Why are List-Unsubscribe headers removed from cold emails sent via Gmail?

Email marketer from Quora User mentions that Gmail's primary focus is on user experience and preventing spam. It explains that Gmail will strip headers that appear suspicious or indicate mass emailing practices. For genuine cold outreach, they recommend personalization and avoiding practices that trigger spam filters.

Email marketer from SendPulse Blog shares that Gmail isn't the best platform for cold emails and suggests using dedicated Email Service Providers (ESPs). Gmail could be removing list-unsubscribe headers since cold emails are not technically subscription based messages and are more akin to transactional emails. The blog suggests focusing on creating emails of value and clearly identifying who you are.

Email marketer from Lemlist Blog talks about why Gmail isn't the best for cold emails. It says that it affects your domain reputation because Gmail wasn't designed for this. It states that it has sending limits and its algorithms are likely to flag your emails as spam.

Email marketer from Reddit comments that Gmail isn't designed for cold emailing and might actively discourage it by removing headers. They advise using a proper email marketing platform with dedicated deliverability features.

Email marketer from Hunter.io Blog explains that general cold emails get marked as spam. Because Gmail's focus is on user experience, headers that indicate emails are part of a mass sending campaign will be removed. Gmail prioritizes personalization. Focus on creating genuine, one-on-one conversations.

Email marketer from Woodpecker Blog says that factors like sender reputation, authentication, and engagement affect deliverability. When combined with the fact that cold emails are often unsolicited, Gmail may remove List-Unsubscribe headers because it's seen as a spam indicator.

Email marketer from EmailOctopus Blog explains that Gmail might remove List-Unsubscribe headers from cold emails because it's designed for personal, one-to-one communication, not bulk or marketing emails. Gmail prioritizes a clean user experience and may strip headers deemed unnecessary for typical personal email exchanges. They also suggest using a dedicated email marketing service provider (ESP) for cold outreach campaigns to ensure proper header handling and compliance.

Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that Gmail removes unsubscribe headers because it is not meant to be used for subscription mail.

Email marketer from Mailjet Blog writes about how the intention behind list-unsubscribe headers is to give the user an easy way to opt-out of emails they don't want to receive. For cold emails via Gmail, they suggest that if the message is being stripped by Gmail, the user should switch to a dedicated ESP. The article also suggests adding the header to improve deliverability.

Email marketer from Klenty Blog discusses email deliverability metrics. Because cold emails have low open rates and are more likely to be marked as spam, Gmail actively works to prevent these types of emails from hitting the inbox. As a result, it will remove List-Unsubscribe headers.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that implementing `List-Unsubscribe` headers won't help avoid spam filters for cold emails sent via Gmail because the emails themselves have the attributes of spam. He further states that any cold reach emailing is considered spam and trying to evade filters is a step towards illegitimate email marketing.

Expert from Email Geeks shares that if recipients opted into the email, it shouldn't be sent through Gmail but rather from your own domain via an ESP. If they didn't opt-in, there's no reason to add them to marketing lists or make it easy to unsubscribe, as they shouldn't be receiving ongoing emails.

Expert from Word to the Wise details that Gmail removes the header because it's designed for solicited emails. Cold emails may not be considered a subscription in the traditional sense, Gmail prioritizes its users' email experience. As such, it may remove the List-Unsubscribe header from unsolicited emails.

Expert from Spamresource.com explains that List-Unsubscribe headers are designed to make it easy for recipients to opt-out of unwanted emails. Since cold emails are unsolicited by nature, Gmail might remove the List-Unsubscribe header because it conflicts with Gmail's policies.

Documentation from RFC Editor about the `List-Unsubscribe` header is a method for users to easily unsubscribe from mailing lists. While this document doesn't address Gmail specifically, it's helpful to understand the original intent of the header. If Gmail detects this header in unsolicited emails, it may be removed as part of their anti-spam measures, as cold emails aren't technically "mailing lists."

Documentation from Google Support explains that Gmail has specific guidelines for bulk sending, which technically includes cold emails. It mentions that senders need to adhere to authentication standards and manage recipient lists carefully. While it doesn't explicitly state that headers are removed, the guidelines imply that non-compliant emails may face deliverability issues, potentially due to header manipulation by Gmail's filters.

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help section explains how administrators can customize spam filter settings for their organization. While not directly addressing header removal, it highlights the flexibility Gmail provides in filtering messages based on various criteria, including characteristics often associated with spam. This suggests that header manipulation could be a consequence of these filters.