Summary
A successful email reactivation campaign for recently inactive users involves careful planning and execution across several key areas. Segmentation based on inactivity duration enables personalized messaging with tailored incentives like discounts or exclusive content. Before sending, practice thorough list hygiene by removing hard bounces, unsubscribes, and known complainers. Gradually warm up your IP address, especially if new or infrequently used, by starting with highly engaged subscribers and slowly increasing the sending volume. Implement feedback loops to manage complaints effectively and adhere to bulk sender guidelines. Employ email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to verify legitimacy and improve deliverability. Focus on creating mobile-friendly, engaging content with a clear call to action and setting expectations for future communications. Consider a series of emails instead of just one and A/B test different elements to optimize results. Avoid targeting users inactive for over 12 months due to the risk of hitting spam traps, which can negatively impact sender reputation. Aim to send a maximum of 10% of the normally engaged volume.
Key findings
- Segmentation: Segmenting inactive users based on their last activity allows for tailored messaging and relevant offers.
- List Hygiene: Cleaning the list is vital by removing bounces, unsubscribes, and complainers before starting a campaign.
- IP Warming: Warming up the IP, especially if it's new or unused, is necessary to ensure deliverability.
- Authentication: Email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) significantly improves deliverability and sender reputation.
- Incentives: Offering valuable incentives is effective in motivating inactive users to re-engage.
- Call to Action: A clear call to action is crucial for driving conversions.
- Gradual approach: Gradual sending helps to isolate and minimize issues.
- Feedback Loops: Feedback loops help improve deliverability by identifying problematic addresses and managing complaints.
Key considerations
- Spam Traps: Avoid sending to addresses over 12 months inactive due to the risk of hitting spam traps.
- Sender Reputation: Maintain a positive sender reputation for better inbox placement.
- Mobile-Friendly: Ensure emails are mobile-friendly as many users check emails on their phones.
- Volume: Limit the send volume to a maximum of 10% of normal engaged volume, to avoid deliverability issues.
- Relevance: Ensure that the content is useful and relevant for the user.
- A/B Testing: Test different subject lines, content and incentives
- ESP Notification: Communicate your campaign plans to your ESP.
What email marketers say
14 marketer opinions
A successful email reactivation campaign for recently inactive users requires careful planning and execution. Segmentation is crucial, allowing for personalized messaging and incentives tailored to the user's last activity. Experts recommend a gradual approach, warming up IP addresses and sending emails in stages, starting with the most engaged users. Consider using a series of re-engagement emails rather than a single message, including a clear call to action, setting expectations for future communication, and ensuring mobile-friendliness. List hygiene is paramount, with regular cleaning to remove hard bounces, unsubscribes, and unengaged contacts. Implementing feedback loops and following bulk sender guidelines from ISPs are also essential for maintaining a healthy sender reputation and improving deliverability.
Key opinions
- Segmentation: Segmenting inactive users based on their last activity enables tailored messaging and relevant incentives.
- Incentives: Offering discounts, exclusive content, or early access can motivate inactive users to re-engage.
- List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning your email list by removing unengaged contacts improves overall deliverability.
- Personalization: Personalizing reactivation emails with user-specific details increases engagement.
- A/B Testing: A/B testing different elements of reactivation emails optimizes their effectiveness.
- Engagement series: A series of emails can encourage re-engagement instead of a single email.
- IP Warming: Warming up your IP address helps maintain deliverability.
Key considerations
- Spam Traps: Sending to addresses over 12 months inactive can lead to spam traps that will hurt future deliverability.
- Sender Reputation: Prioritize maintaining a positive sender reputation to improve inbox placement.
- Mobile-Friendliness: Ensure reactivation emails are mobile-friendly for optimal viewing on various devices.
- Reactivation List: Consider moving inactive users to a separate reactivation list for targeted re-engagement efforts.
- Alternative Approach: Consider using evergreen content once or twice to entice users to re-engage.
- Percentage to Target: Avoid targeting a large percentage of your total inactive list to prevent issues with deliverability.
- Call to Action: Reactivation emails should contain clear calls to action.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Marketing Forums answers by recommending A/B testing different subject lines, content, and incentives in reactivation emails to determine what resonates best with inactive users. Continual optimization is key.
23 Feb 2025 - Marketing Forums
Marketer view
Email marketer from Mailchimp Resource advises on cleaning your email list regularly and removing unengaged contacts. They recommend using segmentation to target inactives with reactivation campaigns before removing them entirely, but emphasize list hygiene for overall deliverability.
27 Aug 2021 - Mailchimp Resource
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Before launching a reactivation campaign, ensure your email list is clean by removing hard bounces, unsubscribes, and known complainers. If you're using a new or infrequently used IP address, gradually warm it up by sending emails to your most engaged subscribers first and then progressively increasing the volume.
Key opinions
- List Hygiene: Clean your list before the campaign by removing bounces, unsubscribes, and complainers.
- IP Warming: Gradually warm up your IP address, especially if it's new or hasn't been used recently.
Key considerations
- List Segmentation: Ensure you're targeting only recently inactive users, as sending to very old addresses is more dangerous.
- Engagement: Focus initial sends on subscribers known to be more engaged.
- Volume: Increase sending volume gradually during IP warming to avoid deliverability issues.
Expert view
Expert from SpamResource shares to gradually warm up your IP address before sending a reactivation campaign, especially if you are using a new IP or haven't sent emails in a while. This involves starting with a small volume of emails to your most engaged subscribers and gradually increasing the volume over time.
15 Nov 2021 - SpamResource
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that proper list hygiene is crucial before embarking on a reactivation campaign. This includes removing hard bounces and unsubscribes from your list, as well as suppressing known complainers or those who haven't engaged in a significant period.
19 Aug 2021 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
To ensure deliverability in a reactivation campaign, it's essential to maintain a healthy email list and a positive sender reputation. Implement feedback loops to address complaints, adhere to bulk sender guidelines (e.g., Google's), and use email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Consistent, relevant sending practices and prompt handling of unsubscribe requests are crucial for inbox placement.
Key findings
- Feedback Loops: Implementing feedback loops is crucial for identifying and removing problematic addresses.
- Sender Guidelines: Following bulk sender guidelines from providers like Google improves deliverability.
- Sender Reputation: Maintaining a positive sender reputation is key for reaching the inbox.
- Email Authentication: Implementing proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) proves your legitimacy to ISPs.
Key considerations
- Complaint Handling: Address complaints received through feedback loops promptly and effectively.
- Consistency: Maintain consistent sending practices, avoiding sudden changes in volume or content.
- Relevance: Ensure your emails are relevant to recipients to minimize spam complaints.
- Unsubscribe Process: Make the unsubscribe process easy and quick to comply with regulations and maintain a clean list.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Support answers that following Google's bulk sender guidelines is essential for ensuring deliverability. These guidelines include authenticating emails, using a consistent sending IP address, and providing an easy unsubscribe process.
13 Jul 2022 - Google Support
Technical article
Documentation from Validity Knowledge Base (formerly Return Path) explains that implementing proper email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is essential for proving your legitimacy and improving deliverability rates. ISPs are more likely to trust and deliver emails from authenticated senders.
1 Dec 2022 - Validity Knowledge Base
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