Sending emails that land in spam folders can be frustrating. To ensure your emails reach your recipients’ inboxes, follow these best practices for permission-based email marketing.
1. Use Permission-Based Email Lists
Only send emails to people who have explicitly opted in to receive messages from you. Avoid using purchased or scraped email lists, as they often contain spam traps and unengaged users, leading to poor deliverability.
Best Practices:
- Use double opt-in (confirm subscriptions via email).
- Clearly state what users are signing up for when they subscribe.
- Remove inactive subscribers periodically to maintain a high engagement rate.
2. Authenticate Your Emails
Email authentication helps mail servers verify that your messages are legitimate and not spoofed or forged. Implementing authentication protocols improves inbox placement and builds trust with ISPs (Internet Service Providers).
If you only send email via your BEZA hosted services, then we have already done all of the Email Authentication for your BEZA hosted domain name(s). If on the otherhand you also send email from another provider using the same BEZA hosted domain name(s), then you should contact our support team so we can update the Email Authentication method(s) to ensure your email don’t fail one of the following authentication methods.
Essential Email Authentication Methods:
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Defines which mail servers can send emails on your behalf.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Adds a digital signature to emails to verify authenticity.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): Prevents fraudulent use of your domain and provides reporting on email authentication.
If we don’t manage your DNS zone, please ensure these records are correctly configured in your domain’s DNS provider.
3. Avoid Spammy Content and Formatting
Spam filters analyze email content and structure. Poor formatting or excessive spam triggers can cause emails to be flagged as spam.
Tips for Writing Non-Spammy Emails:
- Use a recognizable sender name and email address.
- Avoid excessive capital letters, exclamation marks, and phrases like “FREE,” “100% Guarantee,” or “Click Here Now.”
- Keep email formatting clean—avoid excessive images, large font sizes, and too many links.
- Ensure your email has a plain-text version in addition to the HTML version.
4. Maintain a Good Sending Reputation
Mailbox providers track how recipients interact with your emails. A poor sender reputation can cause emails to go to spam.
How to Maintain a Healthy Reputation:
- Send emails consistently and avoid sudden spikes in volume.
- Monitor your bounce rates and remove invalid email addresses.
- Keep spam complaints low—don’t send emails too frequently.
5. Provide an Easy Unsubscribe Option
A clear and accessible unsubscribe link reduces spam complaints. When recipients can easily opt out, they’re less likely to mark your emails as spam.
At BEZA, we can activate the Unsubscribe Footer on all emails going out for your hosted domain name(s). Simply reach out to our support team who will gladly assist you further.
Best Practices for Unsubscribing:
- Include a one-click unsubscribe link in every email.
- Process unsubscribe requests immediately.
- Provide an option for users to manage their email preferences rather than unsubscribing completely.
6. Monitor Email Deliverability
Regularly check your email deliverability performance to identify and fix issues before they affect your reputation.
How to Monitor Email Deliverability:
- Check your sender score using services like SenderScore.org.
- Sign-up and monitor feedback loops provided by major email providers (like Google Postmaster Tools).
7. Test Emails Before Sending
Before launching an email campaign, test your emails to see if they land in spam.
Ways to Test:
- Use email testing tools like Mail-Tester.com or GlockApps.
- Send test emails to different email providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) to check inbox placement.
- Adjust content, subject lines, and sender details based on test results.
Final Thoughts
Following these best practices ensures that your emails reach recipients’ inboxes, improving engagement and response rates. If you need help with email deliverability, contact us to speak with one of email specialists.
