Why Your Emails are Going to Spam

by Syrup | Jan 21, 2020

We’ve all been there. You spend hours creating the perfect content, getting it perfectly crafted in your builder, setting up tracking, segmenting your audience to deliver your unique message, and scheduling when you know your audience is looking. And then the results come back. Your open rates are down and you’re left scratching your head trying to figure out what to change for the next broadcast.

So I ask you this; when is the last time you checked your spam scores? 

Many email platforms such as ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp will automatically run your email through their spam check and will explain your red flags. However, if you’re not utilizing a platform that does this for you, or you’re just curious, ask yourself these questions before you send your next broadcast:

1. Is there any actual text in your email? Many beautifully designed emails get flagged because they’re 100% images. Add in text where you’d otherwise have an image of text. Make sure all your images have alt descriptions so the text appears when your image doesn’t. Especially for the email users that have images turned off automatically, your message isn’t going to reach them.
2. How do your subject line and preview text read? Is your subject line in all caps, figuratively shouting at your user? Many email carriers will automatically send spammy subject lines right into the spam folder. Also, is your subject line misleading? No one wants to be tricked into opening an email that’s 100% irrelevant to them. Make your subject line an extension of your email content. Entice the user to open your email without making them feel forced or tricked.
3. Is your footer text up to date? This one may seem like a simple “yes.” But think, for most email platforms, you set it once and you leave it. So when was the last time you made sure the email footer had your correct physical address, the correct copyright date, and a working unsubscribe link? Does it include a disclaimer as to why your user is receiving the email and do you have permission in the first place to send them marketing messages?

These are just a few, but some of the most obvious, ways to help your emails stay out of the spam folder. By asking yourself these questions before sending an email broadcast, you improve your deliverability and, in the long run, make your audience more engaged and trusting. If you’re looking for more tips on getting your open rates up or just want to chat email broadcast best practices, reach out to us!