How to set up email so that it only sends to subscribed contacts

[Lucinda]

Is there a way that we can change our email send settings so that it only sends to contacts that have been subscribed to the email subscription type for that email? 

[karstenkoehler]

Hi @Lucinda,

Yes, this can be achieved by enabling the GDPR functionality in your portal and toggling the checkbox "Legal basis required: Only allow marketing emails to be sent to contacts who have a legal basis to communicate."

Alternatively, if for some reason enabling the GDPR settings is not an option, I'd recommend working with exclusion lists. These are plain active lists that filter for contacts who are not subscribed to the subscription type chosen for your upcoming email, see the second to last option:

Hope this helps!

[Lucinda]

Thanks Karsten, the first option wouldn't work for us as it would still send to contacts that aren't "opted-in" e.g. they have a blank preference against that email subscription type. The second option isn't quite as water-tight as I'd like in terms of GDPR, as there is room for human error for someone not to attach an exclusion list to their email. The issue we have is that we are asking people to opt-in to email subscription types using forms but then Hubspot doesn't automatically opt them out if they don't opt-in.   

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

Hi @Lucinda,

The first option is designed to only let emails through to contacts who have an opt-in for the subscription. If a contact is not opted (empty), the email would not be sent.

(Otherwise this would be the exact same behavior as usual: Only explicit opt-outs would be suppressed – which is always the case.)

Best regards!