Improving Your Email Deliverability
If your SpamBarometer tests show high spam scores, don't worry. This guide provides practical tips to improve your email deliverability and ensure your messages reach the inbox.
Content Improvements
Avoid Spam Trigger Words
Certain words and phrases can trigger spam filters. Avoid or use alternatives for words like:
- "Free," "Discount," "Cash," when used excessively
- ALL CAPS and excessive exclamation marks!!!
- Phrases like "Act now," "Limited time," "Once in a lifetime"
- Financial terms like "No fees," "No obligation," "100% free"
Balance Text and Images
Emails with too many images and little text often trigger spam filters:
- Aim for at least 60% text to 40% images
- Don't put critical information only in images
- Always include ALT text for images
- Avoid single large image emails
Improve Link Quality
Links can significantly impact deliverability:
- Avoid URL shorteners when possible
- Don't hide links behind images without text links as well
- Ensure all domains you link to have good reputations
- Limit the number of links (ideally fewer than 5 per email)
Technical Improvements
Authenticate Your Emails
Proper authentication is crucial for deliverability:
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Authorize specific servers to send email on behalf of your domain
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Add a digital signature to verify email authenticity
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication): Tell receiving servers how to handle authentication failures
Work with your email service provider or IT team to implement these standards.
Clean Your HTML
Poor HTML can trigger spam filters:
- Use a proper HTML doctype and structure
- Close all tags properly
- Minimize inline CSS
- Remove unnecessary code and comments
- Test your email in an HTML validator
Include Proper Headers
Ensure your email includes these important headers:
- From: Use a consistent, recognizable sender name and email
- Reply-To: Make sure this is a valid, monitored email address
- List-Unsubscribe: Include both mailto: and http: unsubscribe options
Compliance Improvements
Include Unsubscribe Options
Legal compliance requires:
- A clear, functioning unsubscribe link in every email
- Processing unsubscribe requests within 10 business days (CAN-SPAM requirement)
- Ideally, a one-click unsubscribe process
Add Physical Address
Include your physical mailing address in the footer of every email to comply with CAN-SPAM and similar regulations.
Be Clear About Your Identity
Always make it obvious who the email is from and why the recipient is receiving it.
Testing and Iteration
Improving deliverability is an ongoing process:
- Make changes based on SpamBarometer recommendations
- Re-test to see the impact of your changes
- Test across different email clients using our rendering preview
- Monitor actual delivery rates in your email sending platform
- Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive subscribers
Advanced Strategies
Warm Up New Sending IPs
If you're using a new sending IP or domain, gradually increase your sending volume over time rather than sending to your entire list at once.
Segment Your Audience
Send more targeted, relevant emails to improve engagement, which positively impacts deliverability.
Monitor Blacklists
Regularly check if your sending domain or IP has been blacklisted and take immediate action if it has.
Need More Help?
If you've implemented these recommendations but still struggle with deliverability, contact our deliverability experts for personalized assistance.