Global Unsubscribes

What is Global Unsubscribes?

Global unsubscribes are when a recipient opts out of receiving any email from your domain or account, regardless of the campaign type. Unlike Unsubscribe Groups, which are category-specific, global unsubscribes are absolute.

Why it matters

Global unsubscribes represent a complete loss of permission to contact someone via email. Continuing to email these addresses can lead to compliance violations, spam complaints, and significant reputation damage. For businesses, high global unsubscribe rates may signal poor targeting or overly aggressive marketing strategies.

How it works

When a user clicks a “Unsubscribe from all” link or selects an option to stop all communications, their email address is added to the global unsubscribe list. In AutoSend, these recipients are suppressed across all campaigns—transactional, marketing, or automated sequences.

Examples

• A customer clicks “Unsubscribe from all emails” in your footer.

• A subscriber uses your preference center to opt out of everything.

• A disengaged user unsubscribes globally after repeated irrelevant messages.

Best practices

• Make unsubscribe options clear and easy to find—hiding them only increases Spam Reports.

• Offer Unsubscribe Groups so users can reduce frequency or category instead of opting out globally.

• Monitor unsubscribe rates to understand if your content strategy needs improvement.

Related terms

Suppression List, Reported Spam, Marketing Email

FAQs

Can I override a global unsubscribe?
No. Once a recipient globally unsubscribes, you cannot legally or ethically send them any further marketing emails. The only exception might be essential transactional communications, but even then, exercise caution.

Why do users choose to globally unsubscribe?
Often it’s due to fatigue from too many emails, irrelevant offers, or lack of preference options. Giving users flexibility through unsubscribe groups can reduce global unsubscribes.

How can I reduce global unsubscribes?
Focus on segmentation and personalization. When users consistently receive emails that match their interests and frequency preferences, they’re less likely to opt out entirely.