptable to send transactional emails to role accounts, but list hygiene is of utmost importance. They share that you should closely monitor engagement metrics such as complaints and open rates, and suppress addresses that are not actively engaging. They share that role accounts will negatively affect your sending reputation if not managed correctly.
20 Feb 2025 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Email documentation generally agrees that sending to role-based addresses carries risks, particularly impacting sender reputation due to potential high bounce rates and abuse complaints. Although not explicitly prohibited, cautious practices are advised. Monitoring engagement, maintaining list health, and segmenting audiences are key recommendations to avoid deliverability problems. Transactional emails are implicitly acceptable so long as recipients want to receive them and abuse levels are low.
Key findings
- Higher Risk: Sending to role-based addresses is considered higher risk than individual addresses.
- Impacts Reputation: High bounce rates and abuse complaints from role-based addresses can negatively impact sender reputation.
- Transactional Generally Okay: Transactional emails are generally acceptable, assuming engagement is monitored.
Key considerations
- Monitor Engagement: Closely monitor engagement metrics for role-based addresses (opens, clicks, complaints).
- List Management: Practice careful list management, removing unengaged addresses.
- Segmentation: Segment your audience to avoid sending marketing emails to these addresses.
- Authentication: Authenticate your emails to improve deliverability.
- Easy Unsubscribe: Provide an easy way for recipients to unsubscribe.
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost shares that sending to role-based email addresses is a common practice, especially for transactional emails. However, they explain that it's important to monitor engagement and list health to avoid deliverability problems. They suggest treating these addresses like any other subscriber and removing them if they are not engaging.
31 Aug 2024 - SparkPost
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft shares email deliverability best practices. Sending transactional emails to role based accounts is implicitly acceptable as long as abuse levels are low and recipients want to receive them.
23 May 2023 - Microsoft
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