Custom Opt Out Link Needed, but Editor won't allow?
We run our own opt-out center in order to sync opt-outs between our various backend systems. We are attempting to use Hubspot to send emails to a DOI mailing list. Unfortunately, we cannot edit templates to not include the default Hubspot opt-out link: the editor won’t let us.
Our desired outcome is we put preferences.datagrail.io?d=#{some id here} as the opt-out link in all of our mailing list emails.
Technically: when we attempt to publish a template without the Hubspot-operated unsubscribe link, the template editor shows error
Error:Missing "unsubscribe_link"
We would like a way to operate our own unsubscribe link hosted on [preferences.datagrail.io](http://preferences.datagrail.io/)
While your use-case is certainly a compelling one, we do our best to make sure that there's absolutely no possibility for abuse. The idea of one system governing all of your sub-system's unsubscribe statuses makes sense, but HubSpot is only concerned with what the status of the contact is within HubSpot. We've found that with custom unsubs there's a lot of potential things that could go wrong. From folks using deception to unsubscribe you from one email type when it looks like you're trying to unsubscribe from all, to large delays where the sync back to HubSpot leads to additional emails being sent to the contact after they'd been unsubscribed already. Your best bet is to sync unsubscribes from HubSpot to your main system using some sort of API. Custom links in this case won't be possible
Thanks for the note! As an organization focused on compliance especially around privacy regulations (GDPR/CCPA, etc) I can appreciate the need to include unsubscribe links in messages. Would love your feedback/thoughts on the below:
*I think requiring opt out links is definitely a best practice. As far as I'm aware though, Hubspot is the only provider that doesn't allow custom opt out links to be used? (Marketo, InfusionSoft, ActiveCampaign, etc).
*In fact I'd argue that this policy will ultimately drive churn of the HubSpot product, as well as drive an increase in GDPR (access and deletion), or CCPA (right to know, and right to say no) privacy requests being submitted. Let me explain:
Many companies have multiple systems that send email to their customers. If for example I receive a transactional email from JetBlue, and unsubscribe, after I take a flight I'll receive an email from Medallia (a survey tool). As a consumer I know that I unsubscribed, and so because I received another email I feel that JetBlue may be misusing the data it has about me. So therefore I will then submit a request for all of my info (which trigger jetblue needing to review all of their systems, find where my data lies, and then deliver it to me)..and I may then follow up with a deletion request which also requires additional leg work.
By not allowing a custom unsubscribe link you are enhancing this behavior. For example there are tools that integrate with all systems that send messaging to users, and propagates preferences based on a global preference center to any systems that send messaging. If Hubspot doesn't allow this functionality, I see that as a risk of churning to a system that does allow a better customer experience that uses privacy by design as it's guiding principles.
What do you recommend as the best next steps to figuring this out?
Custom Opt Out Link Needed, but Editor won't allow?
Hi @the1c, at this time we cannot edit templates to not include subscriptions links. While I can certainly sympathize with your use case here, the potential for abuse is too large to consider changing the functionality to allow for custom unsubscribe links. If you're able to send data to your external system, you could sync the statuses that HubSpot collects to your system, but you must include an unsubscribe link on every email
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