| Ensuring requested opt-in email is delivered to | | | | URL to send spam, just having their URL appear |
| subscriber inboxesis an increasingly difficult battle in | | | | inyour newsletter could cause the entire message to |
| the age of spam filtering. | | | | be filtered. |
| Open and click thru response rates can be | | | | - Words/phrases: Choose your language carefully |
| dramatically affected byas much as 20-30% due to | | | | when craftingmessages. Avoid hot button topics |
| incorrect spam filter classification. | | | | often found in spam such asmedication, mortgages, |
| - Permission | | | | making money, and pornography. If you doneed to |
| Confirming that the people who ask for your | | | | use words that might be filtered, don't attempt to |
| information haveactually requested to be on your list | | | | obfuscatewords with extra characters or odd spelling, |
| is the number one step in thebattle for deliverability. | | | | you'll just make yourmessages appear more spam |
| You should be using a process calledconfirmed opt-in | | | | like. |
| or verified opt-in to send a unique link to | | | | - Images: Avoid creating messages that are entirely |
| theattempted subscriber when they request | | | | images. Useimages sparingly, if at all. Commonly used |
| information. Before addingthe person to your list they | | | | open rate trackingtechnology uses images to |
| must click that unique link verifyingthat they are | | | | calculate opens. You may choose todisable open rate |
| indeed the same person that owns the email address | | | | tracking to avoid being filtered based on |
| andrequested to subscribe. | | | | imagecontent. |
| - Subscriber Addresses | | | | - Attachments: With viruses running rampant and |
| When requesting website visitors to opt-in ask for | | | | spreading thruthe usage of malicious email |
| their "real" or | | | | attachments many users are wary ofattached |
| "primary" email address instead of a free email | | | | documents. It's often better to link to files via |
| address like Yahooor Hotmail. Free emails tend to be | | | | awebsite URL to reduce recipient fear of |
| throw away accounts andtypically have a shorter | | | | attachments and reduce theoverall message size. |
| lifetime than a primary ISP address. | | | | - CAN-SPAM Compliance |
| - List Maintenance | | | | The January 2004 Federal CAN-SPAM law introduced |
| Always promptly remove undeliverable addresses | | | | a number of rulesregarding the delivery of email. It's |
| that bounce whensending email to them. An address | | | | important you have your legalcounsel review your |
| that bounces with a permanenterror 2-3 times in a 30 | | | | practices and ensure you are in compliance. Thetwo |
| day period should be removed from the list. | | | | most important rules include having a valid postal mail |
| ISP's track what percentage of your newsletters | | | | addresslisted in all commercial messages and a |
| bounce and willblock them if you attempt to | | | | working unsubscribe linkthat is promptly honored to |
| continually deliver messages to closedsubscriber | | | | remove the subscriber from futuremessages. |
| mailboxes. | | | | - Reputation |
| - Message Format | | | | Reputation services are often used by large ISP's as |
| Usage of HTML messages to allow for text | | | | a way to vetemail senders regarding their email |
| formatting, multiplecolumns, images, and brand | | | | practices and policies. |
| recognition is growing in popularity andis widely | | | | Businesses listed with these services are then given |
| supported by most email client software. Most spam | | | | less stringentfiltering or no filtering at all. Several |
| isalso HTML formatted and thus differentiating | | | | reputation services are: |
| between requested emailand spam HTML messages | | | | - Relationships & Whitelisting |
| can be difficult. A 2004 study by AWeber.comshows | | | | Contact with major ISP's and email providers is |
| that plain text messages are undeliverable 1.15% of | | | | essential in lettingthem know about your requested |
| the timeand HTML only messages were undeliverable | | | | subscriber email. Many largeproviders such as AOL |
| 2.3%. If sending HTML itis important to always send | | | | and Yahoo have specific whitelisting programsand |
| a plain text alternative message, alsocalled text | | | | postmaster website areas to ensure your email is |
| HTML multi-part mime format. | | | | delivered aslong as you meet their policies and |
| - Content | | | | procedures in handling youropt-in list. |
| Many ISP's filter based on the content that appears | | | | Email deliverability is about ensuring requested opt-in |
| within themessage text. | | | | email isdelivered to the intended recipient. While no |
| - Website URL: Research potential newsletter | | | | single tip will enableyou to get 100% of your email |
| advertisers beforeallowing them to place ads in your | | | | delivered each one utilized as a groupcan go a long |
| newsletter issues. If they haveused their website | | | | way to reaching that goal. |