In the fast-paced world of digital communication, the importance of a clean email list cannot be overstated. It has a far-reaching impact beyond just your engagement metrics and staying out of the dreaded spam box.
1. Enhancing Deliverability
Clean email lists are critical for email deliverability. Internet service providers (ISPs) closely monitor the sending behavior of email marketers. If they detect high bounce rates, spam complaints, or other signs of poor list hygiene, your emails may be flagged as spam.
2. Increasing Open Rates
A clean email list can lead to higher open rates. When you send emails to a list of engaged and interested recipients, they are more likely to open and read your messages. Higher open rates improve the effectiveness of your email marketing and boost your overall marketing ROI. Win win!
3. Reducing Costs
This one may not apply to everyone, but keeping a clean email list can sometimes save you money. Some email marketing platforms charge based on the number of subscribers on your list—or the number of email sends. When you regularly remove those inactive or unengaged subscribers, you reduce the size of your list, which can lead to lower subscription costs.
4. Safeguarding Your Brand Image
Your email list ultimately mirrors your brand image. When you send emails to incorrect or uninterested recipients, you can actually harm your brand’s image and reputation. Imagine getting spam complaints, negative reviews, or even a letter from a legal entity. A clean email list means the people who want to see your product or service are the only ones seeing it!
5. Upholding Regulatory Compliance
Compliance with email marketing regulations is a must. Laws like the CAN-SPAM Act and GDPR require you to have a clean and permission-based email list.
So, How Do You Keep Your List Clean?
Best practices include these steps:
- Incorporate a double opt-in when someone signs up for your marketing. (This process involves sending an email to the user with a link to click to confirm their subscription.) After confirmation, the user is officially added to your email marketing list, ensuring you have clean emails!
- Verify and validate email addresses on a regular basis. In the education space, teachers often change schools or districts, so you’ll want an updated list at all times!
- Periodically identify inactive or unengaged subscribers. Move those emails to a re-engagement campaign (a series of emails structured to get those subscribers opening emails and engaged again.) If they continue to stay unengaged, you’ll want to remove them from your list altogether.
- Encourage subscribers to update their preferences. You don’t want to send an email with products for elementary school teachers to an educator who has switched positions and now teaches AP calculus!
- Comply with email marketing regulations and promptly respect any opt-out requests. You don’t want repeated complaints.
