Email marketing can be tough at times. The advanced anti-spam technologies make it hard for newsletters to find subscribers. So here’s how not to end in spam filters.
Email marketing is an ever-growing business. These days, it is incredibly popular. So why wouldn’t it be? When done right, it’s effective, low budget, and high reaching. Overall, there are lots of benefits to running a business of email marketing. Yet, there is one common problem that most such businesses stumble upon. The problem lies in the spam filters of our email accounts. These filters work well to ignore most random or suspicious messages. Thus, email boxes tend to send a lot of newsletters into spam.
Overall, you need to find your way around spam boxes to succeed in your email marketing strategy. Fortunately, you are not the first person to struggle with it. Hence, the Internet is full of tips and suggestions on the issue. We have compiled the most efficient tips on getting your mail straight to the senders while avoiding spam boxes along the way.
What is spam?
To put it plainly, spam is all kinds of junk emails no one cares to read. The main distinctive feature of spam is that it’s always unrequested. People who receive spam don’t want or expect it. Moreover, spam emails often contain dangerous viruses or other threatening malware. Hence, usually, Internet users tend to ignore random messages and install software to block any unrequested mail. Unfortunately, in doing so, these users often block email marketers, too. The data from ReturnPath suggests that only around 20% of newsletters reach their receivers. The rest of them fall into spam boxes to never be discovered. Of course, such statistics are rather discouraging. However, there are things you can do to stay in the lucky 20%.
Use a trustworthy sender name.
First of all, make sure your sender name says everything a receiver needs to know about you or your business. Thus, the best way is to send emails under your name or the business’ name. Such a decision makes two things at once. First, a more reliable sender name is less likely to trigger spam filters. Secondly, there is a good chance a receiver will open an email when they see a trustworthy name on it. For instance, they can recall a conversation with you or a brand name they already know. Overall, the first line of your letter is like you saying ‘Hi’ to your acquaintances. You want people to recall you, so it’s best to start with your name.
Check your IP address regularly.
Once you get into email marketing, your IP address becomes the most important thing you have. Hence, you need to take good care of it. Unfortunately, it is very easy to fall into disfavor. If you have ruined your reputation among Internet users, your IP address gets blacklisted, and you can do little to nothing about it. In case this happens to you, most of the emails you send will automatically go to spam. You can do the most’ textbook’ email marketing here. It won’t matter when you are on the blacklist.
Hence, the first thing you need to do here is to check your IP address regularly. It’s a shame to learn about the blacklist after days and days of work. If your address is on the list, you better start all over since your online reputation is similar to that of the real one. It’s almost impossible to recover.
Stay in touch with technological changes.
It would help if you always stayed on top of things with technological changes. For example, the digital world is getting increasingly better at fighting spam messages. But, unfortunately, there is not much progress in not targeting email marketing. Hence, it would be best to learn in advance of any new spam laws or upcoming changes in spamming policies. After all, only by learning how you trigger spam filters can you avoid them.
Keep a clean subscription list.
The best way to not get into spam is to write to people who want to hear from you and don’t want to be bothered with a pile of fake nerdify reviews. Now, there are many ways to achieve that. First, you can double ask about subscriptions. Thus, you will be certain that people do want email from you. Next, update your list regularly. For example, delete all the dead emails as they cast a shade on you. Finally, make sure you leave people a chance to unsubscribe.
Imagine this. You are certain that your emails are welcomed and expected. So, you keep on the mailing. Maybe in the past, your subscriber did contact you with requests like, “do my homework for me, please.” or “Can I trust this essay writing services review?” Yet, the one who you recruited as a freshman in college has long graduated already. But the emails continue. How long will it take for you to annoy them? It’s just a matter of time when they block you and report the address as spam. The more people do it with your newsletter, the higher chances you have to be on the permanent blacklist. Hence, you want to leave people an option of not receiving the letters if they no longer need them.