In a move that may drastically affect some email marketers, Google is set to start deleting inactive email accounts this week. Initially announced in May, the plan only applies to accounts that have been inactive for two years or more. Email marketers have often relied on inactive accounts to boost their email list size, leading to a focus on quantity over quality. However, this policy change from Google is a sign that marketers should be thinking strategically rather than tactically. The deletion of inactive accounts is a precursor to another big change taking place in 2024, when both Google and Yahoo! will crack down on bulk email senders that fail to authenticate their emails. Google's primary motivation for deleting inactive accounts is for security reasons, as they are more likely to have poor passwords and be vulnerable to scams.
To ensure that email marketers are successful, Ryan Phelan, co-founder of digital marketing services company RPEOrigin.com and a MarTech contributor, suggested that marketers should be looking at engagement rather than size, and that proper strategies should be implemented for reactivation. Phelan also mentioned that this policy change from Google is a sign of what to expect in 2024. He urged marketers to move away from tactic-driven approaches and to focus on strategies instead.
Overall, Google's deletion of inactive email accounts is for security reasons and should be seen as an opportunity for marketers to refocus on list quality over list size. The policy change is also a warning of what to expect in 2024, when both Google and Yahoo! will be cracking down on bulk email senders. All in all, the new policy may be a blessing in disguise for email marketers.
Originally reported by Martech: https://martech.org/email-marketers-may-be-hit-by-googles-mass-account-removal/
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