A rise in subscriber complaints (recipients marking your emails as spam) is a serious warning sign for your sending reputation and overall deliverability.
In this article, you’ll learn the common causes of high complaints and actionable steps to reduce them.
Possible Causes of Complaints
Weak Permission – Subscribers may not remember signing up or did not clearly consent.
Change in Frequency – Mailing more or less often than expected can frustrate recipients.
Bad List Acquisition Sources – Paid lists, affiliates, or unverified sources tend to produce higher complaint rates.
Why Complaints Matter
Mailbox providers use complaints as a key measure of sender reputation.
A sudden increase in complaints (not matching your send volume) or consistent escalations over time are signs of deeper problems.
Ignoring complaints can cause deliverability issues or even blacklisting.
Steps to Reduce Complaints
Track Complaint Sources
Identify list acquisition channels that produce the most complaints.
Eliminate high-risk sources like purchased or affiliate lists.
Make Unsubscribing Easy
Add a clear unsubscribe link at the top of your emails.
Use Emercury’s Recipient Unsubscribe option to automate the process.
Ensure unsubscribe links always work and lead to a real site.
Maintain Transparency
Link back to a real, relevant website.
Make sure your site includes a clear privacy policy.
Use Permission Reminders
Remind subscribers why they’re receiving your emails.
Include details such as where, when, and to what address they opted in.
In Emercury, use the Permission Reminder option in your header.
Manage Frequency Expectations
Stay consistent with how often subscribers expect to hear from you.
Avoid sudden increases in email volume.
By focusing on permission, transparency, and list quality, you’ll lower complaint rates and protect your sender reputation.