In many marketing circles, blocklisting is talked about in hushed and fearful tones. No one ever wants to be blocklisted, and even more so, it may be very difficult to remove yourself from the list.
There are some very simple and easy tips to avoid a potential marketing disaster that not only reduces your probability of finding yourself on a blocklist, but also ultimately makes your online marketing campaign effective and successful.
Sign Up Options
This simple and easy tip allows the new subscribers to confirm their subscription to your email blasts. "Double opt-ins" ensure that you are indeed getting a real human to sign up for your emails, but it also allows the new subscriber to confirm that they do, in fact, want your service.
The easiest way to do this is through an autoresponder email. After someone signs up for your email say, through your website or social media page, an automatic email is sent to the subscriber, asking them to confirm their subscription through a built-in link. The landing page then confirms their subscription.
However, this practice also protects you. If the email address isn't confirmed, then it isn't valid and not included on your blast list.
Check Your Frequency
Ensure that your subscribers know when to expect your emails or give them an option to choose their frequency level.
Further, if this isn't an option, don't send emails any more than once per day, even for promotions. This flags you as a potential spammer. Keep your frequency specific and timely. For example, if your weekly product promotion is out every Monday, then keep it that way. This allows your subscribers to expect, and more importantly, to look forward to your blasts.
Finally, send emails only during normal business hours. Nothing says "spammer" then an email sent in the wee hours of the morning. If you have a global list, ensure that you're sending your emails at appropriate times for the appropriate time zone.
Write Subject Lines like a Pro
Write clear, professional and most importantly, concise subject lines that grab the attention of your subscriber.
Another important area to focus on in order to avoid the dreaded blocklist is improper spelling, grammar and the use of jargon. Try to avoid using words and phrases like "Free!" or "You've Been Chosen!" Instead, try "Take an Additional 50% off through Saturday!"
Your subject line is crucial: it is your introduction to your subscriber and the better your subject line sounds, the more effective your content is.
Never Send Attachments
Email marketing campaigns provide the subscriber with all of the relevant information in the email. Attachments scream viruses or bugs and are immediately blocked, unless the email is from a known sender.
Further, many logos or images may appear as attachments in the email, depending on their formatting. Always test emails before sending to ensure that all of the graphics are properly embedded in the content rather than popping up as an attachment. Any ESP worth using will store all of your images on their server to ensure high sending speed and no attachments.
Provide Easy Opt-Out Options
Perhaps the most critical tip for avoiding blocklisting is including a clear and simple unsubscribe option in your email. With most email marketing software, including SimplyCast, there is always an embedded link at the bottom of the email, redirecting the subscriber to a page to confirm their decision.
It is also important that at that landing page, to provide options to change subscription services. Meaning, the subscriber may opt to continue to receive your emails, but at a less frequent rate or to remove their email from one type of blast only.
Ultimately, if you act like a spammer, then you are a spammer. blocklisting is inevitable.
