Is your 2015 New Years Resolution to keep more emails in the inbox and out of spam folders? It should be.
Here are 10 easy ways to keep more of your emails away from spam filters:
Stop Screaming. Also known as, STOP USING ALL CAPS. Using all caps in your subject line is like yelling through email – and it screams JUNK MAIL.
One Image Wonder. If the content of your email is nothing but one large graphic, it can’t get read by spam filters (same idea for website SEO). If they can’t read it, they can’t determine what it is, and they assume you’re up to no good.
Bad Lists. You may not think they know, but they do. If you consistently send email campaigns to outdated, purchased, or otherwise unengaged lists – you are sure to find yourself on your ISP’s naugty list. Be sure to keep your subsciber list current, segmented, and engaged.
Domain Customization. Instead of using the crazy default domains provided by the email marketing service for your email address, links, and images, customize them so that they match your actual domain information. This helps convince spam filters that you’re not trying to trick anyone. (more about this here)
If It Sounds Spammy, It Is. Free money back guarantee pay you to work from home make a million dollars a day working less than an hour!!! Spam. Even if you really are offering a legitimate guarantee or free offer, be creative in your wording to avoid common spam catch-phrases.
Dual Version. Include a text version of your email along with the HTML format, and make sure they are consistent.
Be Professional. Don’t overuse punctuation, dollar signs, or strangely formated/colored text. Yes, that means that you really shouldn’t type your Christmas Email in red and green letters. Seriously, please don’t.
Link Wisely. Don’t overdo it with the links in your email, and be especially careful when linking to websites outside of your domain or to pages that redirect somewhere else.
Say No To Outside Code. While some programs like Microsoft Word may tempt you with the ability to generate the HTML version of a document, that doesn’t mean it will play nicely with email clients – and it will most definitely not be mobile responsive. Keep your email code clean by building your message with the email marketing service’s default template creator (like Mailify’s EmailBuilder) or by hiring a professional who is experienced in email design and development.
Follow The Law. This may seem like a given, but you’d be surprised. While spam laws differ depending on your country, they generally cover things like having a working opt-out link (and abiding by opt-out requests), including your actual contact information, and clearly labeling adult content or unsolicited advertisements.