EmailOctopus is a UK-based low-cost email marketing platform originally built on top of Amazon SES, popular with small businesses, indie makers, and creators who want simple broadcast tools at a fraction of the Mailchimp price. The unsubscribe mechanism uses the double-brace token auto-injected into every campaign footer. EmailOctopus emits RFC 8058 one-click headers automatically once the sending domain is authenticated. The platform runs a self-hosted infrastructure now (no longer routing through SES), but the migration means older accounts may still have SES-era deliverability settings that need re-verification. This guide covers the tag, the config path, and the SES-legacy caveat.
EmailOctopus unsubscribe link
| Tag syntax | {{UnsubscribeURL}} |
| Placement | Auto-embedded in every campaign footer |
| Scope | Per-list opt-out (subscribers exist per-list) |
| Config path | Settings > Account > Address and reply-to |
| RFC 8058 one-click | Yes, automatic once sending domain is authenticated |
How to add the unsubscribe tag in EmailOctopus
Place the merge tag exactly as shown below in the email template. EmailOctopus replaces it at send time with a signed URL scoped to the recipient and campaign.
{{UnsubscribeURL}}For custom HTML templates, wrap the tag in an anchor to render a proper hyperlink in the delivered email:
<a href="{{UnsubscribeURL}}">Unsubscribe from this list</a>Auto-embedded in every campaign footer
Yes, automatic once sending domain is authenticated 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.
EmailOctopus scopes subscribers per-list. A contact in List A and List B who unsubscribes from List A still receives from List B. This is a common source of complaints when senders assume account-wide unsubscribe behavior. Use the "Unsubscribe from all lists" merge tag {{UnsubscribeFromAllListsURL}} if you want a global opt-out link.
Testing your EmailOctopus unsubscribe link
- Send a test message to a controlled Gmail address you own via the EmailOctopus 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
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How EmailOctopus handles unsubscribes
EmailOctopus injects the unsubscribe link through the {{UnsubscribeUrl}} merge tag, which the platform replaces with a signed URL at send time. The drag-and-drop editor includes a default footer block with the tag pre-populated, and EmailOctopus refuses to send campaigns that lack the tag entirely. For senders using custom HTML templates, wrapping the tag in an anchor produces the standard link: <a href=”{{UnsubscribeUrl}}”>Unsubscribe</a>. The click routes to an EmailOctopus-hosted opt-out page that confirms the removal immediately.
Amazon SES integration
EmailOctopus historically operated as a front-end for Amazon SES, and on its Connect plan it still uses the customer own SES account for sending. This means the unsubscribe mechanism must integrate with both the EmailOctopus preference page and the SES suppression list. EmailOctopus handles the coordination automatically: an unsubscribe click updates the EmailOctopus list AND adds the contact to the linked SES suppression list, preventing accidental sends through direct SES API calls. The Pro plan uses EmailOctopus own sending infrastructure and does not require SES integration.
RFC 8058 support
EmailOctopus adds RFC 8058 one-click unsubscribe headers (List-Unsubscribe and List-Unsubscribe-Post) automatically on all sends from authenticated domains. Domain authentication requires configuring SPF and DKIM records through the Sending Domains section, which the platform verifies before enabling one-click headers. Sends from unauthenticated domains fall back to a shared EmailOctopus subdomain and produce less consistent Google and Yahoo deliverability, which is why domain authentication is strongly recommended.
Testing and troubleshooting
The most reliable test is to send a preview to an external Gmail or Outlook.com inbox and inspect the raw headers for List-Unsubscribe entries. Clicking the link should land on an EmailOctopus preference page confirming the opt-out. If the link 404s or the unsubscribe does not register, the most common cause is a Connect-plan account with a misconfigured SES sending identity or an unauthenticated domain. The EmailOctopus dashboard exposes per-campaign unsubscribe counts alongside opens and clicks.
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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