If You End Up In Spam, You’re the One To Blame!
Getting to the inbox entails more than just hitting the send button.
In the sea of irrelevant information and emails, spam filters are in place for a reason – to provide the best possible inbox experience for mailbox users. That’s why when you send an email, it has two walls to cross to come to the receiver. One is called gateway and the other spam folder. When you send an email that is suspected to be untrustworthy, the getaway is here to block it and stop its path. For the messages that make it through the getaway, spam filters look at sender reputation, subscriber engagement and content to decide if the email should be placed in the inbox or the spam folder.
Knowing all this, it’s not surprising that statistics fromresearch Return path’s shows that 20% of the messages never reach the inbox. That doesn’t mean just lost potential revenue, but also the lost opportunity to build brand awareness and a strong connection to your clients.
That’s why we bring you 6 pieces of advice that will help your email to crash all the obstacles on its way to the receiver’s email.
1. Avoid spam-y words
Who would ever say that one sentence makes the difference? The struggle is real. Based on one word, the system determines whether your message will be blocked on the getaway or go to spam or find its way to the recipient. Based on one sentence, people decide if they will open your email or click the ‘delete’ button.
One of the easiest ways to avoid the SPAM filter is by carefully choosing the words you use in your email’s subject line. Just by avoiding these words in your email subject line, you can dramatically increase your chances of getting beyond SPAM filters.
Some of the spam-y words:
- Free
- For only ($)
- Amazing
- Click here
- Cancel at any time
- Million dollars
- Make money
- Promise you
- Congratulations
HubSpot has a comprehensive blog post with the whole list of trigger words. The list is long, so of course, some of those words you will need and you will not be able to avoid them. Don’t worry, SPAM filters are getting more sophisticated, and they can now analyze the context in which you use the spam-y words. At the end of the day, try to avoid trigger words, but don’t forget that the content is king!
2. Incorporate the word “video” into the subject
Numbers don’t lie.
According to HubSpot, video in email leads to a 200-300% increase in click-through rate. Also, using the word “video” in an email subject line boosts open rates by 19% and reduces unsubscribe instance by 26%. Numbers don’t lie, the video is what you need, but always be sure to include at least one line of copy along with your video.
Sending video without text will bring a lot of things, but it cannot guarantee the email will not be sent to spam!
3. Personalize the subject line
Personalization, personalization, personalization! It’s no longer something you could do; it’s something you must do. MarketingDrive reports that personalized subject lines increase open email rates by 50%. That process of personalization email campaigns is easier than ever with the new technology. So, there is no real excuse for marketers.
Always try to use the receiver’s name or at least specify the email according to their needs, interests, etc.
4. Think before you act
The rule is simple: Don’t sound like a Spammer! What does that mean? You should:
- Avoid a lot of colors, ALL CAPS, and weird fonts that do not work on different platforms. Have a content that is meaningful for the recipient, not the one that will bring a mess into your message.
- Avoid using too many images in your email. Always use text when you add an image. Also, do not use super high-resolution images or other media with large file size. Use a maximum width of 600-800 pixels.
- Avoid using exclamation point more than once! Don’t make people feel uncomfortable.
- Avoid using URL shorteners.
- Always check your emails by sending them internally before sending them out. Make sure your emails are readable and load quickly on mobile devices.
5. Build your own email list
Content is the king, but without the people who believe in it, it loses its crown. Therefore, it is crucial to build email list organically. While renting, purchasing or scraping emails may seem quick and easy, in the long term run it is not effective. The organically built email list is maybe not the fastest way, but it’s the most efficient. With the time spent on building personal relationships with your recipients and knowing what they need and what, your king will become an emperor.
6. Say goodbye to people
Saying goodbye is always hard, especially when we put a lot of effort to the message that should be heard. But, mailing to a large number of addresses that appear to be nearing abandonment is a red flag to spam filters that will stop your message from all the mailboxes. The solution is clear. You should “clean” your email list periodically of any subscribers who haven’t engaged with your campaigns in a while.
To provide spam complaints or thousands of dollars fines, give your subscribers the opportunity for a potential out with a “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of your emails. That is the way you will show your subscribers that you appreciate them and their time.
Covideo provides video email software that helps businesses and individuals communicate more effectively, build relationships faster and reinforce their brands with easy-to-make personalized videos.
