Keeping your list healthy isn’t a one-off job, it’s an ongoing discipline. Here’s how top performers handle it in 2025.

1. Start with a Warm Welcome

Your first email is your best chance to connect while your brand is top-of-mind.

Stat: Welcome emails get 4× the open rate and 5× the click rate of standard campaigns (HubSpot).
Pro tip: Add a short survey link to segment preferences from day one.

Why this matters: Early engagement boosts your reputation and sets the tone for long-term inbox placement.

2. Use Double Opt-In

Protect your list quality by confirming interest.

Stat: Double opt-in boosts open rates by up to 35.72% (EmailToolTester).
Pro tip: Keep the confirmation email short, branded, and easy to spot.

Curiosity hook: Think double opt-in slows growth? The opposite is true, engaged lists grow faster because they stick around longer.

3. Clean Your List Quarterly

Neglected lists rot fast.

Best practice: Audit every 3–6 months. Remove bounces, typos, and inactive subscribers.
Stat: Bounce rates above 2% erode reputation and trigger spam filters (Campaign Monitor).
Pro tip: Use suppression lists to prevent old invalid contacts from sneaking back in.

Why this matters: Quarterly pruning keeps your reputation strong so new campaigns get delivered reliably.

4. Run Re-Engagement Campaigns

Before deleting quiet subscribers, try winning them back.

Tactic: Send a “Still want to hear from us?” campaign.
If no response → remove.
Case study: Aetna Healthcare blocked 60M fraudulent emails and boosted CTR by 10% after cleaning lists + enforcing DMARC (GIPLATFORM).

Curiosity hook: Many brands find 10–20% of “inactive” subscribers come back after a re-engagement push.

5. Let Subscribers Control Frequency

Give people a preference center with options (weekly vs. monthly).

Why it works: More control = fewer spam complaints.
Pro tip: Offer this choice during sign-up and in every footer.

Why this matters: Letting subscribers choose frequency reduces fatigue and keeps trust high.

6. Make Unsubscribing Easy

If people want to leave, let them.

Why it works: A visible unsubscribe link protects your reputation.
Pro tip: Pair unsubscribe with “manage preferences” to keep mild unsubscribers engaged.

Curiosity hook: The easier you make unsubscribing, the less likely people are to actually use it.

7. Track List Health KPIs

Your list is a living asset. Track and act when metrics slip.

Open rates: Target 20%+
Bounce rates: Keep <1%
Spam complaints: Stay <0.1%

Success story: Brooklyn Brewery cleansed their list + switched to double opt-in. Result: 27% lift in opens and $1,200/year ESP savings, before redesigning a single email.

Why this matters: Watching KPIs gives you early warnings before deliverability crashes.

Newest Articles & Insights

Email List Management in 2025: Stop Hitting Spam, Start Hitting ROI

Email List Management in 2025: Stop Hitting Spam, Start Hitting ROI

Email List Management in 2025: Stop Hitting Spam, Start Hitting ROI

Email List Management in 2025: Stop Hitting Spam, Start Hitting ROI