The document provides steps to improve email deliverability, including reducing spam complaints, using a dedicated IP address, building reputation slowly with a new IP, carefully managing content and frequency, maintaining good data hygiene through audits and bounce management, avoiding spam traps, addressing non-engagement, and dealing with blacklisting. It emphasizes the importance of reputation, gives examples of factors that influence deliverability scoring, and advises monitoring metrics like opens, clicks, unsubscribes and complaints.
Email is quickly becoming the preferred method of communication for businesses across the
world, regardless of industry. Email is faster and less expensive than traditional mail, and many
customers choose to receive messages from the companies they do business with through the
email channel.
8 ways to improve email deliverability ratesLocke Truong
Email is one of the most effective tools marketers possess — for the simple reason that it works. Email marketing generates a whopping $44 for every $1 spent, according to the Direct Marketing Association. That generous payout potential, however, only has a chance if your email gets delivered. So, what steps can you take to improve your company’s email deliverability rates? In this deck, we’ll look at eight ways we find to effectively get your email into inboxes.
Q and A Whitepaper from our accompanying Webinar. The paper addresses questions about tips to improve delivery and email response rates for your well crafted HTML emails.
This is very useful document provided by Sendgrid team. How to avoid reaching your email in spam folder. Hope this will be helpfull to you also. We (http://mystockalarm.com) are using Sendgrid transaction email service and we are happy until now. You can check with them for transaction and marketing emails.
Email is quickly becoming the preferred method of communication for businesses across the
world, regardless of industry. Email is faster and less expensive than traditional mail, and many
customers choose to receive messages from the companies they do business with through the
email channel.
8 ways to improve email deliverability ratesLocke Truong
Email is one of the most effective tools marketers possess — for the simple reason that it works. Email marketing generates a whopping $44 for every $1 spent, according to the Direct Marketing Association. That generous payout potential, however, only has a chance if your email gets delivered. So, what steps can you take to improve your company’s email deliverability rates? In this deck, we’ll look at eight ways we find to effectively get your email into inboxes.
Q and A Whitepaper from our accompanying Webinar. The paper addresses questions about tips to improve delivery and email response rates for your well crafted HTML emails.
This is very useful document provided by Sendgrid team. How to avoid reaching your email in spam folder. Hope this will be helpfull to you also. We (http://mystockalarm.com) are using Sendgrid transaction email service and we are happy until now. You can check with them for transaction and marketing emails.
This white paper assembles a wide range of tactics and information regarding deliverability into five core best practices to help marketers get up to speed quickly with the constantly changing deliverability landscape and key strategies for improving results.
B2B Email Experts is a leading business to business research studies by creating successful email marketing campaign, data appending techniques and customized email lists.
Pressing the “send” button on an email doesn’t necessarily mean your messages reach your recipients’ inboxes. Along the way, email communications can encounter an array of deliverability issues that can affect your email marketing ROI as well as your open, click-through, and conversion rates. Using data from 20 leading retailers tracked over a two-month period, Ryan Moss explains why messages from even the biggest brands can land in spam folders or even go missing. He also reviews how message subject lines, content, and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can impact your email deliverability.
Email Delivery Optimization Techniques from Email Marketing Solutions Provide...Manjunatha Kg
Aghreni Technologies best practices article on email marketing and delivery myths.
Aghreni Technologies is part of a global email marketing giant whose competitors include the best names in the business. Team Aghreni has over 4 years of experience in email marketing working with some of the world's largest brands across the world.
EMarketing Techniques Conference_Emailmarketingessentials May2008Corporate College
Kristy Amy, President of OnMark Solutions, discusses eMail Marketing Essentials at the eMarketing Techniques Conference at Corporate College. Brought to you by the Key Entrepreneur Development Center.
This is an hour course on best practices in online marketing, offering a start for beginners in the area of social media, website development, SEO, and more
6 Retail Email Marketing Priorities for 2015Chad S. White
Getting ready for the holiday season is almost a year-round effort—which is to say you’re preparing for November and December the other 10 months of the year.
To help you prep, I discuss 6 retail email marketing priorities in this slide deck, which includes supplemental links to research reports, articles, and real-world examples that allow you to take a deep-dive into the topics that are most important to you:
1. Reassessing program goals
2. Getting mobile-friendly
3. Optimizing snippet text
4. Increasing targeting and personalization
5. Building out triggered emails
6. Keeping inactivity in check.
Check out this slide deck and see why making progress on each of these priorities between now and October will get your email program in excellent shape for the upcoming holiday season.
Whitepaper - Questions and Answers about using split testing to improve email response rates. This Q and A paper accompanies our webinar on the same topic, where we cover a handful of specific case studies, which demonstrate tips to improve your results.
Clearout Best Use cases for Real-time and Bulk Validation.
Don’t let the honeypots, hard bounces and non-valid emails mess with your email deliverability. Validate, verify & clean your email list in real-time.
Inspirational email marketing; Red C's Email Marketing WOW Book 5Red C
Yet again we've been astounded by the amazing feedback we received on our previous edition of the Email Marketing WOW Book. A big thanks to those who shared their thoughts on the brilliant emails this time round. Anyway, it's been a while, but the wait is over.
Since our last edition we've been busy creating hundreds of fantastic emails for our clients. But we always keep an eye out for any gems that appear in our inboxes too, and we've picked out the best to showcase to you. Whether it's enticing copy, great design or clever ideas that have caught our eye. We believe good email marketing should be celebrated.
So take a look - we hope this edition of the WOW Book provides you with some great inspiration for your future email campaigns. Enjoy!
Inspirational email marketing; Red C's Email Marketing WOW BookRed C
At Red C we are immensely proud of our work in email marketing. Through our ‘under the skin’ philosophy and plenty of marketing know how we have helped our client deliver effective email campaigns that deliver exceptional results.
We create 100s and pour over 1000s of emails every month. And because we love emails so much, we thought it’d be a great idea to compile some of our favourites in this neat little book. Whether it’s through enticing copy, standout design or brilliant strategy – each one the emails we’ve selected have stopped us in our tracks and made us say “WOW”.
So here it is, The Red C Email Marketing WOW Book. We hope it inspires you!
This white paper assembles a wide range of tactics and information regarding deliverability into five core best practices to help marketers get up to speed quickly with the constantly changing deliverability landscape and key strategies for improving results.
B2B Email Experts is a leading business to business research studies by creating successful email marketing campaign, data appending techniques and customized email lists.
Pressing the “send” button on an email doesn’t necessarily mean your messages reach your recipients’ inboxes. Along the way, email communications can encounter an array of deliverability issues that can affect your email marketing ROI as well as your open, click-through, and conversion rates. Using data from 20 leading retailers tracked over a two-month period, Ryan Moss explains why messages from even the biggest brands can land in spam folders or even go missing. He also reviews how message subject lines, content, and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can impact your email deliverability.
Email Delivery Optimization Techniques from Email Marketing Solutions Provide...Manjunatha Kg
Aghreni Technologies best practices article on email marketing and delivery myths.
Aghreni Technologies is part of a global email marketing giant whose competitors include the best names in the business. Team Aghreni has over 4 years of experience in email marketing working with some of the world's largest brands across the world.
EMarketing Techniques Conference_Emailmarketingessentials May2008Corporate College
Kristy Amy, President of OnMark Solutions, discusses eMail Marketing Essentials at the eMarketing Techniques Conference at Corporate College. Brought to you by the Key Entrepreneur Development Center.
This is an hour course on best practices in online marketing, offering a start for beginners in the area of social media, website development, SEO, and more
6 Retail Email Marketing Priorities for 2015Chad S. White
Getting ready for the holiday season is almost a year-round effort—which is to say you’re preparing for November and December the other 10 months of the year.
To help you prep, I discuss 6 retail email marketing priorities in this slide deck, which includes supplemental links to research reports, articles, and real-world examples that allow you to take a deep-dive into the topics that are most important to you:
1. Reassessing program goals
2. Getting mobile-friendly
3. Optimizing snippet text
4. Increasing targeting and personalization
5. Building out triggered emails
6. Keeping inactivity in check.
Check out this slide deck and see why making progress on each of these priorities between now and October will get your email program in excellent shape for the upcoming holiday season.
Whitepaper - Questions and Answers about using split testing to improve email response rates. This Q and A paper accompanies our webinar on the same topic, where we cover a handful of specific case studies, which demonstrate tips to improve your results.
Clearout Best Use cases for Real-time and Bulk Validation.
Don’t let the honeypots, hard bounces and non-valid emails mess with your email deliverability. Validate, verify & clean your email list in real-time.
Inspirational email marketing; Red C's Email Marketing WOW Book 5Red C
Yet again we've been astounded by the amazing feedback we received on our previous edition of the Email Marketing WOW Book. A big thanks to those who shared their thoughts on the brilliant emails this time round. Anyway, it's been a while, but the wait is over.
Since our last edition we've been busy creating hundreds of fantastic emails for our clients. But we always keep an eye out for any gems that appear in our inboxes too, and we've picked out the best to showcase to you. Whether it's enticing copy, great design or clever ideas that have caught our eye. We believe good email marketing should be celebrated.
So take a look - we hope this edition of the WOW Book provides you with some great inspiration for your future email campaigns. Enjoy!
Inspirational email marketing; Red C's Email Marketing WOW BookRed C
At Red C we are immensely proud of our work in email marketing. Through our ‘under the skin’ philosophy and plenty of marketing know how we have helped our client deliver effective email campaigns that deliver exceptional results.
We create 100s and pour over 1000s of emails every month. And because we love emails so much, we thought it’d be a great idea to compile some of our favourites in this neat little book. Whether it’s through enticing copy, standout design or brilliant strategy – each one the emails we’ve selected have stopped us in our tracks and made us say “WOW”.
So here it is, The Red C Email Marketing WOW Book. We hope it inspires you!
Email marketing: Under the skin of open ratesRed C
Red C, Manchester based marketing agency, take an insightful look at email marketing opening rates in this easy to digest whitepaper entitled 'Under the skin of open rates'. Strategy Director, Steve White, looks at how the subject header, the 'From' name, the preview panel and the day and time of send can all influence the number of email recipients who open an email and suggests ways in which to maximise this through easy to implement tactics and testing.
Free Fashion Email Marketing Report Resource. Take a look at how some of the biggest fashion retailers in the UK use email marketing to generate sales, drive traffic and build relationships in our 2015 Fashion Email Marketing Report.
The Complete Guide to B2B Email Marketing: Create more effective B2B email campaigns with these six steps:
By Sales Force-Pardot
Complete Guide to B2B Email Marketing will walk you through the entire process of creating effective,targeted emails — from planning and designing to sending and optimizing — in six straightforward steps:
Step 1: Authentication & Deliverability
Step 2: Template Design
Step 3: Email Content
Step 4: Testing & Optimization
Step 5: Sending Best Practices
Step 6: Tracking & Reporting
Take a Guided Tour with Pardot:
http://www2.pardot.com/interactive-guided-tour?url_called=70130000000mARf
Segmentation & Personalization in Email Marketing - Brafton WebinarKayla Perry
Email marketing is an incredibly powerful marketing channel - but only if you know how to leverage it the right way. This webinar covers why you should segment your email database, how to create segments and lists, how to use your email lists for max engagement, email marketing strategies and techniques to try and more. View the video recording here: https://www.brafton.com/webinar/segmentation-and-personalization-in-email-marketing/
Many of the world’s largest brands encounter deliverability issues and roughly a quarter of all emails fail to reach consumers. Email deliverability has become increasingly complicated and intimidating for even the savviest marketers.
In this white paper, Yesmail busts various myths, including:
-Deliverability is all about subject lines and trigger words
-Bulking doesn’t matter if you keep acquiring new subscribers
-Best practices around deliverability are different for B2B email marketers
eBook Example - Agile Education Marketing - Email Marketing Best Practices.pdfBrafton
This eBook is an example of a detailed guide meant to educate the reader on a particular topic.
To learn more about eBook marketing, browse the complete guide here: https://www.brafton.com/blog/strategy/how-to-create-a-marketing-ebook/
Email campaigns are the lifeblood of most industries.docxPatricia Rountree
here are several reasons why emails may end up in the spam folder. Reasons include filters, email appliances and human error. As an email marketer, it’s crucial to follow best practices to avoid it. Email delivery to the inbox is more likely to occur when you use complete sender information, create good content, have a great subject line,
For retailers, the holiday season is omnipresent. You’re either neck deep in it or you’re preparing for it. In this presentation, Chad White, the Salesforce Marketing Cloud’s Lead Research Analyst and author of “Email Marketing Rules,” discusses the 6 things retailers need to work on before the upcoming holiday season: (1) Reassessing program goals, (2) Getting mobile-friendly, (3) Optimizing snippet text, (4) Increasing targeting and personalization, (5) Building out triggered emails, and (6) Keeping inactivity in check. This slide deck includes links to research reports, articles, and real-world examples so you can go in depth on the topics that are most important to you.
Email Marketing What You Dont Know Can Hurt YouEric Salerno
20 slides on email marketing basics and some ideas on how to improve your email marketing practices. Presented by Red Ember Marketing at the Boston Internet Marketing MeetUp.
Email performs better than social media. We said it. Sixty percent of people prefer receiving promotional emails, while only 20% want to see ads on social media. In addition, emails are more effective at selling—6.05% of email recipients end up buying compared to social media’s 1.9%.
The problem with email marketing is that it can be challenging for small business owners because it involves so many moving parts. Growing a list, creating multiple email sequences, and figuring out the right language to use in your emails all take time, effort, and money.
Email Marketing Interview Questions & Answers for Freshers Job.pdfLearn Digital Academy
Email marketing has survived the sands of time, and it is still effective decades later. The problems that affect email marketing success are outside of the marketer’s control!
The pressure for improved email design, risks to email deliverability, legislation, and upgrades that obfuscate human engagement, to mention a few.
An organization wanting to employ an email marketing specialist or determine whether you have a solid understanding of email marketing and past experience is likely to ask you interview questions.
After examining this slides, you will be able to understand what email marketing is, what benefits it carries, how you can obtain and retain email data, and what ways you can do to execute an email marketing campaign. You will also be experiencing some example successful email campaigns, the tools helping you to increase your inbox placement rate, the instance templates and so on.
If you want to start learning about email marketing, it is a very useful guide for you! We will walk you through the entire process of establishing your email marketing attempt so that you can acquire leads, get your time, money and resources worth, and generate expected sales.
After examining this slide share, you will be able to understand what email marketing is, what benefits it carries, how you can obtain and retain email data, and what ways you can do to execute an email marketing campaign. You will also be experiencing some example successful email campaigns, the tools helping you to increase your inbox placement rate, the instance templates and so on.
If you are ready to go, start your profound journey through email marketing by starting the presentation.
Blog Post: https://popupsmart.com/email-marketing/
In 2015 we estimated that we designed, built and distributed
over 640 emails for our clients - so we’d like to think we
know what we’re talking about. However, we understand
as an agency that email marketing doesn’t stand still and
is constantly evolving. To help ensure we keep up to date
with the latest gimmicks and developments, we subscribe
to emails from 100s of businesses and retailers, across a
host of different sectors from telecommunications, travel,
leisure and fashion.
This Marketing Report looks at how rail operators in the UK are using email not only to generate sales, but also to drive
traffi c and build relationships. We have looked at how businesses who operate in this sector acquire new email addresses, what data they collect at subscription and
how they welcome new subscribers to the brand. In addition, we explore the often controversial subject of email frequency,
alongside the issue of responsive design, and also highlight some of our favourite emails.
This Marketing Report looks at how those
operating in the UK beauty sector are using
email not only to generate sales, but also
to drive traffic and build relationships. We
have looked at how businesses who operate
in this sector acquire new email addresses,
what data they collect at subscription and
how they welcome new subscribers to the
brand. In addition, we explore the often
controversial subject of email frequency,
alongside the issue of responsive design,
and also look at abandoned basket emails.
Red C email marketing report : Holiday CottagesRed C
In this edition of our regular Email
Marketing Report, we have taken a forensic
look at how the biggest brands in the UK
holiday cottage rental market are using
eCRM to attract visits, build relationships
and drive incremental revenue. We have
studied how effective each of the brands
is at acquiring new email addresses, what
data they collect and how frequently they
engage with their audience. We have also
identified some of the ‘best-in-class’
emails in the sector and highlighted the
techniques that make them successful
Having been inspired by the great content of Christmas emails in 2014, we compiled all the best emails and put together another edition of our Christmas Wow Book.
At Red C, we’re not afraid to admit that we’re a little obsessed when it comes to email marketing. That’s why we write white papers, blog articles and produce our renowned WOW Books which showcase great examples of email marketing.
If this wasn’t enough, we’re now proud to announce the launch of our inaugural Email Marketing Report which analyses the Fashion Retail sector and its approach to email marketing. This report looks at how some of the biggest fashion retailers in the UK are not only using email to drive sales, but also to drive traffic and build relationships.
Inspirational email marketing; Red C's Email Marketing WOW Book 4Red C
We continue to be amazed by the positive feedback we have received on the back of our Email Marketing WOW books. Thanks to everyone who has spared a little time to share their thoughts with us. We sincerely hope that the emails which we've showcased to date have inspired you the same way they have us. Anyway, it’s been a while, but the wait is over. The Email WOW Book 4 is here and it’s bigger and better than ever. Our inboxes have been well and truly blessed by some brilliant email marketing since the spring and we simply couldn't live with ourselves if we didn't share them with you. We've seen great examples of spellbinding copy, jaw dropping design, mind blowing ideas and we've even seen some brilliantly themed emails around events such as the arrival of the Royal Baby. Sit back, relax and be inspired.
Enjoy!
Ten Inbox Secrets; What eye tracking reveals about designing more effective e...Red C
Back in April 2011, when we first conceived the idea of conducting a series of studies on emails by sector, we felt
that it could prove a rich source of insight. The agency already had significant expertise in the area from writing,
designing, building and analysing emails for blue chip clients. We knew a lot about what worked – we wanted to
know more about why it worked.
One year later, with more than 50 emails studied among over 100 participants, this document represents a
distillation of some of the most important findings. We wanted it to be useful for email marketing practitioners,
and we have structured it for those at the sharp end, illustrating each point with examples we uncovered of both
good and bad practice. It has given us some outstanding insights into the techniques that encourage recipients to
engage with and respond to emails, and we hope you will find it useful in designing more effectively for the inbox.
Inspirational email marketing; Red C's Christmas themed Email Marketing WOW BookRed C
Christmas is a time for giving. For some that may come in the form of a gesture of good will, for others it might be a thoughtful present. But here at Red C we thought we’d share a bit of inspiration with you instead...…Get ready for the NEW Christmas Email Mini Wow Book! A fabulous selection of festive emails we’ve collected that cut through the inbox clutter thanks to their head-turning subject lines, standout designs and enticing calls to action. Hopefully, like us, these emails will make you say WOW, give you some insight into what the competition is doing and even bring you a few extra ideas on how to take your own email marketing strategy forward. Enjoy
Inspirational email marketing; Red C's Email Marketing WOW Book 3Red C
The positive feedback we’ve been getting from our series of Email Marketing WOW books has been nothing short of incredible, thank you so much to all those who spared the time to share their thoughts. Hopefully they’ve inspired you the same way they have us. What you’ve got to remember about emails is that there’s always a new one just about to pop into your inbox. In fact it’s said that around 2.8 million emails are sent every second! That’s why at Red C we never stop pouring over them. Eagerly waiting to discover a new email that cuts through the inbox clutter and dazzles even us email geeks. And what results have we got from our most recent efforts? Possibly our best compilation of emails yet...Get ready for The Email WOW Book 3... a new series of emails that will dazzle you with spellbinding copy, jaw dropping design or a mind-blowing idea. Enjoy!
Inspirational email marketing; Red C's Email Marketing WOW Book 2Red C
We’ve been at it again here at Red C. We’ve pouring over our inboxes searching out those truly wonderful emails that standout from the norm . Whether it’s through enticing copy, standout design or brilliant novelty – each one the emails we’ve selected have stopped us in our tracks and made us say “WOW”.
So here it is back by popular demand, The Red C Email Marketing WOW Book 2. As always we hope it sparks creative thinking, just like it has for us!
Hello everyone! I am thrilled to present my latest portfolio on LinkedIn, marking the culmination of my architectural journey thus far. Over the span of five years, I've been fortunate to acquire a wealth of knowledge under the guidance of esteemed professors and industry mentors. From rigorous academic pursuits to practical engagements, each experience has contributed to my growth and refinement as an architecture student. This portfolio not only showcases my projects but also underscores my attention to detail and to innovative architecture as a profession.
Dive into the innovative world of smart garages with our insightful presentation, "Exploring the Future of Smart Garages." This comprehensive guide covers the latest advancements in garage technology, including automated systems, smart security features, energy efficiency solutions, and seamless integration with smart home ecosystems. Learn how these technologies are transforming traditional garages into high-tech, efficient spaces that enhance convenience, safety, and sustainability.
Ideal for homeowners, tech enthusiasts, and industry professionals, this presentation provides valuable insights into the trends, benefits, and future developments in smart garage technology. Stay ahead of the curve with our expert analysis and practical tips on implementing smart garage solutions.
Transforming Brand Perception and Boosting Profitabilityaaryangarg12
In today's digital era, the dynamics of brand perception, consumer behavior, and profitability have been profoundly reshaped by the synergy of branding, social media, and website design. This research paper investigates the transformative power of these elements in influencing how individuals perceive brands and products and how this transformation can be harnessed to drive sales and profitability for businesses.
Through an exploration of brand psychology and consumer behavior, this study sheds light on the intricate ways in which effective branding strategies, strategic social media engagement, and user-centric website design contribute to altering consumers' perceptions. We delve into the principles that underlie successful brand transformations, examining how visual identity, messaging, and storytelling can captivate and resonate with target audiences.
Methodologically, this research employs a comprehensive approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses. Real-world case studies illustrate the impact of branding, social media campaigns, and website redesigns on consumer perception, sales figures, and profitability. We assess the various metrics, including brand awareness, customer engagement, conversion rates, and revenue growth, to measure the effectiveness of these strategies.
The results underscore the pivotal role of cohesive branding, social media influence, and website usability in shaping positive brand perceptions, influencing consumer decisions, and ultimately bolstering sales and profitability. This paper provides actionable insights and strategic recommendations for businesses seeking to leverage branding, social media, and website design as potent tools to enhance their market position and financial success.
White wonder, Work developed by Eva TschoppMansi Shah
White Wonder by Eva Tschopp
A tale about our culture around the use of fertilizers and pesticides visiting small farms around Ahmedabad in Matar and Shilaj.
3. Contents
About this document
Executive summary
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Steps to improve deliverability���������������������
• Spam complaints�������������������������������������8
• Use a dedicated IP address���������������8-9
• Build your reputation slowly���������������9
• Content���������������������������������������������10-11
• Frequency of message������������������������ 12
• Data Hygiene�����������������������������������13-15
• Blacklists������������������������������������������������� 16
• Authentication�������������������������������������� 17
• Monitor���������������������������������������������������� 18
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Further reading and useful links
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5. (1) Refs
About this document
However, despite there being numerous documents on the subject in the marketplace, they are generally highly
technical and aren’t necessarily marketing-friendly. My intention with this paper is to produce a document for
the marketing professional who has a limited understanding of technical jargon.
“I’ve worked at Red C Marketing for 5 years and have managed email programmes for
a whole host of different clients from a number of differing sectors including home
shopping, retail and insurance.”
���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Email deliverability is a hugely complicated topic.
It’s a subject that is pretty complex and can fill many with fear and dread.
About the author���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
Steve White (Account Director)
6. 6
The primary reason for this change is the massive volume of spam
that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have to deal with on a daily basis.
According to the most recent McAfee Quarterly Threat Report(1)
, there
are approximately 130 billion spam messages broadcast every day. The
difficulty for ISPs is that they have to try and identify and eliminate
this spam activity without damaging permitted email broadcasts.
When 90% of all email is spam then they really do have quite a job
on their hands if they want to keep one step ahead of the spammers.
If there is any doubt as to the legitimacy of your email messages then
you are going to be treated as spam. You can’t blame them can you?
In today’s email marketing landscape the key factor that determines
whether or not your email messages reach their intended target is your
‘Sender Reputation’. Like a credit score, your sender reputation is an
indication of the trustworthiness of your email source. Your reputation
is determined by several factors such as the volume of email, the
number of complaints you receive and the number of bouncebacks.
When I first arrived in the industry 5 years ago, the issue of email deliverability was a relatively simple
one. If you managed to avoid spam words such as ‘Free’ and ‘Sale’ then you could generally guarantee a
delivered message. However, over the course of the last 5 years, the measures and factors that influence
email deliverability have changed significantly... and they continue to do so.
Executive Summary
7. 7
I have outlined a number of ‘must-dos’ that if applied should go a long
away to improving your email deliverability. However, these simple
steps require the support and co-operation of all the departments
involved with your email programme; the IT department, your
designer, your copywriting team, your data department and the
marketing department. They should all be accountable for your email
deliverability record. Your email service provider (ESP) should then be
tasked with monitoring your reputation and deliverability ratings.
(1) McAfee Threats Report: Second Quarter 2010
EM
AIL SERVICE PROVI
DER
INBOX
THE EMAIL DELIVERABILITY HUB:
8. 8
Copy
Intro paragraph
Title
8
The number of complaints it takes to affect the reputation of an IP
address is a closely guarded secret, as is the frequency in which ISPs
change these rules. However,America Online recommends that you
should be looking to keep complaints below one per 1,000 delivered
messages. If you were to exceed this amount, and ignoring other
factors, you could be looking at your emails either being filtered or
blocked altogether.
Throughout this document I detail several reasons as to why recipients
of your email programme might feel the need to mark your email as
‘junk’ and recommend ways in which you can avoid this unwanted
action happening to your email programme.
Your ‘sender reputation’ is greatly influenced by spam complaints; so much so that
this alone can determine whether your email message is delivered or not.
The‘must-do’steps
Spam Complaints1
Hotmail: You can mark your emails as junk or
even as unsafe.
Yahoo: You can mark your emails as spam.
9. 9
(1) Refs
9
A costly but, in my view, vital step for ensuring that your reputation
is of a good standard is to refrain from sharing an IP address across
multiple brands and/or departments.When you share an IP address
with other departments you are then relying on them to deploy the
highest standard of best practice. If other departments were to fall
foul of an ISP then the consequences would not only be dire for the
perpetrator/s but you would also suffer the same consequences, such
as having your emails junked, filtered or blocked.
By having your own IP address you are solely responsible for your
own destiny and you’re not relying on other departments to
showcase those same levels of best practice.
ReturnPath have reported that 77% of delivery problems were based on reputation(2)
.
So, given the importance of reputation, I would advise that the necessary investment
is made to ensure that your reputation is solid.
Use a dedicated IP address2
(2) ReturnPath: Content secondary factor when email gets clocked or junked (2006)
If you find yourself with a new IP address not to try too much too
soon, as ISPs prefer for ‘new’ reputations to be built gradually over
time. This can be achieved by sending small batches of emails and
gradually building the distribution volume up over the course of
three to four weeks.
Your sender reputation is not transferable, if you have had a fantastic reputation in the
past that counts for nothing when you start afresh with a new IP address.
Buildyour reputation gradually2.1
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Spam filters monitor email content for incorrect or non-standard code,
spammy content and a whole host of other factors. Emails are in fact
given scores by ISPs and it is believed by many that if you have scored
4 points or more then you stand a good chance that your message will
be junked, blocked or delayed (4).
There are many ways of checking your email templates before distribution:
• You can check how your email renders by sending it through an
HTML validator or spam content checker such as Litmus (see below)
or Campaign Monitor.
UseLitmustocheckhowyouremailrenders.
• It is also recommended you view your emails on a number of
differing web browsers, i.e. Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer.
• I’d advise you set up ‘dummy’ email accounts with Hotmail, Gmail,
Live,Yahoo etc..., so you can closely monitor first-hand how your
email messages render.
Although email content isn’t regarded as being as influential as it once was, it is still
very much a factor that needs to be considered and closely monitored (3)
.
The‘must-do’steps(continued)
CONTENT3
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If you are experiencing problems with how your emails are rendering
then you should look at the way in which you build your emails.
For example, if your email is being designed with the assistance of
a design programme such as Dreamweaver or Frontpage then your
email might contain ‘dirty’ html code, which will almost certainly be
causing you problems. Why not build your emails by hand without
the support from such programmes.
It is estimated that 50% of consumers have their images turned
off by default so it is recommended that you don’t design your
messages with an over-reliance on images. The image/HTML ratio
should be considered carefully from a deliverability perspective but
equally it should be implemented from a customer experience point
of view. If customers are struggling to view your emails content then
they may well ‘unsubscribe’ or even click ‘spam complaints’.
Be careful when structuring your subject headers as overly aggressive
messages could generate a high complaint rate. Avoid all-caps,
exclamation marks and what might be regarded as ‘spammy’ words.
Consider using your brand name in your subject header as it’s
recognisable to the consumer and therefore generates
consumer confidence.
Another key point when it comes to content is its relevancy. It is
dangerous for businesses and retailers to take their subscribed email
list for granted by sending messages that they haven’t necessarily
subscribed to. For example, if a customer has subscribed to a fashion
related email programme but they then begin receiving emails
promoting financial services - this course of action could lead to an
increased complaint rate. Do not to partake in sharing data across
differing brands as although this might be viewed within a business
as being an effective method of stretching resources it could be
viewed by a customer as being very confusing and again could
trigger a complaint.
(3) “DMA; Deliverability White Paper Review”
(4) “Silverpop; Email Delivery Rates above 95%: 16 “Must do” to make it happen, 2009”.
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Although I don’t advocate a haphazard “blast” approach I do believe
that email frequency should be pushed as high as possible. The
decision on how frequent you should be emailing your customers
should be based on several factors such as the relationship you have
with the customer, seasonality, product range, email content and your
sign up promise.
If you do decide test the frequency in which you contact your
customers then it is absolutely critical that your open, click,
unsubscription and complaint rates are monitored rigorously. If your
email programme does experience an increase in unsubscribes or
complaints then it is a fair assumption that you are contacting your
customer too frequently.
I would also advise that if you were to test your frequency levels,
which I very much recommend you do, then you don’t make radical
changes immediately and instead you ramp up the frequency
slowly. According to a JupiterResearch study (5), 40% of consumers
unsubscribe from email programmes because “emails are sent too
often”. This is quite a damning statistic, especially given that 26% of
consumers unsubscribe by clicking the ‘report spam’ button, due to not
trusting the ‘unsubscribe’ link. This will ultimately lead to an increase
in spam complaints, therefore your frequency of message needs to be
monitored closely.
Establishing the right frequency of marketing message has always been an issue that
has generated much debate amongst email marketers. Given the relatively low costs
associated with email and the relative ease of email production there has always been
the temptation to “blast” customers with messages as often as possible.
The‘must-do’steps(continued)
FREQUENCY OF MESSAGE4
(5) David Daniels,Vice President, JupiterResearch, December 2007
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DATA AUDITS
It is certainly good practice for your data list to be screened on a
regular basis to identify poor data and it’s a good idea to screen your
list prior to it being used for the first time.
Things to look out for:
• Duplicate addresses
• Junk entries (qwertyuiop@asdfg.hj)
• Common mis-spellings (“hotmial” instead of “hotmail”)
• Irrelevant addresses (foreign addresses for a UK campaign)
The quality of your data can often be improved at the source by
introducing a double opt in function, as this will almost certainly
eradicate mis-spelling or mistakes when email addresses are
being inputted.
Good list hygiene is absolutely crucial as a ‘dirty’ list will undoubtedly cause you
significant problems when it comes to your sender reputation and, ultimately, your
email deliverability.
DATA HYGIENE5
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The‘must-do’steps(continued)
DATA HYGIENE (continued)5
1. Honeypots
Spammers often look to compile email lists by roaming
the web looking for any email addresses that are listed on
websites. If they find one, they copy the address and put it
on their list. This process is known as email address
harvesting and is usually automated using special ‘address
harvesting’ software.
BOUNCEBACK RATES
It is recommended that a bounceback management process be
introduced to any email programme. This will indentify and process
any email addresses that soft or hard bounce.
If you experience a hard bounce (i.e. failed delivery of an email due to a
permanent reason) then they should be removed from your data list as
soon as they are identified.
However, a more relaxed approach should be applied when dealing
with soft bounces as immediate expulsion is too severe, given the
possible reasons for a soft bounce (bounces back due to a fault or
unavailability of space in the user’s inbox). For example, you may
decide that you remove an address after it has received five soft
bounceback notifications over the course of a 60 day period.
SPAM TRAPS
Spam traps are email addresses that have been created or re-activated
not for communication but to lure spam. They are to be avoided at all
costs, as if you fall foul; it’s a clear indication that you are managing
your data in an inappropriate fashion.
There are two types of spam traps that are to be avoided:
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(5) David Daniels,Vice President, JupiterResearch, December 2007
Non-engagement
An area that is becoming more and more important is the
issue of non-engagement. ISPs take a dim view of email
broadcasters who persist in sending email messages to
non-responding email addresses. It is recommended that
a dedicated re-engagement programme be implemented
to look at re-engaging email addresses that haven’t
opened an email for an agreed period.
It is not known what level of non-engagement triggers
ISPs to act.
Some organisations involved in tackling spam put specific
email addresses on a website for the sole purpose of
attracting harvesting software.
These addresses are never used for any other purpose.They
are merely listed on a web page in such a way that no
human would ever discover them or seek to send an email
to them.Any email sent to a ‘honeypot’ addresses must, by
definition, be spam.The address owner never added the email
voluntarily to any email list: they just put it up on a website.
So it must have been harvested by a spammer and added
without permission to a mailing list.
2. Dormant addresses
Email accounts often fall into disuse.They are abandoned
by their owners or shut down - as a result the account is
unable to receive email. Legitimate senders of email will
stop sending messages to such addresses.They notice a dead
address and remove it from their system. Spammers will just
keep on sending regardless.
So some organisations (like webmail services) will take
dead email accounts and, after a suitable period of time has
elapsed, re-activate them for the purpose of
trapping spammers.
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The‘must-do’steps(continued)
There are hundreds of blacklists in operation but some are more
influential than others. For example, Spamhaus, Spamcop and MAPS
(Mail Abuse Prevention Centre) are all considered to be hugely
influential and are used by the major ISPs.
It is increasingly easy to establish if you have fallen foul of an email
blacklist as there are many websites that provide a quick way of
checking if you have indeed been listed.
If you have been listed then it isn’t necessarily the end for your email
programme, as although it’s clearly bad news the problem is rectifiable.
It is possible to contact the blacklist owners to try and have the listing
removed. Blacklist owners will generally provide information on their
site to detail the ‘de-listing process’, but generally it will involve
re-assurance that the offence won’t happen again and evidence that a
good level of best practice is being carried out in relation to the
email programme.
If you fall foul of spam traps or if ISPs receive complaints about your email
programme you are then in real danger of being blacklisted. As the name suggests,
a blacklist is a list or database of IP addresses that are viewed as being “spammers”.
The lists can be populated through consumer complaints but are just as likely to be
populated independently of consumer feedback. ISPs subscribe to these blacklist
databases in order to filter out spam sent across their network or to the subscribers.
THE BLACKLIST6
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One way of ensuring that your emails are authenticated is to add some
code within the email header. In basic terms it acts as a signature that
aligns your email to your domain address. The name of this code is the
Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM). Incorporating this code within
your email template should see the ISP accept the email, if it can
successfully identify the code as being legitimate.
Example;
DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; d=example.net; s=brisbane;
Another way of helping to ensure that your emails are authenticated
is by running them through a validation system called a Sender ID /or
Sender Policy Framework (SPF). In very basic terms a SPF allows you
to form a record of hosts that are allowed to distribute emails from a
particular domain.
Ensuring that your emails are authenticated via SPF and DKIM is
generally the responsibility of your ESP.
Increasing numbers of spammers have been adopting the identities of legitimate
domain owners in an attempt of getting their emails delivered to their intended
targets. Therefore, it is essential for the various parties who partake in email
distribution to have a way of identifying whether the email has been sent by the party
that it is claiming to be.
AUTHENTICATION7
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The‘must-do’steps(continued)
Keep track of the following performance indicators;
• Hard bounces
• Spam complaints
• Unsubscribes
• Blacklists that you’ve been added to
• Inbox delivery rate by ISP (i.e. Hotmail)
In addition it would also be advisable if you were able to track
performance via email type (newsletter, promotional, services), timing
(season, day of week), frequency (increased or decreased activity) and
perhaps even content and style.
The monitoring of your email programme doesn’t necessarily need
to be something that you carry out in isolation as there are services
available that can help with this process. Many ISPs use feedback
loops, which are used to notify email senders when they hit an
unknown complaint rate.
ISPs are constantly reviewing their rules around deliverability as they have to keep
one step ahead of the ‘spammers’. It is therefore imperative that you are constantly
monitoring your performance when it comes to your sender reputation and
deliverability rates.
MONITOR8
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PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:
N N N N
Delivered Opened Clicked Ordered
Y Y Y Y
Open rate Click rate, unsubscribe rate, complaints order rate, customer behaviour
Engagement monitoring
Data Management
Hard bounces, soft bounces,
inbox monitoring
Key performance indicators
Heat map analysis
Web analysis
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There is no doubt that the subject of email deliverability is one that requires a great
degree of attention, as ISPs and their filters become more and more sophisticated in
fighting the “good fight” against spammers. However, the good news is that you can
control your email deliverability by investing the right amount of time and resource to
its continued management.
Each of the factors that I have highlighted in this document all impact your
reputation and ultimately your email deliverability, but it isn’t known as to how these
factors rank in importance. For example, is it more important to steer away from
using spam words in your subject header than it is to limit your email interaction with
non-engaged email addresses? No one knows, apart from the guardians of the inbox
– the ISPs.
Summary
Returnpath - www.returnpath.net
Goodmail - www.goodmailsystems.com
Email marketing Council blog - www.spammcop.net
Deliverability.com - www.blog.deliverability.com
MarketingSherpa - www.marketingsherpa.com
Further reading and useful links
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