Summary
Many email marketers using platforms like Intercom might initially wonder how to add essential email headers, such as the List-Unsubscribe header, especially if they are repurposing a customer support tool for marketing efforts. The common assumption is that these headers need to be manually inserted via HTML, but this is rarely the case. Email Service Providers (ESPs) typically manage these technical aspects automatically, embedding them within the email's envelope, which is separate from the HTML content. This automation ensures compliance with critical deliverability standards and provides recipients with easy unsubscribe options.
Key findings
- ESP control: Email headers, including the List-Unsubscribe header, are primarily controlled and added by the Email Service Provider (ESP), not by manually adding HTML to the email body. Email clients generate unsubscribe options based on these headers.
- Intercom's functionality: Despite initial perceptions, Intercom does implement proper List-Unsubscribe headers, including RFC 8058 one-click unsubscribe functionality, for audiences they manage.
- Verification method: To verify if an ESP is adding the necessary headers, it's crucial to check the full, raw email headers (e.g., via Gmail's 'Show original' feature) of a real message, rather than a test message, as test environments may differ.
- List management dependency: The ESP's ability to manage list unsubscribe headers is often tied to whether it handles the underlying list management functionality for that email campaign.
Key considerations
- Compliance importance: Ensuring the proper implementation of List-Unsubscribe headers is vital for compliance with email deliverability standards and to meet the requirements set by major inbox providers like Gmail and Yahoo. These requirements ensure good sender reputation.
- ESPs role: Rely on your ESP to handle these technical headers automatically. If they don't, it might indicate a fundamental limitation of the platform for email marketing purposes.
- Header review: Regularly review the full headers of your live emails to confirm that List-Unsubscribe and List-Unsubscribe-Post headers are correctly present, reflecting RFC 8058 compliance for one-click.
- Tool repurposing: When repurposing a tool like Intercom (primarily a customer support platform) for marketing, understand its limitations regarding advanced email features. While it may handle core compliance, it might not offer the same level of user configurability as dedicated marketing ESPs.
What email marketers say
Email marketers often face challenges with compliance features, especially when using platforms not solely designed for marketing. Their experiences highlight common misconceptions about email headers and the importance of native ESP functionality. Many assume manual intervention is needed, while the reality points to automated processes controlled by the ESP itself, reflecting the complexities of modern email infrastructure.
Key opinions
- Manual addition misconception: Many marketers, particularly those new to advanced email deliverability, believe they can add List-Unsubscribe headers directly via HTML, but this isn't how email headers work.
- ESP functionality expectation: There's a general expectation that any reputable ESP, including those used for customer engagement like Intercom, should automatically provide unsubscribe header functionality.
- Repurposing tools: Marketers frequently repurpose tools for cost-saving, acknowledging that this might lead to limitations in specialized features like direct control over email headers.
- Importance of an unsubscribe link: Regardless of header specifics, marketers agree that making the unsubscribe process easy is crucial for maintaining a healthy sender reputation and avoiding blocklists, emphasizing where to place unsubscribe links effectively.
Key considerations
- Checking actual headers: Marketers need to know how to inspect raw email headers to confirm that List-Unsubscribe (and List-Unsubscribe-Post) headers are correctly inserted by their ESP.
- Integration complexity: When using multiple platforms (e.g., HubSpot for list management and Intercom for sending), marketers should ensure unsubscribe information flows correctly between them, often via integrations like Zapier.
- Understanding ESP features: It is crucial to understand whether your ESP natively supports one-click unsubscribe. Understanding these requirements helps ensure deliverability.
- Testing approach: Test emails may not always reflect live email configurations, so validation should occur with actual sent messages.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks asked if HTML can be used to add an unsubscribe header, indicating their ESP doesn't seem to offer this functionality automatically, but they need to comply with email standards.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks revealed they are using Intercom as a workaround to avoid HubSpot's marketing costs, acknowledging it might be a 'hack' for their email sending needs.
What the experts say
Email deliverability experts consistently emphasize that technical headers are managed at the ESP level, not within the email's HTML. They underscore the importance of RFC 8058 for one-click unsubscribe functionality and advise marketers to verify these headers in actual sent emails rather than relying on test environments. Their collective advice points to understanding the ESP's capabilities and checking raw email data for accurate assessment of compliance and deliverability features.
Key opinions
- Headers are ESP controlled: Experts universally agree that email headers, including the List-Unsubscribe header, are handled by the ESP within the email's envelope, not through HTML.
- RFC 8058 implementation: Leading ESPs like Intercom are expected to implement RFC 8058 one-click unsubscribe functionality for lists they manage, crucial for modern email compliance. RFC 8058 details one-click unsubscribe buttons.
- Verifying live emails: It's imperative to inspect the full headers of actual emails sent to confirm the presence and proper configuration of List-Unsubscribe headers, as test messages may not include all production-level headers.
- List management correlation: The presence of unsubscribe headers often correlates with whether the ESP is actively managing the recipient list for that particular sending instance.
Key considerations
- ESP evaluation: If an ESP doesn't automatically handle List-Unsubscribe headers, experts suggest reconsidering its suitability as a primary email sending platform for marketing, as this is a basic deliverability requirement.
- Header inspection tools: Utilize online tools or email client features to meticulously inspect full email headers. This is crucial for verifying correct header configuration.
- Compliance with new standards: Stay informed about evolving compliance requirements, especially regarding one-click unsubscribe mandates from major inbox providers like Gmail and Yahoo.
- Impact on deliverability: Failure to properly implement List-Unsubscribe headers can negatively impact sender reputation and lead to increased spam complaints, affecting overall email deliverability. Mandatory headers impact deliverability.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks clarified that headers are typically controlled by the ESP and reside outside the HTML content, suggesting it's unusual for an ESP not to offer this fundamental feature.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks suggested checking the headers of a sent email to see if unsubscribe headers are being added by the ESP, noting they may not be user-configurable or visible in the UI.
What the documentation says
Official documentation from various email service providers and industry standards, like RFC 8058, consistently outlines the technical requirements and best practices for implementing List-Unsubscribe headers. These documents emphasize the importance of automated handling by ESPs and the distinction between the email body (HTML) and the header (envelope) for compliance and deliverability. They also detail the specific formats required for one-click unsubscribe functionality.
Key findings
- Header placement: Documentation confirms that List-Unsubscribe headers are placed in the email's header block, separate from the MIME body where HTML content resides.
- RFC 8058 specifics: RFC 8058 standardizes the List-Unsubscribe-Post header, enabling one-click unsubscribe functionality without requiring the user to visit a landing page.
- ESP responsibility: Most email platforms are designed to automatically insert and manage these headers, provided they are handling the campaign's subscription list directly.
- Header content: The List-Unsubscribe header typically includes a mailto: URI and optionally an HTTP/HTTPS URL for unsubscribe requests, with List-Unsubscribe-Post for one-click POST requests.
Key considerations
- Automated compliance: Leveraging your ESP's native functionality for List-Unsubscribe headers ensures compliance with evolving standards, such as those mandated by Gmail and Yahoo. Header functionality on Gmail and others is critical.
- Preference centers: While List-Unsubscribe offers quick opt-outs, documentation also supports maintaining a preference center for more granular control, linking the List-Unsubscribe header with a preference center for better deliverability.
- Server-side processing: Implement server-side logic to receive and process POST requests from List-Unsubscribe-Post headers, ensuring immediate unsubscribe processing as per RFC 8058.
Technical article
Documentation from Customer.io outlines the process for implementing custom unsubscribe links and RFC 8058, requiring configuration to receive POST requests when recipients click 'Unsubscribe'.
Technical article
Customer.io documentation details how to set custom email headers, including the List-Unsubscribe header, noting that their platform automatically adds this header if their default unsubscribe link is used.
Related resources
6 resources
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