A customer may want to unsubscribe from your newsletters in their inbox for reasons as simple as quantity (too many emails coming in) or relevance (they do not need the product as much as they once did).

Businesses must provide their customers with a simple-to-use unsubscribe function. According to the recently amended Spam Regulations 2021 Act (updated on 1 April 2021), businesses must have a simple and straightforward process in place so that their subscribers can unsubscribe when they want to without jumping through more hoops in a bid to keep them subscribed.

Businesses are also unable to request personal information or force them to log in and create an account to unsubscribe – the process must be made to be as simple as one mouse-click to unsubscribe, and they’re done.

This law aims to provide greater clarity and transparency between businesses and consumers and occurred due to consumers complaining in large number that unsubscribing has become a complicated process, particularly when it comes to being ‘spammed’.

Breaches of the newly amended regulation can result in severe financial penalties of upwards of 6 figure sums; adhering to these new strict rules promotes best-practice performance and outcomes.

Ensuring Compliance according to the new laws is as simple as the following:

• Use a one-click process, such as an opt-out link. Do not send a follow-up email, and don’t make customers jump through additional hoops to conclude the process.
• Provide a global opt-out option, allowing customers the opportunity to be removed from all of your business’s lists at the click of a button.
• Make the unsubscribe link evident so that people can find it easily. Give it prominence by positioning it at the top (with colour, font or size altered to stand out more) or adding a list-unsubscribe header to ensure your customers aren’t stuck trying to find it again.
• Sign up to feedback loops (which report back on complaints lodged, allowing you to suppress complaints and keep a clean mailing list)
• Avoid using read mores as it can hide unsubscribe links
• If there is a survey re-direct after the customer unsubscribes, make sure the opt-out request is already applied. The process should allow subscribers to update their preferences as a way to opt back in.

Reviewing your email programme to ensure that they adhere to the Spam Regulations 2021 Act is the best approach to ensuring compliance. Employing these tips should also establish greater loyalty with customers, as they will trust that you are providing them with a way back out (and without blocking their exit).