Every time you send an email blast from your nation, it includes a link that allows the recipient to unsubscribe from email communication. That link goes to an unsubscribe page. This page exists on every website created on NationBuilder at “website-name.com/unsubscribe.” The page content will be the same across all websites of a nation.

The page content can be customized at Settings > Defaults > Unsubscribe. Only control panel users with access to the Settings section of the control panel can edit the unsubscribe page. At Defaults > Unsubscribe you can create tag options to give subscribers the option to unsubscribe from particular email subscriptions rather than opting out of all correspondence. 

Under Unsubscribe > Settings you can customize how the unsubscribe page displays to your users by customizing both the headline and page content. By default, the headline of your unsubscribe page reads “Change your [nation name] email preferences.”

At Unsubscribe > Settings your current nation name will be displayed under “Organization name.” (Change your nation name by clicking on Settings and selecting Contact.)
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Please note that there is a checkbox labelled “Only display options from which people can unsubscribe.” This setting is only relevant after you have created a tag under Unsubscribe > Unsubscribe options.

You can use the available content box to add text below the headline. Encourage people to adjust email preferences rather than opting out of all communication from your nation.

Click the Save button to save any changes made.
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A supporter adjusts email preferences using tags that will exist on their profile in the People section. Under Unsubscribe > Unsubscribe options you can create the tags available for adjusting email preferences. Only tags defined in the "Unsubscribe options" area will display on the unsubscribe page.

To create a new tag:

1. Enter a description of the tag in the “Unsubscribe option description” text box. This description will appear on the unsubscribe page to your subscribers. We recommend being as explicit as possible regarding the subject and frequency of planned emails. For example, “Weekly polar bear advocacy email” is a better description than “Weekly newsletter."

2. Click on the Tag to remove dropdown menu. Any tag listed under People > Tags is included in this dropdown menu. A text box will appear where you can type the name of any pre-existing tag you may want to select from the list. Create a new tag by typing in the name of the tag and then clicking on Create new tag: [tag name].

3. Click Add unsubscribe option to save.

This is what your page will look like when you have added unsubscribe options: 

When a subscriber unchecks the box next to a tag’s description, the tag is removed from the subscriber’s profile. Similarly, when a subscriber checks the box, the tag is added to the profile.

At Settings > Defaults > Unsubscribe > Unsubscribe options you can change the order in which unsubscribe options appear by clicking on an option and dragging it to a new order in the list.

Hover over and click Edit to edit the option. Click  the arrow to delete the option.

After you create tags at Settings > Defaults > Unsubscribe > Unsubscribe options you are able to adjust which tags will display to individual users. In many cases you will want to use these unsubscribe options to encourage subscribers to opt out of certain email communications, instead of opting out of everything.

At Unsubscribe > Settings check the box “Only display options from which people can unsubscribe” and a person will only see tags that already exist on their profile. If the box is unchecked, the subscriber will see all options created at Unsubscribe > Unsubscribe options. Also, this checkbox functions to add or remove tags. If deselected, tags are added to subscriber profiles and if selected, tags are removed.

This checkbox is best used when you have multiple websites attached to your nation. By limiting the tags shown, the user will not have the option to adjust email preferences from irrelevant websites or campaigns that you might be running with your nation.

Click the Save button to save your changes.

Unsubscribe pages with options will include a checkbox allowing the user to unsubscribe from all email communication. If this checkbox is selected, all other email preferences will uncheck on the unsubscribe page.

If you do not create unsubscribe options then a person will not see any checkboxes and only see a button to "Unsubscribe."

Unsubscribing from all communication excludes receipts and confirmation emails. For example, if a user takes an action on your site, like RSVPing to an event, an email confirmation of the RSVP is still sent.

If a person unsubscribes from all communication two additional changes will occur on the person’s profile:

1. Any tags created at Unsubscribe > Unsubscribe options are removed from the profile.

2. The “Receive emails” box in the person’s profile is unchecked and crossed out. This can be viewed in a person’s profile under Edit. A control panel user cannot edit the person’s profile to opt into email. Emailable status will only be changed if the person opts into email on a signup page or another action page on your site.

Please note that the tags under Unsubscribe > Unsubscribe options should correspond to the tags used to add your supporters to email blasts. This creates a connection between the tags used to add a supporter to email communications and the tags the same supporter can use to adjust email preferences on your unsubscribe page.

Consider using a signup page as a subscription preferences page. A subscription preferences page allows a person to define email preferences before receiving email, so each subscriber is not later tempted to unsubscribe. It is best practice to coordinate the tags from your unsubscribe page with the tags on your signup page.

By having a direct connection between these two pages and the tags used in email blasts, supporters will have more control over email subscriptions. This will encourage your supporters to adjust email preferences instead of unsubscribing from your communications.

How to create a signup page
​How to use tags to organize people
​How to set up email blasts
​How can I optimize my email deliverability