Whether you send newsletters or promotional emails, you need to ensure they land in the right folder – the main inbox and not the spam/junk section. While you cannot eliminate such a possibility, there are at least X things you can do to minimize the risk. And we want to discuss all of them in this post.
In general, spam algorithms are an indispensable part of almost every online mailbox. They are designed to identify and filter out all the unwanted messages. This includes, at least in theory:
- All the potentially harmful emails (e.g., containing malware)
- Emails from untrustworthy sources
- Offers you don’t want (e.g., related to erotic or health products, especially if they supposedly have miraculous properties)
- So-called scam – fraudulent emails designed to trick you into transferring money to the sender or sharing some sensitive information, all under false pretenses
In short – everything you don’t want or can be dangerous to you. However, the truth is those algorithms are not perfect. Sometimes, a spammy email will land in the main inbox, and a fully normal and safe message will end up in spam.
Of course, you, as a sender, want to ensure your emails are opened and red. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to minimize the risk of your emails ending in the junk folder. Let’s have a look at them.
Build your own mailing list and use a double opt-in mechanism
For starters, your emails frequently land in spam when you’re sending them to thousands of random recipients. Don’t buy email databases on the internet. It’s not just unethical; it’s also illegal – no privacy protection act allows for mass email dispatches to thousands of random email addresses.
It’s so much better and more effective to build your own email base from scratch. You can create some sort of a lead magnet to encourage people to give you their email address (e.g., free consultation or ebook in exchange for an email address with marketing consent).
Additionally, it’s a good idea to use the double opt-in mechanism. This way, every person who gave you their email must also confirm this decision by clicking an activation/consent link sent to said email address.
Moreover, it’s also important to add an easy unsubscribe mechanism. This is important both from your users’ perspective and also from privacy laws – some of them require a clear unsubscribe mechanism. Just add such a link to your email; you can make it funny, but it must be short and clear:
“Oh no! You don’t want to receive emails from us? That’s so sad! You can unsubscribe here.”
Authenticate your emails and your domain
Some mailboxes are more sensitive when it comes to spam than others. If you want to make sure your emails are delivered to all of them, you need to authenticate your emails as well as your domain. This is especially important when sending emails to addresses created with Gmail.
Perhaps you’ve seen this or a similar message:
Source: https://community.cyberpanel.net/t/cant-send-email-to-gmail-spf-check-for-mydomain-does-not-pass-with-ip/40784
It means that your email/domain has not been authenticated and, therefore, was deemed risky by the recipient’s mailbox (Gmail in this instance).
There is only one way out of this situation – you need to authenticate your email using one of two recommended authentication methods – SPF (Sender Policy Framework) or DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail).
Put shortly, SPF helps prevent spam by allowing domain owners to specify which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of their domain. DKIM, on the other hand, verifies the authenticity of the sender. One of those systems is usually sufficient.
There is one more email authentication system – DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) – but if you want to send emails to Gmail accounts, stick to the first two systems.
HOW TO SETUP SPF/DKIM
Both SPF and DKIM records are short text files that technically are DNS records. You can manage those in your hosting/domain provider’s user panel. If you use an external CMS to manage your domain (e.g., Wix), you need to add a given DNS record within this platform.
There is no universal method of authenticating your domain; it all depends on your hosting provider and CMS. If you want to know more, read this guide for Google Workspace.
Check your sender’s reputation
If your domain has a bad reputation (you’ve been sending mass emails in the past), it is very likely the majority of your emails will land in spam. Start by checking your sender’s reputation. There are several websites that will check that for you for free, e.g., Senderscore.org. You can also use Google Postmaster tools to verify your domain (again, by adding a TXT DNS record to your domain):
Stick to the rules outlined in this article, and even if your current reputation is bad, you can gradually improve it.
DON’T USE SHARED IP
Shared IP means that you use the same IP address as other companies/users, meaning if they are doing something shady or even illegal, your reputation suffers, too. If you can afford an individual IP address just for your domain, that’s surely the best option because, in such a setup, you only have influence on your online reputation.
Use a trusted email marketing platform
If you use Microsoft Outlook or any other email tool, don’t use it to send mass emails, no matter of what nature; go for a dedicated email marketing platform. Not only this method is far more effective (with an email marketing tool, you can send tens of thousands of emails in a matter of minutes), it’s also safer from the perspective of your reputation, because those emails don’t go through your servers.
Here at iPresso, we have our own email marketing platform. Sending your mass emails through our servers ensures high deliverability and helps you protect your sender’s reputation. In the Enterprise version, we additionally carry out an audit of your email databases, as well as the quality of addresses and domains in your list. Thanks to this approach, you can send mass emails safely and effectively. And there is a great drag-and-drop editor that enables you to create attractive emails in a matter of minutes!
There is one more upside to using an email marketing platform – you get access to far more data concerning deliverability and open rates. With Outlook or any other standard email tool, you can only send and receive emails. With an email marketing platform, you can see how many of them have been opened, read, and interacted with. As a result, you can improve your emails and make them more effective.
Watch out for your content
If you want your emails to land in the main mailbox, you need to ensure they are relevant to your audience. No serious company blindly sends the same generic offer to thousands (let alone millions) of customers, correct?
Make sure your emails are well-thought-out, and they contain an offer/information that’s interesting to your target audience. Also, avoid all the spammy words and phrases that may indicate:
- Urgency (“buy now!”)
- Overpromise (“fantastic results guaranteed!”)
- Unknown source (“private company”)
There are available free spam checkers you can use to see how likely your email will be considered spammy based on its content.
The best thing you can do is to be professional and balanced in your communication. Clearly state who you are and why you’re sending a given message. Don’t forget about company details and the aforementioned unsubscribe mechanism. This way, you will lower the chances of your emails landing in the junk folder.
Wrapping up
The rules we outlined in this post will help you run successful email marketing campaigns without the need to worry about being labeled as a spammer. And if you’re currently looking for a trusted email marketing platform – we recommend ourselves! 🙂
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