How to Keep Your Marketing Emails Out of the Spam Box

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The spam box is the constant nemesis of all email marketers. Unfortunately, spam filters can be difficult to avoid, which can waste numerous hours trying to maneuver around its finicky web. Luckily for you, this situation is not impossible to solve.

Good email practices greatly help to avoid spam filters. These practices include proof checking, managing the security of emails, and regularly cleaning your email list. You can also invest in a reliable email marketing service that assists you in avoiding your emails landing in your client's spam.

One solution might not solve your problem of your marketing emails being snatched by the spam filter. Hence, considering all possible solutions will provide a greater chance to overcome this agitating obstacle. Learning about the other ways to sort your problem is the first step.

Best Email Practices You Should Follow to Avoid Spam


Following good email practices greatly declines the possibility of your emails landing in spam. Each of these practices avoids the key points of the spam filter, allowing your marketing emails to slide right on through.

1. Introduce a Double Opt-in Function


The double opt-in function is like double verification. This process introduces an additional step when clients register for a subscription. This regular confirmation ensures you maintain an active list of reliable email addresses. In addition, this function lessens the probability of your emails being interpreted as spam.

2. Ensure your “from” Line is Recognizable


Ensure your "from" line is connected to you, whether your name or your company’s name. For example, suppose a client does not recognize your email (due to an unrecognizable name). In that case, they will likely remove the email without seeing its content.

3. Develop a Catchy Subject Line


Your subject line needs to draw attention immediately, for it is the first thing clients will see. Ensure that the subject line is relevant to the body of the email.

If the client sees no connection between them, they will suspect your email is spam and report it. Proofreading your content can massively lessen this situation from happening in the future.

Other ways to avoid a suspicious subject line include:

  • Avoid using all caps
  • No excessive punctuation
  • Do not use keywords such as "free" or "money"
  • Avoid misspelling words

4. Clean Your Email List Regularly


Maintaining a clean email list is vital to avoid an accumulation of inactive clients. Inactivity can quickly advance you toward the spam folder and even get blacklisted!

Another way to end up in the spam folder is via purchasing an email list or including people you have not registered to receive your emails. But, again, these processes project a massive red flag toward spam filters. Most email marketing services help with the maintenance of your email list. If you do not have an email marketing service, remain vigilant and regularly adjust your email list if needed.

5. Stay true to Promises made


Ensure that you clearly promote all that the subscription to your marketing emails includes. If clients discover they are not receiving what they signed up for, they are likely to leave. Losing the trust of your clients can tarnish your reputation, so stay true to your promises.

6. Maintain a Professional Body with each Email


Spam filters closely analyze the body of your emails to identify any suspicious text. However, preventing your email's body from appearing suspicious is quite simple. Follow these rules to lessen the risk of your email being marked as spam:

  • Avoid grammar and punctuation errors
  • Do not incorporate many different fonts or colors
  • Avoid the usage of attachments
  • Maintain the regular text version
  • The inclusion of images should be relevant to the text
  • Avoid exaggerated marketing language to appear more helpful and trustworthy

Finding a Reliable Email Marketing Service to Avoid Spam Folder


Investing in an email marketing service improves your chances of avoiding the spam filter. An ESP (Email Service Provider) promoted for email marketing will offer all the necessary tools for your emails to stay clear of the spam folder. (Related: How to Choose an Email Marketing Platform for Your Business)

Here are the best email marketing services of 2022.

Constant Contact


Constant Contact provides great beginner-friendly tools to improve your email marketing campaigns to another level. They also offer their services at an affordable $9.99 per month with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Below are the various tools you'll have access to upon purchase:

  • Unlimited email marketing sends
  • Hundreds of email templates
  • Customer list growth tools
  • Real-time reporting
  • Social posting
  • Live phone & chat support

SendinBlue


SendinBlue offers great communication between you and your clients. They provide remarkable personalization, ensuring each of your clients feels valued and appreciated. SendinBlue also incorporates helpful tools to manage all aspects of your email marketing business. On their website, you can find more specifics of their pricing (including features per bundle).

HubSpot


HubSpot is an amazing option for beginners as the tools are easy and free to use. They provide top personalization services and plenty detailed performance analytics to ensure you always improve. They provide a vast number of tools focusing on marketing, sales, service, and operations. However, they do provide additional paid packages offering more advanced tools.

Steps to Follow if a Spam Issue Already Exists


If you already have an issue with spam, do not fret! There are certain steps you can follow to draw yourself away from the spam folder and prevent yourself from ever experiencing this problem in the future.

  • Ensure you are not on a blacklist. Your email could be on a backlist due to reports on your previous emails. A simple way to find your email address on any blacklist is by using websites such as MultiRBL and MxToolbox. These websites allow you to freely ensure you are not on any blacklist by checking your IP address or domain name.
  • Receive a certification. You can get certified via a sender score which you can receive through free sites like Sender Score and GlockApps. These websites take your IP address and rate it from 0 to 100. The higher the sender score, the more reliable you appear, which assists you in avoiding the spam folder.
  • Locate a new email marketing service. Self-hosted email services or bad email marketing services could be the root of your spam problem. As listed previously, changing to a more reliable email marketing service will immediately present better results regarding avoiding spam filters.

Final Thoughts


You can easily avoid the spam folder by maintaining good email practices that limit your emails' suspiciousness. Most of these changes can be done personally. Still, other companies focus on helping your email marketing improve.

Finding a reliable email marketing service that works for you helps to develop your practices to ensure a better present and future.

About the Author

I have been in the 'online business' space since 2009 when I started an eCommerce business selling motorcycle parts (sold in 2012). Since then I have owned and operated several successful online business (and had a fair share of failures), along with owning offline home services businesses. Currently my focus is online businesses that are profitable with paid traffic. As a 'self employed individual' I do not use Linkedin, but you can connect with my on my personal instagram and youtube which largely revolve around my mountain biking passion!