Whether you are just getting your email program started, are a seasoned sender, or are looking to start refining your email marketing program, a clean list is a must and should be part of your email marketing best practices.
What do I mean by “clean list?” Great question! There are many factors that signal you have a healthy list, so in this blog we’ll dig into why clean your email list and look at three of the top signals for email list hygiene to help you immediately clean up your list. We’ll also discuss the top 3 email list hygiene best practices and go over the action items to help you easily implement these list cleansing tips.
A clean list starts with ensuring the individuals on your list have expressly asked to receive your emails. Purchasing lists, emailing to users who have not opted to receive email, or continuing to email people who have unsubscribed or marked your email as spam is the first indicator you do not have a clean list.
Action items:
A good indicator that your list may not be clean is high bounce rates. There are a couple of different types of bounces when it comes to sending email.
Soft Bounce: These types of bounces happen when an inbox is full, servers are down, or there is some sort of temporary issue.*
Hard Bounce: These types of bounces occur when the email address no longer exists, or has ever existed (typos or fake email addresses).*
Ideally your bounce rates should be under 0.5-0.9% for soft bounces, and under 0.3-0.5% for hard bounces. However, bounce rates vary by industry.**
Action items:
High complaint rates are a good indication that your list is not clean. People who want to be receiving your email will not mark it as spam. If email providers are seeing high complaint rates from your sends, you’re less likely to land in the inbox.
Action items:
Did you know that in 2018 the ROI for email marketing was $44 for every $1 spent ***?
The better your email program, the higher ROI you’re likely see. However, keeping your list clean is just one of the many factors that indicate a healthy email program.
Interested in learning more about how you can improve your email program? Contact us about email list hygiene services!
*Source: Return Path, The Ultimate Deliverability Glossary
**Source: https://mailchimp.com/resources/email-marketing-benchmarks/
***: https://www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/email-marketing/70-email-marketing-stats-you-need-to-know/
As an Email Marketing Specialist, Amber manages clients’ email marketing campaigns from beginning to end. A self-proclaimed Jane-of-all trades, Amber has experience with in-house and agency work, including email marketing strategy, social media management, content creation, copywriting, analysis, optimization, and reporting. Ultimately, email marketing became her guiding passion. She loves diving deep into the psychology of her clients’ audiences and moving customers through the buyer’s journey through email. The blend of strategy, audience segmentation, a/b testing, analysis, and optimization feed her creative yet analytical mind. When she’s not busy crafting the perfect email journey, you can find Amber rock climbing, teaching yoga, creating mandala artwork, and attending concerts.
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