Is splitting email lists into high and low engagers an effective strategy for improving deliverability?

Summary

There's a general consensus that segmenting email lists based on engagement is an effective strategy to improve deliverability. By targeting highly engaged subscribers, you're likely to see higher open rates, click-through rates, and conversions, which positively impacts your sender reputation. Several sources also highlight the importance of managing less engaged subscribers through removal, suppression, or re-engagement campaigns. While some caution against over-segmentation leading to complexity, focusing on engagement benefits deliverability and ROI. Maintaining clean lists and good list hygiene is often mentioned as key to ensure successful email deliverability.

Key findings

  • Engagement Improves Deliverability: Targeting highly engaged subscribers results in increased positive signals to ISPs, improving deliverability.
  • Segmentation Enhances ROI: Sending targeted content to specific groups increases engagement and, as a result, enhances ROI.
  • List Hygiene is Crucial: Regularly cleaning lists by removing inactive subscribers helps protect sender reputation and prevents deliverability issues.
  • Management of Unengaged: Segmenting out and suppressing unengaged users safeguards your reputation.
  • Complex Segmentation can be detrimental: Be wary of over-segmentation which can be complex and has the potential to hurt deliverability.

Key considerations

  • List Cleaning Practices: Implement regular list cleaning to remove inactive subscribers.
  • Segmentation Strategy: Determine if segmentation fits your sending profile, as it might not be necessary for all senders.
  • Re-engagement Campaigns: Consider re-engagement campaigns for inactive subscribers before removing them.
  • Content Relevance: Ensure content is tailored to specific segments to maximize engagement.
  • Bounce and Complaint Management: Effectively manage bounces and complaints to further protect sender reputation.

What email marketers say
13Marketer opinions

The consensus among email marketers is that segmenting email lists based on engagement levels is generally an effective strategy for improving deliverability. By targeting highly engaged subscribers with relevant content, marketers can increase open rates, click-through rates, and conversions, which positively influences sender reputation and helps ensure emails land in the inbox. Several experts point out that this strategy also involves identifying and managing less engaged subscribers, either by removing them, suppressing them, or attempting re-engagement campaigns. While some sources caution against overly complex segmentation, the overarching theme emphasizes that focusing on engagement benefits both deliverability and ROI. However, one expert noted it's primarily useful in specific circumstances as a reputation rehab tactic, not for everyday mailing. Furthermore, maintaining good list hygiene is a parallel, crucial activity.

Key opinions

  • Improved Engagement: Segmentation leads to higher open rates, click-through rates, and conversions by targeting the most receptive audience.
  • Enhanced Deliverability: Increased engagement positively impacts sender reputation, helping emails reach the inbox more reliably.
  • Reputation Management: Segmenting out or suppressing unengaged contacts prevents deliverability problems and maintains a positive sender reputation.
  • ROI Improvement: Segmentation allows for more relevant emails, directly increasing ROI while indirectly supporting deliverability.
  • Reputation Rehab: Segmenting high engagers can be used as a tactic to improve reputation over time if rate limited. Useful in limited circumstances.

Key considerations

  • List Hygiene: Regularly clean your list by removing inactive or unengaged subscribers to maintain good sender reputation.
  • Complexity: Avoid overly complex segmentation that can lead to management difficulties and redundant segments.
  • Re-engagement: Consider re-engagement campaigns for inactive subscribers before removing them from the list.
  • Targeted Content: Ensure content is tailored to the specific segments for optimal engagement and deliverability.
  • Overall Engagement: The overall engagement level of the entire mailstream is important and this must be considered.
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that good clients have seen improvements by sending first to the most engaged, then later to moderately engaged subscribers, but overall engagement of the mailstream is key.

September 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Campaign Monitor shares that email segmentation increases engagement which can improve deliverability. By targeting specific groups with tailored content the user is more likely to have the email land in their inbox.

August 2024 - Campaign Monitor
Marketer view

Email marketer from Optinmonster shares that by segmenting the email list you can increase open and click rates and increase engagement. If you can engage more people you have more chances to convert them into a customer.

November 2021 - Optinmonster
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that splitting lists can lead to higher spam/unsubscribe/bounce rates and redundant management. Recommends segmenting by Openers, Clickers, Buyers, Abandoned Cart, and Unengaged. Sending a second email to non-engagers is a normal practice, but too many segments can be difficult to manage.

June 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid explains that segmenting by engagement level helps tailor content to subscriber interests, boosting open and click-through rates. By focusing on engaged users, it improves sender reputation and overall deliverability.

July 2023 - Email on Acid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus notes that while segmentation mainly improves ROI by delivering more relevant emails, a positive side effect is improved deliverability. Engaged subscribers are more likely to open and click, signalling to ISPs that your emails are wanted.

December 2024 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot explains that segmentation helps improve deliverability by allowing marketers to send more relevant emails to specific groups, which increases engagement and reduces the likelihood of recipients marking emails as spam. They also advise segmenting out and suppressing unengaged contacts.

August 2022 - HubSpot
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue shares that segmenting lists based on engagement allows you to send targeted content to those most likely to engage, boosting your sender reputation and improving deliverability. It also advises removing unengaged subscribers to avoid damaging your reputation.

June 2022 - Sendinblue
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailchimp explains that segmenting engaged subscribers can improve campaign performance by targeting the most receptive audience, leading to higher open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. This can positively influence sender reputation and deliverability.

April 2022 - Mailchimp
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that the tactic of sending to high engagers first is a reputation rehab tactic from Return Path. It can help in limited circumstances to improve reputation over time if being rate limited, but should not be a regular practice.

February 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit user r/emailmarketing responds that segmenting based on engagement (e.g., active vs. inactive users) can be beneficial for deliverability. Sending targeted emails to active users and re-engagement campaigns to inactive users can improve open rates and sender reputation.

November 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Omnisend believes that cleaning lists, and creating segments such as highly engaged segments can ensure your content is seen. Removing old or non engaged email addresses from your contact list can stop you being marked as spam.

September 2021 - Omnisend
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign shares that segmenting email lists based on engagement can significantly improve deliverability. By targeting engaged subscribers with relevant content, you can increase open rates and click-through rates, which positively impacts your sender reputation.

March 2024 - ActiveCampaign

What the experts say
3Expert opinions

Experts offer mixed perspectives on segmenting email lists by engagement for deliverability. One expert suggests it is overused and typically only helps marginal senders while another says that it depends and that good list hygiene and pruning are also important. All agree list cleaning is a crucial element for email deliverability.

Key opinions

  • Segmentation Effectiveness: The effectiveness of segmentation varies; it may not benefit all senders and is often overused.
  • List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning email lists by removing inactive subscribers is crucial for deliverability.
  • Segmentation Costs: Segmentation can complicate things and incur costs, particularly for those without the specific issues it aims to address.

Key considerations

  • Sender Situation: Assess whether segmentation is necessary for your specific sending situation or if it is a general recommendation.
  • List Maintenance: Prioritize consistent list maintenance by pruning inactive addresses and implementing re-engagement campaigns.
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis: Weigh the costs and complexities of segmentation against the potential benefits for your deliverability.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) shares that cleaning email lists regularly is crucial for email deliverability. She recommends removing inactive subscribers to protect your sender reputation and also speaks about segmentation.

May 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that the tactic is often used by marginal senders. It doesn't hurt deliverability for those who don't have the issue it's designed to solve, but complicates things and costs money.

September 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource (John Levine) responds that list segmentation helps improve deliverability and ROI by sending targeted content to specific groups, but the level of effectiveness varies. Good list hygiene also means actively pruning your lists to remove inactive addresses, or sending them re-engagement campaigns.

February 2022 - Spam Resource

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Email deliverability documentation from Google, Microsoft, SparkPost, and Amazon SES emphasize the importance of list hygiene and sending emails only to engaged users. While not always explicitly mentioning engagement-based segmentation, the guidance strongly suggests removing or suppressing inactive subscribers, managing bounces and complaints, and maintaining a clean list to protect sender reputation and prevent deliverability issues.

Key findings

  • List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean email list is crucial for a good sender reputation and deliverability.
  • Engagement Focus: Sending emails only to users who want them (engaged users) helps avoid deliverability issues.
  • Suppression: Removing or suppressing inactive subscribers can prevent deliverability problems.
  • Reputation Protection: Managing bounces and complaints is essential for maintaining a good sender reputation.

Key considerations

  • Proactive Cleaning: Regularly clean email lists to remove unengaged or inactive subscribers.
  • Feedback Loops: Monitor bounces and complaints, and promptly remove recipients with negative feedback.
  • Informed Consent: Ensure recipients have actively opted-in to receive emails to avoid unwanted messages and spam complaints.
  • Segmentation Strategies: Consider using engagement-based segmentation to target active subscribers with relevant content while managing inactive users.
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost highlights that maintaining a clean and segmented list is crucial for deliverability. Sending to engaged subscribers increases positive signals to ISPs, while segmenting out and suppressing unengaged users protects your reputation.

July 2021 - SparkPost
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft emphasizes the importance of list hygiene for maintaining good sender reputation. While not explicitly mentioning segmentation, it supports removing inactive or unengaged subscribers to prevent deliverability problems.

May 2023 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from Amazon SES explains the importance of managing bounces and complaints to maintain a good sender reputation. Although it doesn't directly address engagement-based segmentation, it implies the need to remove or suppress recipients who consistently bounce or complain, which aligns with the principle of sending only to engaged users.

September 2021 - Amazon SES
Technical article

Documentation from Google explains that sending unwanted email can lead to deliverability issues. Google recommends keeping your email list clean and only sending emails to users who want them. This indirectly supports segmenting out unengaged users.

May 2024 - Google Support