Email marketing is one of the most effective forms of communication. One of the greatest challenges for email marketers is avoiding the dreaded spam filter. Here are a few reasons why your emails may be marked as spam, as well as ways to avoid this.
One reason why your email may be marked as spam is that you did not have express permission to email the contact. It is important to grow your email list organically. Never purchase, borrow or rent email lists, or you will risk being marked as junk. You only want to contact people who want to hear from you. Otherwise, you are wasting your time and money contacting uninterested recipients.
Another reason why your emails may be sorted into junk filters is if you have low open rates. If recipients are deleting your emails without opening them, then it is more likely that you will be marked as spam. To improve your open rates, make sure you have effective subject lines that capture your audience’s attention.
A way to avoid getting marked as spam is to have your contacts double opt-in to your email list. This means having them choose to receive emails from you more than once. After they initially sign up for your list, send them a follow-up email where they have to click to verify that they really want to receive emails from your organization. Another trick is to ask your list to add your email address to their contact list, to let email providers know that your emails should not get marked as junk.
The content of your email also plays a role in whether or not it will be flagged as spam. It is important not to use too many images in your email. Emails that are just one large image will likely get marked as junk. A good rule of thumb is to use 60 percent text and 40 percent images to avoid being labeled as spam. You should also refrain from using all caps, multiple exclamation points and words like “free” or “click here” to prevent triggering spam filters.
Starting your own email marketing campaign? Get help from the experts at the Borenstein Group, a Top DC marketing agency. We can help you avoid spam filters and drive sales. Contact us today to get started with your topnotch email campaign right away.
