Email marketing is a powerful tool for businesses looking to engage with their customers and increase their revenue˳ However, the success of your email marketing campaign largely depends on whether your emails are actually reaching your subscribers’ inboxes˳ The spam filter is a major obstacle in achieving this goal, as it can block emails that are perceived as spam by the email service providers (ESPs)˳ In this article, we will discuss the dos and don’ts of bulk emailing to help you avoid the spam filter˳
DO: Get Permission
The first rule of email marketing is to get permission from your subscribers before sending them promotional emails˳ You can do this by adding a subscription form to your website or asking your customers to opt-in during the checkout process˳ By doing so, you ensure that your subscribers are interested in your products or services and are more likely to engage with your emails˳
DON’T: Buy Email Lists
Buying email lists is a common practice among marketers, but it is a major violation of email marketing best practices˳ Not only is it unethical, but it is also illegal in some countries, including Europe, where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) applies˳ Moreover, the people on the bought email list are unlikely to be interested in your products or services, which increases the likelihood of them marking your emails as spam˳
DO: Segment Your Lists
Segmentation is the process of dividing your email list into smaller groups based on certain criteria, such as demographics, behavior, and preferences˳ By doing so, you can create more targeted and personalized emails that are more likely to engage your subscribers˳ Moreover, segmentation reduces the risk of your emails being marked as spam, as your subscribers are receiving content that is relevant to their interests˳
DON’T: Use Deceptive Subject Lines
The subject line is the first thing your subscribers see when your email arrives in their inbox˳ Using a deceptive or misleading subject line to get your subscribers to open your email is a violation of email marketing best practices and is likely to increase the chances of your email being marked as spam˳ Your subject line should accurately reflect the content of your email and be compelling enough to entice your subscribers to open it˳
DO: Use a Legitimate Sender Name and Email Address
Using a legitimate sender name and email address is another way to avoid the spam filter˳ This means using an email address that is associated with your domain name, rather than a free email service like Gmail or Yahoo˳ Moreover, your sender name should be recognizable and relevant to your subscribers, such as your company name or the name of your CEO˳
DON’T: Use Too Many Images
Using too many images in your email can trigger the spam filter, as it makes your email appear too much like a promotional email˳ Moreover, some email clients block images by default, which means that your subscribers may not even see the images that you have worked so hard to include˳ Instead, use a good balance of text and images in your email, and make sure that your email is still readable even if the images are not displayed˳
In conclusion, avoiding the spam filter requires a combination of good email marketing practices and an understanding of the factors that trigger the spam filter˳ By getting permission from your subscribers, segmenting your lists, using a legitimate sender name and email address, and avoiding deceptive subject lines and too many images, you can increase the chances of your emails reaching your subscribers’ inboxes and engaging them with your content˳
