It can be really disappointing when subscribers remove themselves from your mailing list.

Don’t fret if you are noticing a drop-off in subscribers, as you can do something to fix it. That is, so long as you take action today to identify and remedy any common reasons why users say goodbye.

Learn from the experts here at EcoSend about the 7 top reasons users unsubscribe from email lists.

Use the following advice to nurture your existing list, plus continue to grow it with new and engaged subscribers.

(Pssst. Want to check out a video version of this blogpost? Click the link here! 📽️)

#1 - You Are Over Communicating

A survey by HubSpot found that sending too many emails causes 34% of people to unsubscribe from a mailing list.

Let’s be honest, there really is nothing worse than signing up for a mailing list, only for that company to email you every single day. Some might even email several times a day, even on weekends and holidays. 

Quite quickly, that company clogs up your inbox and well, creates stress and annoyance in abundance. 

The only way you can get it to stop is to unsubscribe. 

Solution: Less really is more when it comes to emailing your customers. So instead of quantity, focus on quality. It might sound counterintuitive to dial back on how many emails you send. But we promise there’s a lot to gain from keeping your subscribers on side, rather than irritating them due to over communication. 

#2 - Users Didn't Sign Up For Your List

You would assume in the age of GDPR and the CAN-SPAM Act that companies would respect personal data. This includes only adding users to their list who have expressly permitted to be contacted through a form. 

However, if you scrape data or purchase email lists then there is a high chance users will instantly unsubscribe from your campaigns. You could also jeopardise your domain reputation and even put your company at risk of financial penalties.

In a nutshell, you can't force people to be on your email list. Beyond the legalities, emailing people without their consent is a tactic that just doesn't work.

Instead, the email looks suspicious and also can feel intrusive if personal data has been obtained. Hence, earning any money in return from that contact is very unlikely.

Solution: Always collect email subscribers through genuine means. Send opt-in emails to ensure users really want to hear from you. Doing so will lead to higher open and click-through rates because you are emailing people who actually want to be on your list.

Enjoying this post so far? You might also be interested in: 9 Ways Make Money With Email Marketing In 2024 💰

#3 - You Forgot To Segment

Sending the same message to everyone means most people will find the content irrelevant. Changing the recipient name doesn't equal segmentation either.

Why would anyone stay subscribed to your email marketing list if they don’t feel like it actually speaks to them? Instead, your emails need to feel personal and targeted to that individual. 

Solution: In a recent post ‘11 Email Marketing Mistakes And How To Avoid Them, we told you how segmenting your emails can boost open rates by 14.3% while boosting clicks by a whopping 101%. 👀

Why? Well, audience segmentation means sending the right message, to the right person at the right time. This means you know exactly who you are targeting with that message, instead of sending that message to everyone and hoping for the best. 

#4 - You Use Clickbait Or Spammy Sounding Subject Lines

If you’re having to go to insane lengths just to get your subscribers to open your emails, you probably don’t have a solid email marketing strategy just yet. 

A telltale sign is a misleading subject line. When misleading subject lines aren’t automatically marked as spam, they do little to encourage clicks and conversions even when opened.

Imagine telling someone they’ll get a bar of chocolate if they click through to your website. But when they get there, you actually give them a stick of celery. You’d feel pretty cheated, right?

Well, that’s exactly what misleading subject lines do to your subscribers. They can also come across as desperate, and well, annoying. 

Solution: There’s no reason why you shouldn’t experiment with your subject lines. But, consider whether the contents of your email campaign have any relevance. If in doubt, consult with your marketing team before hitting that send button. 

#5 - Your Subject Lines Over Do A Sense Of Urgency

Emphasising a sense of urgency is a common trick used by marketers to get our attention. But after a while, not only do we begin to lose interest but we also get pretty annoyed.

There are lots of brands that practically shout at you to get you to open their emails. These campaigns are usually accompanied by clock, fire or megaphone emojis in the subject line….plus ALL CAPS. 

However, when every brand does this to excess it soon becomes noise in your inbox that you can’t wait to unsubscribe from.

Solution: Be more creative to come up with ways of engaging your audience without bombarding them.

#6 - You Aren’t Mixing Up The Types Of Emails You Send

Imagine eating the same meal each night for dinner. How long would it take you to become bored? 

Sending the same type and format of email over and over makes your subscribers feel like they aren’t gaining anything new by opening your emails. 

When things feel stale, your emails will clutter up inboxes without really doing anything to motivate people. So really, what’s the point in users staying subscribed, when you aren’t offering them anything new or exciting? 

Solution: Mix up your emails every once in a while. Check out our post on ‘What Are The Different Types Of Emails?’ to find out where to start. 

#7 - Emails Aren’t Being Optimised Correctly For Mobile

Your subscribers will attempt to read your email campaigns on a whole host of devices. As well as traditional desktop computers or laptops, the likes of mobiles and tablets can also be used to open up emails.

But what happens when your email hasn’t been optimised for different devices? Well, it won't load correctly for that user. 

Given mobile use is ever increasing vs desktop, there really is no excuse not to cater to all device types. 

Solution: Use an email automation platform such as EcoSend to create and test your email marketing campaigns, to ensure they are fully responsive. 

EcoSend - Discover Sustainable Email Marketing ✉️ 💚

So you want to keep more of your email subscribers.

But is there room for you to lose your current email platform, especially if it's not giving you everything you need? 🤔

Allow us to introduce you to EcoSend instead. As a sustainable email platform, we'll give you all the tools and features you need to win at email.

The key difference is that EcoSend helps to reduce the carbon footprint of your campaigns, and we'll plant trees on your behalf just for using us!

Give the following tips a try and sign up for your free trial of EcoSend today.