Update email subscription status after OPT OUT

[sarahb2]

My question is related to the big red note on https://developers.hubspot.com/docs/methods/email/update_status

Note: If you OPT OUT of all emails or a specific email subscription type for a recipient, there is NO UNDO for this operation.

We want to allow users to be able to opt back in to a subscription if they change their mind after opting out. Is this possible?

[kaburke]

Hi @sarahb2 !I have created a relevant idea post here that it would be great to get your support on! https://community.hubspot.com/t5/HubSpot-Ideas/Resubscription-Endpoint/idi-p/429388#M80494

[IsaacTakushi]

Hey, @sarahb.

While the Contact Lists API does allow you to add and remove contacts from static lists, you won't be able to send to contacts in those lists unless they are opted into the subscription type of the email you are sending. The Email API is used to control those subscription statuses.

For example: Jane Doe is currently opted in to your "Marketing Information" subscription type and is a member of the "Marketing Mailing" contact list. Jane goes to your site and opts out of email communications related to the "Marketing Information" subscription type. If the module uses the Email API correctly, Jane will be opted out of the "Marketing Information" subscription type. If you send an email with the type "Marketing Information" to the "Marketing Mailing" list the next day, Jane will be excluded because she has opted out of that subscription type — even though she is still technically on the "Marketing Mailing" list. To opt back into receiving "Marketing Information" emails, Jane would have to either access a previously sent email's footer or fill out another one of your forms (with resubscription emails enabled) and check the box confirming she wanted to receive a resubscription email.

[sarahb2]

Gotcha. Thanks! I'm new to using HubSpot, and working on a spike story to integrate with the HubSpot APIs. Considering this and your response, I have another question for you.

Basically what we want to do is allow a member to opt into a certain email list or campaign (not sure on the correct term here - meeting with the marketing team next week) via a modal on our website. I thought the Email API endpoint for "update status" would be what we want (https://developers.hubspot.com/docs/methods/email/update_status), but I just came across the Contact List endpoints.
https://developers.hubspot.com/docs/methods/lists/add_contact_to_list
https://developers.hubspot.com/docs/methods/lists/remove_contact_from_list

Would this allow users to opt in and opt out and back in to a list?

Thanks again,
Sarah

[IsaacTakushi · Accepted solution]

Welcome, @sarahb.

While this isn't possible via the API, the users can still opt themselves back in by either:

• Opening a previously sent marketing email from your HubSpot account and accessing their preferences in the footer.
• Filling out one of your HubSpot forms when resubscription emails are enabled.

See this article for a bit more detail.