Why Fewer Email Subscribers Can Mean Better Results

Stop Emailing People Who Don't Like You

A very common email marketing belief is "if we send our email to everyone, it will work better." In theory this makes sense, but after years in the email marketing trenches, I'm here to tell you that it is not true. I've seen it fail over and over again, year after year.

More subscribers does not equal better engagement. More frequently, it means less engagement. 

You know that company you bought a gift from in 2017 that still emails you three times a day? You've unsubscribed, but they just continue sending. They’ve ignored every signal that you bought that thing for someone else and that you do not share Aunt Josephine's passion for designer birdhouses.

Do you like that company? No. You hate that company. Everybody hates that company!

And yet as marketers, we convince ourselves that our brand is the exception. "Everyone wants to get my awesome emails" you tell yourself. 

Nope, wrong. Your brand is not an exception. Some people just aren't interested and that's not a failure, that's just life.

Google is Judging You

Spam filters are more advanced than they've ever been and they're judging you. They aren't using emotional attachments either, they are using metrics like open rates, clicks and engagement... and they're probably paying more attention than you are.

Most subscribers are using free email addresses like gmail. Every email you send to a gmail account costs Google money. So if someone doesn't want to read your email, Google does not want to pay to deliver it. 

Since it impacts their bottom line, Google is judging you harder than a football fan couch-quarterbacking the Super Bowl. And what google thinks about you matters. They're keeping score. 

In 2024 they cracked down on email senders with new requirements for sending to gmail. (PSA: 70% of your subscriber list is made up of gmail accounts.) The most important new requirement is that you must keep your spam report rate below 0.10% and avoid ever reaching 0.30% or higher. The consequences for breaking their rules are your emails being sent directly to spam, where even your best customers may not see your emails ever again.

The best way to avoid upsetting our Google overlords and remaining in your customer's inbox is simple: make sure you're sending to people who want to hear from you. That means sending fewer marketing emails to a more targeted list of recipients.

How Old is Your Email List?

Your email list should not include everyone who has ever made eye contact with your brand. Just because you have an email addresses doesn't mean you get to email them forever. If someone hasn't opened your email in six months, it's time for a little email list hygiene. (Yes, that's a real thing and it's just as important as it sounds.)

Sending emails doesn't just cost Google money, it costs you money. Sending emails to people who don't want to hear from you is like feeding your advertising dollars directly into a paper shredder. Not to mention that it's just deeply unproductive.

If you have unengaged users on your email list, try sending something different: a discount, a perk, something valuable. If that doesn't work, try asking if they still want to hear from you. 

But if you're getting crickets in response, it's time to remove that person from your email list. Even email relationships should be a two way street. 

Consistency is Key

Someone trusted you enough to give you their email address and permission to send them emails, that's great! Don't wait, act now: Email them before they forget who you are. And once you do, keep emailing them.

Establish a consistent email marketing calendar and stick to it. If you disappear for six months and then pop up in someone's inbox, they're not thinking "oh good, I missed you!" They're thinking "Who is this and why are they emailing me?" 

That's how spam report buttons get clicked!

Remember, Google is watching and that 2024 spam rate limit is brutally low. If you have a small list, just one spam report could seriously damage your sender reputation.

Unsubscribers are Not the Enemy

Make unsubscribing from your email list is easy. Like, ONE CLICK AND DONE, easy. If someone wants out, let them out. If your unsubscribe process is harder than hitting the "spam report" button, then people will do that instead and our google overlords will be upset.

An unsubscribe doesn't hurt your sending reputation. It's a respectable breakup. A spam report? That's a breakup that involves the police... and it's going on your permanent record. 

Don't let that happen. Once the spam cops are involved, even your biggest fans might stop seeing your emails. Then your engagement rates will really tank and that's not something you want to explain to your boss.

Send Emails People Want

No one likes getting emails just for the sake of getting emails. No one. I personally wake up every morning and delete like 20 emails without even opening at them. I'm convinced that most of modern adult life is just deleting emails until we die. 

Don't let your brand's email be that email. 

The emails with the highest engagement rates usually include something of value to the recipient: an offer, useful info, entertainment... or at the very least a reason to continue reading. Not every email has to be an offer, but if one out of three emails delivers real value, then your subscriber has a reason to continue opening and they're far more likely to stick around.

Sending emails people want: wild and revolutionary! Works every time.

The Counterintuitive Truth (The Part People Hate)

This all sounds backwards, but it works: 10 engaged readers are better than 100 people ignoring you. Email marketing isn't about how many people you can email, it's about how many people actually want to hear from you. 

At Geary Company, we offer email marketing services that include list hygiene, email verification, and email creative that looks fantastic. Plus, we have years of experience sending marketing emails that people want to read. (And more importantly, don't get reported as spam.)

Email marketing is still the best way to connect with your audience. Social media platforms change their algorithms, feeds disappear, users drop platforms...

Your email list? You own that. Try not to set it on fire.