Do Your Marketing Emails Keep Going to Spam? Try this instead.

I just did a 3-week email marketing campaign targeting individuals who attended a series of events my company sponsored. One email a week, for three weeks, targeting 23,000 people. Overall, great numbers; we had 198 products purchased, averaged a 15% open rate and 2% click-through rate. This campaign was a Hail Mary to catch some low-hanging fruit, but one of the comments we received internally was "I completely missed the email, it was in my Spam folder."

Even in 2024, email marketing remains a powerful tool for businesses to connect with their audience, and is typically very cost-effective (for us, this campaign was basically free). However, getting your marketing emails into your subscribers' inboxes is often easier said than done. With spam filters becoming increasingly sophisticated, it's crucial to understand the best practices for ensuring your emails are seen and not banished to the dreaded spam folder. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore strategies to improve email deliverability and maximize the impact of your email marketing campaigns.

Understanding Spam Filters

Spam filters are designed to protect users from unwanted or harmful emails. They use a variety of criteria to determine whether an email should be classified as spam, including:

• Content Analysis: Scanning for specific words and phrases that are commonly associated with spam. These can include keywords in the following categories:

  • Free: "Free gift," "Free trial," "Free access"

  • Urgency: "Act now," "Urgent," "Limited time," "Don't miss out"

  • Money-related: "Make money," "Earn cash," "Extra income," "Increase sales"

  • Promotional language: "Buy now," "Order today," "Special promotion," "Lowest price"

  • Exaggeration: "Guaranteed," "100%," "Best price," "Risk-free"

  • Personal finance: "Credit," "Loan," "Debt relief," "Investment"

  • Shady practices: "Click here," "No cost," "Winner," "Congratulations"

• Sender Reputation: Evaluating the historical behavior of the sender’s email domain and IP address.

• Engagement Metrics: Monitoring how recipients interact with emails from the sender (e.g., open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates).

With this understanding, let's dive into the actionable steps you can take to keep your marketing emails out of spam folders.

1. Build a Quality Email List

The foundation of successful email marketing is a high-quality email list. Here’s how to build and maintain one:

• Opt-In Forms: Use double opt-in forms to ensure that the people who subscribe to your list genuinely want to receive your emails. This also helps verify that the email addresses are valid.

• Clean Your List Regularly: Periodically remove inactive subscribers and invalid email addresses. This helps maintain a healthy engagement rate and reduces the risk of being flagged by spam filters.

• Segment Your List: Segment your audience based on demographics, behavior, and preferences. This allows you to send more targeted and relevant emails, increasing engagement and reducing the likelihood of your emails being marked as spam.

2. Craft Engaging and Relevant Content

Content is king, and in the context of email marketing, it’s the key to keeping your emails out of the spam folder. Follow these guidelines:

• Personalize Your Emails: Use personalization techniques such as including the recipient’s name and tailoring content to their interests. Personalized emails are more likely to be opened and less likely to be marked as spam.

• Avoid Spam Trigger Words: Words and phrases like "Free," "Buy now," "Act now," and "Limited time offer" can trigger spam filters. Use them sparingly and in a context that feels natural.

• Provide Value: Ensure that your emails provide genuine value to your subscribers, whether it’s through informative content, exclusive offers, or useful tips. Valuable content encourages higher engagement rates.

3. Optimize Email Design and Formatting

The design and formatting of your emails can also impact deliverability. Keep these tips in mind:

• Responsive Design: Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly. A significant portion of emails are opened on mobile devices, and poor mobile design can lead to low engagement and higher spam complaints.

• Clear and Concise Subject Lines: Your subject line should be clear, concise, and relevant to the content of the email. Avoid using all caps or excessive punctuation, as these can trigger spam filters.

• Balance Text and Images: A good text-to-image ratio is crucial. Emails with too many images or very little text are often flagged as spam. Aim for a balance that supports your message without overwhelming the recipient.

4. Authenticate Your Emails

Email authentication helps establish your legitimacy as a sender and improves your chances of reaching the inbox. Implement the following protocols:

• SPF (Sender Policy Framework): SPF helps prevent spammers from sending emails on behalf of your domain. By specifying which mail servers are allowed to send emails from your domain, you can enhance your sender reputation.

• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails, which allows receiving servers to verify that the email hasn’t been altered in transit and that it was sent by an authorized sender.

• DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): DMARC builds on SPF and DKIM, allowing you to instruct email receivers on how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks. It also provides feedback on email authentication failures, helping you improve your email security.

5. Monitor Your Sender Reputation

Your sender reputation is a critical factor in email deliverability. Here’s how to monitor and improve it:

• Use a Dedicated IP Address: If your email volume is high enough, using a dedicated IP address can help you control your sender reputation. Shared IP addresses can be problematic if other users are sending spam.

• Monitor Blacklists: Regularly check if your domain or IP address is listed on any email blacklists. If you find yourself on a blacklist, take immediate steps to address the issues and request removal.

• Engage with Your Audience: High engagement rates improve your sender reputation. Encourage recipients to add you to their address book, and ask them to whitelist your email address.

6. Pay Attention to Technical Details

Technical aspects of email sending can also influence deliverability. Consider the following:

• Email Sending Frequency: Avoid sending too many emails in a short period. Spamming your subscribers can lead to higher unsubscribe rates and spam complaints.

• Use a Reputable Email Service Provider (ESP): A good ESP will have robust deliverability tools and practices in place to help ensure your emails reach their intended recipients.

• Test Before Sending: Use tools to test your emails for spam triggers and deliverability issues before you send them out. This allows you to make necessary adjustments and improve your chances of inbox placement.

7. Encourage Interaction and Feedback

Engaging your audience and encouraging interaction can significantly enhance your email deliverability. Here’s how:

• Include Clear Call-to-Actions (CTAs): Encourage recipients to click on links, reply to your emails, or share your content. Interactive emails are less likely to be marked as spam.

• Request Feedback: Ask your subscribers for feedback on the content and frequency of your emails. This not only shows that you value their opinion but also helps you tailor your emails to better meet their expectations.

• Monitor Engagement Metrics: Keep an eye on metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates. High engagement rates signal to email providers that your emails are wanted and relevant.

Keeping your marketing emails out of spam folders requires a combination of best practices, technical know-how, and ongoing vigilance. By building a high-quality email list, crafting engaging content, optimizing email design, authenticating your emails, monitoring your sender reputation, paying attention to technical details, and encouraging interaction, you can significantly improve your email deliverability. Remember, successful email marketing is not just about reaching the inbox but also about fostering a positive and valuable relationship with your subscribers. With these strategies in place, you’ll be well on your way to achieving email marketing success.