When sending emails as part of your email campaign, it's important to consider various factors to ensure that your emails land in the recipient's inbox and not in their spam folder. Beyond the warmup process, which involves gradually increasing your sending volume to establish a positive sending reputation, here are some additional tips to avoid spam filters:
SPF/DKIM/DMARC: Implementing Sender Policy Framework (SPF), DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) are essential for authenticating your emails and improving your chances of landing in the inbox. These protocols verify that your email is legitimate and not forged, which can help you pass spam filters.
Content of copy: Avoid using overly promotional language, excessive use of capitalization, and purchase-heavy words in your email copy. Such content can trigger spam filters and cause your emails to be flagged as spam.
Check for blacklisting: Ensure that your domain has not been blacklisted in the past. There are various online tools available that can help you check if your domain is listed on any spam blacklists. If your domain has been blacklisted, take steps to resolve the issue before sending emails.
Be cautious with self-sending: Avoid sending emails from your own email address to the same email domain, as it may be flagged as suspicious by email service providers (ESPs). For example, sending an email from [email protected] to [email protected] may trigger spam filters. Use alternative email addresses for testing purposes.
Limit the use of links: Avoid including too many links in your emails, especially if they point to suspicious or irrelevant websites. Spam filters often flag emails with excessive links as potential spam.
Avoid using personal accounts for testing: When testing your emails, avoid sending test emails to your private Gmail, Hotmail, or other personal email accounts. Personal email accounts usually have higher filter thresholds, and your emails may end up in the spam folder. Instead, use professional email accounts for testing to get a more accurate assessment of how your emails will be treated by spam filters.
Be mindful of "Send test email" services: Keep in mind that the "Send test email" service provided by email marketing platforms may use a different infrastructure than your main sending infrastructure. As a result, the test emails may not accurately reflect how your actual campaign emails will be treated by spam filters. Always thoroughly test your actual campaign emails to ensure optimal deliverability.
Tip: Consider sending emails as plain text to improve deliverability. Plain text emails are simpler and less likely to trigger spam filters. You can configure this setting in your email marketing platform under "Settings > Plain text".
By following these tips, you can improve the deliverability of your email campaigns and avoid having your emails land in spam folders. Remember to always comply with email marketing best practices and guidelines to ensure that your emails are delivered to the intended recipients' inbox.