One of the most common reasons for spam complaints is when recipients feel that the content of an email is irrelevant to their interests or needs. This happens how to use canada phone numbers when the email is not properly targeted or when the content does not align with subscribers' expectations. When exposed to a large amount of irrelevant information, recipients are more likely to hit the spam button.
Excessive email frequency:
Another common reason for spam complaints is sending too many emails in a short period of time. Even if subscribers choose to receive your emails, sending them too many can be overwhelming. When users feel overwhelmed by the amount of emails they receive, especially if they find them unimportant, they may mark them as spam rather than unsubscribe.
Members forget they opted in:
Over time, some members may forget they've signed up for emails from you, especially if there are long gaps between communications. This can lead them to believe they've received unsolicited emails, leading them to flag your emails as spam. This problem often occurs when brands fail to consistently build relationships with their audience or set clear expectations around email frequency.
Unclear unsubscribe steps:
If the unsubscribe option isn't obvious or hard to find, unhappy recipients may mark your email as spam rather than try to find and use the unsubscribe button. Ensuring your emails have an easy and transparent way to unsubscribe can help reduce the chances of this happening.
Read: What's the best time to send marketing emails?
Why does it matter:
Impact on Sender Reputation:
Your sender reputation is one of the most important components of your email marketing success. As spam complaints increase, ISPs may start marking your emails as malicious or unwanted, which can negatively impact your sender reputation. A bad reputation can result in your emails being sent to spam folders on many of your email lists, or, in a worst-case scenario, your sender domain may be blacklisted, severely limiting your ability to communicate with your most subscribed subscribers.
Blacklisting and deliverability issues:
Internet service providers and anti-spam organizations maintain blacklists of domains and email servers that are flagged for spam behavior. A large number of spam complaints increases the chances of being blacklisted. Once blacklisted, your emails will be rejected or automatically sent to the junk folder, even for subscribers who actually want to receive them. This can create serious deliverability issues and make your email marketing campaigns ineffective.
Wasted marketing efforts:
Emails that are marked as spam or sent to the junk folder are a complete waste. If your messages don't make it to their inboxes, your subscribers won't see or interact with them, rendering your campaigns ineffective. Time, effort, and resources spent on content creation, list management, and campaign planning are wasted when your emails don't reach their destinations.
Steps to take to clean up your email list:
Regularly monitor your spam complaint rate:
To deal with increased spam complaints, regularly monitor your complaint rate. Most email marketing platforms have tools for tracking spam complaints and other key metrics. Keeping an eye on these numbers can help you quickly identify increased complaint rates and take corrective action before serious damage is done to your sender reputation.
Remove uninterested or dissatisfied subscribers:
Subscribers who are uninterested in your emails or unhappy with your content are likely to be marked as spam. Segment these users and consider running re-engagement campaigns to bring them back. If those efforts fail, it's a good idea to remove them from your list entirely to avoid spam complaints and protect your sender reputation.
Optimize email frequency:
If complaints are increasing due to email frequency, review your email sending schedule. Try to strike a balance between communication and receiving too much email. Allow users to customize their email preferences, such as how often they receive messages or what types of content they are most interested in. This can reduce annoyance and prevent spam complaints.
Personalize and target your content:
Sending relevant and personalized content to each recipient is one of the best ways to reduce spam complaints. Use segmentation strategies to send targeted messages tailored to each recipient's preferences, behaviors, or purchasing history. The more relevant your emails are to each subscriber, the less likely they are to be marked as spam by each subscriber.
Ensure a clear and easy unsubscribe option:
Provide a simple, visible way for recipients to unsubscribe from your list. By including an unsubscribe link in every email and making it easy to find, people who no longer want to receive messages from you can easily opt out instead of marking your emails as spam.