Emails going to spam is a big problem, which is why email services have gotten more aggressive with combating spam. Most of the emails that get filtered to spam really are just spam. People would be annoyed if they had to manually filter through all of these emails, so Internet service providers (ISPs) and email services (like Gmail) set up filters to automatically block spam emails before they appear in the inbox.
Let’s see what are the reasons for emails going to spam
Bad Sender Reputation
Sender reputation is a score that an internet service provider assigns to an organization that sends emails. The higher the score higher the delivery of emails in the inbox of the recipients. Having a bad sender reputation lands the email in the spam.
An issue with your subject line
The subject line is the first impression any recipient gets of your email. They need to grab attention and make the recipient open the mail. However, subject lines also need to be honest. A misleading subject line isn’t just poor practice, it’s also against the law, according to the CAN-SPAM Act. if recipients see something inappropriate they will mark them as spam.
Low engagement rates
If previously you have low open or bounce rates, then your emails are more likely to be flagged as spam. The more engaged recipients are with your emails, the more are the chances to land in your recipient’s inbox.
Not updating and cleaning your email list
By keeping your email list clean you can prevent your emails from going to spam. Your email list should consist of valid addresses and valid opt-ins from the recipients. Always remember to clean out your lists by deleting all inactive email addresses regularly. If you’re sending emails to inactive accounts regularly, this will significantly hurt your open rates. Check your email lists on a monthly basis, clean them up, and delete all inactive addresses to avoid a bad reputation.
Using spam trigger words
There are certain words and phrases that one must avoid using in subject lines and emails. Spam filters pick up on spam-like words, mostly in your subject lines. These words increase your chances of mail getting flagged as spam. These words can be 100%, $1, billion, cash bonus, etc.
Not including unsubscribe link
Laws like CAN-SPAM in the U.S. clearly state that your emails must include an unsubscribing mail option. Additionally, if someone does click on the unsubscribe link, you’ll need to process that request within 10 days, and you can’t force the user to jump through any hoops. Giving people an easy way to get off your subscriber list shows that your brand is trustworthy.
Conclusion
There are several reasons why your emails may end up in spam folders, from bad subject lines to spammy keywords that trigger spam filters. Whatever the reason, it’s important to solve the issue to maximize your ROI (return to investment) and maintain a trustworthy reputation among your audience.
