Does omitting the unsubscribe link in plain text emails affect deliverability?

Email marketer from Reddit shares that a missing unsubscribe link in plain text can definitely hurt deliverability. Spam filters often look for it, and users are more likely to mark the email as spam if they can't find an easy way to unsubscribe.

Email marketer from Mailjet Blog explains that while the visible unsubscribe link is crucial, neglecting the plain text version can lead to deliverability issues. Some email clients prioritize the plain text version, and its absence may trigger spam filters.

Email marketer from Sendinblue Blog shares that omitting unsubscribe links negatively impacts sender reputation. ISPs monitor unsubscribe rates, and a missing link forces recipients to mark emails as spam, damaging deliverability.

Email marketer from HubSpot Blog notes that providing a clear and accessible unsubscribe link is a fundamental email marketing best practice. It helps maintain a clean email list, reduces spam complaints, and ultimately improves deliverability. The article doesn't explicitly discuss plain text, but the principle applies.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that from a user experience standpoint, including an unsubscribe link in both versions is vital. Some users might only see the plain text version, and if they can't unsubscribe, they'll have a negative experience and potentially mark the email as spam.

Email marketer from Campaign Monitor mentions that compliance with laws like CAN-SPAM requires a clear and conspicuous unsubscribe mechanism. While it doesn't directly address the plain text issue, the underlying message implies the importance of unsubscribe availability to all recipients.

Email marketer from Litmus explains that accessibility should be considered, and that including unsubscribe links in both HTML and plain text ensures all recipients can easily opt out. A failure to include in plain text can be frustrating and lead to spam complaints.

Expert from Email Geeks doubts there's a direct deliverability effect from omitting the unsubscribe link in the plain text version, but warns that users unable to easily unsubscribe might report the email as spam. He suggests considering if recipients actually view the text/plain part and can report spam effectively, guessing this is unlikely as most use HTML. He then notes that not having List-Unsubscribe-Post could have a more significant impact as it's machine-detectable.

Expert from spamresource.com says it’s crucial to include unsubscribe options in BOTH HTML and plain text versions of an email. They state that omitting this link in one format or another can lead to increased spam complaints and negatively affect your sender reputation, ultimately impacting deliverability.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that while few people might see the plain text version, its absence could negatively affect perceptions if a postmaster or blocklist provider reviews the email during troubleshooting. He suggests including it to avoid appearing like a spammer.

Expert from wordtothewise.com emphasizes that including an unsubscribe link in the plain text version of an email is vital, particularly as some email clients or older systems may only render the plain text version. Failure to provide this link can lead to increased spam complaints, negatively affecting deliverability.

Expert from Email Geeks simply states that including the unsubscribe link in plain text emails is trivial to implement, so there's no good reason not to.

Documentation from RFC Editor specifies that while not directly related to plain text content, the 'List-Unsubscribe' header is crucial for one-click unsubscribe functionality, and its absence might indirectly affect deliverability due to increased spam complaints if users can't easily opt-out.

Documentation from Microsoft shares that the Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) tracks spam complaint rates. Higher rates indicate deliverability problems. The absence of an unsubscribe link in plain text versions contributes to this issue.

Documentation from Google explains that high spam complaint rates negatively impact deliverability to Gmail users. Omitting unsubscribe links in plain text makes it harder for users to unsubscribe, potentially increasing spam complaints.