How spam can be a problem with your email strategy and how to handle it
Last week we asked, How Much Do You Know About Email Reputation? We discussed two components of email reputation and how to be proactive while handling them.
To quickly recap, volume of email sent and the bounce rate will have an affect on your reputation. Consistent attention and action behind these will yield better results for you.
Remember, as in-depth as we have discussed email reputation, it isn’t the only contributing factor in improving email delivery rate. For more on this topic, attend our Solving Email Delivery Problems webinar on December 15th.
Today, we continue with two more components of email reputation.
-Number of Spam Complaints. Similar to bounces, with any volume of email, there will be spam complaints. Regardless of the effort you put into your mailings, it will happen. Don’t worry too much about it if the number of complaints is low. People may forget they signed up to your list or may have not recognized the sender.
Each internet service provider has their own limit as to when spam complaints become an issue. Contact your ISP or do some research on the topic to be aware of their guidelines.
An email feedback loop is a device that can be provided to an email sender when a spam complaint is made about them. Using one can be helpful in knowing which subscribers want to be taken off your email list and what types of complaints are being made.
Eliminating those who do not want to be on the list will ensure that they will not complain again, thus potentially lowering your spam complaints. Also, understanding the complaints subscribers have will help you redesign the email methods you’re using or the content involved within them.
If you are working with an ESP, they should monitor email marketing spam complaints for you.
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The best defense against email marketing spam complaints is having users explicitly opt-in to receive mailings. Those who are interested in what you have to say are less likely to complain to an ISP.
Finally, having your own IP will help in the battle against being labeled as spam. All actions from this IP will be your own, so you cannot be blamed for someone else’s emailing behavior. Treat it accordingly to the beginning.
-Email Sent to Spam Traps. Email addresses that are posted publically but don’t act to engage actual communication are called spam traps. They are never used for opt-ins. Avoid stumbling upon these and emailing to them at all costs because anyone who sends to them repeatedly is typically a spammer. Thus, you would be lumped into the classification of being one yourself.
If you do fall into the trap by sending to them too often, your email reputation will be damaged.
The safest way to avoid sending to spam traps is to double opt-in. In this process you won’t be immediately added to the list. Instead, a confirmation email will be sent, needing action in order to add the name to the list. If none is taken, then the address will not be added. This allows for a lower risk in being labeled as spam.
Are you feeling better about your email reputation yet? Hopefully you are one step closer to completely understanding what components make up your email reputation and how to keep it at a positive standing. For more on email reputation and the bigger picture of improving email delivery rate, sign up for our December 15th webinar on Solving Email Delivery Problems now.
