E-mail Marketers: Avoid the Spam Folder with these 7 Tips

When your e-mail is sent to your readers, it must get past the recipient’s Internet Service Provider (ISP) and e-mail software spam filters. It’s not uncommon for your e-mail to be marked as junk mail, even though it’s authentic. In order to prevent this from happening, it is important to understand what spam filters actually filter.

Work on these 7 parts of your
e-mail to avoid the spam folder

1. The Subject Line – The subject line of your message is the first thing that can mark your correspondence as spam. Make sure the subject line is relevant to the main topic of your message. This line should convey two things – who sent the e-mail, and what the e-mail is about. If your e-mail is a newsletter, this must be stated in the subject line.
2. The Recipient’s Name – As a blogger or content producer, try to make your e-mail or newsletter as personal as possible without overstepping boundaries. For example: include your recipient’s name in your newsletter. This is easy to do with programs such as MailChimp, which allow you to collect list members’ names.
3. The Content – The content is the bulk of the message, and therefore needs to be properly displayed within all web browsers. It should also be available in plain-text alternative. Try using plain, succinct language that won’t trip any spam filter alarms. Avoid phrases such as “Click here!”, “Once in a Lifetime Opportunity!”, or “Why Pay More?” BW?D’s next blog post will focus on common e-mail marketing mistakes, especially in regards to content. Make sure to check back in with us for some more suggestions!
4. Your IP Address – Certain spam filters use “blacklists,” which are published directories of banned IP addresses. Spam filters will not allow your e-mail to get through if your host IP address is on a blacklist.
5. The Message’s Sender – Make sure you are sending your newsletter from an e-mail address that doesn’t sound “fake.” For example: instead of using a free account such as @hotmail.com or @yahoo.com, create an e-mail address with your website’s domain name.
6. Your Domain Name – Certain spam filters use an “authentication” process, which checks e-mail to ensure that it has originated from the specified domain name. For a more detailed explanation, read about MailChimp’s authentication process.
7. Community Based Reporting – Different spam filters frequently work together. When an e-mail recipient identifies e-mail as junk, a message is sent to the ISP. If numerous recipients classify the same e-mail as junk, the ISP will automatically blacklist the appropriate IP address. To get a better understanding of how this works, read about Gmail’s spam report option.

Now that you know exactly what spam filters look for, you are more prepared when creating a spam-proof e-mail or newsletter. Make sure to read our next blog post, about the most common mistakes e-mail marketers make.