Creating and Managing Custom Unsubscribe Links

Ensuring your email recipients have a simple way to unsubscribe is crucial for maintaining trust and improving engagement. Stack provides the tools to create custom unsubscribe links, offering a seamless experience for your contacts while ensuring compliance with email regulations.

What Are Custom Unsubscribe Links?

Custom unsubscribe links are personalized opt-out links embedded in marketing emails. They allow recipients to unsubscribe from future communications in a way that aligns with your brand. Unlike generic unsubscribe links, custom links give you full control over the user experience.

Key Benefits of Custom Unsubscribe Links

• Enhance User Experience: Direct users to a branded landing page that confirms their opt-out decision.
• Provide Subscription Preferences: Allow users to opt out of specific types of emails instead of all communications.
• Maintain Compliance: Ensure compliance with email marketing regulations like the CAN-SPAM Act and GDPR.
• Improve Deliverability: Reduce spam complaints by offering a clear and easy way for recipients to unsubscribe.

Note: Custom unsubscribe links in Stack use trigger links and workflows to automatically mark contacts as “Do Not Disturb” (DND), preventing them from receiving further emails.

Creating Custom Unsubscribe Links

Step 1: Create an Unsubscribe Landing Page

Design a landing page that confirms the unsubscribe action. This page should inform users that they have successfully unsubscribed and, if desired, offer options to manage their subscription preferences.

1. Navigate to Sites and then Funnels in your Stack account.
2. Click on + New Funnel and name it Email Unsubscribe.
3. Within this funnel, add a new step named Email Unsubscribe Page with a path like /unsubscribe.
4. Design the page content to reflect the unsubscribe confirmation message.

Step 2: Set Up a Trigger Link

A trigger link in Stack allows you to perform specific actions when a contact clicks on a particular link. In this case, clicking the unsubscribe link will update their preferences.

1. Go to Marketing then Trigger Links in your Stack account.
2. Select Links from the dropdown and click on the Add Link button.
3. Add the name of the link.
4. Paste the URL of the unsubscribe landing page you created earlier into the Link URL field.
5. Click on Save.

Step 3: Create a Workflow to Manage Unsubscribes

Set up a workflow that automatically updates the contact’s status when they click the unsubscribe link.

1. Navigate to Automation in your Stack account and select Workflows.
2. Click on + Create Workflow and select + Start from Scratch.
3. Name the workflow.

Set Up the Trigger

1. Click on Add New Trigger and select Trigger Link Clicked from events.
2. Add the Workflow Trigger Name.
3. Click on Add Filter and select Trigger Link from the drop-down.
4. Select your previously saved Email Unsubscribe Trigger link from the drop-down.
5. Click on Save Trigger button.

Add the DND Action

1. Click on the + button to add an Action.
2. Select Enable/Disable DND action.
3. Select Enable DND for Specific Channels and Email from the Channels drop-down.
4. Save and Publish the workflow.

Step 4: Insert the Unsubscribe Link into Your Emails

1. In your email template editor, add text like Unsubscribe or Unsubscribe from this list.
2. Highlight this text and click the link icon.
3. Click on Trigger Links from the Link URL dropdown and select the saved Unsubscribe Link.
4. Save the template.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why should I create a custom unsubscribe link instead of using the default one?
A custom unsubscribe link allows you to maintain brand consistency and control the unsubscribe process, providing a better user experience.

Q: Can I customize the unsubscribe confirmation page?
Yes, you can design the unsubscribe landing page to match your branding and include messages or options for users to manage their preferences.

Q: How does the “Set Contact DND” action work?
The “Set Contact DND” action marks the contact as Do Not Disturb, preventing them from receiving future communications.

Q: Is it necessary to include an unsubscribe link in all emails?
Yes, including an unsubscribe link in all marketing emails is a legal requirement in many countries and helps maintain good email deliverability.

Q: Can I track who has unsubscribed from my emails?
Yes, Stack allows you to monitor contacts who have clicked the unsubscribe link through the trigger link analytics.