WhatCounts is a US mid-market email marketing and marketing automation platform serving publishers, retailers, and B2C brands with segmentation, dynamic content, and transactional API. The unsubscribe mechanism uses the %%UNSUBSCRIBE%% merge tag auto-injected into every campaign footer, and WhatCounts emits RFC 8058 headers automatically for authenticated sending domains. Consent is tracked at the contact level with US CAN-SPAM baseline. This guide covers the tag, the mid-market model, and how to verify the setup end to end.
WhatCounts unsubscribe link
| Tag syntax | %%UNSUBSCRIBE%% |
| Placement | Auto-embedded in every campaign footer |
| Scope | Contact-level opt-out with US CAN-SPAM baseline |
| Config path | Admin > Sender profiles > Footer |
| RFC 8058 one-click | Yes, automatic for authenticated sending domains |
How to add the unsubscribe tag in WhatCounts
Place the merge tag exactly as shown below in the email template. WhatCounts replaces it at send time with a signed URL scoped to the recipient and campaign.
%%UNSUBSCRIBE%%For custom HTML templates, wrap the tag in an anchor to render a proper hyperlink in the delivered email:
<a href="%%UNSUBSCRIBE%%">Unsubscribe from this list</a>Auto-embedded in every campaign footer
Yes, automatic for authenticated sending domains The recipient's mailbox provider (Gmail, Yahoo) uses the List-Unsubscribe-Post header to expose the native one-click button on the message. Requires domain authentication with DKIM and DMARC.
WhatCounts US CAN-SPAM baseline provides physical postal address, honest From line, and 10-business-day suppression. Senders targeting EU or Canadian audiences should configure double opt-in and consent documentation matching GDPR or CASL respectively. Publisher and B2C retail use cases benefit from dynamic content per-recipient personalization and segmentation depth.
Testing your WhatCounts unsubscribe link
- Send a test message to a controlled Gmail address you own via the WhatCounts campaign preview action
- Click the footer unsubscribe link and confirm the opt-out on the landing page
- Check the subscriber or contact record: the status should be Unsubscribed within seconds
- Verify the RFC 8058 headers in Gmail: open the message, click three dots, then Show original. Look for
List-UnsubscribeandList-Unsubscribe-Post: List-Unsubscribe=One-Click
Want the full 222-platform reference?
See the pillar guide with the compliance landscape, the RFC 8058 deep dive, and the unsubscribe tag for every ESP: How to add an unsubscribe link: the complete 2026 guide →
How to add the WhatCounts unsubscribe link (step by step)
- Open your campaign in the WhatCounts editor.
- Add or edit a text block in the footer.
- Insert the merge tag
%%UNSUBSCRIBE%%. - Wrap it in an anchor:
<a href="%%UNSUBSCRIBE%%">Unsubscribe</a>. - Configure the sender identity under Admin > Sender profiles > Footer.
- Send a test to a seed address and verify the rendered link routes to the WhatCounts-hosted preference page.
US CAN-SPAM baseline and multi-jurisdictional overlay
WhatCounts US CAN-SPAM baseline provides physical postal address, honest From line, and 10-business-day suppression. Senders targeting EU or Canadian audiences should configure double opt-in and consent documentation matching GDPR or CASL respectively. Publisher and B2C retail use cases benefit from dynamic content per-recipient personalization and segmentation depth. Multi-jurisdictional compliance requires per-region sending practice configuration.
RFC 8058 one-click headers
WhatCounts added RFC 8058 one-click unsubscribe automatically ahead of the Google and Yahoo February 2024 requirements. The List-Unsubscribe and List-Unsubscribe-Post headers inject on every marketing send from domains authenticated under Admin > Sender profiles. SPF and DKIM records must be verified.
Segmentation and dynamic content
WhatCounts segmentation and dynamic content let mid-market publishers and retailers deliver personalized email at scale. Publisher use cases include per-vertical newsletter segmentation. Retail use cases include per-category product recommendations. Transactional API supports order confirmations and account notifications distinctly from marketing broadcasts, preserving exemption boundary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the WhatCounts unsubscribe tag?
The merge tag is %%UNSUBSCRIBE%%. WhatCounts replaces it at send time with a signed URL scoped to the contact.
Does WhatCounts require double opt-in?
Not by default under US CAN-SPAM baseline. Senders targeting EU or Canada should enable double opt-in and consent documentation matching GDPR or CASL respectively.
Does WhatCounts support one-click unsubscribe for Gmail and Yahoo?
Yes, automatically for authenticated domains. WhatCounts injects List-Unsubscribe and List-Unsubscribe-Post headers on every marketing send.
Is dynamic content per-recipient supported?
Yes. Segmentation and dynamic content blocks let publishers and retailers deliver personalized email at scale with per-recipient product recommendations or content variations.
How does WhatCounts compare to Sailthru or Emarsys?
All three target mid-market publishers and B2C retail. WhatCounts emphasizes US mid-market. Sailthru focuses on content personalization. Emarsys targets omnichannel B2C. Vendor choice depends on scope.
About the Author
Alaa · LinkedIn
Email infrastructure specialist with 8+ years of hands-on experience in SMTP, deliverability, and email verification. I’ve configured and troubleshot mail systems across Postfix, Exchange, and cloud relays, managed IP reputation and warmup campaigns, and built verification pipelines processing millions of addresses. My work spans DNS authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI), bounce handling, blocklist monitoring, and compliance frameworks including CAN-SPAM and GDPR. I write every article on SMTPedia to give email professionals, developers, and marketers the accurate, RFC-grounded reference they need.
About SMTPedia
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