Yes, GDPR applies to any business that collects or processes the personal data of individuals residing in the EU, regardless of where the business is located. If you send emails to EU citizens, you must comply with GDPR regulations.

GDPR affects email marketing by requiring businesses to obtain explicit consent from individuals before adding them to an email list. It also mandates that individuals have the right to access their data, request corrections, or ask for their data to be deleted. Failure to meet these requirements can result in legal consequences.

Under GDPR, you must obtain explicit, informed consent from individuals before collecting their personal data. This means they must be fully aware of how their data will be used and must actively agree to it (e.g., by checking an unchecked box). Pre-ticked boxes or implied consent is not allowed under GDPR.

GDPR requires that you only send emails to individuals who have given explicit consent. Email verification helps ensure that your list contains only valid, active email addresses, reducing the risk of contacting users who haven’t consented to receiving your messages.

Non-compliance with GDPR can result in hefty fines—up to €20 million or 4% of your company’s global revenue, whichever is higher. Beyond the financial penalties, non-compliance can damage your reputation and erode trust with your customers.

GDPR grants individuals several rights, including the right to access their personal data, request corrections, and ask for their data to be deleted (also known as the "right to be forgotten"). They can also object to their data being used for marketing purposes.

To ensure GDPR compliance, you should:

Obtain explicit consent from your subscribers before adding them to your list.
Clearly communicate how their data will be used.
Allow individuals to unsubscribe easily and provide them with access to their data upon request.
Regularly clean and verify your email list to remove inactive or non-consenting users.

Under GDPR, you may send marketing emails to existing customers if they have made a purchase or shown interest in your products, but only if you provided them with a clear option to opt-out at the time of data collection. Even in this case, it’s recommended to obtain explicit consent.

GDPR requires businesses to implement robust data security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, breaches, and misuse. This includes encryption, secure storage practices, and regular audits to ensure compliance with data protection standards.