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10 Tips on How to Avoid the Spam Folder
Published: May 28, 2024
It's no secret that the spam folder is one of the most dreaded places on the internet.
According to recent studies, nearly 85% of all emails are now considered spam. That's a huge number, and it's going to get larger.
So what does that mean for your email marketing campaigns? Your email is more likely than ever to end up in the spam folder.
The good news is, there are a few simple steps you can take to avoid the spam folder and make sure your email gets delivered to the inbox.
1. Pick a recognizable sender address
Use an email address that is associated with your brand, and make sure it's easy to remember. Avoid using generic addresses like info@ or sales@, as these are more likely to be flagged as spam.
The email address you send your message from should look familiar and trustworthy to the person receiving it. Use your real name and the company name in your sender’s name. Sender addresses that follow this model have been shown to have higher open rates, which increases the chances of your emails ending up in the inbox of your subscribers.
2. Use a reputable email service provider
A reputable email service provider is one of the best ways to make sure your email marketing campaigns avoid the spam folder. If you're using Maildroppa, then you don't have to worry. However, if you're using Mailchimp or some other free email service, your emails are more likely to be considered spam. This is because free email providers are often used by spammers.
Paying for a professional email service provider gives you access to tools that help ensure your emails are delivered to the inbox. For example, most email service providers like Maildroppa offer some form of deliverability monitoring. This means that you can see if your emails are being sent to the spam folder and take steps to fix the problem.
Here are a few things to look for when choosing an email service provider:
- A good reputation: Be sure to research the company and make sure they have a good reputation.
- Delivery rates: You want to choose a provider that has high delivery rates. This means that your emails are more likely to reach the inbox.
- Spam filter management: Some email service providers offer tools to help you manage your spam filters. This can be helpful if you're having trouble getting delivered to the inbox.
3. Authenticate your domain
One of the best ways to avoid the spam folder is to authenticate your domain. This lets the email providers know that you are using your own domain and that you're a legitimate business and not a scammer.
In return, the email providers will be more likely to trust your emails and send them to the inbox.
There are a few different ways you can authenticate your domain. The most common is through DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), an email authentication standard.
DKIM uses cryptographic signatures to verify that an email was sent from a specific domain. This helps to reduce the chances of spoofing and phishing attacks.
Another common method is SPF (Sender Policy Framework), a standard that verifies that an email was sent from an authorized IP address.
4. Don't make your email look spammy
There are a few things you can do to make sure your email doesn't look spammy.
- Don't go overboard with the exclamation marks. Using too many can make your email look spammy and cause it to be filtered by the spam filter. We recommend using them only when necessary.
- Avoid using too many images. Emails with a lot of images are more likely to be filtered as spam because they can be used to hide text.
- Avoid using all caps or all lowercase letters. This is because scammers often use these techniques to avoid spam filters.
- Use plain-text formatting rather than HTML formatting. HTML emails are more likely to be filtered as spam because they can contain hidden code that triggers spam filters. Include a link to a plain-text version of your email for recipients who prefer that format.
- Don't use too many links in your email. Emails with a lot of links are more likely to be filtered as spam. This is because scammers often link to malicious websites. If you must include a lot of links, spread them out throughout the email so that they're not all clustered together.
5. Keep your email content short and to the point
Your email content should be brief and to the point. No one wants to waste their time reading a novel. Get straight to the point and make sure your message is easy to understand.
Long emails are more likely to be filtered as spam because they can contain a lot of content that is not relevant to the recipient. They can also be tough to read on mobile devices.
Keep your email content short and focused on a single topic. Include a call-to-action so that your subscribers know what action you want them to take.
6. Make sure your email address is not associated with spam
It's important to make sure your email address is not associated with any spam complaints. If it is, your emails will probably end up in the spam folder. To avoid this, you can use a different email address specifically for your marketing campaigns.
You can also use a tool to check if your email address is on any blacklists. If it is, you can try to get removed.
7. Make opting out just as easy as opting in
Make it easy for people to opt into your mailing list, and just as easy for them to opt out. If people have to jump through hoops to unsubscribe, they're more likely to mark your email as spam.
To make it easy you can use an email marketing service like Maildroppa. With Maildroppa, people can subscribe to your mailing list with just a few clicks. And if they ever want to unsubscribe, they can do so with one click as well. This will reduce your chances of your email ending up in the spam folder.
8. Clean your mailing list
A clean mailing list is essential for avoiding the spam folder. Be sure to remove any inactive subscribers from your list regularly, as well as any addresses that have bounced in the past. This will help to keep your list up-to-date and improve your deliverability.
It's also beneficial to segment your mailing list. This means dividing it into smaller groups based on factors like interests, location, or purchase history. Segmenting your list can help you to send more targeted and relevant emails, which are more likely to be delivered to the inbox.
Using a double opt-in is a good way to ensure that your mailing list is clean and that you're only emailing people who want to receive your emails. With double opt-in, subscribers must confirm their subscription before they are added to your list. This helps to weed out inactive or fake addresses. If you're using Maildroppa, double opt-in is the standard setting so you don't need to worry about it.
9. Have a consistent schedule
Sending emails on a consistent schedule is a good way to avoid the spam folder. If you're sporadic with your email, it's more likely that your messages will get lost in the shuffle.
For example, if you only email when you have a sale or promotion, your subscribers may start to ignore your messages. But if you email them regularly, even if it's just to share some helpful content, they are more likely to pay attention.
This consistent emailing will also help to keep your list clean. If someone hasn't opened one of your emails in a while, you should consider unsubscribing them from your email list. This way, you know that everyone on your list is interested in receiving your emails.
10. Test and learn
Finally, be sure to test your email campaigns before sending them out. This includes testing the subject line, content, and delivery time.
To A/B test your subject lines you will need to send out two versions of your email with different subject lines to a small group of subscribers. Then, you can compare the open rates and see which version performs better.
Experiment with your content as well. Try using different things like storytelling, and adding GIFs and article links to see what your subscribers respond best to. And don't forget to test different delivery times to see when your subscribers are most likely to open and engage with your emails.
This means sending your email at different times of the day or week to see when your subscribers are most likely to open it. For example, you might find that your subscribers are more likely to open your email if it's delivered on Tuesday mornings.
Once you've tested and learned what works best for your audience, you can start to implement these changes into your email campaigns. This will help you to avoid the spam folder and improve your deliverability.
By following these tips, you can make sure that your email marketing campaigns get delivered to the inbox. To avoid the spam folder, it's important to have a clean mailing list, send emails on a consistent schedule, and test your campaigns before sending them out. You can also improve your deliverability by using a double opt-in, segmenting your list, and sending emails at consistent times of the day or week. By doing this you can make sure that your email marketing campaigns are successful.