USPS Informed Delivery for Businesses

How direct mailers can pair physical mail with a free digital campaign — and why it works for Hudson Valley businesses.

What Is USPS Informed Delivery?

USPS Informed Delivery is a free service that sends enrolled consumers a daily email — and mobile app notification — showing grayscale scans of letter-sized mail pieces scheduled for delivery that day. Over 60 million Americans have enrolled. For a direct mailer, that means your mail piece gets a digital preview before it even arrives in the mailbox.

Beyond the consumer preview, USPS offers businesses a free Informed Delivery campaign feature: you can pair your physical mailing with a full-color image and clickable URL that appears alongside the grayscale scan in every enrolled recipient's inbox. It's essentially a free digital ad that rides alongside your direct mail campaign — delivered to people already expecting your piece.

The Consumer Side

Enrolled USPS customers receive a morning email showing grayscale scans of that day's incoming mail. They can see what's arriving before leaving for work — and interact with digital campaigns embedded in the email.

The Business Side

Mailers who run an Informed Delivery campaign add a color Ride-Along image and clickable URL to their mailing. Enrolled recipients see it in the daily email before the physical piece arrives — extending your reach to the digital channel at no added postage cost.

How Informed Delivery Campaigns Work

Setting up an Informed Delivery campaign requires coordinating the physical mailing with the USPS digital system. Here's how the process works:

Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb)

Your mailpiece must include an Intelligent Mail barcode. The IMb links each physical mail piece to the digital campaign in the USPS system. Cornerstone includes IMb on all presorted mailings as standard practice.

Create Your Campaign in USPS Business Customer Gateway

Log in to the USPS Business Customer Gateway and navigate to Informed Delivery. Create a new campaign, set the mailing date window, and upload your Ride-Along content — a color image (up to 200x200px for Representative Image, or a larger Supplemental Content image) and destination URL.

Upload Ride-Along Creative

The Ride-Along image is the full-color version of your mailpiece front or a branded promotional image. USPS displays it directly below the grayscale scan in the daily digest email. A clickable URL drives recipients to your landing page, offer, or RSVP form.

Submit Before Your Mail Drop Date

The campaign must be submitted and approved in the USPS system before your mailing is entered at the Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU). Cornerstone coordinates timing so your campaign is live before the mail drops.

Track Results

USPS provides campaign analytics: email delivery counts, click-through rates, and engagement data by day. This gives physical mail the kind of digital measurement marketers are accustomed to — something standard postage alone cannot offer.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Mail Classes

• First-Class Mail letters and flats with IMb
• USPS Marketing Mail letters with IMb
• Nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail letters with IMb

Packages, flats without IMb, and EDDM Retail are not eligible for Informed Delivery campaigns.

Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb)

The IMb is a 65-bar barcode that encodes the mail class, mailing ID, serial number, and delivery point. It's required for automation pricing on Marketing Mail — and it's also what links your physical piece to the Informed Delivery campaign in the USPS system. Cornerstone applies IMb to all presorted mailings as standard. If you're printing in-house, verify your addressing software produces a valid, unique IMb sequence before submitting a campaign.

Mailpiece Dimensions

Informed Delivery scans letter-sized mail pieces. Your piece must fall within letter dimensions (min 3.5" x 5", max 6.125" x 11.5") to generate a grayscale scan. Oversized flats and self-mailers outside these dimensions may not generate a scan, reducing the visibility of your campaign. See our envelope and mailpiece size guide for dimension reference.

Why Add Informed Delivery to Your Mailing?

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Pre-arrival touchpoint

Recipients see your mail in their email inbox before it arrives in their physical mailbox — a second brand impression at no additional postage cost.

🖱️

Digital click tracking

The Ride-Along URL is tracked by USPS. You can measure click-through rates on your physical mailing, giving direct mail the analytics layer that email marketers expect.

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Drives faster action

Recipients who see the digital preview and the physical piece convert at higher rates than physical mail alone. The dual-channel exposure — email then mailbox — reinforces your call to action.

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Free with your existing mailing

Informed Delivery campaigns are offered by USPS at no additional postage. The only investment is the creative asset and 30 minutes to set up the campaign in the USPS portal.

Hudson Valley Use Case

A Kingston-area nonprofit running a fundraising appeal in Ulster County can pair their Marketing Mail mailing with an Informed Delivery campaign. Enrolled subscribers see a full-color version of the appeal and a donation link in their morning email — before the physical letter arrives. Cornerstone sets up IMb addressing, presorts the mailing, and coordinates timing so the digital campaign is live before the BMEU drop.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is USPS Informed Delivery?

USPS Informed Delivery is a free consumer service that sends daily email and app notifications showing grayscale scans of incoming letter-sized mail pieces. Over 60 million Americans have enrolled. Businesses can pair physical mailings with a full-color digital campaign that appears alongside the grayscale scan.

Does Informed Delivery cost extra?

For consumers, Informed Delivery is completely free. For businesses running an Informed Delivery campaign (adding digital content to a mailing), there is no additional USPS postage fee — you pay the standard postage for the mail class and set up the digital campaign at no added cost through the USPS Business Customer Gateway.

What mail classes are eligible for Informed Delivery campaigns?

First-Class Mail letters, USPS Marketing Mail letters, and Nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail letters are eligible for Informed Delivery campaigns. The mailpiece must include an Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) to be associated with the digital campaign.

What is Ride-Along content?

Ride-Along content is the color image and clickable URL that appears in the Informed Delivery email alongside the grayscale scan of your mailpiece. It can be a full-color version of the mailpiece front, a promotional image, or a branded creative — giving recipients a reason to engage before the physical piece arrives.

How does Cornerstone help with Informed Delivery?

Cornerstone handles the full mailing — design, printing, addressing with Intelligent Mail barcodes, presort, and postage. For Informed Delivery campaigns, we can coordinate Ride-Along creative specs, ensure your mailpiece qualifies (correct dimensions, IMb placement), and guide you through campaign setup in the USPS Business Customer Gateway.

Sean Griffen

Owner, Cornerstone Services · Hudson Valley direct mail since 1998 · Reviewed February 2026

Informed Delivery campaign specifications and eligibility sourced from USPS Informed Delivery for Businesses and the USPS Business Customer Gateway. Features subject to change.

Ready to Add Informed Delivery to Your Next Mailing?

Cornerstone handles the full mailing — including IMb addressing, presort, and BMEU entry. We'll make sure your piece qualifies and coordinate timing so your Informed Delivery campaign is live before the mail drops.

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