Aastha Shaw / Updated: July 15, 2025

8 ActiveCampaign User Scenarios and Ways to Optimize Them

Emails continue to deliver the highest ROI among digital marketing channels—and in 2025, ActiveCampaign CRM remains one of the most trusted for automation, email marketing, and customer lifecycle management.

But success isn’t guaranteed.

With tightened spam filters, shifting algorithms, and increased sender scrutiny by ISPs and ESPs,campaign performance is getting harder to maintain.

That’s why even experienced marketers are asking:

"Why are my campaigns still underperforming?"
"Why do automations keep breaking?"
"Why are Outlook emails disappearing while Gmail works fine?"

If you're nodding along, you’re not alone.

Here's a breakdown of the most common ActiveCampaign pain points reported across user forums and communities—and the actionable reasons behind them.

Table of Content:

● Common ActiveCampaign User Problems

1. Emails Reach Gmail But Not Outlook/Hotmail
2. Open Rates Drop Even After List Validation
3. Automations Delayed or Not Triggering
4. Inconsistent Tag/Field Usage Breaking Segments
5. High Bounce Rates Even After List Cleaning
6. ActiveCampaign’s Learning Curve is Still Steep
7. Reporting Doesn’t Explain What’s Wrong
8. Too Many Inactive or Unqualified Leads Inflate CRM Tiers

● Final Takeaway: Keep Your ActiveCampaign CRM Clean, Smart, and Efficient
● FAQ by ActiveCampaign User

Common ActiveCampaign User Problems

1. Emails Reach Gmail But Not Outlook/Hotmail

What Users Say:

On Reddit threads like r/emailmarketing, users report strong performance on Gmail but nearly no engagement on Outlook/Hotmail. The issue is more prominent in B2B lists.

Why This Happens:

Microsoft’s spam filters (including Outlook, Hotmail, Live, MSN) are more aggressive than Google’s. They penalize:

Low sender reputation
Use of catch-all domains
Low engagement rates
Suspicious or high-volume bursts

How to Fix It:

Segment Outlook/Hotmail addresses into a separate list
Reduce send frequency or start with lower volume to build trust
Avoid aggressive CTAs in first sends (limit links, images)
Run inbox placement tests with tools like GlockApps.
Use a warm-up strategy to build engagement on Microsoft inboxes

2. Open Rates Drop Even After List Validation

What Users Say:

G2 and Capterra reviewers say things like: “We verified our list but our open rate still plummeted from 22% to 6%. We didn’t know why.”

Why This Happens:

Basic validation confirms email existence, not engagement potential. If your emails are going to inboxes no one opens (e.g., role accounts, disengaged users), your sender score will fall.

How to Fix It:

Use a real-time email verifier like Clearout that performs 20 real-time checks with 99% accuracy
Implement engagement-based segmentation
Suppress contacts inactive for >90 days
Run A/B tests across copy, sender names, and send time
Use predictive engagement scoring inside ActiveCampaign

3. Automations Delayed or Not Triggering

What Users Say:

Many ActiveCampaign users report that contacts enter workflows, but emails fail to fire or trigger at the wrong time. This often happens in welcome series or drip sequences.

Why This Happens:

Automations begin before contact data (like email validity) is fully processed. Sometimes, conditional logic also fails due to incomplete or incorrectly mapped fields

How to Fix It:

Use conditional splits based on status or verification fields
Monitor execution logs in ActiveCampaign regularly
Add wait steps to allow field updates before evaluating conditions

4. Inconsistent Tag/Field Usage Breaking Segments

What Users Say:

Common complaints include “segmentation failing mid-campaign” and “filters returning zero contacts despite having verified users.”

Segmentation condition forActiveCampaign Email Marketing

Why This Happens:

Field names are inconsistent (e.g., "Email_Status" vs. "Verified_Email")
Tags differ between automations and lists
Mapping isn't documented or enforced across teams

Solution:

Standardize field and tag naming conventions across your account
Document what each tag means and where it’s applied
Audit automations monthly to fix broken logic

5. High Bounce Rates Even After List Cleaning

What Users Say:

Some users report bounce rates as high as 10% even after using a popular verifier. This causes ActiveCampaign account warnings or deliverability restrictions.

Why This Happens:

Many tools mark catch-all and role-based emails as “safe”
Disposable or spamtrap emails are missed
High-risk addresses skew metrics and invite ISP filtering

Solution:

Use a score-based verifier before import, not just after
Suppress catch-all and disposable domains unless confirmed warm
Combine suppression with re-engagement or warming campaigns

Where Clearout Helps:

Provides AI-powered bulk email verification with enhanced filtering for catch-all, disposable, role-based, and gibberish emails
Gives actionable AI insights and Guaranteed Deliverables for minimizing bounce rates
Ideal for periodic database cleanup, especially before major campaign launches

6. ActiveCampaign’s Learning Curve is Still Steep

What Users Say:

New users on Quora and Reddit say: “Powerful, but overwhelming.” Common problems include:

Confusing automation builder
Difficulty managing tags and lists
Limited default reporting options

How to Fix It:

Start with pre-built automation templates from the marketplace
Use ActiveCampaign University or community webinars
Keep contact structure simple: 1 list, tags for behavior/status
Use native integrations and tools like Zapier or Make for visual triggers and error recovery

7. Reporting Doesn’t Explain What’s Wrong

What Users Say:

Many users across G2, Reddit, and community forums agree that ActiveCampaign's reporting capabilities feel too basic when it comes to diagnosing automation or campaign issues.

Why This Happens:

ActiveCampaign's default reports show opens, clicks, and unsubscribes—but lack detailed attribution or diagnostic views. There’s limited transparency on:

Which logic path contacts took
Why certain steps were skipped
Whether external conditions (e.g., email status, engagement history) blocked delivery

How to Fix It:

Custom Logging: Add custom fields to track milestones like entered_flow, email_verified, or last_action_taken. This creates a visible path for every contact
Google Analytics UTM Parameters: Use UTM tagging in emails to trace engagement and conversion through your website analytics
Inbox Testing: Tools like Mail-Tester or GlockApps let you test deliverability before launch, helping identify issues tied to domain/IP reputation
Automation Reporting Filters: Use the “view path” option within automation reports to analyze contact journeys and identify blocks

8. Too Many Inactive or Unqualified Leads Inflate CRM Tiers

What Users Say:

One of the most pressing concerns for marketing teams using ActiveCampaign is the rapid escalation of platform costs—often driven by high volumes of inactive or low-quality contacts.

Why This Happens:

ActiveCampaign pricing tiers are based on the total number of contacts, not just active ones. If your list includes unverified signups, fake contacts, or old leads who haven't opened anything in months, you're likely overspending.

How to Solve:

Remove contacts who haven’t opened any email in 90+ days
Use sunset automations to re-engage or remove users
Export dormant users quarterly and re-import only if they return via forms

Where Clearout Helps:

Helps control list growth by verifying new contacts at the point of entry
Prevents fake or incomplete signups that inflate your contact count unnecessarily

👉 Get Clearout’s FormGuard for Email, Phone & Name Verification all at once at point of capture!

Final Takeaway: Keep Your ActiveCampaign CRM Clean, Smart, and Efficient

ActiveCampaign offers advanced marketing automation capabilities, but long-term success depends on the quality of the data that powers it. Automations, personalization, and segmentation all hinge on the accuracy and relevance of your contact records.

Tools like Clearout aren’t magic bullets—but they do play a vital role in keeping your CRM lean and your campaigns efficient by helping with two key things:

✅ Real-time validation key lead data at the point of capture

✅ Safe and intelligent bulk email list cleanup before campaign launches

Beyond that, maintaining high performance requires consistent marketing hygiene, accurate tagging, and a proactive approach to engagement.

Looking to reduce bounces, save on contact tier costs, and improve inbox placement?

Start with a free list cleaning using Clearout
Easy integration with ActiveCampaign via Direct API and automation actions
Real-time contact validation with customizable verification results
Automated workflows triggered at form submission or list subscription
Focus your energy on converting qualified leads—not cleaning up after flawed workflows

A cleaner CRM means better decisions, better segmentation, and better outcomes. Make your automations work for you—not against you.

FAQ by ActiveCampaign User

Q1. Why are my ActiveCampaign emails landing in spam, especially on Outlook or Hotmail?

If your Active Campaign emails are landing in spam on Outlook/Hotmail but not Gmail, it’s often due to low engagement history, sudden spikes in volume, or emails sent to catch-all or risky domains. Use inbox placement testing tools and segment high-risk domains separately to warm them up.

Q2. How can I reduce bounce rates even after verifying emails?

Bounce rates remain high when role-based, disposable, or catch-all emails are marked “safe” but still not deliverable. Use score-based email verification Clearout and re-segment your audience by deliverability score. Always clean your list before every major campaign.

Q3. Why don’t my automations trigger even though contacts are entering them?

This usually happens when contact data (like email validity or custom field values) isn’t ready at the moment the automation starts. Add a short wait step, ensure verification is complete, and validate that conditionals are configured using the correct field names.

Q4. How do I keep my ActiveCampaign tags and fields organized across multiple workflows?

Create a standardized naming convention for tags and custom fields (e.g., clearout_score, user_status, source_form). Document usage in a shared internal guide and periodically audit your automation conditions for consistency.

Q5. What’s the best way to clean up my ActiveCampaign database?

Start by exporting and verifying your contact list with a tool like Clearout. Remove invalid, role-based, or spam-trap addresses. Suppress unengaged users (no opens/clicks in 90+ days), and build re-engagement flows before deleting them.

Q6. How can I stop paying for unengaged or fake leads?

Use real-time verification on your lead capture forms to stop fake or incomplete data from entering your CRM. Combine this with sunset policies to automatically suppress or delete leads who don’t engage over time.

Q7. Why are my open rates dropping suddenly even when nothing changed?

Email providers now prioritize engagement history over sender reputation alone. If your audience stops opening your emails—even valid ones—your future sends may go to spam. Segment based on past interactions and test your content and timing.

Q8. Can I use Clearout to verify phone numbers and names too?

Yes. Clearout’s real-time JavaScript widget supports verification of email, phone number, and name fields at the point of capture. This ensures cleaner data, fewer fake leads, and better automation performance inside ActiveCampaign.

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8 ActiveCampaign User Scenarios and Ways to Optimize Them

Table of Content:

Common ActiveCampaign User Problems

1. Emails Reach Gmail But Not Outlook/Hotmail

2. Open Rates Drop Even After List Validation

3. Automations Delayed or Not Triggering

4. Inconsistent Tag/Field Usage Breaking Segments

5. High Bounce Rates Even After List Cleaning

6. ActiveCampaign’s Learning Curve is Still Steep

7. Reporting Doesn’t Explain What’s Wrong

8. Too Many Inactive or Unqualified Leads Inflate CRM Tiers

Final Takeaway: Keep Your ActiveCampaign CRM Clean, Smart, and Efficient

FAQ by ActiveCampaign User

Q1. Why are my ActiveCampaign emails landing in spam, especially on Outlook or Hotmail?

Q2. How can I reduce bounce rates even after verifying emails?

Q3. Why don’t my automations trigger even though contacts are entering them?

Q4. How do I keep my ActiveCampaign tags and fields organized across multiple workflows?

Q5. What’s the best way to clean up my ActiveCampaign database?

Q6. How can I stop paying for unengaged or fake leads?

Q7. Why are my open rates dropping suddenly even when nothing changed?

Q8. Can I use Clearout to verify phone numbers and names too?

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