CC is all over the place in electronic mail, but many individuals aren’t positive precisely the way it works.
This publish explains what CC stands for, how you can use it, when it’s greatest to keep away from it, the way it compares to BCC, and a few greatest practices for getting it proper.
What Is CC in an E-mail?
CC stands for “carbon copy” and is used to ship a duplicate of an electronic mail to somebody who isn’t the primary recipient however nonetheless must be knowledgeable.
Everybody within the To and CC fields can see the e-mail and who else obtained it.
The time period comes from the times of typewriters, when carbon paper was used to duplicate letters. In electronic mail, CC serves as a clear option to embrace secondary recipients.
When Ought to You Use CC in an E-mail?
Use CC if you need to preserve somebody knowledgeable with out requiring them to take motion.
For instance:
- Sending a undertaking replace to a consumer and CC’ing your supervisor.
- Emailing a vendor and CC’ing a colleague for future follow-up.
- Sharing info with stakeholders for transparency.
When Ought to You Keep away from Utilizing CC?
Keep away from CC when the individual doesn’t want the data, when the content material is delicate, or if you’re making an attempt to get their direct consideration.
As a substitute of CC, use the To area for major recipients or BCC for privateness. This retains inbox litter to a minimal and ensures your electronic mail reaches solely those that want it.
The place to Discover the CC Perform in E-mail?
The CC choice is normally proper subsequent to or underneath the To area in your electronic mail composer.
For instance, in Gmail, yow will discover the “CC” hyperlink to the appropriate of the To area.


In most cell electronic mail apps, faucet the arrow or “Extra fields” choice to reveal CC.
As soon as the CC area seems, kind the recipient’s electronic mail deal with, and so they’ll get a duplicate of your message.
What’s the Distinction Between CC and BCC?
CC is seen to all recipients; BCC is hidden.
Whenever you CC somebody, everybody can see they obtained the e-mail. Whenever you BCC somebody, solely they know they received it, however different recipients don’t know.
Use BCC when privateness is necessary, equivalent to sending a e-newsletter to a number of subscribers.
Does CC Imply You Need to Reply?
Not essentially.
Being CC’d normally means you’re included for consciousness, not motion. Until the sender particularly asks for enter, you may merely learn and file the e-mail. This helps stop pointless “reply all” threads.
What Are Some Finest Practices for Utilizing CC?
- Be selective: CC solely those that genuinely want the data.
- Defend privateness: Use BCC when you’re sharing electronic mail addresses with unrelated recipients.
- Reduce noise: Keep away from creating giant CC lists except important.
- Make clear expectations: Let CC’d recipients know if motion is required.
Why Is CC Necessary for Enterprise Communication?
CC helps keep transparency, retains data accessible, and ensures that the appropriate persons are knowledgeable with out including further steps. In enterprise, it’s a option to preserve groups aligned and keep away from miscommunication.
When used correctly, CC can enhance workflow and decision-making by ensuring info is shared brazenly with the appropriate stakeholders.
CC: Easy Instrument, Large Influence
CC is an easy but highly effective electronic mail characteristic that, when used thoughtfully, improves communication and makes positive the appropriate folks keep knowledgeable. Overuse, nonetheless, can result in inbox litter and pointless noise.
If you wish to transcend the fundamentals and construct a high-quality electronic mail listing that reaches the appropriate viewers each time, OptinMonster might help you create focused campaigns that make each message rely.
Disclosure: Our content material is reader-supported. This implies when you click on on a few of our hyperlinks, then we might earn a fee. We solely advocate merchandise that we imagine will add worth to our readers.