ID3AS Blog

Marketers and business owners will agree that one of the key assets to growing your business is an email list that flourishes with your company. Customers that give you access to their inbox show a high-level of interest in your brand and are trusting you to provide them with relevant and interesting content over time. So, what do you do when those who once joined your email list, are now hitting that “unsubscribe” button? 

Pulling the analytics can tell us what our unsubscribe rates are, but they can’t explain why. Allow the E-Marketing Experts at D3 to guide you through the top 5 reasons that people unsubscribe from your email list and the top five tips for keeping your current subscribers engaged

Top 5 Reasons People Unsubscribe

1. Spammy Subject Lines

Is there something about your email that looks a little fishy? Avoid spammy and “sales-y” trigger words in your subject lines for your email to avoid either getting caught in a spam trap or not being opened by the recipient! Avoid multiple exclamation marks, and verbiage such as “cash”, “guarantee”, “investment”, and similar words 

2. Too Many Emails

Are you sending a little too much? Another reason that followers may unsubscribe from your email, is that you’ve overestimated just how often they’d like to hear from you. In fact, 53% of consumers are saying that they get too many emails from retailers and businesses. Only email when you have timely information to share and try to avoid the habit of “sending just to send”. 

3. Irrelevant Content

The emails that you send out to your list should be interesting, informative, entertaining, valuable, or otherwise helpful to your subscribers. Ideally, the people on your list should be excited to hear from you! When your emails don’t exude those things, you can expect your subscribers to hit “unsubscribe”. An easy way to do this is to make sure that the information in your email is not only timely but relevant to your business and the recipient. 

4. Less is More

Is your email jam-packed with information? This could be a reason that subscribers are falling off your email list. If your email looks cluttered or otherwise unprofessional, people will assume it’s spam and they will unsubscribe. How can you combat this? Work with a professional to properly design your e-blasts, and remember, sometimes less really is more. 

5. They Didn’t Realize They Subscribed

Nobody likes unsolicited emails. There’s no faster way to get people to unsubscribe than to add them to your list without their consent, or confirmation. The solution? Be sure that you ask readers to “opt-in” to receive emails from you. Not only is this best practice, but it’ll help reduce your risk of being marked as “spam”. 

Bonus Reason: Seasonal Business = Seasonal Subscribers

Running a seasonal business can be especially difficult when it comes to email marketing. In most cases, it’s normal to see a jump in unsubscribers after your season comes to an end, and a jump back when you’re up and running again. Combat this by sending less frequently while you’re closed, and only for special updates, promotions, and early sales! 

5 Tips to Keeping Subscribers Engaged

When it comes to email marketing, you’ll want to try to keep as many of your subscribers engaged as possible. Otherwise, you may find your unsubscribe and spam reports on the rise. So, how can you boost subscriber engagement? Check out these top 5 tips for keeping your subscribers engaged, and happy! 

1. Give Them Control

Give your subscribers some control over how often they hear from you! While some may want emails on a weekly basis, other subscribers may be on a need-to-know basis, and only want to hear the most important things once or twice a month! 

2. Add Some Spice

Don’t send the same email twice! Are you promoting a sale? Tailor your communications to guide customers through the sales cycle, keeping your subscribers engaged from beginning to end. Another way to add some variety? Don’t always try to sell something. Offering timely industry information and helpful tips can keep you relevant with your subscribers. 

3. Personalize and Segment

Segmenting your email list can help you personalize campaigns with relevant information and targeted offers, set to best fit your subscriber’s individual needs. 

4. Optimize For Mobile 

Consider how many times you check your email from your smartphone daily. If your emails aren’t optimized for mobile, there’s a chance they may be missed! Be sure that your design is responsive on mobile, and provides the optimal viewing experience no matter which device people are reading your emails from. 

5. Reengage and Rekindle

Do you have subscribers who haven’t opened or clicked on your emails in 6 months or more? Design an email campaign that highlights the value of your organization, and reminds your inactive subscribers why they signed up to receive your emails in the first place! 

Are your emails striking the right balance between staying on your subscriber’s mind, without being too much? Keep your subscribers engaged and away from the unsubscribe button, and contact the Email Marketing experts at D3 to help take your email marketing to the next level!