---
title: Reachability and email status
slug: data-platform/docs/legacy-reachability-and-email-status
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-08-10T12:05:18.000Z
---

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

The terms *audiences* and *segments* are interchangeable. Optimizely has updated all *segments* to *audiences* on the **Audiences** page and is updating the UI on other pages. See  [Understand audiences](docId\:v-gHiL9jfINBey-4QNtFM) to get information on audiences.
:::

A customer's email status determines their reachability.

## Email status values

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

Email and SMS channels are legacy features and not offered to new customers.
:::

The **Last Seen Email Status** attribute has the following values:

- **Reachable (0)** – A reachable email address. 
- **Malformed (2)** – An email address that uses an unidentified Top-level Domain (TLD) or the @qq.com domain. 
- **Reported Spam (4)** – An email address that was reported as spam to its ISP.
- **Hard Bounce (5)** – An email address that fails to deliver permanently. This email address should not be retried to send messages.

::Image[]{src="https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/4cgxC1m_yzHl3QgSBz3rV-20260720-145708.png" size="100" isUploading="false" width="2926" height="701" darkWidth="2926" darkHeight="701" showCaption="false" indent="1"}

Email campaigns are only sent to **Reachable** customers, even if is not explicitly stated in the targeting criteria.

### Create a reachable audience

1. Go to **Customers** **>** **Profiles >** **+Segment** **> Create New Segment**.
2. Enter an audience name and select **Customers with certain attributes**.
3. Enter *email status* and select **Last Seen Email Status**.
4. Select **Is > Reachable (0)**.
5. Click **Done**
6. Click **Save** to save the audience.

Optimizely Data Platform (ODP) displays the profiles of your reachable customers in **Customer Profiles**. However, these customers are still subject to [marketing consent](docId:3Hd282m_aW0c1IEaw3klH).

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/am8EJoXfMuGwYtPnSiHib-20260720-145708.png)

## Email status changes

Email statuses change based on the following events:

- **Validation** – ODP automatically validates an email address the first time it is received and when the address changes from a previous version, putting the customer into the 0 or 2 status.
- **Email events** – You can also change an email status following a customer's action.
  - event = `email/action = spamreport`. The email status is set to 4.
  - event = `email/action = hard_bounce`. The email status is set to 5.

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

When importing reachability events to ODP, you must use the customer's messaging identifier for which you want to update the reachability status. For example, if you want to update the reachability status for an email, you must use that email as the identifier in your reachability event. For information on identifiers, see [Get started with ODP](<../../../Get Started with ODP/welcome.mdx>).
:::

## Manage customer subscriptions

There are two approaches to subscription management.

- **The email service provider (ESP)** – ESPs provide a mechanism for customers to manage their subscription preferences. They offer subscription management links where customers can opt in and opt out of emails. If a customer unsubscribes, the ESP suppresses any sends to that customer. ODP integrates with the ESP, processes unsubscribe events, and updates the customer's email status.
- **Account preferences at the website or app level** – ODP users provide customers with a native account management page where they can adjust their personal information and manage email subscriptions. You must send ODP `list/unsubscribe` and `list/subscribe` events when customers update their preferences with JavaScript or HTTP API.

You can combine the approaches. However, ODP does not inform the ESP of a customer's resubscribing, so the ESP might suppress the email.

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

You must comply with applicable policies or processes to use some third-party providers.
:::

### QQ.com

Emails to qq.com addresses are suppressed to protect your reputation and deliverability rates. Tencent, the owner of qq.com, has a stringent email frequency and rate policy that most ESPs cannot accommodate.