Worst Unsubscribe Practices

I am still unsubscribing from lots of emails in an email account that I no longer wish to use. While doing so, I've come across a couple of practices that make me want to scream. I'll share them with you so that you can make sure not to do this to your subscribers:

• don't make me log in to unsubscribe from your email. I usually don't remember my login details and asking for a password reminder results in more email in my inbox.
• give me the chance to update my email address. I might still want to receive your newsletter at a different address but am too lazy to look for your newsletter sign-up box on your webpage.
• give me an opportunity to cut down on the amount of emails you send me. Some senders send me more than 1 email per day. That's overkill. I do want to hear from you once in a while, just not every day.
• give me the chance to say which emails I do and which I don't want to receive. I am not interested in everything that you send me. Give me a chance to choose the content I want.
• don't use font size 6 (or 1) for your unsubscribe link. In some emails the footer text is so small that you need a magnifying glass to be able to read it. I wear glasses because I have bad eye sight. Don't remind me of that every time I want to unsubscribe.
• don't make the links blend in with the rest of the text. Use some underlining at least so that I can easily recognize the unsubscribe link.
• don't get too clever with naming your unsubscribe link. The word "Unsubscribe" is what I'm looking for. I recognize that word instantly. Don't make me read the whole footer. I'm unsubscribing, remember?
• don't send me a confirmation of my unsubscribe request. A simple "you've been unsubscribed" on your website will do. Remember: I am trying to reduce, not increase inbox overload by unsubscribing.
• use my email address in the To-line, not my name - that way it's easier for me to see which alias I've used to sign up for your newsletter.
• don't make the "why do you want to unsubscribe from this list" survey question mandatory. I admit, I didn't see anyone doing this, but just in case you'd be tempted to do this: don't!

Have you seen unsubscribe tactics that make you want to scream? Please share!

Comments

[Serenity J. Knutson]

I recently changed jobs, and I went through all of the email newsletters I received at my old job to update my information - we're talking 100 newsletters a week, easy, probably more. Some I wanted to receive at my new company email address, some I wanted to change to a generic email account to leave for my replacement at the old company, and some I wanted to unsubscribe from completely. I ran into every single issue on your list, and then some.

Here's a great tip for email marketers: make sure your unsubscribe link/form actually WORKS. I spent entirely too much time on one unsubscribe page that instructed me to enter the letters in the image... when there was no image anywhere on the page.

Then, of course, there are the unsubscribe confirmations that are followed by the newsletters being delivered 27 more times anyway. And including a note on the unsubscribe page that says it will take up to 10 days for my email address to be removed does not stop me from clicking "unsubscribe" again every time a company sends an unwanted newsletter to me. I am not likely to keep notes on which companies remove me automatically and which will continue to email me for another week.

I am pretty considerate about going through the unsubscribe process, rather than mark newsletters as junk when I don't want them anymore (which a lot of people do, apparently). But some companies' practices really tempt me to click "spam" after I've tried repeatedly to get off their mailing lists.

[Robert Barclay]

Tamara,
Good post. In the comments about all or nothing unsubscribes I think it's important to keep in mind that the number of options for unsubscribing, in most situations should match the number of options you had for subscribing in the first place. Choice is important, but be consistent with the choices you offer people. In many cases giving people the right choices up front and sticking with what you promised to send them will keep them from ever needing your preference center.

[Roberta Altstadt]

Tamara,
Great post. I am going through the same thing right now and it definitely leaves a bad taste in my mouth when it comes to the companies that make it difficult to unsubscribe. And I actually tend to have a good feeling about those that let me out with one click. I may return to them in the future.

[Steven Woods]

Tamara,
I'd definitely agree with your post, but I think that with any unsubscribe process there's an opportunity to present options to remain connected. Insted of email delivery, opting for RSS allows inbox clutter to be reduced, while still remaining lightly in touch. Marketers lose nothing offering it, and there may be some take-up if the content is potentially still somewhat interesting.

[Tamara Gielen]

Hi Ted,

I agree with both comments. I wanted to unsubscribe from one type of emails that this particular company sent me but it was all or nothing. I chose nothing.

I like options and being able to choose myself :-)

[Jordan]

Lol yes! love the post.

[Ted S]

All good points but I think one deserves a lot more attention than it's given...

"[G]ive me the chance to say which emails I do and which I don't want to receive"

It amazes me how many companies send distinctly different emails out (newsletters, announcements and special offers) yet don't offer any way to segment in or out of them. As a result I'm left removing myself from every email because one series doesn't fit my interest profile. If the optout page gives options I'd bet these companies would see far fewer complete removals.

One other item I dislike in optouts -- making me retype my email address.