If you have read our series on email-marketing improvement tips then you have a bad-ass list, killer subject lines, and a solid success-measuring strategy—but none of those matter if nobody receives your emails. Spam filters are the Achilles heel of email marketers, but there are ways to beat them and increase your email deliverability and open rates.
Here are 11 techniques to getting past the email door-keeping spam filters:
1. Use a Double Opt-in Technique
Many email marketers assume that once someone opts-into their list their job is done. But that magical little box on your website isn’t enough to ensure that your future emails are received. Sending an email confirmation link is vital to ensuring your future emails whizz by their spam filters.
2. Add a White List Reminder
When your users enter their email into your subscription box don’t forget to add a reminder asking them to manually add your email address to their white list (their email’s ‘safe’ list). In addition, on your confirmation email for your double opt-in technique include another white list reminder.
3. Include an Unsubscribe Link
Spam filters have become so finely-tuned that they value emails with unsubscribe options greater than those that don’t. Include also your web and physical address.
4. Use the Recipients’ Names
Emails that are addressed generically are easily flagged by spam protectors. When your subscriber initially subscribed you should have had a place to enter their name as well as their email, alternatively the email list you purchased should have the users’ names—so use their name. Addressing your emails personally will also help with your open and read-through rates.
5. Use Both HTML and Plain-Text Versions
Offering both HTML and plain-text versions increases the legitimacy of your emails in the eyes of ISPs. As an added bonus, this also makes your content more user-friendly.
6. Keep your Emails Short
Adding too much copy gets your email flagged as spam. It will also discourage your readers. So instead keep them short and to the point with teasers to get the reader to click through.
7. Use the Current Date
Most email marketers use evergreen content, a technique that makes them easier to catch by the spam police. Using the current date within the body of your email will help show the spam nazis that your content is current and relevant.
8. Do Test Emails
Many email marketers are too lazy to send off test emails, but this can help get you by the initial spam filtering and safely onto their safe list.
9. Get an Email Sender Accreditation
An email sender accreditation from a third-party ISP is by far the best thing you can do to show legitimacy with other ISPs.
10. Monitor your Sender Reputation
Using a sender reputation monitoring tool like DNSstuff.com will keep you in the loop as to what ISPs have added you to their blacklisted senders list. Many email marketers continue to send-away without even knowing their status. Especially noobs.
11. Stay Up-To-Date with Email Marketing News
The email-marketing game is constantly changing thanks to new ISP technologies, spam filter additions and email law. If you keep abreast of what is going on in the industry it will keep you ahead of the game. To do this you can create a Google Alert for email marketing and add MarketingResourceIndex to your RSS Feed or subscribe by email (email marketers should like this option).
Getting by spam filters isn’t rocket science, but it is still a finely-tuned artform. Keep checking back with us for more news and tips.
Robin Wilding is a professionally trained Canadian journalist striving to bring journalistic-era intergity to online media. She has a second degree in Political Science--with a focus on International Relations and the developing world. Currently Robin is a contributor to several technology publications, including Brajeshwar.com, SocialTechnologyReview.com, HostingIndustryWatch.com, AnimationCareerReview.com and CompareBusinessProducts.com. She also works for several web developers; and does ghost writing for several high level executives within the technology sector. Robin's work is showcased in her portfolio: http://shownd.com/robinwilding
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