Should I resend a confirmation email if the recipient doesn't respond to the first one?

Summary

Resending confirmation emails appears to be a generally accepted practice with several benefits, provided it's done thoughtfully. Experts and marketers suggest that it can help improve list quality by removing uninterested or invalid addresses, boost engagement by re-engaging potentially interested subscribers, and enhance deliverability by maintaining a clean list. It's also seen as a way to ensure GDPR compliance through verifiable consent. However, caution is advised to avoid annoying users with excessive reminders. Personalization, clear calls to action, incentives, and automation can improve effectiveness. Testing, optimization, and careful monitoring of engagement metrics are crucial to finding the right balance and ensuring the approach is beneficial. Timing is also a key factor; some suggest a 24-48 hour delay before sending a second confirmation email.

Key findings

  • Improved List Quality: Resending can remove uninterested or invalid email addresses, leading to a higher-quality subscriber list.
  • Increased Engagement: Well-crafted reminders can re-engage potential subscribers and encourage confirmation.
  • Better Deliverability: Maintaining a clean list improves sender reputation, reduces bounce rates and spam complaints, and enhances deliverability.
  • GDPR Compliance: Resending can help ensure verifiable consent, aligning with GDPR requirements.
  • Positive CTR: Anecdotally, there's reports of around a 6-8% CTR on a second confirmation email.

Key considerations

  • User Experience: Avoid excessive or frequent reminders that could be perceived as spam or annoying.
  • Personalization: Personalized reminders with clear value propositions and compelling calls to action are more effective.
  • Incentives: Offering incentives (e.g., discounts, exclusive content) can encourage users to confirm.
  • Monitoring Metrics: Track engagement metrics (CTR, conversion rates) to assess effectiveness.
  • Timing: Consider the timing of the initial email; a 24-48 hour delay before resending is suggested by some.
  • Testing: Test your resend strategy on a small subset to see the impact.

What email marketers say
10Marketer opinions

The general consensus is that resending confirmation emails can be a worthwhile strategy under certain circumstances, but careful consideration of user experience and potential risks is crucial. Resending can improve list quality, engagement, and deliverability by re-engaging interested subscribers and removing invalid addresses. However, it's important to avoid annoying potential subscribers with excessive reminders and monitor engagement metrics to ensure the approach is effective. Personalization, clear calls to action, and incentives can enhance the success of reminder emails. Testing and automation are also recommended to optimize the process.

Key opinions

  • Improved List Quality: Resending confirmation emails helps to weed out uninterested or invalid email addresses, leading to a higher quality subscriber list.
  • Increased Engagement: A well-crafted reminder email can re-engage potential subscribers and encourage them to complete the confirmation process.
  • Better Deliverability: By removing unconfirmed addresses, the user can potentially improve sender reputation and reduce bounce rates and spam complaints, leading to better email deliverability.
  • Automation Efficiency: Automation tools are useful for creating and sending targeted re-engagement emails based on user behavior.
  • Optimal Timing: Some suggest a 24-48 hour delay is optimal before sending a secondary confirmation email.

Key considerations

  • User Experience: Avoid excessive reminders that could be perceived as spam or annoying.
  • Personalization: Personalized reminders with clear value propositions and calls to action are more effective.
  • Incentives: Offering incentives like discounts or exclusive content can encourage users to confirm their subscriptions.
  • Monitoring Metrics: Track engagement metrics such as CTR and conversion rates to determine the effectiveness of resending confirmation emails.
  • A/B Testing: Consider performing A/B testing on resend strategy with a small subset of users to see results before wide rollout.
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that if the confirmation email didn't bounce and wasn't clicked, it likely went somewhere the recipient could have retrieved it if they cared. In a "join our list" situation, assuming bot protection, they suggest offering an incentive to click the confirmation message, such as a PDF report or discount code. They also state that people are not naive, and assume that they'll be put on a provisional list and that a second reminder is absolutely fine.

August 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit mentions that when employing a secondary confirmation email that the users figures a 24-48 hour delay is optimal before sending it. He also mentions to tread carefully as some users may find it annoying.

July 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that they send a second confirmation email 24 hours later, and the CTR on that one is roughly 6-8% and is worthwhile to do.

April 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus suggests that resending confirmation emails could be a useful tactic for improving email list hygiene. By focusing on subscribers who are more likely to engage, they could increase overall engagement. However, they advise carefully monitoring metrics to avoid alienating potential subscribers.

October 2022 - Litmus Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot Blog suggests that resending confirmation emails, as part of a double opt-in strategy, is a great way to improve list quality by ensuring subscribers are genuinely interested. They explain that this helps reduce bounce rates and spam complaints, leading to better deliverability in the long run.

November 2021 - HubSpot Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue Blog shares that a gentle reminder can be effective in converting sign-ups into confirmed subscribers. They suggest personalizing the reminder email and highlighting the benefits of subscribing to encourage recipients to complete the confirmation process.

December 2024 - Sendinblue Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailchimp explains that resending confirmation emails can help improve the quality of your subscriber list by removing invalid or uninterested addresses. This helps to boost overall engagement rates and reduce spam complaints. They recommend monitoring engagement metrics to determine if this strategy is effective.

January 2023 - Mailchimp Resources
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit notes that it depends on your audience. The user explains to test a small subset of non-responders with a resend after 3 days and then compare results to your usual campaign to determine if beneficial.

August 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign highlights that automation can be used to send targeted re-engagement emails to subscribers who haven't confirmed their subscription. They explain that this approach allows you to customize the message based on user behavior, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

September 2022 - ActiveCampaign Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that it's important to consider the user experience when resending confirmation emails. They explain that sending a personalized reminder with a clear call to action and value proposition can be effective, but avoid excessive reminders that could be perceived as spammy or annoying.

September 2022 - Email on Acid

What the experts say
2Expert opinions

The experts agree that resending a confirmation email can be acceptable, but it depends on several factors. The timing of the initial email is important - if it was sent near real-time, a second email may not be necessary. However, if the emails are sent in batches, a reminder could be reasonable. Importantly, constant resending is discouraged to avoid frustrating users and increasing spam complaints.

Key opinions

  • Resending Can Be Valid: A second confirmation email may be acceptable in certain circumstances.
  • Timing is Key: Consider the timing of the initial confirmation email when deciding whether to resend.

Key considerations

  • Frequency: Avoid continually resending emails, as it can lead to user frustration and spam complaints.
  • Email Batching: If confirmations are sent in batches, a second message might be more reasonable.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks suggests that resending a confirmation email a second time is valid thing to test and that it depends on the timing of the confirmation sends. If sent near real time then maybe not, but if sent in batches then a second message might be reasonable.

December 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spamresource discusses that one should examine how frequently you send any one email. A second confirmation may be acceptable, but you should not continually resend emails until you have a response. This would just lead to user frustration and likely spam complaints.

April 2023 - Spamresource.com

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

The documentation agrees that resending confirmation emails can be beneficial for re-engaging subscribers, maintaining a cleaner list, and improving deliverability. It's seen as a way to ensure verifiable consent, as required by GDPR. However, close monitoring is advised to avoid annoying users or increasing spam complaints. Testing and optimization are crucial to strike the right balance.

Key findings

  • Re-engagement: Reminder emails can re-engage potentially interested subscribers.
  • List Maintenance: Resending confirmation emails helps maintain a cleaner and more engaged subscriber list.
  • Deliverability: Maintaining a clean list through resending and removing unconfirmed subscribers can improve sender reputation and deliverability.
  • GDPR Compliance: Resending can help ensure verifiable consent, aligning with GDPR requirements.

Key considerations

  • Monitoring: Closely monitor results to avoid annoying users or increasing spam complaints.
  • Testing and Optimization: Testing and optimization are crucial to find the right balance when resending confirmation emails.
Technical article

Documentation from Mailjet Documentation explains that sending reminder emails to those who have not confirmed their subscription can be beneficial. They note that it's a chance to re-engage potentially interested subscribers, but advise monitoring the results closely to avoid annoying users and increasing spam complaints.

August 2022 - Mailjet Documentation
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost emphasizes the importance of maintaining a clean and engaged subscriber list to ensure good deliverability. By resending confirmation emails and removing unconfirmed subscribers, the platform can improve sender reputation and avoid being flagged as spam.

May 2023 - SparkPost Resources
Technical article

Documentation from Campaign Monitor shares that by resending confirmation emails, marketers can maintain a cleaner and more engaged subscriber list. This increases the likelihood that your emails will be delivered and read by those who have a genuine interest in your content. They stress the importance of testing and optimization to find the right balance.

November 2021 - Campaign Monitor
Technical article

Documentation from GDPR explains that it requires verifiable consent. Therefore, a resend could be seen as a way to ensure you have explicit confirmation of consent, especially if the initial request was ignored.

August 2022 - GDPR Official Website