If you find yourself cursing more than cheering next time you conduct an email deliverability test, it might be worthwhile to revisit a few basic guidelines around spam. And don’t feel bad, even the most experienced email marketers are constantly faced with the same challenges getting to the treasured "in" box.
Like your mother always says: Watch your language
Are you using "spammy" words, like "free," "money-back guarantee," or "buy now"? This terminology can trigger spam filters. The OnMark website has a list of Words to Avoid in Marketing Emails, but it changes often. You can also access SpamAssassin’s test they perform on all email messages to determine if they are spam or not.
Sometimes, even a seemingly innocent word can stop your email from reaching its destination. We have a client in the manufacturing industry whose message included multiple uses of the word "functional." While that seems innocent enough, spam filters were catching it because of its not-so-innocent (and out-of-context) meaning. As soon as we removed these references, our tests were successfully delivered!
Help – I’m reading an email and I can’t get out
As much as we'd all like to think our recipients want – and need – to read our emails, we have to give them a way to remove their email from our recipient list. A visible, effective "unsubscribe" link is a must. Don’t be offended if someone opts-out of your emails, unless of course, it’s your mom.
In addition, clearly displaying your company's contact information not only increases your readers' confidence in your emails, but also complies with U.S. spam laws. And if your readers have any questions, or want to purchase one million units of what you're selling, they'll know who to call.
We can see you, but no one else can
If you're going to ask for information from your readers, they deserve reassurance that you aren't selling it to a third party or sending them unwanted information. This is where a company-approved Privacy Policy is helpful. It should be linked from the footer of your email, and housed on your website. See a sample Privacy Policy.
Privacy policies describe your company’s procedures related to the information you collect from your readers. In general, a policy should include an introduction, an outline of the method you use to collect and store information, what data you collect and how to reach you with questions. This conveys transparency to your readers – you’re not trying to hide anything, so why should they?
These are just a few tips to help you avoid spam triggers in your next email campaign. OnMark can do a thorough analysis of your email marketing approach to identify areas for improvement and ROI. Our E-Audits are a cost-effective way to make sure you are on track with your online efforts.
