Inbox full of lies? Common email myths that could be costing you
Even though email has been around for over 50 years (yes, time flies), there are a bunch of myths floating around that make it challenging to manage your email accounts properly.
Here’s a roundup of some of the most common myths and what’s actually going on. Is your favorite myth missing? Drop an email to yo@yorba.co, and we’ll add it in!
I’ll keep getting emails even if I unsubscribe
Over 45% of e-mail traffic is SPAM, but many people don’t even try to unsubscribe because they think they’ll keep getting emails–even after unsubscribing.
Here’s the deal:
Companies that operate internationally or have customers in the US or/and EU must comply with email marketing regulations: CAN-SPAM Act or/and GDPR. This means they have to provide a clear and easy way for recipients to opt out of receiving further emails, honor unsubscribe requests within 10 days, and provide accurate information, etc.
So when you submit an unsubscribe request, it has to be honored. If it’s not, you can report them and they’ll have to shell out hefty sums (both in the US and the EU).
Also, you might notice that, even after unsubscribing, you still get emails from the company. This might be because the company sends from different email lists or domains (for example, they might email you from promo@vendor.com and sale@vendor.com). In order to unsubscribe from the whole company, you have to unsubscribe from every mailing list of theirs that you’re on.
Note that these regulations don't require vendors to delete a person's data after they request to unsubscribe.
TL;DR
Only share your email and data with legitimate organizations.
Send a separate request if you want the company to delete your data. Here’s how to do that.
Actively unsubscribe from emails the mailing lists you don’t want to receive and report companies that don’t comply with the CAN-SPAM Act or GDPR.
I can simply delete unwanted emails to get rid of junk
Sure, you can simply delete those unwanted emails, but it might not get you the results you want. Those emails will keep on coming and coming, and on top of it, those companies will still be able to house your data, and you might put yourself at risk for data breaches.
Instead of just deleting unwanted emails, a better practice would be unsubscribing and requesting companies to erase your data.
I can mark emails as SPAM to get rid of junk
You absolutely can. If you want to keep letting the companies that spam you to benefit from your data.
Here’s what really happens to emails after you mark them as SPAM.
It’s automatically filtered and moved to your spam folder (and keeps taking space in your inbox).
You help train spam filtering algorithms. Email providers often use feedback loops to gather data on spam reports from users. Your action contributes to this feedback loop, enabling the provider to better understand spam patterns and improve their overall spam filtering algorithms.
You might block all future emails (including the important ones) from the sender or domain associated with the marked email.
It’s more efficient to unsubscribe from mailing lists than to mark emails you get from them as spam. Both take one click.
Unsubscribing takes forever
This myth is rooted in reality. Unsubscribing used to take forever.
Back in the day, you either had to go through your inbox, open each newsletter, and look for ways to unsubscribe. Now, with platforms like Yorba, you can round up all the mailing lists you’re on and trim all of them in a few clicks. Here’s how to bulk unsubscribe and delete your accounts to quickly get rid of graymail (unwanted but legal email).
Once I unsubscribe, I won’t get important emails from that company
Companies often use different accounts to send you important updates and general mailing lists. And if there’s something they have to let you know about, they will…even after you unsubscribe from promotional emails.
Also, some vendors can send you graymail from two separate accounts (e.g., promotions@company.com and transactional@company.com), you’ll have to remove yourself from both lists in order to stop getting unimportant emails from them.
Myths are going to keep circling as long as SPAM keeps on comin', so stay vigilant and start unsubscribing. By understanding your rights as a recipient and using consumer-friendly email management tools available you can streamline your email experience and ensure that your inbox remains clutter-free. And if you ever need a hand, Yorba is here to help.
