Spam Complaints Go Beyond What’s Defined

Spam used to be defined simply as unsolicited email sent to a large number of people. But it appears that legitimate email marketers and subscription providers can also be tagged as spammers for a number of reasons. The audience can simply hit the “Report as Spam” button even when they have an ongoing subscription from a reputable company.

The findings come from the MarketingSherpa/Q Interactive research from last year. According to the data, the top reason why people reported email as spam is if they had not subscribed to them (52%). Second is when the content is uninteresting (41%) - which prompts them to immediately classify the email as junk even if it’s from a reputable and trustworthy organization. Figures show that over four out of ten email users click the Report button for this reason. The third is when they get too much email from the sender (25%). Fourth is when they simply get too much email (20%). The last reason is if they find the email offensive (15%).

The data was based on the rate respondents clicked the Report as Spam button over a thirty-day period. Overall, email recipients define “spam” as promotional email lacking in quality and relevance. Simply put, if it’s something they do not want or wish to have, they tend to classify it as spam. For email marketers, this means having an opt-in or opt-out form is never a guarantee that they are immune to being seen as spammers. MarketingSherpa advises email marketers to put in extra effort in making content relevant and interesting to the audience.