Role-based email addresses (info@, sales@): should you email them?

A role-based address is tied to a function rather than a person: info@, sales@, support@, admin@, billing@, contact@, hello@. Mail to these usually lands in a shared inbox or a ticketing system.

Why they are treated as risky

Role accounts are not invalid, and plenty of real business happens through them. But they carry more risk than a personal address:

• Lower engagement. A shared inbox is a poor place for a newsletter.
• Higher complaint rate. When several people can see a message, any of them can click "report spam".
• No consent from an individual. The person who signed up may not be the person reading the inbox.
• Auto-responders and ticket systems can bounce back or reply automatically, which is noise.

Some email platforms refuse to send marketing to role addresses at all, so check your provider's policy.

When it's fine to use them

• Transactional mail. Invoices and account notices to billing@ are expected.
• One-to-one sales outreach, where you are addressing a company and a reply is welcome.
• B2B accounts where the buyer legitimately provides a team address.

When to avoid them

• Bulk marketing and newsletters.
• Long automated nurture sequences.
• Anything where unsubscribes and complaints are tracked against your reputation.

What to do on your list

1. Flag role addresses rather than deleting them. Mailsure marks them as role: true and lowers the score slightly.
2. Segment them away from your main sends.
3. Ask for a personal address at signup if the person is supposed to be the audience.

Which prefixes count?

Common ones include abuse, admin, billing, contact, help, hello, info, marketing, noreply, office, postmaster, sales, support and webmaster. Some of these, like abuse@ and postmaster@, are also required by internet standards and take complaints seriously, which is one more reason not to mass-mail them.

Related: email list hygiene and what a catch-all domain means.