Unsubscribe links strike fear in the hearts of many email marketers. Instead of looking at them as a negative, let’s consider how they can benefit us and add value to our customers’ experience.
First of all, including an unsubscribe link in your emails is a legal requirement of the CAN-SPAM Act. Not sure what that is? Don’t worry, we’ve explained it with kittens. Companies that don’t comply with Canadian Anti-Spam Law could be at of criminal prosecution, and you don’t want that, do you?
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Unsubscribe links don’t damage your delivery rate. In fact, they may help it! If you send a test newsletter to Mail Tester, not including an unsubscribe will actually lower your delivery score.
By allowing your customers to opt-out from communication, you’re respecting their wishes, but also reduce the risk of them reporting your emails as spam. If they continuously receive unwanted emails from you, reporting your emails is their only option.
If a customer doesn’t want to hear from you anymore, they are no longer your target market. Sending them unwanted emails has exactly the same result as standing outside their house shouting and waving banners. Sometimes you just need to accept that they don’t love you anymore, and it’s time to move on. Older subscribers are less likely to engage with your emails anyway.
When including an unsubscribe link, we always recommend making it as easy to find as possible. On most mailing programmes, the “Mark as Spam” button is quite prevalent, so we need to make sure that recipients can unsubscribe just as easily. With your SMTP2GO account, you can include an optional footer that cuts down on work for both you and your clients if they do decide to opt-out. Need help? Don’t worry, we have a step-by-step setup guide here. This option is a lot more practical than a “reply-to” feature and the link doesn’t expire.
Another way to manage your subscription numbers is to offer something to recipients who haven’t engaged in a while. By doing so, you’re reminding them that you’re still there, and they’ll appreciate a special offer. After that, if they still choose to opt-out, it’s not an issue.
The more choice we give our clients, the better the outcome for them, and for us.
