What Is Email Scrubbing?

Definition

Email scrubbing is the practice of deleting unenaged subscribers from your mailing list. It is all about organizing your list so you can focus on subscribers who actually open and reply to your emails.

There are many reasons why subscribers may not be interacting with your emails. Maybe their emails are inactive or invalid. They may also just be uninterested. By scrubbing your email list, you can improve your bounce rates and your email deliverability.

Example

Practicing email scrubbing shows email service providers (ESPs) that you have good list management practices. This improves your sender reputation with ESPs and increases the chances of your emails reaching inboxes instead of spam folders.

When to Perform Email Scrubbing

Email scrubbing should not be just a one-time task. That said, there are some situations where email scrubbing is an absolute must.

• Every 3-6 months. This is a good timeframe for most businesses. Regular scrubbing keeps your list fresh and responsive. It also helps you avoid building up too many inactive contacts.
• After a large campaign. If you notice a drop in engagement, it is probably time to scrub your list. This removes subscribers who only interacted with your brand because of your campaign.
• High bounce rates. If you see a rise in bounce rates, scrub your list. High bounces can mean invalid or inactive addresses.
• Low open rates. If your open rates drop over time, it may be because of disengaged subscribers. Removing them can boost your performance metrics.

Benefits of Email Scrubbing

Scrubbing your email list has several advantages, such as:

1. Better deliverability. Removing inactive or invalid emails lowers bounce rates. This shows email providers you have a well-managed list, helping more of your emails reach people’s inboxes.
2. Improved engagement. When you send emails to active subscribers, engagement rates go up. This means higher open rates, clicks, and conversions.
3. Better sender reputation. Consistent email scrubbing helps build trust with email providers. A clean list indicates reliable sending practices. This reduces the chance of emails being marked as spam.
4. Cost savings. Many email platforms charge based on list size. By removing inactive contacts, you keep your list smaller, saving money on email services.
5. Accurate data. A clean list provides a true view of the behavior of your audience. You get better insights into what works and what doesn’t.

Related terms

• List Hygiene
• Spam Trap
• Unsubscribe Rate

Related articles

• How to Clean an Email List
• How to Ensure Your Emails Are Delivered
• How to Prevent Emails from Going to Spam