Glossary
Campaigns & Marketing

Unsubscribe Rate

By: Alec Hollingsworth
Updated:  
July 2, 2025

Definition:

Unsubscribe rate is the percentage of recipients who opt out of future emails after receiving a campaign.
Unsubscribe rate is a key email marketing metric that measures the percentage of recipients who opt out from receiving future emails after a campaign is sent. It is calculated by dividing the number of unsubscribes by the total number of delivered emails, then multiplying by 100. A high unsubscribe rate can indicate issues with content relevance, frequency, or targeting, while a low rate suggests your audience finds value in your communications. Monitoring this rate helps nonprofits maintain a healthy email list, improve engagement, and adjust strategies to better meet supporter preferences.

Key Takeaways

  • Measures how many recipients opt out of emails
  • Helps assess content relevance and audience satisfaction
  • High rates may signal content or frequency issues
  • Tracking this metric supports better engagement strategies

Why It Matters

It signals email content effectiveness and audience engagement health.

Real World Example

A nonprofit sends a monthly newsletter to 5,000 supporters. After the latest issue, 50 recipients click the 'unsubscribe' link. The unsubscribe rate is (50/5,000) x 100 = 1%. The organization notices this is higher than previous months. Upon reviewing the content, they realize recent updates were less relevant to their audience's interests. Using Keela, they segment their list and tailor future newsletters, resulting in a lower unsubscribe rate and improved engagement.

How Keela Helps

Keela’s email campaign tools automatically track unsubscribe rates, allowing you to quickly identify trends and make data-driven adjustments. This feature helps nonprofits improve communication strategies and maintain strong supporter relationships by ensuring emails remain relevant and welcomed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is unsubscribe rate calculated?

Divide the number of people who unsubscribed by the total number of delivered emails, and multiply by 100 to get the percentage.

What is a typical unsubscribe rate for nonprofit emails?

A typical unsubscribe rate for nonprofits is usually below 0.5%. Rates above 1% may indicate problems with content or targeting.

Why do unsubscribe rates matter?

Unsubscribe rates help you understand if your content or frequency is disengaging supporters, allowing you to improve your strategy.

How does Keela help track unsubscribe rates?

Keela automatically tracks unsubscribe rates for each email campaign so you can quickly spot trends and make informed changes.

What can I do if my unsubscribe rate increases?

Analyze your content and segment your list to send more relevant messages, reducing the likelihood of further unsubscribes.

Related Terms

A/B Test
Accessibility Compliance
Acknowledgement Letter
Address Verification
Affiliation
Archiving Historical Donor Data

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