Imagine sending out important emails, only to find out they never reach your audience. It’s a nightmare for any business, especially when nearly 20% of marketing emails get lost in the digital wilderness. These missing emails represent missed opportunities, lost connections, and potential revenue going down the drain.
For email marketing companies and startup marketing agencies, understanding email deliverability isn’t just a technical skill, it’s a critical business strategy. This guide will break down the top five ways to make sure your emails actually land in your subscribers’ inboxes.
1. Keep Your Email List Healthy and Fresh
Email list is like a garden that needs regular care. Just as you’d remove dead plants, you need to clean out inactive or incorrect email addresses. Subscribers who haven’t opened your emails in months are actually hurting your chances of reaching other customers.
Before deleting inactive subscribers, send them a quick “Are you still interested?” email. If they don’t respond, it’s time to remove them. Use a double opt-in process when people sign up, which means they confirm their email address. This helps ensure you’re only keeping real, interested subscribers on your list.
2. Segment Your Audience for Better Targeting
Not everyone wants the same type of email. By dividing your email list into specific groups, you can send more personalized content. Imagine getting an email that speaks directly to your interests—you’re much more likely to open and engage with it.
Ask subscribers about their preferences when they sign up. Do they want weekly updates? Are they interested in specific topics? The more you know about your audience, the better you can tailor your content. This approach not only makes your emails more interesting but also shows email providers that your content is valuable.
3. Create Smart, Spam-Proof Content
Your email content can make or break your deliverability. Email providers use smart filters to detect potentially unwanted emails. Avoid writing in ALL CAPS, using too many exclamation points, or stuffing your email with words like “FREE” or “URGENT!!!” Craft subject lines that are honest and intriguing. Don’t trick people into opening an email that just leads to frustration and spam complaints. Your goal is to create emails that people actually want to read and engage with.
4. Use Technical Tools to Prove Your Legitimacy
Email authentication is like a digital ID card for your emails. There are three main ways to prove you’re a legitimate sender:
- DKIM: Proves that you are who you say you are.
- SPF: Confirms that you’re sending emails from an authorized location.
- DMARC: Adds an extra layer of security and verification.
These technical tools tell email providers that your emails are trustworthy and should reach the main inbox.
5. Be Consistent and Transparent
Stick to the promises you make when people sign up. If you said you’d send a monthly newsletter, don’t suddenly start sending weekly emails. Consistency builds trust with both your subscribers and email providers.
Use a sender name that clearly shows who you are. Instead of a generic “noreply” email, use something like “Sarah from [Your Company]” or “[Your Company] Team”. Make it easy for people to unsubscribe if they want to, it might seem counterintuitive, but it actually helps maintain a healthy email list.
Conclusion
For email marketing companies and startup marketing agencies, these five strategies offer a roadmap to better email performance. Email marketing is about more than just sending messages, it’s about creating valuable, meaningful communication. Stay curious, keep learning, and always put your subscribers first.
