SimplyCast: Email Marketing Blog

One of the major benefits of email marketing is that email is free, but obviously this is the same reason why spam has become so popular and so frustrating to us all.

With spam comes spam filters and with spam filters comes the blocking of legitimate email.

How do you avoid spam filters when sending out your latest email marketing campaign?

Here are 20 important ways to dodge those pesky spam filters.

1. Follow best practice email marketing techniques.
2. Have permission to contact the recipient. If you don’t you are spamming.
3. Avoid spam trigger words in your subject line.
4. Use a consistent “From” field.
5. Monitor blacklists using www.blacklistmonitor.com.
6. Don’t use carbon copy to a lot of recipients.
7. Personalize the “To” field.
8. Don’t keep mailing to someone if they have unsubscribed.
9. Don’t use a mailing service that tolerates spam.

In case you are wondering, SimplyCast is strongly opposed to spamming and we will make every effort to discourage the sending of spam.

10. Remove bounces from your list.
11. Don’t use the recipient’s email address in the subject line.
12. Don’t use multiple exclamation marks or dollar signs.
13. Ask recipients to add your email address to their “trusted sender” or “whitelist” list or Address Book.
14. Don’t use excessive capitalization.
15. Avoid javascript, embedded forms, and hidden text in HTML emails.
16. Prefix all links with http://
17. Don’t use an IP address in links instead of a domain name.
18. Block generic email addresses from your list (postmaster@, abuse@, nospam@, sales@, info@, webmaster@, etc.)
19. Use confirmed opt-in (ie. send a confirmation email whenever someone is added to your list).
20. Avoid using words that appear in Microsoft Outlook’s Junk Filter list.

As an email marketer, it can be difficult to sell your message as well as sail past all spam filters. By following this helpful list, you will give your campaign or newsletter the best possible chance to be delivered to the intended destination.