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by Lauren Ryan on November 2021
Getting permission before collecting data is an essential part of the marketing process. Not only does this help you collect more accurate information, but it also creates a stronger sense of trust between you and your users or customers.
Luckily, HubSpot carefully monitors your contact lists to prevent your IP from getting a bad reputation for spamming customers.
If you are a HubSpot user and have not purchased a dedicated IP address, you are using a shared IP address. A shared IP address means multiple HubSpot customers send emails from the same IP address.
The actions of those accounts could negatively impact other accounts using the same IP, so you must remain vigilant. Hence, your reputation remains intact, and your data stays accurate.
What Is a Quarantined Contact in HubSpot?
If one of the contacts on your HubSpot contact list has been quarantined, this means that you will no longer be able to send marketing messages or automated workflow emails to this address.
HubSpot may quarantine contacts for a variety of reasons. For example, the contact will likely be quarantined if multiple emails sent through HubSpot experience a 15% bounce rate. While a low bounce rate is standard for the email industry, the percentage is small, approximately 1%.
What Causes a Quarantined Contact
Besides bounce rate, there are a few more reasons marketers find themselves with quarantined contacts in their lists. A contact might be quarantined if they were suspiciously added to HubSpot’s platform.
For example, if a marketer inputs a purchased or scraped list deemed non-organic, this is cause for concern. It is also against HubSpot’s Acceptable Use Policy, which all users must agree to when enrolling in the platform.
If you have inherited a dirty database, this can also cause HubSpot to flag your lists. Dirty databases are those that have been used previously and contain errors, duplications, or incomplete data points. If you have inherited a dirty database, it is essential to cover your bases before using the list of contacts by getting permission from the user.
Keep this record for future use in case HubSpot flags your account or contacts you regarding suspicious activity. If a third-party spammer adds contacts with the intent of flooding users’ inboxes, this could be another reason for the contact to be quarantined.
How To Ensure Existing Contacts Do Not Get Quarantined
Ensuring your existing contacts meet HubSpot’s permission requirements is crucial so your account is not at risk of shut down. Also, as an inbound marketer, you should always ensure the contacts you’re emailing expect to hear from you. There are a few ways that you can prevent this from happening.
First, it’s recommended that you use a variety of data points to inform the “Legal basis for processing contact’s data” property in HubSpot. It’s crucial that you keep this field accurate and up-to-date for all of your contacts.
You can also ensure that you collect data showing which marketing efforts are working by showing which contacts are engaging with your content. Examine activities such as opens, clicks, or page views.
You should send an initial email and a follow-up to those who did not interact the first time. Removing them from your contact list is wise if they haven’t engaged with either message within a week.
Protecting Future Contacts
Protecting your future contacts from becoming quarantined is essential to your marketing strategy. This helps prevent any future confusion that can make communication difficult or skew data.
It is wise to update your legal processing for new contacts to protect future contacts from being quarantined. When importing new lists, make sure to check “Create List From Import” when you’re completing the import flow process.
Navigate to the list you just imported and then select all, click edit, and move forward to the legal basis for processing, and select the appropriate option for your list.
You can also update current subscription preferences for new contacts to protect them from being quarantined in the future. After a list is imported, go to Contacts, then More Filters, followed by List Membership, and select the list created from your most recent import.
Select all and click More, then Edit Communication Subscriptions, then select the appropriate option.
Are There Any Exceptions?
We’re glad you asked! There are a few exceptions where contacts will be exempt from being quarantined. So they will remain on all of your marketing lists.
For example, if a contact has opened or clicked on a marketing email, you have a strong case to keep them in your database. This is because they are shown to be real, valid users and credible data sources.
If a contact opted in through a valid submission, they would avoid being quarantined.
Lastly, users will be exempt if they reply to a one-on-one email.
Managing your HubSpot account may be difficult enough without having to deal with quarantined contacts. If you’re dealing with HubSpot quarantined contacts after a HubSpot Salesforce integration, contact us for a free consultation or click the link to take the course below.
FAQs: HubSpot Quarantined Contacts
How can I identify quarantined contacts in HubSpot?
To identify quarantined contacts in HubSpot, navigate to the Contacts dashboard, select the "Quarantined" filter option, and review the list of contacts marked as quarantined. You can also access quarantine data and metrics in the Email Health dashboard under the Marketing > Email menu.
Are there any compliance considerations when dealing with quarantined contacts?
Yes, there are compliance considerations when dealing with quarantined contacts, particularly regarding data protection regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the CAN-SPAM Act. It's important to ensure re-engagement efforts comply with consent requirements, respect contact preferences, and provide clear options for opt-out.