What is “consent” in email marketing?

You're about to send a marketing email, but you hit a mental speedbump: do you have permission to send it? That's consent in action. It's the permission someone gives you to receive marketing emails from your business. Seems straightforward, but consent sits at the center of laws like GDPR, CASL, and CAN-SPAM. These laws define and enforce consent differently, which matters for your sender reputation and your subscribers' trust.

Consent exists on a spectrum. On one end, you've got explicit consent: someone actively checks a box or types their email to subscribe. That's powerful. On the other end, implicit consent: someone buys from you, so you infer they want order updates and promotional mail. Explicit consent almost always wins for building engaged lists. The stronger your consent, the fewer complaints you get. The fewer complaints, the better your sender reputation.

Here's the truth: consent isn't just a legal checkbox. It's the foundation of a real relationship with your subscribers. When someone explicitly agrees to get your emails, they're expecting value. Meet that expectation consistently, and they'll stay. Ignore it, and they'll mark you spam. Even compliant, explicit consent can backfire if your content doesn't match what they thought they'd get. Take a look at your current consent practices and make sure the words you use match what you actually send.