Deliverability tips for content

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Deliverability Tips for Content

Email deliverability is a crucial aspect of digital marketing that requires careful consideration of various factors within your email campaigns. The content you choose to include in your emails can significantly impact whether those emails successfully land in your recipients’ inboxes or are filtered out as spam. Understanding and implementing effective deliverability tips is vital for protecting your sender reputation and ensuring your messages reach your target audience.

This article provides an overview of deliverability tips specifically related to your email content, detailing common pitfalls to avoid and best practices to follow for optimal email performance.

How to Access This Feature

To access the features and settings related to email deliverability, log in to your ActiveCampaign account. Once logged in, navigate to the 'Email section within the platform. You will find additional resources and tools that can help you optimize your content for better deliverability.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Following these steps can enhance your email content and improve your deliverability rates:

1. **Sender Name and Address**:

  - Use a recognizable sender name and from address. It is advisable to keep your sender name consistent for brand recognition. Make sure your from address is linked to a domain that you own, avoiding the use of free email domains. You should also ensure proper authentication settings are in place.

2. **Encourage Engagement**:

  - Prompt your recipients to forward emails and reply to them. Remind them to add your email address to their contact book. This encourages positive sender reputation metrics and can improve inbox placement.

3. **Monitor Spam Check Flags**:

  - Pay attention to any warnings from the Spam Check feature in ActiveCampaign. If it flags phrases that resemble "get rich quick schemes," it's advisable to adjust your content accordingly.

4. **Unsubscribe Options**:

  - It is important to make it easy for recipients to unsubscribe if they choose. An easily accessible unsubscribe option decreases the risk of spam complaints. Always display a clear unsubscribe link, as trying to hide it can negatively impact your deliverability.

5. **Image Optimization**:

  - Ensure that any images used in your campaigns are optimized and compressed, ideally keeping their size under 50kb. Large images can trigger spam filters. Preferably, use JPG format over PNG and consider breaking larger images into smaller pieces for better performance.

6. **Avoid Common Spam Triggers**:

  - While terms like "free" or "100%" may seem concerning, they don't necessarily have a major impact on deliverability if your sending practices and list engagement are sound. However, it is still a best practice to use common sense when crafting your subject lines and content.

Configuration Options and Best Practices

Consider the following guidelines as you configure your email campaigns for better deliverability:

- **Avoid Link Shorteners**: Do not use link shorteners (like Bitly) as they are often associated with spam and can land your emails on blocklists. - **Hyperlink Text**: Ensure that you do not display entire URLs as hyperlink text. Instead, use descriptive phrases such as Click Here or a contextual sentence to embed your links. - **Email Format**: Do not include HTML forms or JavaScript in your emails, as these can confuse spam filters. Avoid including attachments within your emails as well. - **Balanced Content**: While it’s generally recommended to maintain a good text-to-image ratio, there is no fixed ratio that guarantees deliverability. Aim for a balance, but don’t stress overly about a precise mix.

It's also important to be aware of some common misconceptions: 1. **Text-to-Image Ratio**: Many believe that maintaining a specific ratio is critical, but modern spam filters focus more on your sending history. 2. **Plain Text Emails**: The format of your email (plain text vs. HTML) does not determine deliverability; the sender's reputation is more significant. 3. **"Sent on behalf of" Header**: This header does not directly impact deliverability, but removing it may improve brand recognition.

Common Use Cases with Examples

Here are some scenarios where these deliverability tips can significantly enhance email engagement:

- **Newsletter Campaigns**: Use well-optimized images and maintain a consistent sender name to improve brand recognition and ensure high open rates. - **Promotional Emails**: While offering limited-time deals may tempt the use of urgent language, adhering to clear, transparent messaging is key to avoid spam filters. - **Re-engagement Emails**: When targeting inactive customers, personalized subject lines using personalization tags can help increase engagement and improve overall deliverability.

Troubleshooting

If you find that your emails are consistently landing in spam folders:

- Review the content utilizing the Spam Check feature to identify potential issues. - Ensure optimal engagement practices are in play, such as encouraging replies or ask recipients to add your address to their contacts. - Regularly clean your email lists to eliminate inactive contacts, which can negatively impact your sender reputation.

FAQ

What is email deliverability?

Email deliverability refers to the ability of an email to successfully reach a recipient's inbox rather than being filtered as spam.

How can I improve my email deliverability?

Improving email deliverability can be achieved through consistent sender practices, optimized content, and fostering recipient engagement.

Should I avoid using certain words in my emails?

While it is advised to minimize the use of spammy words, maintaining good sending practices can mitigate potential consequences.

How can I encourage my subscribers to engage with my emails?

Encouraging replies and forwarding of your emails, as well as requesting that recipients add your email to their contacts, can boost engagement.

Is it better to use plain text emails?

Not necessarily. The format of your email matters less than your sender reputation and overall sending practices.

What should I do if my emails are landing in spam?

Investigate your content through the Spam Check tool, ensure high engagement practices, and consider cleaning your subscriber list.

How often should I update my email content for deliverability?

Regularly updating your email content and following the latest best practices can help maintain high deliverability rates.

By adhering to these guidelines and best practices for delivering content, you'll be well on your way to improving your email campaign's effectiveness and ensuring your messages land where they belong—in your subscribers’ inboxes. ```