Everlytic is a South African email and SMS marketing platform serving South African and Sub-Saharan African SMBs, mid-market, and enterprise customers with strong local deliverability, POPIA compliance defaults, and integrated SMS capabilities. The unsubscribe mechanism uses the {{unsubscribe_url}} merge tag auto-injected into every campaign footer, and Everlytic emits RFC 8058 headers automatically for authenticated sending domains. Consent is tracked at the contact level with POPIA (South African data protection law) enforcement. This guide covers the tag, the POPIA regulatory model, and how to verify the setup end to end.
Everlytic unsubscribe link
| Tag syntax | {{unsubscribe_url}} |
| Placement | Auto-embedded in every campaign footer |
| Scope | Contact-level opt-out with POPIA enforcement |
| Config path | Settings > Sender identity > Footer template |
| RFC 8058 one-click | Yes, automatic for authenticated sending domains |
How to add the unsubscribe tag in Everlytic
Place the merge tag exactly as shown below in the email template. Everlytic replaces it at send time with a signed URL scoped to the recipient and campaign.
{{unsubscribe_url}}For custom HTML templates, wrap the tag in an anchor to render a proper hyperlink in the delivered email:
<a href="{{unsubscribe_url}}">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.
Everlytic POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act) compliance is enforced by default, meaning imported contact lists without documented consent are quarantined until confirmed. South African senders migrating from other ESPs must provide POPIA documentation for each contact. This is stricter than US CAN-SPAM but matches South African regulatory expectations. The Information Regulator enforces POPIA with fines up to ZAR 10 million and prison sentences for repeat offenders.
Testing your Everlytic unsubscribe link
- Send a test message to a controlled Gmail address you own via the Everlytic 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 Everlytic unsubscribe link (step by step)
Everlytic default templates include the unsubscribe link in the footer, but custom HTML templates require the tag inserted manually.
- Open your campaign or template in the Everlytic editor.
- Add or edit a text block in the footer where the unsubscribe link should appear.
- Insert the merge tag
{{unsubscribe_url}}. Everlytic replaces it at send time with a signed URL scoped to the contact. - Wrap it in an anchor:
<a href="{{unsubscribe_url}}">Unsubscribe</a>. - Configure the sender identity under Settings > Sender identity > Footer template.
- Send a test to a seed address and verify the rendered link routes to the Everlytic-hosted preference page.
POPIA enforcement and Information Regulator
Everlytic POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act) compliance is enforced by default, meaning imported contact lists without documented consent are quarantined until confirmed. South African senders migrating from other ESPs must provide POPIA documentation for each contact. This is stricter than US CAN-SPAM but matches South African regulatory expectations. The Information Regulator enforces POPIA with fines up to ZAR 10 million and prison sentences for repeat offenders, making platform-level enforcement essential for South African senders.
RFC 8058 one-click headers
Everlytic 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 Settings > Sender identity. SPF and DKIM records must be verified. South African data residency defaults align with POPIA data localization preferences.
Sub-Saharan African deliverability and integrated SMS
Everlytic operates infrastructure with peering to Sub-Saharan African email networks (Vodacom, MTN, Cell C mail services) and mobile networks for SMS, giving strong regional deliverability. South African senders targeting predominantly domestic audiences see better regional inbox and SMS placement than through global ESPs. Integrated SMS capabilities let marketers coordinate email and SMS campaigns with unified consent state: an email opt-out can propagate to SMS suppression if configured, matching POPIA cross-channel consent expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Everlytic unsubscribe tag?
The merge tag is {{unsubscribe_url}}. Everlytic replaces it at send time with a signed URL scoped to the contact. Use it inside an anchor: <a href="{{unsubscribe_url}}">Unsubscribe</a>.
Does Everlytic enforce South African POPIA?
Yes by default. Imported contact lists without documented consent are quarantined until confirmed. Information Regulator fines up to ZAR 10 million and prison sentences for repeat offenders make platform-level enforcement essential.
Does Everlytic support one-click unsubscribe for Gmail and Yahoo?
Yes, automatically for authenticated domains. Everlytic injects List-Unsubscribe and List-Unsubscribe-Post headers on every marketing send from domains verified under Settings > Sender identity.
Is Everlytic optimized for Vodacom and MTN inboxes?
Yes. Sending infrastructure prioritizes Sub-Saharan African email networks (Vodacom, MTN, Cell C mail services) with local peering. South African senders targeting domestic audiences see better regional inbox placement than through global ESPs.
Do email opt-outs propagate to SMS in Everlytic?
Only when cross-channel opt-out is configured. Configure per-channel consent scoping to match POPIA cross-channel consent expectations for South African senders running coordinated email and SMS campaigns.
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.
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