Think building an email list is 100% safer than a social media account? Think again.
In light of what happened with TikTok last month, email marketers were quick to gloat. I’ve lost count of the number of “You don’t own your social media audience, but you own your email list” posts flooding my feed.
And while I agree, it doesn’t mean there’s no risk of losing your entire email list. Though it’s less likely that you’ll lose all your subscribers overnight the way you could with a TikTok ban or an Instagram suspension, your email list isn’t as untouchable as many marketers claim.
There are plenty of ways you could lose access—from technical glitches to hacker attacks. Or, you could see your list slowly shrink due to poor list management.
Let’s start with the worst-case scenario: losing your entire list.
5 ways you could lose your entire email list (+ tips to prevent it)
Email marketers do have a point: unlike social media, where you don’t own your followers or have an easy way to export them, your email list is far more secure. But that doesn’t mean it’s untouchable. Losing your list is a real risk, and ignoring it could cost you. Here’s what can go wrong and tips to prevent them:
Platform shutting down or glitching
TikTok getting banned (and unbanned) was a stark reminder that relying solely on social media is risky for businesses. While email service providers (ESPs) rarely shut down, it can happen (e.g., BlueHornet).
Also, glitches and crashes are even more likely to occur. So, you're taking a gamble if you’ve put all your trust in your ESP keeping your email list secure. You could log in to your account someday only to find an error message.
Tips:
- Back up your list regularly
ESPs allow you to export your email list. You can download it as a CSV file and save it in a secure location, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or your computer's hard drive.
- Write your emails elsewhere
Avoid writing your emails directly on your email platform. Instead, use Google Docs (my choice) or MS Word, then copy-paste it to your ESP to send. This way, you’ll still have your email content if a platform crash or glitch occurs.
- Vet your email marketing platform
Choose a reputable provider with a strong track record. If your ESP frequently has glitches or downtime, it might be time to switch. Check out our review of the top email marketing platforms to find the best one for you.
Your ESP account could get suspended
Just because you own your list doesn’t mean your ESP has to let you send emails. Like social media platforms, they can and will close your account if you violate their terms (intentionally or not). Often, this happens without any warning.
A comment from a user whose account was closed suddenly, causing them to lose contacts.
Too many spam complaints, high unsubscribe rates, low engagement, and sending to purchased lists – all of these are red flags that could get your account suspended or, worse, shut down completely. Sometimes, you don’t even have to be doing anything wrong. MailerLite, for example, has strict approval requirements that require you to verify your website or explain why you don’t have one.
Tips:
- Only send emails to people who’ve explicitly opted into your list
Avoid shady tactics like buying email lists. Instead, build your own email list to make sure subscribers really want to hear from you. You can offer lead magnet freebies to build your list fast.
- Follow best practices to avoid being flagged
Always use double opt-in, and never hide the unsubscribe link. Be sure to segment your list, clean it, and implement email marketing strategies that ensure you're sending content your subscribers will appreciate.
- Monitor your spam and bounce rates
Address spam issues quickly to prevent ruining your sender’s reputation. And scrub your list regularly to remove inactive and invalid subscribers that cause bounce rates to spike.
ESP account getting hacked
Cybercriminals aren’t just after websites and social media logins; they also target email platforms. If a hacker gains access to your ESP account, they could send spam to your subscribers, delete your list, or even lock you out.
Tips:
- Set up 2-factor authentication
This could mean inputting an extra code in addition to your password or clicking a confirmation login link sent to your email. This extra layer of security will make it much harder for hackers to break in.
- Use a strong and unique password.
Use a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. And no, “yourname@birthyear” doesn’t count. Some platforms like MailerLite will prompt you to change your password every 2 to 3 months to keep your account secure.
- Limit user access to trusted team
Only give login access to people who absolutely need it. You can use a tool like LastPass to manage your passwords and share login access with team members securely.
Migration going wrong
Switching to a new email service provider or even integrating a new tool can go awry. If you don’t do it carefully, it can cost you subscribers and corrupt your data. One small mistake, and you'll realize half your list didn’t transfer, automations are broken, and your welcome emails are going out to the wrong people.
Tips:
- Backup before you move
Before migrating, export your email list and save it on Google Drive and your computer. If something goes wrong, you can always re-upload your list.
- Work with a professional to migrate safely
If you're not tech-savvy and unsure how to migrate, don't DIY. Most ESPs have a support team and tools to help customers migrate their email accounts from other platforms to theirs.
- Test any new integrations or tools
If you need to integrate other tools to optimize your email marketing campaign, test-run them first to make sure everything works before deploying them.
Accidentally deleting the email list
Even if you’re careful and your team is competent, mistakes happen. And one wrong click can wipe out hundreds (or even thousands) of subscribers before anyone realizes what happened.
It may sound improbable, but it’s more common than you’d think. In fact, it happened to us at EmailTooltester not too long ago! Someone meant to clean up inactive subscribers but deleted the wrong segment. Or, as in our case, they were bulk-editing a list and accidentally hit “Delete” instead of “Remove from Group”, resulting in the permanent deletion of hundreds of subscribers 🙈.
Screenshot of Brevo support email when we deleted our list.
Tips:
- Make regular backups of your email list
Exporting your list monthly or quarterly ensures you have a backup in case of accidental deletions or worse.
- Train your team and document key processes
Create a step-by-step guide for setting up email campaigns and managing the list, and emphasize the importance of double-checking actions before executing.
- Limit access to critical list functions
Not everyone needs full admin privileges. Restrict access so only trusted team members can delete or modify large sections of your list.
3 other ways you could lose subscribers (+ tips to retain them)
Even if you don’t wake up to find your entire email list wiped out (TikTok ban style), you could still lose a big chunk of your list to unsubscribes.
This can happen for various reasons. Maybe subscribers feel spammed. Maybe your email content isn’t working for them anymore. Or perhaps they don’t even remember why they signed up in the first place.
Continue reading to learn the biggest email marketing mistakes that drive people to unsubscribe and how to keep them engaged.
Poor email list management
A disorganized, neglected list is a dying list. Your email list isn’t for sending whatever emails whenever you feel like it. If you’re not actively managing your list, subscribers will engage with your email less, unsubscribe more, and spam complaints will skyrocket.
Tips:
- Segment your list to send personalized and relevant content
Even if you sell a single type of product, your subscribers differ from one another. So, use email segmentation to group them based on interests, behavior, or how they joined your list, and send them relevant emails.
- Remove unengaged subscribers regularly to keep your list healthy
No matter how engaging your emails and how superb your offers, some subscribers would still not engage. If someone hasn’t opened your email in six months, remove them from your list.
- Use a double opt-in process to confirm subscribers’ interests
Practice permission-based marketing by sending a confirmation email. You’ll have more engaged subscribers and fewer spam reports. You'll also prevent bot signups and inactive emails that affect your deliverability.
Being too pushy or too salesy
Nobody likes that one friend who only calls when they need a favor. If every email you send is a sales pitch, your subscribers will ghost you. They’ll feel like you’re forcing your products on them and won’t stick around.
Tips:
- Avoid bombarding subscribers with too many promotional emails
Even though it's called email marketing, screaming BUY NOW in every email is a turn-off. Subscribers will tune out and stop opening your email or unsubscribe altogether.
- Deliver value in every email to build trust and engagement
Make them look forward to opening your emails by sharing useful insights and practical tips that will solve their problems. Even in your sales email, you can share exclusive offers.
- Share entertaining stories and relatable experiences
Your emails should feel like a helpful conversation, not a billboard in their inbox. Make it interesting and engaging to read with stories, anecdotes, and everyday experiences subscribers can relate to.
Using a one-size-fits-all approach
When you send generic emails, subscribers will stop paying attention. This is especially important in this age of AI, where everybody sounds like a copy-paste of each other. So, make sure that you’re sending the right email to the right person at the right time.
Tips:
- Send dynamic emails that feel personal
Email personalization makes your emails feel like they were written specifically for each subscriber. Go beyond using their name. Reference their last purchase or the webinar they attended, and tailor your email content to their interests and needs.
- Create targeted campaigns that speak directly to subscribers
New subscribers? Warm leads? VIP customers? Different segments = different messages. What works for one segment won’t work for the other. So, tailor your message to each group
- Test and tweak your email to see what resonates most
What worked before (or for your competitors) might not work anymore. Experiment with subject lines, content formats, and send time to figure out what works best for your audience and improve what doesn’t.
Final Thoughts: Keep your list safe and subscribers engaged
Indeed, unlike social media followers, your email list is yours. And when you’ve got a solid ESP, your list is growing, and everything seems fine, it’s easy to think you’ll never lose it.
But the truth is, without the proper precautions, you can wake up one day, and it’s all gone. Anything can happen; from ESP glitches to accidental deletion, or subscribers opting out because your emails are no longer relevant.
So, don’t be complacent with protecting your email list. Start with backing up your list today. It’s the ultimate practice for keeping your list safe (and yours). Then, make sure to follow email marketing best practices to keep your subscribers engaged.
Now, have you ever been at risk of losing your email list? How about unsubscribes? Share in the comments how it went and what saved the day. As for us at EmailTooltester, we had an accidental deletion, and thankfully, our backups saved us.
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This article has been written and researched following our EmailTooltester methodology.
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