Summary
Maintaining a healthy email list is critical for deliverability and ROI. Experts across various platforms emphasize the importance of managing inactive subscribers through a multifaceted approach. This includes implementing sunset policies, utilizing re-engagement campaigns, and providing preference centers for subscribers. Regularly cleaning email lists improves sender reputation, reduces spam complaints, and boosts engagement. Customer purchase patterns and industry benchmarks should be considered when determining inactivity thresholds. Responsible sending practices, as outlined by SMTP guidelines, are essential for preventing deliverability issues.
Key findings
- Inactive Subscribers Negatively Impact Deliverability: Sending to inactive users increases spam complaints, harms sender reputation, and wastes resources.
- Sunset Policies Are Key: Implementing sunset policies helps manage inactive subscribers and automates the removal or re-engagement process.
- Re-engagement Campaigns Are Crucial: Attempting to re-engage inactive subscribers before unsubscribing provides an opportunity to retain them.
- Personalization and Incentives Boost Re-engagement: Personalizing campaigns, reducing email frequency, and offering incentives can re-engage inactive subscribers.
- Regular List Cleaning Improves Performance: Regularly pruning email lists enhances sender reputation, increases engagement, and improves ROI.
Key considerations
- Determine Inactivity Thresholds: Consider customer purchase patterns, industry benchmarks, and email type to set appropriate inactivity thresholds (typically 6 months to 1 year).
- Ensure Compliance with Regulations: Be aware that unsubscribing may require notification as it is a change in data state.
- Maintain a Positive Sender Reputation: Prioritize building and maintaining a positive sender reputation with ISPs to ensure email delivery.
- Respect Subscriber Preferences: Let subscribers choose whether to unsubscribe or adjust communication preferences to improve overall engagement.
- Utilize Available Tools for List Management: Take advantage of tools and automation to efficiently identify and manage inactive subscribers.
What email marketers say
12 marketer opinions
Maintaining an engaged email list is crucial for optimal deliverability and ROI. Experts recommend regularly cleaning your email list by identifying and managing inactive subscribers. Before unsubscribing, implementing a sunset policy with re-engagement campaigns is advised to win back dormant users. Segmentation based on engagement levels allows for tailored content and targeted communication. Consider customer purchase patterns and industry benchmarks when determining inactivity thresholds. Tools and automated processes can aid in identifying and removing unengaged subscribers.
Key opinions
- Inactive Subscribers Hurt Deliverability: Inactive subscribers negatively impact deliverability, engagement rates, and sender reputation.
- Sunset Policies Are Recommended: Implementing a sunset policy automates the process of unsubscribing or re-engaging inactive users.
- Re-engagement Campaigns Are Important: Sending re-engagement emails before unsubscribing gives inactive subscribers a chance to opt-in again.
- Segmentation Improves Targeting: Segmenting audiences by engagement allows for tailored content and targeted communication.
- List Cleaning Improves ROI: Cleaning your email list can lead to a boost in your sender reputation, increased engagement, and improved ROI.
Key considerations
- Inactivity Threshold: Determine the appropriate inactivity threshold based on industry, customer purchase patterns, and email type (suggested range: 6 months to 1 year).
- Notification Requirement: Unsubscribing is a change of data state, so notification is often required.
- Sender Reputation: ISPs decide who gets to send mail, so maintaining a positive reputation is essential.
- Customer Patterns: Consider customer purchase patterns before unsubscribing; some customers may only need your product every few years.
- Tools and Automation: Utilize available tools and automated processes to efficiently identify and manage inactive subscribers.
Marketer view
Email marketer from EmailOnAcid explains that unengaged subscribers are users who haven't opened or clicked an email in a specific timeframe. The recommended best practice is to send re-engagement emails prior to removing the unengaged subscriber from the distribution list to confirm whether or not the subscriber wants to remain on the list.
10 Oct 2021 - Email on Acid
Marketer view
Email marketer from HubSpot emphasizes the importance of removing inactive subscribers to improve email marketing performance. They suggest implementing a sunset policy to automatically unsubscribe or re-engage inactive users. Highlighting benefits like improved deliverability, reduced costs, and better engagement metrics.
17 Jul 2022 - HubSpot
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Experts emphasize the importance of managing inactive users for a healthy email program. A multi-faceted approach is recommended, including sunset policies, re-engagement campaigns, and preference centers. Strategies to re-engage include personalization, reducing email frequency, and offering incentives. Sending to old, unengaged addresses is not advisable and can harm deliverability.
Key opinions
- Inactive Users Harm Deliverability: Ignoring inactive users can lead to deliverability issues and wasted resources.
- Multi-Faceted Approach is Best: Employing a mix of sunset policies, re-engagement, and preference centers is key.
- Re-engagement Tactics: Personalizing campaigns, reducing email frequency, and offering incentives can re-engage inactive subscribers.
- Send Only To Engaged Users: It's crucial to only email those who actively want to receive your messages.
Key considerations
- Sunset Policies: Develop and implement clear sunset policies for managing inactive users.
- Preference Centers: Offer preference centers to allow subscribers to adjust communication frequency and content.
- Resource Allocation: Avoid wasting resources on sending emails to users who are unlikely to engage.
- Address Quality: Ensure that you have confirmation that the person wants to be emailed.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, explains that managing inactive users is crucial for maintaining a healthy email program. She recommends a multi-faceted approach, including sunset policies, re-engagement campaigns, and preference centers to allow subscribers to adjust their communication frequency. Ignoring inactive users can lead to deliverability issues and wasted resources.
21 Aug 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise responds about ways to engage inactive users. A number of ways are identified, including personalising campaigns, reducing the number of emails or offering an incentive for them to remain active.
28 Apr 2023 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
Email deliverability is heavily influenced by sender reputation and spam rates. Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS emphasize the importance of regularly cleaning email lists to remove inactive subscribers. Sending to unengaged users increases the risk of spam complaints and negatively impacts sender reputation. RFC 5321 reinforces responsible sending practices, suggesting unsolicited emails to inactive users can violate SMTP guidelines.
Key findings
- Inactive Users Increase Spam Risk: Sending to inactive users increases the risk of spam complaints, which negatively impacts deliverability.
- Sender Reputation is Crucial: Maintaining a positive sender reputation with email service providers (ESPs) like Google and Microsoft is essential for email delivery.
- Sunset Policies are Recommended: Microsoft recommends implementing a sunset policy to manage inactive subscribers and maintain a positive sending reputation.
- Responsible Sending Practices: Sending unsolicited email to inactive users can be considered abusive and violate SMTP guidelines.
Key considerations
- Regular List Cleaning: Regularly clean your email list to remove unengaged subscribers and maintain a low spam rate.
- Spam Rate Thresholds: Monitor spam rates and ensure they remain below the thresholds set by ESPs like Google.
- Compliance with SMTP Guidelines: Adhere to responsible email sending practices as outlined in SMTP guidelines (RFC 5321).
- Implementation of Sunset Policy: Establish sunset polices to identify and handle unengaged users.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains that maintaining a low spam rate is crucial for email deliverability. Sending to inactive users increases the risk of spam complaints. They recommend regularly cleaning your email list to remove unengaged subscribers and maintain a spam rate below the threshold.
13 May 2022 - Google
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft SNDS (Smart Network Data Services) explains that sending to inactive users can harm your sender reputation. They recommend implementing a sunset policy to manage inactive subscribers and maintain a positive sending reputation with Microsoft email services.
17 Dec 2021 - Microsoft
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