If you engage with audiences in the European Union, understanding the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is essential for legal and ethical email marketing.
Introduced in 2018, GDPR redefined how businesses handle personal data—raising the bar for transparency, consent, and data protection.
Whether your organization is based in the EU or not, GDPR can still apply if you market to or collect data from EU citizens.
In this guide, we’ll break down what GDPR means for email marketing, what your responsibilities are, and how to stay compliant while building lasting customer trust.
What is GDPR and why does it matter?
The General Data Protection Regulation is a legal framework that governs how organizations collect, use, and store personal data of individuals within the European Union. It gives consumers more control over their personal information and holds businesses accountable for how they process that data.
Failure to comply can result in hefty fines—up to €20 million (at least $21.7 million USD) or 4% of your global annual turnover (whichever is higher). But more than that, non-compliance can seriously damage your brand reputation.
How GDPR applies to email marketing
Email marketing is directly impacted by GDPR because it involves collecting and using personal data (such as email addresses, names, and behavioral data). Under GDPR, there are several core principles that apply to email marketers:
- Consent must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous
- Individuals have the right to access, update, or delete their data
- You must be transparent about how you use collected data
- You are responsible for securing the personal data you store
Let’s break down how these apply in a practical marketing context.
Consent: No more pre-checked boxes
Under GDPR, consent must be explicit—not implied. That means:
- You cannot use pre-checked boxes for opt-ins.
- You must clearly explain what the subscriber is signing up for.
- Consent must be granular—if you plan to send multiple types of emails (newsletters, promotions, etc.), you must provide separate consent options.
- You must keep a record of how and when consent was given.
Tip: Use customizable forms with explicit opt-in checkboxes. DailyStory’s Magic Forms and form builder make it easy to track and store consent data in a GDPR-compliant way.
Right to access and data portability
Subscribers have the right to:
- Request a copy of the data you’ve collected about them
- Know how their data is being used
- Transfer their data to another service provider
You need to be prepared to respond to such requests promptly (within 30 days).
Tip: DailyStory’s contact records make it easy to export individual user data upon request and show a full history of communication and consent.
Right to be forgotten
Subscribers can request to have their data deleted at any time. If a contact asks to unsubscribe or be forgotten, you must remove their data from your systems unless you have a legal reason to retain it.
Tip: DailyStory’s automated opt-out workflows ensure that contacts are immediately suppressed from future campaigns and can be anonymized or deleted as needed.
Clear and specific privacy policies
You must provide an easy-to-understand privacy policy that explains:
- What data you collect
- How you use it
- Who you share it with (if anyone)
- How users can exercise their rights
It’s not enough to bury this in legal jargon—your policy should be accessible and transparent.
Data security and breach notification
GDPR requires you to take reasonable steps to protect personal data. If a data breach occurs, and it puts users’ personal data at risk, you must notify authorities within 72 hours.
Some of the steps you can take include:
- Encrypting stored data
- Using secure, GDPR-compliant platforms
- Limiting access to only those who need it
Tip: DailyStory uses secure cloud infrastructure, role-based permissions, and two-factor authentication to help safeguard your data.
Practical tips for GDPR email marketing compliance
If you’re just starting out or reviewing your current processes, here are some key steps to take:
- Use double opt-in to confirm consent
- Avoid buying or scraping email lists
- Include clear unsubscribe links in every email
- Maintain an audit trail of subscriber consent
- Regularly clean your lists and remove inactive contacts
- Train your team on GDPR principles and compliance
Is GDPR compliance only for EU marketers?
No. GDPR applies to any business that collects data from EU residents, regardless of where your company is located. That includes U.S.-based organizations that have global subscribers.
So, if you’re collecting sign-ups on your website or social platforms from international audiences, you need to ensure your email marketing complies with GDPR standards.
How DailyStory helps with GDPR email marketing
DailyStory was built with data protection in mind. Our platform gives you the tools to:
- Collect and manage explicit consent
- Offer automated unsubscribe handling
- Track audience preferences
- Control access to sensitive data
- Export user data upon request
- Comply with international privacy laws like GDPR, CCPA, and more
Whether you’re targeting European audiences or simply want to elevate your data privacy standards, DailyStory helps you stay compliant without sacrificing campaign performance.
Conclusion
GDPR isn’t just about avoiding fines—it’s about respecting your subscribers’ data and earning their trust. When you take privacy seriously, you set yourself apart as a responsible marketer.
By following GDPR best practices, you not only comply with the law—you also build a more transparent, customer-first approach to email marketing that can strengthen your brand in the long run.
