📧 Inbox vs. Spam: Top Mistakes & Why Your Emails Aren’t Reaching Customers

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Email marketing is set to generate a staggering $17.9 billion by 2027. 🤯

And…the success of your Shopify email campaigns hinges on deliverability, especially now when email regulations and spam filters are tighter than ever.

So, it’s time to look at why some emails make it to the inbox while others take an unfortunate detour to Spamville.

The stakes have never been higher.

⬇️ Let's dive in ⬇️

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From Spam to Seen - Say goodbye to the spam folder

As a Shopify store owner, email marketing is a direct line of communication with your customers. It’s pivotal for promoting products, sharing updates, and maintaining customer relationships.

When emails land in spam, it directly impacts customer engagement and potential sales.

Not only that, it affects your sender reputation as Internet Service Providers (ISPs) track how often your emails are marked as spam. And a poor reputation can lead to even legitimate emails being filtered as spam, further reducing your email's effectiveness.

The financial stakes are significant.

When emails are missed, you lose out on high potential returns, affecting overall revenue growth.

Avoid these common mistakes:

1. Ignoring Email Authentication

2. Not Maintaining An Email List

3. Making It Difficult To Unsubscribe

4. Using Spammy Words

5. Not Testing Emails

6. Ignoring Metrics

7. Being Inconsistent

8. Sending Irrelevant, Invaluable Content

Here’s the rundown of these 8 spam triggering issues

Ignoring Email Authentication

The credibility of your domain is paramount. Utilize protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to bolster your email's authenticity. These measures are crucial in building a solid sender reputation, ensuring your emails are welcomed by inboxes everywhere.

For more information about Authentication, check our past newsletter by clicking here.

Not Maintaining An Email List

The quality of your email list significantly impacts deliverability. Lists plagued with invalid addresses damage your sender reputation. Implement a double opt-in process to keep your list clean, steer clear of purchased lists, and regularly purge unengaged subscribers. This not only enhances deliverability but also ensures you're engaging with genuinely interested customers.

Making It Difficult To Unsubscribe

A seamless unsubscribe process is key to maintaining a healthy email list and reputation. Embed a clear, straightforward unsubscribe link in your emails to allow subscribers an easy way out. This respects their preferences and safeguards your emails from being marked as spam out of frustration.

Using Spammy Words

Certain words like "free," "limited time offer," and "act now" can activate spam filters. Craft your content carefully to avoid these traps and maintain a professional tone that resonates with your audience without setting off alarms.

Not Testing Emails

Compatibility across various email clients and devices is essential. Regular testing ensures your emails look impeccable everywhere, minimizing the risk of them being disregarded or flagged as spam due to formatting issues.

Ignoring Metrics

Keeping an eye on open and click-through rates provides valuable insights into your email's performance. Dips in engagement could indicate deliverability issues, prompting a strategy reassessment. Bounce rates are also important in this area. Distinguish between hard bounces (permanent failures due to invalid addresses) and soft bounces (temporary issues). A high bounce rate signals problems that could degrade deliverability. Address hard bounces immediately by removing problematic addresses and investigate soft bounces to ensure there are no underlying technical difficulties.

Being Inconsistent

Mail servers track the frequency of your sent emails. A sudden increase in email volume can raise red flags. Maintain a regular sending schedule, and if a campaign requires ramping up the volume, do so gradually to avoid triggering spam filters.

Sending Irrelevant, Invaluable Content

The relevance and quality of your email content play a significant role in avoiding spam complaints. Focus on delivering value through content that resonates with your audience's needs. Use optimized images and design elements to enhance engagement, and steer clear of attachments that could trigger spam filters. Instead, use clear call-to-action buttons to guide recipients to your website or landing pages.

To gauge the health of your email campaigns, aiming for a deliverability rate above 95% is ideal

And, by sidestepping these common errors and adopting best practices, you'll boost your email deliverability and enhance the overall effectiveness of your Shopify store's email marketing efforts, driving engagement and sales!

Wrapping Up!

As we draw this issue to a close, with the focus being on increasing your email deliverability for your Shopify store, keep in mind that creating a great experience is always the best strategy.

 "If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful." - Jeff Bezos

This principle holds true when it comes to making sure your emails are welcomed into inboxes, as well as building brands that our customers will want to share.

Until next time, keep optimizing and innovating,

The Early Checkout Team

The Early Checkout Team

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