This one was written for Paola, a subscriber, just like you. After she messaged me on LinkedIn about this topic, I delivered and it'll be just as useful for you.
(I take content requests. Reply to this email with your questions, challenges, or the thing you can't figure out, and I'll write a piece on it and advise.)
There are only two types of opt-in:
1) Intentional opt-ins
Someone whose primary goal was to receive your emails (or content in their inbox).
They signed up for the newsletter, get the email series, joined the waitlist. The inbox (and content) relationship was the thing they were after.
2) Consequential opt-ins
Someone who ended up on your email list as a by-product of doing something else.
They bought a product, downloaded a resource, attended an event. The email relationship was incidental- sometimes they barely noticed it happening.
Most email lists are predominantly consequential opt-ins (which explains why you have more low engagement than high)
Intentional opt-ins generate positive signals: opens, clicks, and genuine engagement.
Those signals feed your sender reputation with Gmail, Microsoft and Yahoo.
Consequential opt-ins, if mishandled, do the opposite.
They can drag down your sender reputation if not handled correctly.
What to do about it:
→ Map every acquisition source and label it: intentional or consequential?
→ Build different orientation flows for each - not the same welcome email for everyone
→ Report on them separately - blending them hides both the problem and the opportunity
→ Build a consistent stream of intentional opt-ins - it doesn't need to be huge, just steady
The full breakdown covers B2B and B2C examples, the deliverability mechanics, how to handle cold data, and exactly what your orientation approach should look like for each type.
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