A seed email list is a list of email addresses used for testing and monitoring email campaigns before it is sent to the main list. The list usually contains internal staff members, stakeholders, or reliable testers who receive the emails first so that marketers can try out things like deliverability, formatting, and engagement. Unlike a regular email list, a seed list stops issues like emails going to the spam folder from occurring.
The alternative? Blind mass emailing – rolling the dice with poor performance, high bounce backs, and missed opportunities.
Let the data speak for itself
- 21% of emails fail to reach the inbox due to spam filters.
- 42% of marketers list email deliverability as a leading challenge.
- Businesses lose $8.8 million annually due to poor email deliverability.
Testing the waters
A seed email list is your testing ground. Before blasting campaigns to thousands, I’ll send early drafts to this list to gauge reactions and fine-tune messaging.
Think of a seed email list as a dress rehearsal for your email campaign. Instead of launching straight into the inboxes of a thousand subscribers – only to get ghosted by spam filters, tripped up by wonky formatting, or met with crickets – marketers send it to a small, hand-picked group first. It’s like testing the waters before diving in headfirst.
Brands boosting ROI
Netflix relies on email marketing for retention and engagement. However, in 2022, they saw a 10% drop in email opens. Their marketing team discovered some emails were being marked as spam by Gmail and Yahoo using a seed email list. They tweaked the format of emails, reducing keywords that would get spam-triggered. They could increase their inbox placement rate by 15%, ultimately increasing engagement while reducing lost subscribers.
Shopify merchants use email marketing to drive sales, but many abandoned cart emails do not work. Through A/B testing with a seed list, Shopify discovered that their emails were not showing up well in Outlook, and conversions plummeted by 20%. By tweaking the email template and mobile responsiveness, they saw a 25% increase in click-through rates – proving that tiny tweaks can make a huge impact.
Avoid making mistakes
Challenge:
Most marketers make a seed list once and never lay hands on it again, believing it’s a one-time job. But email algorithms and spam filters don’t stand still. A stale seed list means testing in outdated conditions, which leads to drawing false conclusions.
Resolution:
- Occasionally, refresh your seed list with new email addresses.
- Test on different email providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or corporate domains).
- Practice realistic audience segments to reflect actual user behavior.
Creating a great seed list
- Diversity of test emails: Include Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, business mail, and cell phone mailboxes.
- Update periodically: Freshen your seed list once every 3–6 months.
- Spam filter testing: Look for trigger words and adjust your content.
- Engagement tracking: Monitor open rates, click-through rates, and email placement before release.
- Mobile optimization: Ensure flawless email rendering on all devices.
