Skip to main content

Best Practices in List Management for Better Deliverability

· 3 min read

Email deliverability is a crucial factor for the success of marketing campaigns, and careful contact list management (List Management) is one of the most effective practices to improve it. A well-maintained list ensures higher sender reputation, fewer undelivered emails (bounces), and better user engagement.

1. Quality acquisition: the first step to success​

A healthy list starts with proper contact acquisition. Avoiding the purchase of email lists is essential, not only is it an unethical practice, but it often leads to a high percentage of inactive addresses or spam traps, negatively impacting both reputation and deliverability.

Best practices for good acquisition include:

  • Double Opt-in: confirm subscription via email to ensure the address is valid and that the user is genuinely interested.
  • Clear and transparent sign-up forms: clearly state what users will receive and how often.
  • Use of CAPTCHA or anti-bot checks: prevent fraudulent or automated sign-ups.
  • Monitoring acquisition sources: knowing where contacts come from helps identify possible problems or inefficiencies in the channels.

2. List cleaning: removing risky contacts​

An email list must be constantly updated and kept free of invalid or inactive addresses. Too many bounces or spam complaints damage your reputation and can cause deliverability issues with major email service providers.

Key actions to keep your list clean include:

  • Removing hard bounces: non-existent or permanently incorrect email addresses should be automatically excluded from mailings.
  • Managing soft bounces: if an address repeatedly generates soft bounces (temporary issues), it should be removed from sending after a certain number of failed attempts.
  • Deleting inactive users: addresses that have not interacted with your emails for a long time should be excluded or targeted with re-engagement strategies before being permanently removed.
  • Periodic list verification with email validation tools: specialized services can detect incorrect, temporary, or risky addresses.

3. Active user segmentation: personalize to optimize​

A well-segmented list improves campaign effectiveness and reduces the risk of landing in spam. Active users are more likely to engage with emails, which positively impacts engagement metrics and sender domain reputation.

Some segmentation strategies include:

  • Dividing by recent activity: separate those who have opened and clicked emails in the last 30–90 days from those inactive for over six months.
  • Content personalization: offer targeted content based on user behavior and interests.
  • Adjusted sending frequency: avoid overwhelming less active users and maintain high engagement with your most involved contacts.
  • Re-engagement for inactive users: dedicated campaigns for those who haven’t interacted in a while can help recover potentially interested contacts.

Conclusion​

Effective email list management not only improves marketing campaign performance but also directly impacts deliverability. A list acquired ethically, regularly cleaned, and segmented for active users helps maintain a strong reputation, ensuring that emails actually reach the inbox rather than the spam folder. Investing in List Management therefore means optimizing marketing strategies and safeguarding the long-term value of your email channel.