GetResponse is a marketing automation platform popular with SMBs, coaches, and course sellers for its bundled landing pages, webinars, and workflow flows. The unsubscribe mechanism uses a distinctive double-brace-with-backtick syntax that must be included exactly as shown, or the campaign editor blocks the send at validation. GetResponse handles RFC 8058 one-click compliance automatically for marketing campaigns and offers a native preference center where subscribers can narrow the subscription instead of leaving entirely. This guide covers the exact tag, the setup path, and the syntax quirk that trips up most first-time senders.
GetResponse unsubscribe link
| Tag syntax | `{{unsubscribe}}` |
| Placement | Auto-embedded in every campaign footer |
| Scope | Account-wide contact status |
| Config path | Menu > Contacts > Subscription settings |
| RFC 8058 one-click | Yes, automatic for marketing campaigns |
How to add the unsubscribe tag in GetResponse
Place the merge tag exactly as shown below in the email template. GetResponse 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 marketing campaigns 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.
The backticks around double braces are mandatory, not optional. Templates copied from other ESPs (Mailchimp, SendGrid) will fail validation because they use different delimiters. The GetResponse editor flags the missing tag before send but does not auto-correct; you must edit the source HTML and add the backticks manually.
Testing your GetResponse unsubscribe link
- Send a test message to a controlled Gmail address you own via the GetResponse 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 GetResponse handles unsubscribes
GetResponse injects the unsubscribe link through the [[remove]] merge tag, which the platform substitutes with a signed URL at send time. The tag can be placed anywhere in the email body, but GetResponse also enforces a default footer block with the required unsubscribe and physical address text (CAN-SPAM compliance) that cannot be removed. For custom HTML campaigns imported to GetResponse, the [[remove]] tag must be present at least once or the send fails validation before deployment.
List scoping and account-wide preferences
GetResponse defaults to list-scoped unsubscribes: a click removes the contact from the specific mailing list, preserving membership in other lists. This makes sense for senders operating segmented campaigns for different products or audiences. Account settings can force account-wide unsubscribes, which is preferred when the account represents a single brand. GetResponse also offers a hosted preference center that lets subscribers manage their memberships across lists without opting out entirely, reducing unsubscribe rates for accounts that expose multiple content streams.
RFC 8058 and Google/Yahoo requirements
GetResponse added RFC 8058 one-click unsubscribe headers in early 2024 to meet the Google and Yahoo bulk-sender requirements. The List-Unsubscribe and List-Unsubscribe-Post headers are added automatically to all messages sent from authenticated domains (SPF, DKIM, DMARC set up in the Deliverability panel). No customer configuration is needed beyond completing domain authentication; the platform handles endpoint hosting and processes one-click POST requests automatically.
Common pitfalls
Two issues recur. First, senders using fully custom HTML templates sometimes forget the [[remove]] merge tag, and GetResponse rejects the send with a clear error message rather than silently sending without an opt-out. Second, subscribers who unsubscribe from a specific list are still contactable through other lists in the same account under default settings, which can produce complaint spikes if not aligned with subscriber expectations. Regularly auditing unsubscribe scope against sender brand model is worth doing.
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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