How are Gmail and Yahoo enforcing unsubscribe requests, and what factors do they consider for compliance?

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that if you aren't clear about why/how someone is getting emailed, you need to prioritize that on your “to-do” list.

Email marketer from Campaign Monitor emphasizes the importance of honoring unsubscribe requests promptly and using double opt-in to ensure recipients genuinely want to receive emails.

Email marketer from Reddit explains that Gmail's spam filters consider various factors, including unsubscribe rates and user engagement. Senders with high unsubscribe rates are more likely to be flagged as spam.

Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests that Gmail likely uses multiple data points to determine compliance, taking into account factors like repeated unsubscribes, complaints, and overall sending behavior.

Email marketer from Email Geeks speculates that enforcement of compliance could involve throttling, spam foldering, or lack of remediation, but there are too many variables to say for sure.

Email marketer from Mailchimp shares that they emphasize the importance of honoring unsubscribe requests quickly to maintain a good sender reputation. They also suggest using double opt-in to ensure recipients genuinely want to receive emails.

Email marketer from SendGrid explains that respecting unsubscribe requests is crucial for maintaining a positive sender reputation. High unsubscribe rates can negatively impact deliverability, leading to emails being marked as spam or blocked.

Email marketer from Email on Acid notes that ISPs monitor unsubscribe rates as a key factor in determining sender reputation. High unsubscribe rates can lead to emails being filtered into the spam folder.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Tips explains that you should segment your email lists so you can allow users to unsubscribe from only certain types of emails.

Email marketer from StackOverflow emphasizes the importance of including a clear and easy-to-find unsubscribe link in all emails. Making it difficult for recipients to unsubscribe can lead to frustration and spam complaints.

Email marketer from Litmus shares that it is essential to comply with email regulations, including CAN-SPAM and GDPR, which require clear unsubscribe options. Failing to comply can result in legal penalties and damage to sender reputation.

Expert from Email Geeks clarifies that Google and Yahoo can monitor unsubscribes but cannot enforce them, as they have no visibility into resubscriptions.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that one of the biggest deliverability challenges is managing complaints, including spam reports, and unsubscribes, and if you make it too difficult to unsubscribe, people will just hit the spam button. Properly processing unsubscribes is critical for inbox placement. The algorithm change from google is likely the reason you are now seeing the impact of not honoring unsubs.

Expert from Spamresource.com explains that CAN-SPAM does require an opt-out mechanism and that those opt-out requests must be honored, but it's not the only thing that is factored into deliverability at places like gmail and yahoo.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that Yahoo and Google monitor recipient happiness, so users should use the "this-is-spam" button. If you unsubscribed yesterday and they mailed you today? That’s spam, and if it’s an operational problem it’s _their_ operational problem to fix.

Documentation from CAN-SPAM Act explains that it requires a clear and conspicuous opt-out mechanism in every commercial email. Senders must honor opt-out requests promptly and within 10 business days.

Documentation from Yahoo Mail Sender Best Practices explains that senders must support one-click unsubscribe functionality, allowing recipients to easily opt-out of receiving further emails. Yahoo monitors compliance and may block or filter emails from senders who do not adhere to these guidelines.

Documentation from RFC 2369 specifies the format and use of the List-Unsubscribe header, enabling email clients to provide a simple unsubscribe mechanism. It highlights the importance of honoring unsubscribe requests promptly and removing recipients from mailing lists.

Documentation from Google Bulk Sender Guidelines explains that senders must include a one-click unsubscribe option in their messages and honor unsubscribe requests within two days. Google monitors sender compliance and may penalize non-compliant senders with deliverability issues.

Documentation from Microsoft explains that they focus on the users choice/consent so honoring unsubscribe requests promptly and accurately is crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation. Microsoft uses feedback loops and spam reporting to identify senders who are not complying with unsubscribe requests and takes action to protect their users.