When you’re sending an email, it’s important to use the CC and BCC fields correctly. You can ensure that everyone who needs to read your email does so by using these two fields to keep it structured. But if you use them improperly, you might end up confusing someone or even upsetting them.
Why are CC and BCC used?
The abbreviation CC stands for “carbon copy.” Even though the person you added to the CC area will receive a copy of your email, they won’t be able to respond to it unless you give them permission to do so.
The acronym BCC stands for “blind carbon copy.” When you add someone to the BCC field, they will still receive a copy of the email, but the other recipients won’t see their email address. This is helpful if you want to protect the confidentiality of someone’s email address or if you want to send an email to a lot of people without clogging up their inboxes.
Guidelines for using CC and BCC
Do’s
- To keep people informed, use CC. Use the CC box to notify the other recipients if you’re sending an email to a group of people, but not all of them need to be allowed to respond.
- To safeguard your anonymity, use BCC. Use the BCC field when sending emails to a large group of people if you don’t want their email addresses to be exposed to one another.
- Before CCing or BCCing someone, get their permission. It is always preferable to get their consent before including someone in an email if you are unsure of their desire.
Dont’s
- CC or BCC might be used to conceal oneself. Don’t CC or BCC someone on an email if you want to prevent them from responding. Simply put, this is unprofessional and disrespectful.
- Don’t add recipients who haven’t requested inclusion in a mass email using the CC or BCC fields. This is seen as spam, and it’s a surefire way to have your email address added to a blacklist.
- To disseminate rumors, use CC or BCC. Never use the CC or BCC fields in an email that contains rumors or private information. If word gets out, this can get you in trouble.
You can keep your email organized and make sure that everyone who needs to see it does so by properly using CC and BCC. But if you use them improperly, you might end up confusing someone or even upsetting them. By following the dos and don’ts outlined in this article, you can use CC and BCC effectively and professionally.
