What does BCC mean in an email?

BCC in email means “Blind Carbon Copy.” It hides the recipient’s email address when sending a message to a group. This way, you keep your mailing list confidential. More security is the result. It lowers the risk of someone adding these email addresses to a spam mailing list.

Do you want to know how to use it? Read on!

The benefits of using BCC

Half the Earth’s population uses email. So, there’s a lot for you to gain by using your webmail’s features properly. Now that you know what BCC means in email, you need to learn why you should use it and what might happen if you don’t.

1. Increases security

If hackers find an email address, they can try to discover its password, leading to people’s private information getting stolen. There’s no guarantee that this situation will happen, but it’s best not to risk it. Use BCC to keep people from discovering your client’s email addresses.

2. Ensures privacy

Even if these emails don’t get hacked, malicious individuals can subscribe to your newsletter, for example. If you don’t use BCC, they can collect all your email addresses and send them things like these below:

What BCC helps prevent

• Phishing emails
• Malware
• Other forms of spam

3. More convenient

BCC blocks the “reply all” option, which is paramount for your client’s convenience. Suppose you’re sending an email marketing campaign to thousands of people. Imagine if only 1% of them decide to “reply all.” BCC prevents these unwanted replies from reaching your clients.

4. Makes your message more personal

Many people may think that you sent an email directly to them instead of sending it to a group of people since BCC hides the other recipients. A personalized taste can go a long way in gaining your client’s trust. It’s even better if you use a tool that adds their name to the email’s greeting.

The difference between BCC and CC

CC and BCC send an email to recipients. But CC recipients are visible to others, while BCC ones aren’t. Also, CC allows recipients to “reply all.” BCC doesn’t. Knowing when to use each is critical to email etiquette.

It’s best to use CC when you merely wish to notify someone that you’ve sent a message. For example, if you need to send an invoice, you can CC your boss so he knows you’ve done it. 

Many email providers allow you to put several people in a message’s “To” list, but it’s better to use it only for the people who are the message’s target. If you only wish to notify someone else, like in the example above, leave those secondary recipients in the CC.

What does “always BCC myself” mean in email?

BCC yourself on emails you wish to follow up on later. After you send it, you’ll receive a copy. Since you’ve BCC’ed yourself, other people won’t know you’re also a recipient. This measure helps you keep track of important messages.