Good article with the basics, good for a read as a refresher course. .. How to Avoid SPAM Filters and Deliver Successful Email Campaigns Rules to Remember about Email Subject Lines * Avoid using commonly filtered words or phrases (see a sample list below); * Never type in all caps; * Don’t insert extra white spaces – anywhere; * Don’t include a unique ID #; * Avoid using exclamation marks!!!; * For a regularly scheduled newsletter, include the date or month of the issue (e.g. May 2008) and “newsletter,†“news,†“list,†or the frequency (â€daily,†“weekly,†“monthlyâ€); On average, consumer e-mail users still check their messages once a day. Rules to Remember about â€From†Values (which shows the sender’s email address) * Use a real name, not just a company email address (i.e. [email protected]); * Use lower-case characters; * Don’t use an email that ends with a number (i.e. [email protected]); * Avoid using “CC†(Caron Copy) or “BCC†(Blind Carbon Copy) for emails to more than a few recipients. Moreover, sending an email to yourself and BCC’ing all the recipients is a SPAM technique; Tips about the Body Content of the Email * Use text descriptions of any inserted images so recipients will still read this text when the images are turned off (don’t load automatically) or are blocked; * Avoid embedding images in emails. Instead inserted hyperlinks to the image(s) stored on a web server, which load automatically when the recipients views the email; * Create HTML messages with a maximum width of 600 pixels so recipients still using screen resolution of 800×600 can still see your message. If your recipients are known to use higher screen resolutions, design the email to the minimum standard you identify; * Keep the important parts of the message in the top 300 pixels so it will be visible when the message is opened; * Limit the total size of emails to 40k or less so it will load quickly. Plus SPAM filters use file size to identify possible SPAM messages; * Keep the message itself simple. You want to provide just enough information to encourage/incentivize your recipient to click-through and/or to contact you; 43% of e-mail users check their email first thing in the morning. Common Mistakes in the Body of the Email * Going crazy with exclamation points!!!!!! * USING ALL CAPS (WHICH IS LIKE YELLING IN EMAIL); * Coloring your fonts bright red, or green. Stick with a single font color; * Sending nothing but a single, big embedded image (with little or no text) in the message; * Designing email content in Microsoft Word, and then pasting the content into an HTML editor in another application (the Microsoft content is sloppy and contains many extra formatting characters you won’t see on screen, and spam filters hate it); * Don’t embed Flash, videos, or other media in the email message. Always hyper link “out†to these types of files if you must send them; * Not including an email opt out/unsubscribe link; * Blatantly not following the CAN-SPAM regulations; a common mistake is to send email without the company name, physical address, etc. in the footer of the message. Visit www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/spam/business.htm for more information Average number of email accounts people maintain = 3. Do you store multiple email addresses for your customers? Some Common Words and Phrases to Avoid in Email This short list is representative of what most SPAM filters consider possible SPAM message content. If your email message has one of these words or phrases, your email may still reach the inbox. However, if the email contains multiple words or phrases it is much more likely to be scored and held as possible SPAM. 100% ~ Amazing ~ Best rates ~ Big savings ~ Call now ~ Buy ~ Completely free ~ Coupons ~ Discounts ~ “For free†or “free†~ Forward to a friend ~ Freedom ~ Full refund ~ Great offer ~ Guarantee(d) ~ Income ~ Increase ~ Incredible ~ Limited-time only ~ Now only ~ Opportunity ~ Please forward ~ Quote(no obligation) ~ Refund ~ Remove(d), removal ~ Save up to ~ Special promotion ~ This is not spam ~ Urgent ~ What are you waiting for Always Test Your Mass Emails Before Sending Set up test email accounts for yourself before sending an email campaign with over 25 recipients. Some of the more popular services are Yahoo, Gmail, AOL, Hotmail/Windows Live Mail, EarthLink, and Mac.com. Use these accounts to test for rendering and deliverability each time, before you send the final campaign to your list(s). And do not just view the test emails on your local computer or PC. Test important campaigns on mobile devices like Blackberrys, iPhones, etc. when possible. Free Resources for Scoring your Emails Before you Send Site Sell Spam Check Report tests your message at no charge using Spam Assassin and then sends you a report with results via email. Send your test e-mails to [email protected]. Be careful, however, that you put the word TEST as the first word in the subject line, and make sure it is capitalized. Otherwise, the system will delete the mail, thinking its spam. Following the word TEST, add the subject line that would appear in the email normally. You can also find a free spam scoring tool at www.gravitymail.com/spamscore.php. Source: http://blog.e-autobusiness.com/2011...m-filters-deliver-successful-email-campaigns/
