Verify Petition and Advocacy Sign-Up Lists Before an Action Alert
Petition lists grow in bursts and get mailed under time pressure, which is the worst combination for bad addresses. A shared link, a mobile form and a rush of sign-ups give you thousands of addresses in a day, with the slips that come with fast typing. The alert you want to send is the one that must reach people today. Verify the file on the verify page once the burst slows down; the first 100 checks are free on a Google sign-in, no card.
What a burst brings with it
- Typos from small screens. Domain slips and extra characters are common.
- Repeat sign-ups. People sign more than once when they are not sure it worked.
- Disposable addresses. Some visitors use one to avoid follow-up mail.
- Mass-entered rows. A script or a person can add fake entries. The role-based email filter and a look at the addresses themselves help you see patterns.
Step 1: Wait for the burst to end
Take the export when the surge slows. If you take it on day one and again on day three, you pay twice for the early rows. The compare email lists tool finds the addresses that are new since the last file.
Step 2: Remove duplicates, repair typos
Run the remove duplicate emails tool, then the email typo corrector. Keep the original file.
Step 3: Verify
Upload the cleaned file to the verify page. Check the split. A list from a single viral share is often cleaner than one from many sources, but you only know by looking. Estimate bounce rate before sending shows how to read it.
Step 4: Write the first message to be understood
Say what they signed, when and where, and give an easy way to leave. Keep it short. If someone did not sign, the quickest way to stop a complaint is a clear unsubscribe link.
Step 5: Send in order
Valid first, risky afterwards, invalid never. Plan the send order for a verified list has the routine.
Related reading
Re-permission and email consent covers what to do when you are unsure people expect your mail. Rules differ by country; this is not legal advice.
Check the list
SimpleVerifier Pro is $39 a month. The first 100,000 checks a month run at full speed, then they run slower, and you are never cut off, so one list and every file after it fit in the same plan. Start with 100 free checks, no card, on a Google sign-in. See the pricing page.
Common questions
Can I verify a petition list?
Yes. Upload the email column and every address comes back valid, risky or invalid. It tells you nothing about whether a real person typed it.
Do I need to verify before a first action alert?
It is the best moment. A new list has no sending history with you, and a bounce spike on the first message is easy to avoid.
What about people who signed in by mistake or for someone else?
Verification cannot catch that. Make the first message say why they are receiving it and give an easy way out.
How do I handle risky results?
Send them after the valid rows in a smaller batch. Many are on domains that accept every address, so they may be real.
Check your list before you send
Real mailbox checks over SMTP, and nothing is sent to the address. Sign in with Google and your first 100 email checks are free, no card. Plans for bigger lists are on the pricing page.