Verizon Media's evolving approach to email tracking and data access marks a significant shift towards prioritizing user privacy, necessitating a comprehensive reassessment of traditional email marketing strategies. The changes include a move away from reliance on open and click-through rates, with potential limitations for smaller businesses due to the costs associated with accessing data feeds. This landscape calls for exploration of alternative data sources, privacy-respecting measurement techniques, and robust deliverability strategies. Emphasis on building trust with subscribers through transparent practices, high-quality content, sophisticated A/B testing and segmentation, and adhering to privacy regulations becomes paramount. The industry may face increased scrutiny from ISPs, spurring innovation in tracking avoidance techniques and requiring senders to prioritize data quality, list hygiene, and permission-based mailing practices to ensure long-term sustainability.
13 marketer opinions
Verizon Media's shift towards prioritizing user privacy and limiting email tracking has significant implications for email marketers. Key changes include reducing reliance on open and click-through rates, potentially limiting smaller businesses due to costs associated with data feeds, and forcing the exploration of alternative data sources and privacy-respecting measurement techniques. Adapting to these changes requires a focus on building trust with subscribers, creating engaging content, and employing sophisticated A/B testing and segmentation strategies to maintain effective personalization.
Marketer view
Email marketer from EmailGeek.net responds that Verizon Media's shift towards privacy, showcased in their statements against tracking, could force marketers to find new methods of campaign measurement beyond pixel tracking and rely more on aggregate data feeds.
15 May 2022 - EmailGeek.net
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks confirms that the cost of Verizon Media's data feeds is substantial enough that only major players will be able to take part.
10 Sep 2024 - Email Geeks
2 expert opinions
Experts agree that Verizon Media's approach to email tracking and data access necessitates a shift in email marketing practices. The move towards privacy could lead to increased scrutiny of senders and the development of new tracking avoidance techniques by ISPs, potentially impacting the long-term viability of email marketing. Therefore, senders need to prioritize data quality, list hygiene, and ensuring they only send emails to recipients who actively want them.
Expert view
Expert from SpamResource explains that the industry will face increased scrutiny and ISPs will keep looking for new tracking avoidance techniques, which may eventually lead to the death of email marketing.
1 Feb 2025 - SpamResource
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise responds that the Verizon announcement is another reason for senders to pay attention to their data and lists, and to only mail to people who want the email.
23 Aug 2021 - Word to the Wise
6 technical articles
Documentation from various sources indicates that Verizon Media's approach necessitates a shift in email marketing towards prioritizing user privacy and adapting to new measurement methods. Verizon Media is introducing performance feeds to provide aggregate data. IETF's RFC 8889 discusses privacy considerations, while Mailgun partners with Verizon Media for View Time Optimization. Litmus encourages evolving analytics strategies. DMA highlights compliance with privacy regulations, and SparkPost stresses adapting deliverability strategies by prioritizing robust authentication and sender reputation management.
Technical article
Documentation from ietf.org responds that RFC 8889 discusses privacy considerations for email. The Internet Engineering Task Force's documentation addresses concerns about user tracking and potential mitigation techniques, providing a context for Verizon Media's privacy moves.
24 Nov 2023 - ietf.org
Technical article
Documentation from Mailgun responds that they describe their partnership with Verizon Media for View Time Optimization (VTO). Mailgun's documentation details how VTO aims to deliver emails at times when recipients are most likely to engage, improving open rates while respecting user privacy.
9 Sep 2022 - Mailgun
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