topic Re: Unengaged Contacts in Email Deliverability

Unengaged Contacts

X234 — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 17:53:50 GMT

What is the downside of sending emails to unegaged contacts (periodically) to reengage them? Can increase being flagged as spam?

Re: Unengaged Contacts

karstenkoehler — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 18:26:10 GMT

Hi @X234,

This knowledge base article sums it up very well: https://knowledge.hubspot.com/email/what-is-graymail-and-how-can-i-avoid-sending-my-email-to-unengaged-contacts

"Spam filters can identify and filter out emails that your recipients aren't opening or clicking. This increases the likelihood that future emails will end up in the junk folder or spam filter. By continuing to send email to contacts who don't open or click, you're lowering your sender score overall."

Nevertheless, I would consider occasional re-engagement attempts a good idea. The key is coming up with a hypothesis as to why these contacts do not open your emails and not just sending another marketing email of the type that they've received before. It could be a best of email, the 'threat' of a goodbye or anything that stands out.

Keep in mind that the measurement of engagement is not 100%: https://community.hubspot.com/t5/Email-Marketing-Tool/iOS-15-let-s-talk-about-it/m-p/499877

Hope this helps!

Re: Unengaged Contacts

X234 — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 14:32:59 GMT

Hi, thank you for that explanation. Can you describe what lowering the overall sender score actually means in terms of a con? We have a growing list of unengaged and plan to send a reengagement campaign and then subsequent, periodic targeted emails to try to increase engagement. However, we don't want to take action that could result in other emails from our address (going to those who do engage) being viewed as spam. I appreciate any insight. Thanks!

Re: Unengaged Contacts

karstenkoehler — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 14:36:35 GMT

Hi @X234,

Very simplified, with a lower sender reputation, the likelihood of emails going into promotional or spam folders increases. From my experience, this is rarely something that will happen overnight however.

If you're sending content specifically for those contacts, content that is optimized for them, I think that's a good approach. You should however have a defined moment when you stop trying to reengage so that it does not become an infinitely repeating process.

Does that answer your question?

Best regards!

Re: Unengaged Contacts

franksteiner79 — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 18:32:33 GMT

Hi @X234

Just adding to @karstenkoehler's point. I did a webinar on email deliverability earlier this year, when I still worked at HubSpot. It has some good explanations on what email deliverability means, how to keep an eye on key performance indicators, and how to run a re-engagement campaign.

And there is also this recently updated article on the HubSpot blog.

Frank