Email is changing in the marketing world as far as goals. A lot of it comes from the shift in privacy and tracking (we’re looking at you, iOS 15). But as far as best practices go, there is a lot you can do actively and behind the scenes to avoid going into junk folders.
No. 1 – Get Technical
Ensure that you have the technical fundamentals down to increase your email deliverability. Things you can do to fine-tune your email:
- Use domain extensions like “.com,” “.io,” and web address abbreviations used in your country.
- Treat your domain name like a real name in some cases (“[email protected]”).
- Use identification protocols for email service providers: SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance)
- To secure your reputation from the actions of other email marketers, set up a custom tracking code and URL.
No. 2 – Your List Means Everything
The lists that you send emails to influence your sender reputation. So here’s how to ensure your lists are clean, reputable, and likely to be active:
- Gather more than an email address. Have a subscriber or lead provide their first and last name as well, making it easier to tell if it’s fake from a bot. There are tools to help source this if needed. The more relevant contacts, the better.
- “Risky” and undeliverable addresses should be deleted often. Use a spam tester or manually remove your bounces (you want to shoot for less than a 2% bounce rate overall).
No. 3 – Creating “Non-Spammy” Content
Content that shines can all depend on your industry and audience but here are ways to avoid “spammy” content:
- Keep it personal but straightforward.
- Use reliable, secure, HTTPS links.
- Don’t rely solely on visuals.
- Keep preferences easy to find.
Check out the full how-to from Folderly, especially to learn more about email protocols.
