Definition
A re-engagement campaign is a targeted email sequence designed to win back subscribers who have stopped opening, clicking, or otherwise interacting with your emails. These campaigns serve as a final attempt to rekindle the relationship before moving the subscriber to a suppression list. Re-engagement is a critical component of list hygiene because it reduces waste, improves metrics, and protects sender reputation.
The difference between re-engagement and regular email campaigns is the explicit acknowledgment that the subscriber has been absent. Re-engagement emails often offer special incentives, ask direct questions about preferences, or make a clear case for why the subscriber should stay. If the subscriber does not respond to the campaign, they are typically removed from the active list permanently.
How It Works
A re-engagement campaign follows a specific timeline based on the subscriber's inactivity period. Common windows include 30 days for early signals of waning interest, 90 days as the standard threshold for sending a re-engagement series, and 180 days as the typical cutoff point where subscribers are removed. The campaign usually consists of two to four emails sent over one to three weeks.
The first email typically asks a direct question like "Are you still interested?" or offers an incentive for re-engaging. The second email may provide a preference center link or ask the subscriber to update their interests. The final email is often a "we will miss you" message that serves as a last chance before removal. After the campaign concludes, subscribers who did not engage are suppressed and future list imports are checked against the suppression file.
Best Practices
Define clear engagement criteria before starting a re-engagement program. A common standard is no opens or clicks in the last 90 days. Test different subject lines and offers to see what resonates best with cold subscribers. Give subscribers an easy way to say they are still interested, such as a single-click call to action. Offer a preference center link so subscribers can adjust frequency rather than leave entirely. Respect the results of your re-engagement campaign by actually removing non-responders. Track re-engagement rates and use them to optimize your initial onboarding and engagement strategy for new subscribers.
Related Glossary Terms
Dynamic Content
Dynamic content in email refers to content blocks that change based on subscriber data, behavior, or preferences within a single email send.
Email Automation Campaign
A pre-set sequence of emails triggered by subscriber actions or conditions, running continuously without manual intervention.
Email Delivery Failure
Reasons, diagnostics, and solutions for emails that fail to reach the recipient's inbox, including hard bounces, soft bounces, and blocks.
Email Dormant Subscriber
A dormant subscriber has not engaged with emails for a defined inactivity period, typically 90-365 days depending on industry. Dormancy classification triggers suppression and re-engagement activities.
Email Engagement Tier
Email engagement tiering categorises subscribers into levels such as engaged, warming, passive, at-risk, dormant, and dead. Tier transition triggers enable automated send frequency and content strategy adjustments.
Email Flows
Multi-step automated email sequences triggered by subscriber events or behaviours, commonly used in Klaviyo and similar platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most programs start re-engagement at 90 days of inactivity. Some senders start as early as 60 days for high-frequency senders or as late as 180 days for low-frequency senders. The right window depends on your typical sending frequency and engagement patterns.
A typical re-engagement rate ranges from 5 to 15 percent, meaning that 5 to 15 percent of inactive subscribers will take action and become active again. Rates vary significantly by industry, list quality, and the offer used in the campaign.
Discounts and incentives often work well for re-engagement, but they can also train subscribers to ignore your emails until they get a promotional offer. Test incentivized versus non-incentivized approaches to find the right balance for your audience.
They should be moved to a suppression list and removed from your active sending list. Continuing to send to non-responders increases your spam complaint risk and damages your sender reputation. Suppressed addresses should never be re-added without fresh opt-in.
If a suppressed subscriber returns through an organic opt-in, such as a fresh signup on your website, they can be re-added. Do not simply re-import a suppressed list. Always require new explicit permission for previously suppressed addresses.