Definition
Email privacy policy requirements specify the mandatory disclosures that organisations must include in their privacy policies regarding email data collection and processing. Under most privacy regulations, the policy must disclose what subscriber data is collected, how it is collected and used, the legal basis for processing, how long it is retained, whether it is shared with third parties, what rights subscribers have over their data, and how to exercise those rights.
Common Requirements
- Types of personal data collected through email sign-up and tracking
- Purposes of data collection and processing
- Legal basis for processing under applicable regulations
- Data retention periods or criteria for determining retention
- Third-party data sharing including ESPs and analytics providers
- Subscriber rights including access, rectification, erasure and portability
- Contact information for privacy inquiries
- Cookie and tracking technology disclosure where applicable
Best Practices
- Maintain a privacy policy that is specific to your email marketing practices rather than relying on a general company policy
- Update the privacy policy whenever data collection methods or processing activities change
- Link to the privacy policy from every email sign-up form
- Ensure the policy language is clear and accessible, not buried in legal jargon
- Review the policy at least annually and after every regulatory change
Related Glossary Terms
A/B Testing
A/B testing in email marketing is the practice of sending two variations of an email to a small sample of your list to determine which version performs better before sending the winner to the remaining subscribers.
Abandoned Cart Email
An abandoned cart email is an automated message sent to customers who added items to their online shopping cart but left without completing the purchase. It is one of the highest-converting email types in ecommerce.
AIDA Model for Email
The AIDA model (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) is a classic copywriting framework used to structure email campaigns that guide subscribers from awareness to conversion.
AMP for Email
AMP for Email is a Google-developed framework that allows email messages to include interactive elements like forms, carousels, accordions, and live content. It turns static emails into dynamic, interactive experiences directly inside the inbox.
Anchoring Effect in Email Marketing
The anchoring effect is a cognitive bias where the first piece of information presented (the anchor) influences subsequent decisions, used in email to frame pricing and value perception.
Announcement Email
An announcement email is a dedicated campaign that communicates a specific update, milestone, or change to subscribers, from product launches and feature releases to company news and events.