How to ensure a clean and engaged subscriber list for 2024

Does your Deliverability need to be a resolution for the New Year?

As we head into the New Year, a time for reflection, planning, and recommitment to better habits. One crucial aspect that deserves attention is email deliverability. It’s common for retailers to hold high volumes of unengaged data, which can lead to numerous issues, ranging from bounces to being caught in spam traps. To help you set yourself up better for the coming year, and engage subscribers, we’ve compiled a comprehensive checklist of email deliverability tips for retailers designed to help improve your deliverability in 2024.

Segment unengaged seasonal sign-ups

Identify and segment subscribers who signed up during peak seasons but haven’t opened or clicked on your emails. If they remained unresponsive during Black Friday and Christmas sales, it’s time to consider campaigns to re-engage subscribers. After a final attempt, unsubscribe those who don’t respond to avoid future complications.

Beware of typos

Implement dynamic segments to catch typos in email addresses. Regularly review and unsubscribe these addresses to maintain a clean subscriber list. Ensure that typo exclusion lists are integrated into your automation processes to prevent issues in the future.

Handle inactive contacts

Contacts who haven’t engaged for more than two years pose a significant risk. With some mailbox providers shutting down inactive accounts, data older than two years is more likely to become invalid rapidly, leading to bounces or spam traps. Regularly audit and clean your list to avoid these pitfalls.

Prioritize onsite security

Invest in robust onsite security measures to reduce the collection of invalid or typo-laden email addresses. Implement on-site validation and recaptcha to enhance security. While not foolproof, these methods, when combined with strong post-collection processes, can significantly reduce the chances of collecting problematic addresses. Secure pop-up forms where possible.

Consider double-opt In

This is a process that many retailers have reservations about outside of mandated countries, however implementing double-opt in will help to verify subscriber authenticity, and remains an effective method to prevent issues related to unengaged or invalid addresses.

Review in-store sign-ups

If you have brick and mortar stores, regularly check up on subscribers who signed up, and ensure these subscribers are still engaged and interested in your content. Unsubscribe those who are no longer responsive to maintain list hygiene.

Update and review automation

Perform a thorough review of all your automated processes. Ensure they are up to date and serving their intended purposes. Remove any unnecessary automations to streamline your email marketing efforts.

Implement long-term segmentation changes

Evaluate and execute any long-term segmentation changes you’ve been planning. Keeping your segmentation strategy up to date ensures that your messages are targeted and relevant to specific subscriber groups.

By following this New Year’s email deliverability checklist, you will significantly reduce the risk of deliverability issues, and maintain a clean and engaged subscriber list. Start the year right by prioritizing the health of your email marketing campaigns and building stronger connections with your audience.

Want more deliverability advice and tips, we’ve got you covered. 

Watch how to plant the seeds of customer engagement using deliverability here.