If you’re diving into email marketing, you know the struggle of making sure your emails land in your subscribers’ inboxes, not the dreaded spam folder. In this short guide, we’ll touch on a few actionable ways to stay out of spam. Spoiler alert: We’ll touch on some techy stuff like SPF and DMARC, but don’t worry, we’ll keep it marketing focused.
Start with a high-quality mailing list
First things first, let’s talk about building that mailing list:
- Opt-in forms: The gold standard! Double opt-in is the best way to get the green light from your subscribers (yes, they really do want to hear from you.)
- Lead magnets: Think of awesome free stuff like reports, pdfs, or discount codes. It’s the perfect way to entice folks to join your list.
- Clean your list regularly: No one likes clutter, right? Regularly prune your list to remove inactive or incorrect addresses.
Create content people actually want to read
Let’s face it, everyone’s inbox is packed. Make yours stand out by being interesting and helpful:
- Be relevant: Talk to them about what they care about. Segment your audience and tailor the content to each group.
- Be engaging: Craft catchy subject lines and add a touch of magic with personalized variables.
- Offer value: Give them something that makes life a little easier. That could be helpful tips, insights, or sweet deals.
Make your emails look good
A little design goes a long way:
- Mobile-friendly all the way: Your emails should look good on any screen, big or small.
- Keep it clean: Simple, clear design helps your message cut through the noise.
- Easy on the images: Use images sparingly to avoid tripping spam filters. Balance is key!
Stick to the rules
Following the rules should be an obvious must-do, but it can actually boost trust and engagement as well:
- Get permission: Only email those who’ve said “yes, please” to your updates.
- Easy opt-out: Always give readers an easy way to unsubscribe if they choose.
Dive into SPF and get a peek at DMARC
After you’ve covered the basic best practices, it’s time to beef up your email authentication protocols:
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Think of SPF as the email gatekeeper. It stops spammers from hijacking your domain. By setting up an SPF record, you’re telling the world which servers are allowed to send emails on your behalf.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): DMARC works with SPF to ensure your emails aren’t getting spoofed. After that, it allows you to quarantine or reject the fraudulent emails so they never reach the customer.
Wrap it up: A little effort goes a long way
Being strategic with your email marketing can help protect your deliverability rates and keep your brand looking sharp.
If you want to start beefing up your email defenses right away, why not give our free SPF Checker Tool a try? We’ll give you a detailed report on what your SPF setup looks like in just minutes. Try it today, it’s free!
Ready to take the first step towards total email security?
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