5 Proven Tips to Stop Emails from Going to Spam Folder

1. Build your email list the right way: Always use permission-based methods, such as the double opt-in process. When people clearly confirm their subscription, you can be more confident that they’re genuinely interested in hearing from you.
2. Regularly remove inactive recipients: It may pain you to do so, but if you keep sending emails to inactive users you could damage your (sender) reputation and increase the risk of your emails being flagged as spam.
3. Segment your audience: This means tailoring your messages to specific groups based on their interests, behaviours, or past interactions with your brand to keep your emails in inboxes right where they belong.
4. Monitor bounce rates: High bounce rates can signal email providers that you’re not managing your list properly, so make it a priority to remove those invalid or unreachable email addresses from your list.

1. SPF (Sender Policy Framework): This tells email providers which servers are allowed to send emails on your behalf, it’s like creating a safe list of approved senders.
2. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): This adds a special digital signature to your emails, proving they haven’t been tampered with after being sent.
3. DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): This combines SPF and DKIM and also gives you reports about whether your emails pass the checks.

1. Compliance around spam regulations: Reputable platforms are built with regulations like the Australian Spam Act, GDPR, and CAN-SPAM in mind. They provide automatic compliance features, such as easy-to-use unsubscribe buttons, ensuring that your emails meet legal requirements and avoid penalties.
   
2. Email authentication made easy: Many top platforms simplify email authentication (like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC) so that your emails have a better chance of landing in the inbox, not the spam folder. Custom return path is also another email deliverability component your email marketing platform should be implementing to ensure security and added authentication.
   
3. Marketing platform list segmentation: Powerful segmentation tools allow you to target the right recipients with the right messages. Segmentation is a surefire way to keep engagement high, showing email providers that your emails are wanted and avoiding getting sent to the spam folder.
4. Detailed analytics: These insights monitor your email performance (open rates, clicks, and deliverability), so you can quickly identify any issues and make adjustments to stay out of spam folders.

1. Avoid overly promotional words: Terms such as “free,” “guaranteed,” “winner,” or “act now” are commonly used by spammers which can raise red flags with spam filters. Even if your email is legitimate, save yourself the hassle and get in the habit of avoiding them.
2. Be mindful of punctuation: Excessive use of exclamation marks or ALL CAPS can look like spam. While it’s tempting to add a touch of excitement, too much can signal to spam filters that your email is overly aggressive or pushy.
3. Keep it relevant and specific: A subject line that’s too vague or sounds too good to be true may make both your audience and spam filters suspicious. Instead, just keep it simple – be clear about what your email offers and focus on making the subject line engaging yet professional sounding.
4. Test your subject lines: Crafting a flawless subject line that’s clear, professional, relevant, and without a spammy word in sight, will greatly increase the chances of your emails landing. Many email marketing platforms also allow you to A/B test subject lines, so you can see which ones perform better and avoid triggering spam filters.

1. Segment your list: Not all of your subscribers are the same, so why send them the same emails? Segmenting your email list based on factors like interests, behaviours, or purchase history, allows you to tailor your content to different groups of people, and when they receive content that feels relevant to them they’re more likely to engage.
2. Personalise your messages: Use personalisation beyond just addressing someone by name, and include details that show you understand their preferences. For example, send product recommendations based on their past purchases or offer information that aligns with their recent interactions with your brand.
3. Focus on quality content: No one likes receiving overly promotional emails. Instead, aim to provide value in every message. These could be useful tips, interesting updates, or exclusive offers – any content that’s helpful and engaging will reduce the chances of your emails being marked as spam.
4. Encourage engagement: Pay attention to how your audience is interacting with your emails. If you notice certain segments aren’t gaining traction, consider refining your approach or re-engaging those consumers with more personalised email content to reduce the risk of them being filtered as spam.

1. Avoid bombarding people with emails: Too many marketing emails is not only annoying for recipients, it can lead to them marking your emails as spam. This then increases the chances that your future emails will be doomed to end up in the spam folder – even for subscribers who haven’t marked you as spam. To avoid this happening, just be mindful of your sending schedule and focus more on the quality of your marketing emails and not quantity.
2. Segment your audience for personalised content: When people receive emails that feel relevant to them, they’re more likely to engage positively with your brand. Personalised emails also show that you’re really paying attention to your audience and thinking about their needs.
3. A/B test: Engagement metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates can help you gauge how your audience is responding to your emails. If you notice a drop in engagement, it might be a sign that you’re emailing too frequently or that the content isn’t resonating. A/B testing different email frequencies or content approaches can give you insights into what works best for your audience so that you can find the right balance.

• Focusing on creating engaging and relevant content to boost engagement
• Think quality over quantity when it comes to email marketing campaigns
• Carefully manage your email frequency
• Use the best in market email marketing platforms to segment and automate your campaigns.

Following these tips will help to ensure your emails are delivered to and opened by your target audience.

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