Is my content allowed?

Most content is fine to send with EmailOctopus. What matters most is that the people on your list asked to hear from you, and that what you're sending is legal where you and your contacts are. Our Acceptable Use Policy has the full details. Here's the short version.

Do I need to check with you before I sign up?

No. We don't pre-approve accounts or confirm content in advance, so there's no need to get in touch before you sign up. If what you send follows our Acceptable Use Policy, you're good to go.

Once you start sending, we keep an eye on every account: the kind of emails you send, your industry, how old your list is and how your campaigns perform. If we need anything from you (like proof of how your contacts signed up, or a copy of a licence), we'll ask.

Everyone on your list must have opted in

This is the one rule that applies to everyone, no matter what you send. You can only email people who gave you permission to contact them. That means you can't use:

• purchased, rented, swapped, scraped or appended lists
• addresses collected from directories, social media, business cards or websites
• contacts who've unsubscribed, hard bounced or marked your emails as spam

If we ask, you'll need to be able to tell us how and when a contact signed up, and what they agreed to receive. If you're thinking of importing an old list you haven't emailed in a while, re-confirm permission first. Why you shouldn't be sending to purchased lists explains why this matters so much.

What about local laws?

You're responsible for following the laws that apply to you and to the people you email, and we can't give legal advice about them.

If something is legal in your country and in your contacts' countries, and you hold any required licences, we won't object just because it's restricted elsewhere. For example, a licensed Canadian cannabis retailer emailing Canadian customers is fine. Sending that same campaign to people in a country where cannabis is illegal isn't.

Content we don't allow, and content we look at more closely

A few things aren't allowed on EmailOctopus at all, regardless of where you're based. For example: scams and phishing, illegal drugs or prescription medicines sold without a prescription, hate speech, deepfakes and selling email lists or personal data.

Other industries are allowed, but they get a closer look because they tend to attract more spam complaints or come with extra regulation. These include gambling, cryptocurrency, financial services, supplements, and alcohol and tobacco. If you're in one of them, you can sign up and send as normal, but we may ask for proof of permission or a licence, or limit how much you can send.

You'll find both full lists in sections 5 and 6 of our Acceptable Use Policy.

Good content isn't everything

Even allowed content can run into trouble if people don't want it. We monitor every account's sending stats and may limit or pause sending if, for example, spam complaints exceed 0.1% or hard bounces exceed 5%. Sending only to people who opted in, and keeping your list clean, is the best way to stay well clear of that.

If you're still not sure about something after reading the Acceptable Use Policy, please get in touch, and we'll help where we can, though we can't sign off on content before you send it.