Does your email marketing break the law? 10 hints to best practice by Paul Boag

Inform the user

If e-mail addresses are to be used for marketing purposes, this should be clearly stated at the point of collection.

The ability to opt-out

Once informed, the user should be able to refuse permission for their e-mail to be used for marketing purposes (i.e. opt-out).

Keep it relevant

If e-mail is to be sent to those with whom a customer relationship exists, the content should be in reference to similar products and services.

Do not share email addresses without permission

If the e-mail addresses are to be shared with third parties, this should be clearly stated at the point of collection.

Do not harvest email addresses

E-mail addresses should not be harvested (e.g. copied from websites) and used for marketing purposes without the recipients' knowledge.

Option to unsubscribe

Recipients should be able to refuse permission for further marketing messages to be sent to them at any time.

Do not hide identity

Your identity as the sender should never be disguised or concealed.

Do not hide the option to opt-out

In every communication, recipients must be given a simple and clear means of opting out from receiving future e-mails.

Honour user requests

When an opt-out request is received it must be honoured, with the contact details ideally being "suppressed" rather than deleted.

A more detailed outline of this law can be found here

Paul, founding partner of Headscape is a web designer and usability/accessibility specialist. He is head honcho of Boagworld