Knowledge base

Reduce unsubscribe rates

Using unsubscribe links in your emails? Find out why recipients opt out and how to keep your unsubscribe rate low to protect your sender reputation.

Understanding the causes behind recipients opting out of receiving emails is crucial for maintaining a healthy relationship with your customers and following email deliverability best practices. Unsubscribes can signal various issues, from content misalignment with recipient expectations to possible violations of regulations such as the GDPR or CAN-SPAM.

Why do recipients unsubscribe?

When it comes to emails that are necessary for your service, like order confirmations or password resets, it's rare for customers to say they don’t want them. However, there are a few reasons why someone might choose to opt out even from these helpful messages:

  • Irrelevant content: If the updates you send do not match what your users need or expect, they might decide to opt out.

  • Consent: Sometimes customers may be getting too many emails, or emails they didn’t ask for. If you are sending content outside of what the recipient has consented to receive, they may choose to opt out.

  • Outdated contacts: If you are sending emails to recipients who haven’t interacted with your services in a while, they may not be interested anymore.

It’s worth keeping a close eye on your unsubscribe rate. A high rate can affect your reputation status in MailerSend, which may limit or pause your sending. It may also lead to an account investigation under our Anti-Spam Policy. Find out how reputation statuses work in Domain reputation (Starter plans and above) and Account reputation statuses (Free and Hobby plans).

Reducing unsubscribe rates

To lower the risk of recipients opting out of emails, we recommend the following strategies:

  • Personalize: Tailor your emails to address the recipient by name and include personalized content based on their past interactions with your service.

  • Email timing: Send transactional emails promptly after the relevant user action. Immediate confirmation of an order or action reassures users and decreases the chances of them unsubscribing due to delays or uncertainty.

  • Permission-based marketing: Ensure that you have explicit consent from recipients to send them emails, which aligns with our Anti-Spam Policy.

  • Optimize for mobile: Many users check their emails on mobile devices. Ensure that transactional emails are mobile-friendly, with responsive design and easily clickable links.

  • Feedback loops: Implement feedback mechanisms to gather insights directly from your audience about their preferences and content perception.

  • Clear unsubscribe options: Make the unsubscribe process straightforward and respectful. This transparency can also reduce the number of spam complaints and maintain a positive brand image.

Need more info?

Please feel free to contact us at support@mailersend.com and a member of our support team will gladly assist you.