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<Img
img="/uploads/ochistka_bazy_podpischikov_cefbb658e4.png"
alt="Email List Cleaning"
/> 

Clearing your subscriber list of outdated and inactive email addresses can increase email deliverability and boost conversion rates. With a clean list, more subscribers will receive your marketing messages and click on the links you provide, as only those genuinely interested in your content will remain.

If you want to establish a reputation as a trustworthy email sender, maintaining a healthy contact list is crucial. Think of it like when you were a child and your parents wouldn't let you go out to play until you had finished your chores, like cleaning your room and washing the dishes. Email marketers are not so different: to [**achieve good deliverability**](nine-rules-for-successful-email-deliverability) and conversion rates, they must regularly clean their subscriber lists before launching campaigns.

Ultimately, the list cleaning process saves time, effort, and company money, while ensuring targeted and well-curated campaigns. To make sure the process doesn't backfire, plan ahead and consider the cost of your reputation, which suffers every time your emails end up in spam.

## Benefits of cleaning your email list

### Reduced number of undelivered messages

No marketer likes to receive messages back after sending them out. A hard bounce occurs when messages are returned due to an invalid email address, while a soft bounce is caused by full mailboxes. Cleaning your subscriber list regularly is an effective way to prevent such bounces.

### Improved reputation

Those who send unwanted messages to subscribers are called spammers. ISPs track and block them, often due to spam complaints from recipients. This happens when subscribers are not interested in your content. A clean subscriber list typically contains emails from mostly loyal and engaged customers.

### Increased engagement and loyalty

The purpose of any email campaign is to motivate recipients to click on links and convert. Companies work hard on creating content for this purpose. However, all those efforts can go to waste if the list includes users who have a negative perception of the brand.

### Higher deliverability rate

Timely and high-quality email address hygiene leads to more sent messages ending up in the "Inbox" folder of active subscribers.

<Img
img="/uploads/cleaning_database_benefits_86fe51d28d.png"
alt="Benefits of cleaning your email list"
/>

## Useful tips for cleaning your email list

### Verify

Ensure your contact list consists of quality email addresses by collecting them through a verification mechanism. When a user submits their email address, send them a [**confirmation email**](what-is-double-opt-in) with a link that needs to be clicked to add the email address to your mailing list.

### Say Goodbye

Exclude contacts who haven't responded to your emails for a long time from your mailing list. It's clear that they're not interested in your company's products or services, and keeping them on the list might lead them to mark your emails as spam, which can harm your reputation.

### Beware

Spam filters are always on the lookout for spammy emails. If you send emails to invalid addresses or if too many subscribers mark your emails as spam, your domain reputation will suffer, and your emails may end up in the spam folder or blocked altogether.

### Optimize

Email provider tariffs may be based on the number of emails sent, rather than delivered. Therefore, sending emails to incorrect or inactive addresses will result in unwarranted expenses. Cleaning up your database will not only reduce the cost of mailing but also [**increase your ROI**](roi-romi-roas-difference) and open rates. 

### Automate

Manually cleaning an email list can be time-consuming and inefficient. Instead, consider using an email marketing automation service that can automatically remove inactive or invalid email addresses from your list. This frees up your time and allows you to focus on more important tasks.

<Img
img="/uploads/cleaning_database_tips_45ccaaf2f9.png"
alt="Useful tips for cleaning your email list"
/>

## How often should you clean your email list?

It all depends on the company's industry, the speed and methods of contact acquisition, and the size of the mailing list. If you use a verification mechanism, are confident in the quality of your contact list, and your marketing metrics confirm your confidence, you may only need to clean your list once a year.

However, if there are "red flags," such as a drop in email open rates, a decrease in clicks, a high number of unsubscribes, and negative spam analytics, then it's time to conduct a thorough cleaning.

## How to Reactivate Subscribers? 

Deleting inactive and incorrect email addresses is just as important as attracting new customers. However, the cost of acquiring a new subscriber is much higher than retaining an existing one. That's why it's worth trying to "revive" inactive recipients.

It's helpful to [**segment your audience**](how-and-why-to-segment-target-audience) by engagement to identify subscribers who haven't responded to your emails in the last 3-6 months. You can [**send a reactivation email**](how-to-reactivate-inactive-email-subscribers) to these customers. There are many reactivation techniques, so try any of them: write a humorous email, try to evoke sympathy, or make a special offer. If this doesn't help, remove the user from the mailing list "temporarily", for example, until the end of the season. Perhaps subscribers are too busy with gardening chores. 

## If you want more

Don't rush to increase the frequency and volume of your email campaigns while you're cleaning your contact list. Doing so can create a false sense of the effectiveness of your email campaigns, causing you to miss warning signs.

In addition, email providers consider a progressively increasing number of emails in your campaign as suspicious. You need to gradually warm up your domain, which usually takes about a month.

## Conclusion

Cleaning your contact list before launching your email campaign is essential. By following the simple recommendations described in this article, you will undoubtedly achieve high email delivery rates and ROI. The main focus should be on active and loyal subscribers, while "sleeping" subscribers can be reactivated. For "dead" subscribers, it's best to remove them from your list without hesitation. It's important to conduct regular cleanups, taking into account the specifics of your business and the rate of new addresses being added to your database. 

Find out how regular email list maintenance can improve your email marketing results and get practical tips on how to clean your mailing list effectively. 

medium_ochistka-bazy-podpischikov.png

small_ochistka-bazy-podpischikov.png

thumbnail_ochistka-bazy-podpischikov.png

ochistka-bazy-podpischikov.png

For those who are unsure whether cleaning their contact list is worth it.

Email List Cleaning: Benefits, Tips, and How Often to Do It

Why You Should Clean Your Email List: Tips and Benefits

<Img 
img="/uploads/kak_ne_popast_v_spam_gmail_304dc718e6.png"
alt="How to not to get into Gmail spam"
/> 

Gmail has about [**1.8 billion**](https://www.rightinbox.com/blog/gmail-statistics) active users who receive and send dozens of emails every day. The channel is still a popular marketing tool for businesses, but not all emails reach the addressee. Algorithms block about [**10 million**](https://www.rightinbox.com/blog/gmail-statistics) messages daily, although only 0.1% of them are really spam.

Emails not delivered to users result in wasted marketing budgets, lost revenue, and reduced customer loyalty because they don't receive important information on time. Companies need to work on the correctness of campaigns so that the spam folder does not become a destination for emails.

Google's algorithms change frequently and make things difficult for marketers, but the general rules are known. Let's figure out why emails end up in Gmail spam and what to do about it.

## Why emails end up in Gmail spam

If emails sent by your company are already in spam, start by looking for the reasons. Emails are not reaching your prospect’s primary inbox because of incorrect settings, poor communication with users or irrelevant content. If Google marks too many messages as spam, it will dramatically lower the open rate of your newsletters. This is the first sign that it's time to analyze your email campaigns.

Here are the reasons for getting into spam:

**Stop words in emails.** Gmail filters know how to get rid of spam. They are able to identify the vocabulary often used by spammers. Gmail is unlikely to approve "earn", "earnings", "income", "bitcoin", "sale", "cash", “ad” and other similar words.

**Gmail's custom filters** block content on a topic that the user has previously specified. In addition, there is an algorithm that remembers which emails the user has marked as spam and redirects further emails on the same subject to the junk folder.

**Rapid increase in the contact list.** This looks suspicious for Gmail. You can't send 2,000 emails today, and suddenly 30,000 tomorrow. Such changes lead to the conclusion that the contact list is bought or emails are sent without the consent of users.

**Decreased domain reputation.** This happens when a company sends emails to people who didn't opt-in. The ISP checks the legitimacy of sending messages through spam traps (fake emails). If there are many such email addresses in the database, Gmail will consider the sender a violator of mailing rules. Another reason why a domain's rating can drop is because users mark your messages as spam.

**Sending emails too often** is also a possible reason why Gmail won't let your emails into your prospect’s inbox.

## How to bulk send in Gmail without getting spammed

You should [**follow the rules**](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/10979322?hl=en) for sending emails in Gmail. Although this does not guarantee protection against getting into spam, it significantly reduces the risks.

### Set up DNS records

Reverse DNS record, or PTR is used to compare the sending IP and the IP address of the hostname. If the addresses are different, Gmail thinks the emails are from a spammer. Use [**intoDNS**](https://intodns.com/) to check if there is such a record for your IP.

You also should select a separate mailbox for each type of email: promotional, transactional, announcement and so on.

### Email authentication

Emails from third-party senders are also at risk of ending up in Gmail spam. There is no guarantee that such messages will definitely reach your recipient, but it is possible to include a third-party email sender in the [**SPF record**](https://support.google.com/a/answer/10683907?hl=en) of the domain. This setting marks all recipients who have the right to send emails on behalf of your company's domain. 

DKIM and DMARC are also critical for [**email authentication**](anti-spam-system). A [**DKIM**](https://support.google.com/a/topic/2752442) signature verifies that the message came from the domain owner. A [**DMARC**](https://support.google.com/a/topic/2759254) record is used to block email spoofing.

### Limit the number of emails

Gmail has [**limits**](https://support.google.com/a/answer/166852) on the number of messages sent per day. Exceeding these limits sometimes results in a spam folder, sending restrictions, and even account blocking. Use Gmail's recommendations and common sense. If the system does not block the company for an excess of messages, then the user will do it. He just needs to click "Report spam".

In addition, a sudden change in the frequency of sending will damage the reputation of the domain and increase the risk of [**getting into the spam folder**](how-to-send-millions-of-emails-and-avoid-spam-filters). Grow your contact list gradually, especially if you don't regularly send campaigns.

### Track domain and IP reputation

The reputation of the domain and shared IP address affects the deliverability of emails. Exaggerated limits, suspicious content, sending from a different domain are likely to result in blacklisting. The reputation score is made up of the actions of all senders that use the same sending IP address. That’s why you need to keep an eye on the reputation of the shared IP.

Where to check domain reputation:

- [**Safe Browsing site status**](https://transparencyreport.google.com/safe-browsing/search?hl=en) by Google. If there are hacking attempts, the system tells you about this. 
- [**Postmaster Tools**](https://postmaster.google.com/u/0/managedomains?pli=1) generates a report on the reputation of the domain and IP address, and also provides information about the reasons for undelivered messages and the number of messages marked as spam.
- **Blacklists of domains and IP addresses.** If your data is included in such a database, there is a high risk of ending up in spam.

### Solve issues

Analyze reports on undelivered email after campaigns to figure out why emails don't land in Gmail inbox. Use Google's [**troubleshooting tool**](https://support.google.com/mail/troubleshooter/2696779) if you can't fix errors.

### Communicate with users

Instruct users in advance when subscribing. If they do not receive the email, they should check their spam folder and mark it as "Report not spam". Tell your users about this. Ask them to add the company email address to their contact list. You can also suggest creating a filter for such messages so that future messages do not fall into spam.

Do not forget the unsubscribe button. If users can't find a way to unsubscribe, they mark your messages as spam. The same happens if you annoy users with advertising content and constantly change topics. In this case, subscribers choose a quick way to get rid of spam. They complain and block your address, which negatively affects the sender reputation.

### Design email

Thoughtful design of content in messages affects getting into spam. Start with a user-friendly sender name and a relevant subject line that doesn't conflict with the content. Gmail monitors open rates and clicks. That’s why it is important to make links in the message body prominent, easy to read, and with appealing CTA.

Don't overload emails with HTML, URLs and heavy design. A lot of media files for Gmail algorithms is a sign of advertising content.

Don't use AMP emails until you've warmed up the domain. Before sending such emails, it is recommended to complete [**additional registration**](https://amp.dev/documentation/guides-and-tutorials/start/email_sender_distribution) with the mail provider. AMP is currently supported by Gmail, Mail.ru, and Yahoo Mail. Prepare an AMP email and send it to:
- amphtmltest@outlook.com
- postmaster_amp@corp.mail.ru
- ampforemail.whitelisting@gmail.com

You need to send an email from the mailbox that will be used for AMP in the future. Next, fill out an [**application**](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdso95e7UDLk_R-bnpzsAmuUMDQEMUgTErcfGGItBDkghHU2A/viewform?gxids=7628) for registration as a sender of AMP emails and wait for confirmation from mail providers.

### Test emails

Check emails before sending a campaign. Make a list of addresses to test emails. There is no guarantee that real recipients will see messages in the same way. But some mistakes can be corrected.

There are services that will help in testing. For example, free [**Postmaster Tools**](https://postmaster.google.com/u/0/managedomains?pli=1) checks not only the domain, but also emails. Other paid and free tools include [**Send Forensics**](https://www.sendforensics.com/), [**SMPT.BZ**](https://spamtest.smtp.bz/en), [**Glock Apps**](https://glockapps.com/) and [**Email on Acid**](https://www.emailonacid.com/email-testing/).

## Conclusion

There are no perfect methods to keep emails from going into Gmail spam. However, compliance with mailing rules, technical requirements and work with clients increases the chances of delivering messages to recipients.

To avoid the Spam folder, set up a reverse DNS record, SPF,  DKIM and DMARC. Stick to Gmail limits and do not drastically increase the number of emails you send. Regularly check the reputation of your domain and IP address, monitor the deliverability of emails through special services.

Ask users to add your address to their contact list, send only content that is relevant to the stated subject of the newsletter and do not forget the unsubscribe link in the emails.

Google's algorithms change frequently, but the general rules are known. Find out why your emails can end up in Gmail spam and what to do about it.

medium_kak-ne-popast-v-spam-gmail.png

small_kak-ne-popast-v-spam-gmail.png

thumbnail_kak-ne-popast-v-spam-gmail.png

kak-ne-popast-v-spam-gmail.png

Let's figure out why emails end up in Gmail spam and what to do about it.

What You Need to Do to Stop Emails Going into Gmail Spam

How to Send Email Campaigns and Avoid Gmail Spam

<Img 
img="/uploads/spam_death_robots_04d5813471.png"
alt="Spam, Death and Robots: 3 Email Marketing Myths"
/>

I've been in email marketing for eight years. All this time I am faced with erroneous ideas about it both among business and users. Most marketers have already learned that it is illegal to buy a database and that email campaigns can be more than just  advertising. However, there are still many misconceptions.

My name is Yulia Khatsola. I am the head of the project team at [**EMAILMATRIX**](https://emailmatrix.ru/). In this post, you will find the most popular myths that surround this channel, especially among online stores. I will tell you how things really are and how to make email marketing work.

## Myth 1: Email marketing is dead

**Mistake.** No one is using email campaigns. It is outdated, nothing can be sold through this channel. The future belongs to social networks, messaging apps, [**metaverses**](what-are-metaverses) and so on.

**Fact.** Business considers email the most promising marketing channel along with contextual advertising and SEO.
Different companies continue to invest in email marketing because it solves business problems and, as a rule, quickly pays off. This channel not only sells directly, but also has a lot of weight in multi-stage conversions, as it warms up the audience perfectly and maintains a long-term relationship between users and your brand.

Here are some of the benefits of email as a marketing channel:

- **Proven by time.** People are used to email marketing, many of them consciously subscribe to brands' newsletter in order to receive offers. It is cheap compared to most other channels. It is reliable: email as a format cannot be blocked, email cannot leave the country.
- **Basis of the retention strategy.** Attracting new leads is always more expensive, since you need to run ad campaigns with large budgets and low conversions. Email campaigns are about retention — a business reminds customers of itself, brings them back and makes cross-sales.
- **A great way to build a client base.** You can work with the collected data in other channels (for example, use retargeting). The upcoming [**cancellation of cookies**](cdp-in-the-world-without-cookies) will put an end to the attempt to track user behavior on the site. But if the visitor logs in via email, the business will be able to record his actions and communicate with him or her.
- **Lots of ways to automate sales.** Email has a lot of automated scenarios that generate revenue without much effort. An example is a trigger message with an offer on the client's birthday. Set up such an email campaign once, and every day the messages will automatically go to the birthday people. At the same time, you benefit from periodically updating your tactics (more on this below).
- **Embedding in the structure of omnichannel communications and in cascading campaigns.** For example, a client placed an order, but did not read the SMS about its delivery. In this case, we send him or her an email. People can also get into the contact list through an offline point. For example, they subscribe using a QR code or leave their email addresses as part of the game mechanics.

<Note>
**Takeaway.** Email has alternatives, but it's alive.
</Note>

## Myth 2: Email marketing is advertising

**Mistake.** Email is easy. You buy a contact list, send everyone an offer, break the bank, repeat.

**Fact.** This method may only work once, but then its effectiveness will drop. The purchased email list contains at least 99% of non-targeted contacts who will safely send your messages to spam. Do not forget that the real audience of the brand can also get tired of constant offers.

A systematic approach is essential for successful email marketing. How to use the channel effectively:

- **Define a goal.** Emails keep current customers and introduce new ones to the product, increase sales and loyalty. And this is still an incomplete list. Why do you need an email campaign?
- **Embed email into your communication strategy.** The brand educates users on the website blog, engages and works out objections in social media, but in the email campaigns…? They should complement the rest of the channels, and not be used only once every few months.
- **Maintain regularity.** You can not fall out of the view of subscribers for a long time. Email connects users with a brand. If you use the channel only on big occasions like Black Friday, then there will be no desired effect.
- **Create value for the reader.** Even if you focus on sales, you need to think not only about conversions. When users receive both promotional messages and content that is really useful to them, they will pay attention to valuable information. Today, subscribers are fed up with a variety of content, and in order to keep them, you need to work with their loyalty.
- **Analyze.** There is always something to check and to improve. Even an automatic workflow cannot remain unchanged for a decade. At least once a month, the brand should make accurate slicers and study the dynamics — how the database grows (or decreases), how engagement metrics change.

When it comes to emails, it is important to create useful and valuable content so that you can seamlessly integrate your products into it. Various tips and tutorials also work well. For example, the strategic approach is seen in the Creately brand. The company in their emails gives tips and shares tricks on how to use their platform.

<Gallery>
<GalleryItem
original="/uploads/creatly_1_a664a3c462.png"
thumbnail="/uploads/creatly_1_a664a3c462.png"
/>
<GalleryItem
original="/uploads/creatly2_9cec07dcde.png"
thumbnail="/uploads/creatly2_9cec07dcde.png"
/>
</Gallery>

<Note>
**Takeaway.** Email marketing is much deeper than mass promotional campaigns and requires consistency.
</Note>

## Myth 3: Customers consider your emails to be spam

**Mistake.** Nobody trusts emails. People know that nothing good comes in the newsletter.

**Fact.** Messages from brands are perceived as spam in two cases: they are in the junk folder or they look like spam. Let's explore both options.

In order not to end up in spam, you need the right technical setup at the start. It is important to maintain email deliverability in the process, and for this you need to protect the database from bots. When you send to non-existent emails, ISPs fix errors and, as a result, reduce the sender reputation.

What to do:

- **Set up Double Opt-In.** This is a guarantee of a quality database without fake addresses. When users fill out a subscription form, they receive an automatic message asking them to confirm their email by clicking on a button or entering a code. So only real users get into the database.
- **Track spikes in database growth.** If the database grows by a thousand addresses per month and suddenly grows by 15 thousand per week, it is worth finding out what is happening. Is it a success or a cyberattack? The sooner a brand removes fake addresses, the less risk it will end up in spam. CAPTCHA in the subscription form will help prevent such attacks along with DOI.
- **Use a third-level domain** (mail.example.com) for sending, and not the main one (example.com). If your emails do end up in spam, you can create a new subdomain instead of trying to restore the reputation of the old one. I recommend making two different subdomains for promotional campaigns and for transactional messages. The latter will definitely reach subscribers, because they will not be affected by the reputation of the domain for promotional emails.

I'll tell you more about how not to look like spam.

There are emails that look like spam: ambiguous headers, strange layout, links that look almost fraudulent.

<Img 
img="/uploads/email_looks_like_spam_cc10daa08d.png"
alt="Spam, Death and Robots: 3 Email Marketing Myths"
/>

If the email has a poor design, unclear offers, no connection with the brand and nos logic, it is easy to confuse it with spam. To avoid this result, develop at least a basic layout: a logo, a clear and understandable structure, optimal number of links, and nice buttons.

You can look like a spammer not only because of the bad design, but also because of the frequency of emails. The online clothing store Macy's sends several messages a day, with the same type of topics about discounts and promotions. Perhaps there is something useful inside, but for subscribers this is an annoying newsletter.

<Img 
img="/uploads/image2_9d70e4dc0d.png"
alt="Spam, Death and Robots: 3 Email Marketing Myths"
/>

You can't last long with endless offers. People either unsubscribe or stop finding the value in the emails and open them only when they need to buy something. For smart email marketing, it is important to stay friends with your customers and add pieces of useful content to your promotional stream:

- **Ask users.** Emails allow you to collect feedback both on the quality of the product and on the newsletter. Surveys about the desired content are good for engaging subscribers and increasing loyalty. It's always nice to know that your opinion matters.
- **Engage experts.** It is worth finding interesting authors, who will add expert value and uniqueness to your content.
- **Work with tone of voice.** How does the brand communicate with the audience? It is important to write it down somewhere and keep this tone in the newsletters so that subscribers recognize it.
- **Sell natively**. Instead of a product grid, it’s better to tell about them, for example, through storytelling and non-standard approaches.

This is an example of storytelling in an email from Southwest Airlines. The brand speaks directly to its customers and makes them the hero of the story.

<Img 
img="/uploads/1_86584805c0.png"
alt="Spam, Death and Robots: 3 Email Marketing Myths"
/>

<Note>
**Takeaway.** If the emails in the "Inbox" are neat and not constantly selling, subscribers take it well.
</Note>

## Conclusion

There will never come a day when no one is delusional about the effectiveness, goals and tools of email marketing. However, anyone can bring the marketing universe closer to this ideal if they approach emails wisely.

In this post, we will tell you how things really are and what you need to do to make email marketing work well.

medium_spam_death_robots.png

small_spam_death_robots.png

thumbnail_spam_death_robots.png

spam_death_robots.png

Let's discuss 3 myths about email marketing that both customers and businesses have.

The Most Popular Email Marketing Myths: How It Really Works

Spam, Death and Robots: 3 Email Marketing Myths

<Img
img="/uploads/how_to_send_emails_without_spamming_ac6acd190c.jpg"
alt="How to Send Millions of Emails Without Spamming"
/> 

There are [**122 billion**](https://dataprot.net/statistics/spam-statistics/) email spam messages sent worldwide every day. That's 85% of the world's email traffic. The scale is impressive and upsetting at the same time. Nobody likes spam, especially mailing services. Therefore, many systems are making war on spam. However, bona fide companies also fall under their sanctions. How to avoid becoming a spammer by accident and send emails the right way? Let’s find it out.

## What is Spam

Spam is unsolicited bulk messages sent via email or other digital channels such as SMS or social networks. Spammers do such mailings without the recipient's consent to a large number of users. In most cases, letters offer goods or services of dubious quality.

### The origins of spam

In the 40s of the last century, the word «spam» had no negative connotation. SPAM was the brand of canned food made by the Hormel Foods Corporation. The company produced it to keep soldiers nourished during World War II. After the war, there were a lot of products left. The Hormel Corporation had to sell them before the end of the shelf life. In short, as quickly as possible. So after a couple of weeks, SPAM canned food ads were all over the place. The product was aggressively imposed on people.

When «junk» bulk messages appeared on the Internet, they began to be labelled with the word «spam». In the beginning, this method could be effective, but now spam messages are annoying. People are used to ignoring them in the large flow of information. But the spam market is not losing momentum.

Spam has penetrated almost all digital communication channels. Besides emails, we run into spam:

- on forums where users leave messages with hidden advertising;
- in comments and private messages on social networks;
- on review sites;
- in messengers and SMS.

Automation has speeded up the sending of spam and increased it significantly. Now a spam bot can replace a person, for example, when spamming on social media platforms. Although it is not too difficult to determine whether you are communicating with a real person or with a machine. Bots are not very smart, you can break their logic with an unexpected answer.

### The types of spam

**Ad spam** is regular marketing emails that are sent to the addresses in the contact list. 

**Fake messages** are letters from ordinary people who are telling their tragic story and asking for money, or promising to give a large amount just like that:

<Img
img="/uploads/spam_message_from_a_real_person_252f145625.jpg"
alt="Example of a spam message from a «real person»"
src="Example of a spam message from a «real person»"
/> 

**Phishing emails** are sent by spammers who try to fool you by impersonating a well-known brand. The From email contains a fake email address. Usually, the user does not even notice it. He understands that he was deceived after following the link. The goal is to obtain personal and confidential data. A link from this letter leads to a fake website where the user is asked to leave his full name, passwords, bank card numbers and other data.

<Img
img="/uploads/Phishing_email_mimicking_Pay_Pal_619b0c8bd9.jpg"
alt="Phishing email mimicking PayPal"
src="Phishing email mimicking PayPal"
/> 

**Malware emails** are letters with viruses. The user clicks on the link and gets a virus on his device.

### Why do users receive spam?

The reason for spam is data that fell into the wrong hands. How spammers get user addresses:

- Data leak — the address was stolen from the contact list of the compromised account.
- Parsing email addresses from websites.
- Using an email generator that iterates over possible options. Some may turn out to be active.
- Purchased email lists — they are sold by unscrupulous companies or individual employees.

### Who is spamming?

Both professionals and random people such as inexperienced marketers can spam. Spammers are divided into:

- **Pros** are mailing services that send out a huge amount of emails. Such teams know their business well, and may even have programmers on staff for more advanced solutions.
- **Email address collectors** use software to check and sell databases.
- **Inexperienced and accidental spammers** are often marketers who do not understand what a newsletter is and do it wrong. A novice spammer does not delve into the details of the mailing, and that's why his letters fall under the sanctions of the services.

In order not to be among the ranks of accidental spammers, it is necessary to prepare for mailing. You need to know the legal, technical and other peculiarities.

## How to avoid spam filters

The spam folder is a sentence for your email. Why? The client will not know about you, the consequences can be more serious: domain disconnection, lawsuits and fines.

To find out why emails end up in the junk folder, you need to evaluate many factors:

- the legality of mailing;
- domain reputation;
- technical settings of the mailing list;
- whether the rules of the mailbox providers are being followed.

Let's take a look at each point.

### The legality of mailing

If you send a commercial email, it must comply with the requirements of the CAN-SPAM Act. Otherwise, you will have to pay a big fine.

How not to break the law:

- Don’t use false or misleading header information: headers, From names, reply-to addresses, or subject lines.
- Make it clear to recipients that your message is an advertisement.
- Tell recipients how to opt out: provide an unsubscribe link. 
- Tell recipients where you’re located. Your message must include your valid physical postal address: street address, a post office box, or a private mailbox.

### Domain reputation

The reputation of the domain you use to send emails depends on the following factors:

- whether the IP address is blacklisted or not,
- the quality of the email database, 
- whether email authentication passed or not, 
- how many unread emails and spam complaints,  
- how high CTR is,
- the intensity of mailings.

### Database quality

«Bad» addresses in the database also affect the mailing list, so you need to observe email hygiene: clean duplicates and inactive emails.

Possible database problems:

**The address was not validated.** The user left an inactive or incorrect email.

**The base was not used immediately.**

In this case, the contacts become obsolete. This happens if a company collects an email database for a long time in different ways, but does not send out messages immediately. For example, because it is waiting for a certain number of customers in the contact list.

**Errors in the database**

The contact list may contain recipients who have unsubscribed but still receive emails. The risk of receiving spam complaints from such people increases. In the worst case, you can get a lawsuit.

**Spam traps in the database**

Spam traps are email addresses that are controlled by ISP or blacklist operators. Such addresses are used to find spammers. A spam trap can be an email address that used to belong to a real person, but the user hasn’t logged into the account for a long time. Another type of spam trap is a specially created one. If a newsletter arrives at this address without consent, the service may consider it spam. If there are many such addresses in the database, the sender reputation is getting worse.

**Spam complaints**

People complain even when they initially consent to the newsletter. What could be the reasons for complaints:
- unsuccessful or offensive subject line;
- mailing error — the user received the letter again, although he unsubscribed;
- change of the mailing subject — "I didn't subscribe to this";
- partner offers in letters.

**User behavior**

Mailing services count how often users open emails, click on links inside. The fewer clicks, the more likely you are to get into spam in the future.

**Newsletter content**

The service may block mailing if your HTML document is not valid. It is forbidden to use dangerous elements, such as JavaScript, VBScript, Frames, IFrames ActiveX, Java applets, CSS connected to external websites, Meta Refresh, etc. Also, services do not accept the links that were shortened with special tools.

**Intensity and volume of mailing**

Services love predictable behavior. A sudden increase in email volume or sending irregular patterns of emails are signs of spam.

### Blacklists

An email blacklist is a list of IP addresses or domains that have been flagged as suspicious for sending spam emails. There are private and public blacklists. Private blacklists are created by users when they restrict the receipt of letters from a specific sender. It’s not too dangerous. However, if a domain or IP address is on a public blacklist, letters can be blocked on a large subset of addresses from this blacklist. 

The IP address and domain can get into blacklists for:

- sending newsletters to irrelevant addresses;
- a large number of spam traps in the email database;
- sending emails without the recipient’s confirmation.

Therefore, it is important to check if you are on the blacklists. For example, [**MXtools**](https://mxtoolbox.com/blacklists.aspx.) will tell you where you’ve been blacklisted.

### How to maintain your reputation

- Use Double Opt-In and continue sending only when the user has confirmed their email.
- Monitor the ratings of the IP address and domain in special services regularly.
- Clear the database, get rid of inactive contacts and check for errors.
- [**Warm up IP addresses**](how-to-inbox) — increase mailing volumes gradually.
- Monitor the quality of your content and test different engagement techniques if your emails stop opening. But know when to stop and don’t try dubious techniques, for example, clickbait.

### Technical settings and email message architecture

All mailing services support the same standards for spam protection. There are technical headers on the servers from which the newsletter is sent. This is where data about the message is placed. This data determines the reliability of the mailing source.

**What parameters should be in the «correct» letter:**

**RFC (Request for Comments)** is a document that contains technical specifications and standards.

**DNS (reverse DNS lookup and PTR records)** — all servers you use to send emails must have valid DNS records. No auto-generated reverse DNS lookup and PTR records. If reverse DNS is not specified, the mail service will not pass such a mailing.

**IP addresses (WHOIS)**. Never hide IP address data in WHOIS. It is especially important when the hoster has been hacked and spam is sent from your IP. If there is no data about you, the service cannot inform you about the problem and will simply block all mailings.

**Proxy and Relay** are protection against spamming on your behalf. The server does not have to be with an open Proxy server or an open Relay. In this case, anonymous and unauthorized users will not get to it.

**DKIM (DomainKey Identified Mail)** is a digital signature protocol that determines whether the sender is eligible for mailing. The email provider identifies it through a special key.

**SPF (Sender Policy Framework)** is a record that will show from which domains and IP the email will come. This setting must be in all DNS, otherwise, the mail service will send a letter to spam or warn of a threat.

**[FBL](fbl-catalog) (FeedBack Lookup)** is a standard that displays information about spam complaints. Each sender of emails can use FBL to find out which user has complained about which email.

**List-Unsubscribe** is setting the address or URL for unsubscribing. The user can unsubscribe and without clicking through an unsubscribe link.

<Img
img="/uploads/List_unsubscribe_option_in_Gmail_7f2a393c15.jpg"
alt="List-unsubscribe option in Gmail"
src="List-unsubscribe option in Gmail"
/>

**DMARC policy** is a standard that helps domain owners set rules for their mail services. Using them, the postal provider will know what to do with letters that were sent from the owner's domain, but they did not pass email authentication. This will protect against DKIM forgery and the use of services where any fraud can just put any domain. DMARC also helps control technical settings.

### Administrative requirements for mailbox providers

If you want the message to avoid spam filters, the requirements of the mailbox providers must be respected. Otherwise, you may fall under such sanctions as:

- limitation on email volume;
- blocking of sending;
- marked as spam.

Let's take a closer look at the requirements for Gmail.

1. Configure reverse DNS lookup for IP addresses.
2. Separate Form addresses by content type. Use the first one to send promotions, the second one to send receipts and the third one for notifications.
3. Don't send phishing emails from your domain.
4. Don’t send letters on behalf of another domain if you do not have the right to do so.
5. Authenticate messages.
6. Send mail only to interested users who have consented to the newsletter. The service also offers to periodically renew the subscription consent.
7. Make it easy to unsubscribe.
8. Send emails on a specific schedule and start sending small batches. The more letters there are, the slower you need to increase their number.
9. Monitor the reputation of IP addresses: whether they are in blacklists.

<Note>
Important! Always check the requirements of the mailbox providers before sending emails. Even a small violation of the rules can result in a spam folder.
</Note>

### Altcraft Platform for correct mailings

Our platform helps automate marketing processes and develop business. Marketers use it to send emails without additional services. [**Altcraft Platform**](https://altcraft.com/en) allows:

- optimize delivery to the inbox folder;
- bypass blocking;
- speed up delivery for some categories of letters;
- reduce sending costs.

The [**technologies**](anti-spam-system) we work with:

**SPF (Sender Policy Framework)** is a domain authentication technology.

**DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)** is a digital signature that is automatically verified by the recipient's mail server and clarifies its reputation.

**DMARC** will tell the mail service what to do if something is wrong with SPF records.

**BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)** works with DKIM, SPF and DMARC. Helps to identify companies by the image of the brand next to the subject of the letter. This is additional validation of the sender.

**FBL (FeedBack Loop)** is a standard that shows spam complaints to the sender of mailings.

With Altcraft Platform, there is no need to worry about emails going to spam. Just create your own newsletter or use a ready-made email template.

<Img
img="/uploads/email_template_faf3691914.png"
alt="Email templates in Altcraft Platform"
src="Email templates in Altcraft Platform"
/> 

## Conclusion

The path of email newsletters is a thorny and challenging one. One day emails from any company can end up in the spam folder. But don’t give up this channel only because of the complexity. A competent approach and good service will help to send emails correctly and increase sales.

Learn how to send emails the right way and avoid the junk folder: domain reputation, database quality, technical settings, etc.

medium_how to send emails without spamming.jpg

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how to send emails without spamming.jpg

Many systems are making war on spam, but bona fide companies also fall under their sanctions. How to avoid becoming a spammer by accident and send emails the right way? 

How to Send Millions of Emails and Not Get Into Spam

How to Send Millions of Emails and Avoid Spam Filters

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