Email Format: Definition and Best Practices (+ Template)

There is a common misconception that email format doesn’t matter as long as you get the message across.

As shocking as it may sound, it actually does matter. In fact, it matters a lot.

With so many messages flooding our inboxes every single day, ensuring that your emails not only get noticed but also easily understood requires proper formatting.

One study even showed that over 347 billion emails are sent and received each day.  If I were you, I would do everything I could to ensure that mine stood out among those emails.

Since improving your email format is one way to achieve this, let’s learn about it, shall we?

Email Format Definition

So, what exactly is an email format?

In simplest terms, email format is the structure and organization of an email. It includes different elements within the email, such as the subject line, the body, the salutation, and the signature at the very end. Even the font or colors you use can be a part of the email format.

Some of the most common formats are:

• HTML emails: Great for crafting attractive emails with images, videos, and embedded links. In fact, emails with multimedia have the highest performance, according to research by HubSpot. So, next time you craft emails for your campaigns, take this into consideration to achieve better results.
• Multipart emails: It is the combination of HTML and plain text versions in one message. The HTML version can include colors, graphics, certain fonts and links, while the plain text part is well, plain.
• Rich text emails: A good balance between plain text and HTML. They provide basic formatting options, like bold or italic text.
• Text-only emails: These are simple emails without any images or formatting. Although they are easy to make and read and load faster, plain text emails might look boring.

Remember, the email format you use is just as important as your email content.

So, regardless of the purpose of your email, be it a sales pitch or a follow-up message, having a clear, organized, and correct format for email will have a positive impact on engagement and reply rates.

Why is Proper Email Format Important?

Formatting an email is not only about creating a visually pleasing message. It serves so much more than that.

• Professionalism: First, it shows the recipient that you’re professional and enhances your credibility, which is never a bad thing.
• Clarity and readability: Proper formatting makes the message easier for recipients to read and helps them understand the critical points quickly.
• Brand image and consistency: Adding branding elements like your logo, colors, and fonts in your emails helps you stand out and enhance your brand image.
• Enhanced engagement: The correct email format can help you grab your readers’ attention and interest, leading to increased engagement among your subscribers.

Now, imagine you send an email written in different fonts. The colors don’t match, there is no proper structure, and it’s hard to tell where the beginning and end of the content are.

Would you read that email and take it seriously?

Yes, I don’t think so, either.

This is why it’s so important to learn how to properly format an email, as a properly formatted email is more likely to help you achieve your goals. Even a simple email format can make all the difference and help you avoid spam traps, so don’t underestimate it.

Before we discuss how to format your emails, let’s explore the main components of email format to help you better understand how to write clear emails.

Standard Email Format Components

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We have learned what a proper email format is and why it’s so important, so now, let’s quickly go through some of the main components of a standard email format.

• Subject Line: A concise and informative summary of the email's content is usually the first thing the recipient sees, so make sure to make it as engaging as possible.
• Salutation: A greeting addressed to the recipient by name (e.g., Dear [Name, Surname]). It’s important to address whoever you’re writing to politely and correctly; otherwise, your email might be immediately ignored.
• Body Content: This is the main message of your email, where you should clearly state your point. When formatting emails, remember that people don’t have much time, so avoid beating around the bush and get straight to the main point.
• Closing: This is where you wrap up your thoughts, express gratitude, and include a call to action. Here, remind the reader why you are writing and provide any extra information. Also, make sure to use “Best,” “Regards,” or “Sincerely” to end your email.
• Signature: Don’t forget to add your contact information, including name, title, company, and phone number. You can also include a brand logo and links to your social media accounts.

Email Format: 6 Best Practices to Follow for Success

So, how to format an email?

We don’t want to keep you waiting anymore.

It’s time to head to the next section of our article, where you will learn how to properly format your emails.

Let’s start!

1. Define the Purpose of Your Email

As with any other strategy, the first and arguably the most important step is to clearly define the goals you’re trying to achieve with these emails and craft them using the proper email format.

Whether you are asking for information, proposing an idea, following up on a previous conversation, or simply sharing news, defining a clear purpose for your email  is essential, and here’s why:

• Focus and Clarity: Having a clear purpose keeps your email focused and prevents rambling. You'll know exactly what information to include and what to leave out.
• Increased Efficiency: A well-defined purpose saves you and the recipient time. You won't waste effort writing unnecessary information, allowing the recipient to grasp the essence of your message and respond accordingly quickly.
• Improved Response Rates: It’s easier for the recipient to understand what you want them to do, which increases the likelihood of getting a response.
• Reduced Misunderstandings: Stating your email reason clearly =  better communication and fewer misunderstandings.

So, before you send an email, ask yourself:

• What's the real goal of this email?
• Does every sentence support that goal?
• Am I using the correct format to share my message?

This way, you might catch yourself going off-track or missing vital elements.

Remember, a focused email is more likely to get the response you want.

2. Write Clear Subject Lines

The subject line is the first impression. First impressions matter, right?

In this part of the email, you must do everything possible to grab the recipients’ attention.

Here are some tips to help you master writing subject lines that result in clicks.

• Be concise, informative, and, most importantly, action-oriented. Clearly communicate why you are writing, but don’t go too crazy explaining what the whole email is about, as you only get 50 characters here.
• Keep a balance between intrigue and clarity. Use catchy language while maintaining clarity. A strong subject line should spark curiosity while accurately reflecting the email's content.
• Use strong action verbs that clearly show the email’s purpose. These verbs often portray the action you want the recipient to take, like “buy,” “subscribe,” “confirm,” etc.
• Avoid overcapitalizing words and using too many exclamation points. While these seem like good ideas initially, they can cause your email to end up in spam folders, which is something you should avoid at all costs.

Remember, you have seconds to hook your readers and get them to at least click on your email; subject lines are your only chance here.

3. Create a Compelling Email Body

You probably took our advice and crafted the perfect subject line. What’s next?

Well, you have to keep the recipient's interest! The email's body text is the only thing that can help you with this.

First things first, you must start the message with a greeting like:

“Dear [Name]”

“Hello [Name]”

If you’re unsure of the recipient’s name, you can also use more generic greetings like:

“Dear Sir (Madam)”

But if you can find out their name, make sure to include it, as this will add a more personal touch to your message.

Then, if this is your first time reaching out to this person you must include a short introduction in your email format. It tells them who you are and highlights what you want from them.

It might read,

"My name is [Your Name], and I'm the [Your Title] at [Your Company]. I'm writing to you today to..."

Now that this part is clear, continue explaining and elaborating on the details of your message. In this section of the email format, use simple language and avoid complex terms that can confuse your readers.

Make sure the flow of your text is logical, and break it down into a couple of paragraphs for better readability.

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At the end of your main content, add a CTA (call-to-action). It points the reader right in the direction of what you want them to do.

For example:

"Please let me know if you have any questions or require further information."

"I would be grateful if you could review this proposal by [date]."

The closing of your email might be as important as the beginning. You can use common phrases like “Best Regards” and “Looking forward to your reply,” as well as spice it up using something not-so-generic.

Also, thank them for the time they took to read your email and include some words of appreciation at the end of your email format.

For example:

“Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.”

Or

“I appreciate you taking the time to review my email. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.”

Now that everything's set, let's focus on email etiquette—a crucial step before sending your messages.

4. Pay Attention to Email Etiquette

It is no secret that maintaining proper email structure and etiquette is essential for positive and effective communication. It ensures your message is received well, avoids misunderstandings, and portrays you in a respectful light.

Let’s look at some key points to remember when sending an email.

• Professional Email Address

Your email address should be appropriate for business communication.

Ideally, a professional email address includes your name and your company domain [e.g., name.surname@company.com]. You must also verify your email address to ensure your messages are delivered and build trust with the recipient.

This is a small but essential part of learning how to format an email.

• Consider File Size

Be mindful of the size of attachments you include with your email. Large files can take a long time to download and clog up the recipient's inbox.

• Mind Your Tone

The tone of your email should be respectful. Avoid overly informal language in your email format, slang, or humor that might be misinterpreted even in casual workplace settings. Maintain a neutral and upbeat tone throughout your message if you want to maintain proper email formatting.

This is especially important when emailing your whole list, as you can’t tailor it much. Before sending messages in bulk, it's important to follow good email hygiene practices and organize your email lists. This will help you ensure your emails reach actual recipients who are actually interested.

• Use "Reply All" Strategically

The "Reply All" function can be a time-saver when responding to group emails. However, use it carefully. We’ve all misused it at some point, but that doesn’t mean we should keep doing so.

5. Add Relevant Links or Attachments

Want to make your emails pop even more? Add some links and attachments!

Including relevant links or attachments in your emails can be a powerful way to enhance your message and provide the recipient with additional information.

However, it's crucial to use this strategy carefully to avoid overwhelming the recipient, cluttering their inbox, or, worse yet, changing the email deliverability rates negatively.

If you decide to include attachments in your email format, add only things relevant to your message that the recipient will definitely need. Avoid attaching unnecessary documents or overloading the email with information.

Also, make sure to mention in the body of your email that you have attached a file and explain what it is. Moreover, don’t forget to name those attachments and use names that accurately reflect their essence.

If the file is too large or you don’t want to include it as an attachment, links are here to save you! This can be particularly useful for publicly available information or frequently updated documents.

Linking keeps your email concise and ensures the recipient can access the most current version of the information.

Remember, the goal is to provide additional information that strengthens your message, not overwhelm the recipient with unnecessary files.

6. Double-Check Your Emails

You must always double-check emails before hitting send. Your email format might seem perfect, and you might be completely confident that you made no mistakes, but sometimes, the most minor details slip out.

Taking a few minutes to read your email can save you time, embarrassment, and even potential misunderstandings.

We already discussed using tools to help you, but let me give you some more tips on avoiding all this.

One way to check for mistakes is to read your email out loud. Reading your email aloud can help you catch awkward phrasing, typos, and clarity issues you might miss while silently reading.  Don’t do this while sitting in a room full of people out of the blue, though; just saying.

You can also take a break after you have an initial draft and come back later to skim the text with fresh eyes.

And, speaking of a fresh pair of eyes, ask a colleague to go through the email. A second opinion never did any harm, did it?

There you have it; after all of this, there is no way any typo or other issue survived.

Email Format Template and Example

It might be challenging to format your emails, which is why we have prepared a detailed template for you:

Let’s closely examine what a professional email format looks like:

Subject line: Your subject line should be short, concise, and summarize your email content.

Greeting: It’s a common way to start your emails using “Dear [First & Last Name]” or “Dear [Mr./Mrs. Last Name].”  However, you can use other options depending on who you write to.

First paragraph: The first paragraph of your email is decisive. It’s where you should introduce yourself and clearly state why you are reaching out. Whether you’re following up, applying for a job, or offering a service, the first few sentences of your email should emphasize that.

Second paragraph:  Here, you need to go into more detail about the reason for your message. If you’re offering a product, you can describe how your product solves the recipient’s pain points.

Third paragraph: Conclude your email by thanking the recipient for their time and consideration. Be polite and respectful, but don’t act like they’re your best friend or like you’re doing them a huge favor by getting in touch.

Closing: “Sincerely/Best Regards/Best/etc. [Your First & Last Name]”

Signature: (First & Last Name)(Your email address). You can also add your phone number and links to your LinkedIn account, which are both optional.

This is just one example of how to format emails easily and efficiently but feel free to add your tone of voice and elements.

To illustrate this email format in practice and help you better understand how to format emails, let's look at a follow-up email example to enhance your understanding.

Note: This example is for reference. We recommend you change it to match the tone and formality level for different recipients or occasions.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gJJCKLuWSFVn0XQHAmHMi5L9cvVPLyNmFP057XT0i7w/edit

This is just one of many different email format examples.  There are other types of emails, such as thank you or sales emails, and it’s important to use different email formats that fit each type.

A correctly formatted email, regardless of the type, can significantly impact your email campaigns.

So make sure to discover what is the correct email format for your needs and get writing!

Conclusion

Proper email formatting is not simply a preference; it’s a must.

By paying attention to the way you write your emails and following these email formatting best practices, you will definitely improve your email marketing game. From crafting clear subject lines to ensuring a polished final product, these steps will empower you to send impactful emails that get noticed and show results.

So, next time you start composing, take a moment to implement these practices and watch your email communication thrive.

FAQ about email format

What is the format of an email?

The format of an email is the structure and organization of an email.

How to write a formal email?

For a formal email, avoid the slang. Keep it clear and concise, using a proper subject line, greeting, and closing.

How do I politely finish an email?

Some of the most common ways to finish a formal email include “sincerely,” “best,” “kindly,” and “regards.”

What is the most popular email format?

Most popular email formats include welcome emails, sales, and follow-up emails.

Spam Folder: How to Avoid it In 7 Proven Ways

You work so hard on your new email campaign and put a lot of time into it. So you don’t want to see your emails landed in the potential leads’ spam folder. But if you don’t get any responses from your email subscribers and your engagement rates are low, we have bad news for you: your emails go to spam.

What is important to know is that more than half of all emails are spam, and you don’t want your messages to be in these statistics for sure and lost in the spam folder. Lucky for you, our article will give you tips on how to prevent emails from going to spam.

But before that, let’s discuss what a spam folder is.

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What is a Spam Folder?

A spam folder, also known as a junk or bulk folder, is a place where all your unwanted emails appear instead of reaching the inbox.

Email service providers check both email addresses and content, and when they notice anything suspicious, they don't let those messages reach people's inboxes. On top of this, email subscribers can report your messages as spam to clean their inboxes of unnecessary emails.

You need to avoid both cases. To reach that goal, first, you need to understand how spam filters work. So let's discuss that.

How Spam Filters Work

Different spam filters have different filtering technologies. They use many different criteria, like analyzing the sender's reputation and checking for suspicious content to check emails. Considering all these factors, they give a spam score, and based on this score, the email will pass through the filter and reach the inbox, or it will land in the spam box.

We have an idea of what a spam folder is and how filters work to detect spam emails, but what types of spam filters are out there that you should know about? It's time to discover that.

Types of Spam Filters

All spam filters, regardless of their type, aim to detect unwanted emails and keep people's inboxes clean and healthy. However, every spam filter has unique filtering criteria, and based on those criteria, there are these types of spam filters.

• Content filters

Those filters screen and check email content and decide whether or not to mark it as a spam email. When they notice money-related words, inappropriate language, or suspicious attachments, they mark your email as spam, and this is why your emails end up in a spam folder. So, you should keep your email content spam-free to ensure it reaches your email recipients' inboxes.

• Blacklist filters

Blacklist filters block messages from spammers who have been listed on the spammer's list. And because spammers can change their email addresses and domains, blacklist filters regularly update and evolve.

• Bayesian filters

Those filters learn email recipients' preferences and monitor what kind of emails they mark as spam emails. They create a group for trusted and suspicious addresses. If they send all messages from a certain sender as spam, a Bayesian filter can recognize this pattern, and these emails will automatically land in a spam folder.

• Header filters

Header filters automatically sort and manage emails based on the criteria email recipients set. These filters analyze information senders, subject lines, and headers. When noticing anything suspicious, they can automatically send these emails to a spam folder.

With the help of header filters, email recipients' inboxes remain free from unnecessary or suspicious messages. Basically, those filters make email communication stronger and healthier.

• Permission filters

Permission filters play an important role in helping emails avoid ending up in spam folders. Implementing those filters ensures that emails are sent to people who have agreed to receive them.

Thanks to permission filters, you shouldn't spam your email recipients and maintain a positive sender reputation. This can increase the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns.

• Challenge-response filters

Challenge-response filters verify senders and ensure their legitimacy. They ask you to provide a password or solve a puzzle to ensure that the message is coming from real people.

• Gateway filters

Spam gateway filters, like other types of filters, aim to detect and mitigate spam emails. Additionally, they prevent phishing, malware, and other security threats.

What's great about these filters is their regular updated to enhance functionality in identifying various security threats. They help to maintain email system security and health.

• Hosted spam filter

Hosted spam filters analyze email content and sender reputation, comparing them with lists of blocked senders to determine whether an email is likely to be spam. The filter also tries to identify phishing and spoofed emails. When it finds suspicious messages, it either rejects them or forwards them to the recipient, depending on the filter's settings.

Now, you might be curious about how to prevent emails from going to spam and passing through spam filters. We will cover this later, but now it's time to clearly understand why your emails go to spam instead of your inbox.

Why Emails Go to Spam Instead of Inbox

We already know what a spam folder is and how spam filters work, but you may wonder, “why are my emails being marked as spam?”

So, now it’s time to understand why emails keep going to spam and find five main factors that influence whether your messages land in the email spam folder or the inbox.

Unengaged Subscribers

A low engagement rate can be one of the main reasons that your emails are flagged as spam. Email service providers track engagement metrics and consider low engagement a sign that email recipients aren’t interested and can mark your future emails as spam. So, do everything in your power to ensure you successfully engage your subscribers.

Here are the steps you can take at this stage to ensure your email list stays engaged:

• Find your target audience.
• Segment your email list.
• Choose the best time to send your messages.
• Create compelling subject lines.
• Clean your list regularly.

These tactics can significantly reduce the chances of landing in a spam folder.

Bad Sender and IP reputation

Sender and IP reputation are the most important factors that spam filters consider when deciding whether to send emails to a spam folder. So, you need to analyze both your domain and IP reputation carefully.

There are several tools for IP and Domain reputation checks. These solutions will show how trusted your IP address is based on its email sending history. Additionally, they inform you about any email deliverability issues you might have. The next step is to perform a blacklist check using blacklist tools to determine whether your IP address is on a blacklist.

After discovering any issues with your sender and IP reputation, try to solve them as soon as possible to ensure your messages won't end up in the email spam folder. Having a positive sender and IP reputation and following essential email security practices gives you peace of mind that your emails won't land in the spam box.

Spam complaints

It’s almost impossible to escape from spam complaints. However, you have to avoid having spam complaints because they harm your email deliverability and lead to high spam scores. When email recipients mark your emails as spam, it signals to email service providers that they don’t want to receive your messages, so these emails end up in the spam folder.

Your job is to understand the reasons behind spam complaints. The most common reason is that the recipient doesn’t recognize your address or remember subscribing to your email list.

So, how to prevent email going to spam because of those complaints? Create memorable branding and ensure it reflects in your email campaigns. In addition, you should successfully generate email leads, engage them by sending personalized messages.

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Spammy Content

If your content looks spammy in the eyes of spam filters, most definitely, your messages will end up in the email spam folder. So, here are the things you should avoid to prevent emails from going to spam:

• Using spam triggers words such as “urgent,” “earn money,” and “limited time offer” in your email copy or subject line that sound too pushy.
• Spelling or grammar errors.
• Including too many exclamation marks.
• Adding many images to hide text.
• All caps or all lowercase letters because they can make your messages seem like junk mail.
• Having excessive links or suspicious attachments in the email content since scammers often link to malicious websites in their spam emails.

Avoiding these tactics and creating spam-free email content increases the chances of your messages successfully landing in the recipient's inboxes.

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Using Link Shorteners

Link shorteners might seem handy, but you should avoid them because a lot of spammers do it to hide malicious links and bypass filters.

If you use them, there's a good chance your messages will end up in the spam folder. Nobody wants that, right? Instead, go for the full, descriptive URL. It might look a bit longer, but it builds trust with your recipients. They'll appreciate seeing exactly where that link leads before clicking.

Sloppy HTML

Messy HTML is another common problem in spam emails.

This means the code behind the email is poorly written, which can make the email look weird or work improperly. Even if these emails don't get caught by spam filters, people might mark them as spam anyway.

To avoid this:

• Use email templates to keep your code tidy.
• Test your emails before sending them. Use tools to see how they look in different inboxes.
• Fix any errors found in the HTML.

Open URLs

Do you need to encourage your email subscribers to visit your website or provide them with more information about your products and services? Then, you should add a website link to your email.

You can use an open URL, which is a plain, typed-out web address that is not made into a clickable link or button. But this can be the reason why your emails are marked as spam.

So instead, use a clear call-to-action (CTA) button with a clickable link. This not only makes your messages cleaner but also minimizes the chances of being marked as spam.

Your Emails Lack a Plain-Text Version

One of the effective tactics to avoid looking spammy and appearing in spam folders is to add a plain-text version of your emails. Typically, email services allow you to add this easily when creating your message. Without a plain-text version, your emails might seem suspicious and end up in spam folders.

Plain-text emails are also essential for ensuring your messages can be read by screen readers, making them more accessible to everyone.

Your Emails Aren’t Authenticated

Another common reason why your emails end up in a spam folder is poor email authentication. So, one of your main tasks should be to authenticate your domain to show the email service providers that you are a legitimate business, not a spammer. But if you fail to properly authenticate your emails, you can’t expect successful communication with your email recipients.

Here are the main authentication protocols you should follow:

• DKIM- It helps verify that an email was actually sent by the domain it claims to be from and prevents spoofing and phishing attacks.
• SPF- This authentication protocol verifies that an email was sent from an authorized IP address.
• DMARC- It strengthens email security by combining SPF and DKIM to authenticate emails and verify they come from authorized sources.

Integrating these email security policies is key to not landing in a spam folder and having a high deliverability rate.

7 Ways to Prevent Emails From Going to Spam Folder

How to prevent emails from going to spam? Isn’t this the biggest question that concerns you? So, let’s explore seven effective tactics that will stop emails from going to spam.

1. Warm Up Your Email

You probably have an amazing new email marketing campaign you want to share with the world. But don't rush anywhere and warm up your email to avoid landing in a spam folder. This process involves sending a small number of emails to potential email leads and gradually increasing the number of emails each day.

Warming up your email can be time-consuming, but all hard work will pay off because, in the end, you will have high email deliverability, and your emails won't end up in the spam box.

2. Personalize Your Emails

Imagine you walk into a store, and the assistants greet you by name, remember what you bought last time, and offer something you might love.

Pretty nice, right? That's exactly what personalization can do for your emails.

It's not just about avoiding the spam folder (though that's a big plus). It's about making your subscribers feel like you're talking directly to them, not shouting into a crowd.

Start by getting to know your target audience. Where are they from? What do they usually purchase?

Once you've gathered the information, segment your email list into groups based on your findings. Then, write and send personalized emails that address each group's interests and needs.

Remember, when people feel like you know them, they're much more likely to open, read, and act on your emails - and much less likely to mark your emails as spam.

So go ahead, make it personal!

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3. Avoid Spam Trigger Words

Why my emails are going to spam? If this issue bothers you, the reason can be having some trigger words in your content. Your email content should be spam-free, and it shouldn't include words and phrases that can trigger spam filters.

We have already discussed how those filters carefully analyze all emails before letting them appear in people's inboxes.

So, avoid the following words in your emails:

• Promotional phrases

Extremely promotional words, like "Limited time offer," "Buy now," "Free," "100% free," or "Save up to," will trigger spam filters. Instead, you should use less aggressive language when promoting your offers and ensure your messages reach email recipients' inboxes.

• Money related terms

Spam filters may consider emails with financial words as scams. So, your email copy and subject line shouldn't include the words "Income," "Cash bonus," or "Earn money fast."

• Exclamation points

You shouldn't overuse exclamation points because they make your email look spammy.

Be careful of the language you use in your emails, and convey your message without spam trigger words to ensure they successfully land in your subscribers' inboxes.

4. Use a Reputable Email Service Provider

Using a reliable email service provider will ensure that emails won’t end up in the spam box. So, how to choose a provider that will help to reach that goal?

Reputable email service providers should have high delivery rates and include IP reputation and list management features and authentication protocols, that ensure your emails are delivered to the inbox.

Reliable email service providers usually offer deliverability monitoring so you can check if your email lands in a spam folder.

5. Clean Your Email List Regularly

A clean email list is one of the most important factors that can enhance your email marketing efforts. You should clean your email list regularly to boost your deliverability rate. The quality of your mailing list can directly affect your sender reputation and, consequently, the likelihood of your emails ending up in the spam folder.

Here are the steps you can take to make your email list healthy:

• Use mailfloss to clean your email list from inactive and invalid subscribers and improve email deliverability rates.
• Remove unengaged subscribers, as low engagement can harm your deliverability.
• Remove addresses that have bounced in the past. This will help to keep your list up-to-date and strong.
• Segment your email list to send more targeted and relevant emails, increasing deliverability.

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6. Make it easy to opt out or unsubscribe

You don't want to lose any email subscribers that can be potential customers. However, your emails should include an opt-out button so you can avoid getting spam complaints. Not only is it an ethical practice, but it is an effective way to increase the recipients' trust and ensure higher engagement rates.

Another important thing is to make the unsubscribe process as easy as possible so people can opt out with just a few clicks. If you make the unsubscribe process straightforward for people, you minimize your emails being marked as spam. This, in turn, improves your sender's reputation.

7. Create Compelling Email Content

Great content is the heart of successful email marketing. But if you're not sending content your subscribers actually care about, you might as well be talking to a brick wall.

So, how do you nail it? You just need to put yourself in your readers' shoes.

Maybe it's a killer deal they can't resist, or maybe it's a clever tip that solves a certain problem. Whatever it is, make sure it speaks their language and gives them real value.

But how do I know what they want, you may ask? It's easier than you think. Pay attention to what they click on, what questions they ask, and what problems they mention.

Your readers are constantly dropping hints - you just need to listen.

Remember, relevance is your secret weapon. Use it wisely, and watch your emails transform from "meh" to "must-read"!

To sum up

We all know how annoying it is when your thoroughly crafted emails end up in spam. But with the tips we've shared, you can increase your chances of landing in the inbox.

This is just one piece of the puzzle, though. The email world is always changing, so keep an eye on our blog for more practical advice to stay ahead.

Remember, great email marketing isn't just about what you write - it's about making sure your messages actually get seen.

So here's to more opens, more clicks, and more success with your emails.

FAQ about spam folder

Where can I see my spam folder?

You can see your spam folder in most email services by navigating to the folder list on the left-hand side of your inbox interface. It's typically labeled as "Spam" or "Junk."

Do I empty my spam folder?

Yes, you should empty your spam folder periodically to maintain an organized inbox and prevent important emails from being overlooked.

How long does spam stay in folder?

Spam typically stays in the folder for a certain period, often around 30 days, before it is automatically deleted by the email service provider.

Email Deliverability: The Complete Guide for 2024

If you are an email marketer, you probably spend ages coming up with great subject lines, crafting cool emails, and writing content that immediately grabs attention. This must be tough, right?

But sometimes, no matter how hard we try, our emails aren’t appearing in our subscribers’ inboxes. Quite frustrating, as I’m sure you can imagine.

You might think you're doing everything right to ensure good email deliverability. But if your emails are still going missing, something's totally wrong and should be fixed as soon as possible.

Don't worry, though. This guide is here to help.

We'll walk you through email deliverability basics and give you some tips.

Keep reading!

What is Email Deliverability?

Email deliverability refers to the ability of an email to reach the recipient's inbox successfully rather than being filtered into spam or junk folders.

Some people mix email deliverability with email delivery. However, these are different things.

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Email Deliverability vs. Email Delivery

The terms "email delivery" and "email deliverability" are closely related but refer to slightly different aspects of the email-sending process:

Email Delivery simply refers to the act of sending an email from the sender's server to the recipient's server.

In other words, it's the technical process of transferring the email message through the internet to its intended destination.

The email delivery rate is the percentage of emails successfully delivered to recipients' email servers based on the total number of emails sent.

It is a key metric used in email marketing to measure the effectiveness of email campaigns.

If you want to know how to tell if email was delivered, you can check the delivery status or use read receipts if available.

However, the easiest way to check if an email was successfully delivered is not receiving a bounce-back notification. Having an email bounce back is one of the many email delivery issues.

But what might be the reason? Well, one of the reasons why emails don’t get delivered can be that the recipient's email address is invalid or doesn't exist.

Email Deliverability, on the other hand, refers to the likelihood that an email will successfully arrive in the recipient's inbox and be seen by them.

So, while email delivery focuses on the technical aspect of sending emails, email deliverability includes the goal of ensuring that emails are not only sent but also successfully received and engaged with by the recipient.

But why is everyone talking about email deliverability, and why is it so important?

Let’s figure it out!

Why is Email Deliverability So Important?

Email deliverability is necessary for the success of your email marketing campaigns. It directly impacts the effectiveness of your communication with your target audience.

If your emails don't make it to people's inboxes, what's the point of your efforts?

However, when your emails actually land where they're supposed to, people are more likely to open them, read them, and perhaps even do what you're asking them to do.

But if they end up in the spam folder (or, even worse, get blocked), all that time you spent crafting the perfect email message? Wasted.

Let's not forget about the financial side as well. Good deliverability means more of your emails get through, which usually leads to more people opening and clicking.

More clicks, in their turn, lead to more traffic to your website and, ultimately, more revenue.

It's like a domino effect but in a good way.

So, what's considered a "good" deliverability rate? Well, that's a bit of a tricky question, but keep reading to get the answer.

What is a Good Email Deliverability Rate?

So, what is a good email deliverability rate?

Well, it’s not a very simple question to answer.

In general, it is usually recommended to get an 85-95% deliverability rate to get the most out of your email campaigns.

However, it might vary depending on what type of business you’re in.

It is recommended that you research your industry before creating your campaigns. Begin by understanding how your competitors perform. Analyze their average email deliverability rate and your current email deliverability rate to determine what can be improved for better results.

Then, come up with a goal or set up an email deliverability rate benchmark you want to achieve. After all that is done, start thinking about how you will reach that rate.

According to research by Email Tool Tester:

• An email deliverability rate of over 89% is considered good
• An email deliverability rate of over 95% is considered excellent
• An email deliverability rate of below 80% is considered poor

So, aim for higher deliverability rates for your email marketing campaigns.

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What Affects Email Deliverability?

A variety of factors, both technical and behavioral, influence email deliverability.

Understanding these factors can help you optimize your email marketing practices and improve your deliverability rates.

Now, let’s look at what affects email deliverability:

Sender Reputation

Sender reputation is a critical factor that directly impacts email deliverability.

It refers to assessing your sending practices by ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and email providers to determine whether your emails should be delivered to the inbox, placed in the spam folder, or blocked entirely.

Here's how it affects email deliverability:

Inbox placement: ISPs use sender reputation as a critical factor in deciding whether to deliver your emails to recipients' inboxes.

A positive sender reputation increases the likelihood that your emails will reach the inbox, while a poor reputation can result in emails being filtered as spam.

Spam filtering: ISPs use spam filters to protect users from unwanted or malicious emails.

Emails from senders with a poor reputation are more likely to be flagged by these filters and sent to the spam folder or blocked altogether.

Bounce rates: High bounce rates negatively impact the sender reputation. This indicates to ISPs that your email list may not be well-maintained or that you may be sending to outdated lists.

Engagement metrics: Engagement metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and reply rates are indicators of how recipients interact with your emails. A sender with high engagement rates signals to ISPs that recipients value and want to receive their emails.

Spam traps: Sending emails to spam traps (email addresses set up to catch spammers) can significantly harm your sender reputation and may lead to blacklisting.

Blacklists: Being listed on email blacklists due to spammy behavior or other issues can severely damage your sender reputation and prevent your emails from reaching recipients.

So, maintaining a positive sender reputation requires consistently following these deliverability best practices for email marketing, including sending relevant and engaging content to subscribers who have opted in to receive your emails.

Email Content

Email content significantly impacts email deliverability by influencing whether your emails land in recipients' inboxes or get filtered into spam folders.

It depends on how engaging your subject lines and content are.

Certain words and phrases are known to trigger spam filters and decrease deliverability.

These include terms commonly used in spam emails. It is essential to avoid using these in your subject lines and email content.

Spam filters analyze the content of emails to determine if they should be considered spam.

They look for specific words, phrases, and patterns commonly associated with spammy or promotional emails. Using words like "free," "urgent," "act now," and excessive exclamation marks (!!!) can trigger spam filters and throw your email into the spam folder.

Personalized and relevant email content is more likely to be engaged with, positively impacting deliverability. It can also improve engagement rates and reduce the likelihood of being marked as spam.

Excessive use of links, especially to suspicious or blacklisted domains, can trigger spam filters as well. It's important to use legitimate and relevant links in your email content.

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Email Infrastructure

The reputation of your IP address is a significant factor.

If you're using a shared IP, your reputation can be affected by other users' sending behaviors.

A dedicated IP allows you to control your own reputation, but maintaining good standing requires consistent and responsible sending practices.

Consistent sending patterns are important as well.

Sudden spikes or drops in your email sending volume can raise red flags with ISPs, who might then inspect your emails more closely.

So, make sure you maintain a regular sending schedule to build trust with ISPs.

Spam complaint

Spam complaints also significantly impact email deliverability.

Your email's fate - inbox or spam folder - depends on your sender reputation. When people mark your emails as spam, it's a red flag for Internet Service Providers (ISPs). These ISPs keep an eye on spam complaints to protect their users from risky emails. The more complaints you get, the more likely your future emails will end up in spam folders.

High spam complaint rates can also lead to your IP address or domain being added to email blacklists, negatively impacting your ability to send emails, as many ISPs and email providers check these lists to filter incoming emails.

So, focus on sending valuable, targeted content to reduce spam complaints and keep your emails landing in inboxes.

Email Volume Spikes

As already mentioned, when there are sudden increases in the volume of emails sent, ISPs may perceive this as suspicious activity, which can lead to several negative consequences for deliverability.

Firstly, ISPs may flag these spikes as potential spam activity.

A sudden surge in email volume can indicate to ISPs that your account might be compromised or that you're engaging in spammy behavior, even if that's not the case.

This can lead to a higher likelihood of your emails being filtered into spam folders or blocked altogether.

Secondly, abrupt volume spikes can harm your sender reputation. ISPs closely monitor sending patterns, and consistent, predictable email sending behavior helps build a positive sender reputation.

When email volume suddenly spikes, it can damage this reputation, making it more difficult for your emails to reach recipients' inboxes in the future.

Moreover, email volume spikes can result in increased bounce rates. When you send a large number of emails all at once, there’s a higher chance that some of the email addresses may be invalid or inactive, leading to more bounces.

It's important to gradually ramp up your email-sending volume over time to help build and maintain a positive sender reputation. This approach, often referred to as “warming up” your IP address, is especially crucial when you’re starting to send emails from a new IP address or domain.

Email Deliverability: 10 Actionable Ways to Improve It

All this talk and you still don’t know how to improve deliverability of emails and how to tell if an email was delivered.

Well, let’s go ahead and figure it out with this email deliverability checklist!

Build an Email List

Your email list isn't just a bunch of random addresses - instead, it should be real people who've actually said, "Hey, I want to hear from you!"

Make sure you're only reaching out to people who've given you the green light. Verify that all email addresses are correct to avoid wasted efforts.

Focus on building a strong email list of subscribers who are genuinely interested in your content. Remember, having fewer engaged readers is better than having a large list of uninterested people.

Now, how do you build this email list?

You can start by having a pop-up call to action (CTA) button. For example, when the user is about to leave your website, you give them the option to subscribe to your email newsletter.

Offer fun and meaningful content in your pop-up. With an impressive offer, your pop-up is no longer interruptive — it’s helpful (see the example below).

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If you have the resources, you can make personalized CTAs for each blog or landing page. You could offer an ebook, a fun quiz, or an exclusive article. When you offer content that is directly related to your visitor’s needs, your email newsletter doesn’t feel like an advertisement just for grabbing attention.

Place email sign-up forms in prominent places on your website, such as the header, footer, sidebar, and blog posts.

Offer incentives like discounts or freebies to encourage your current subscribers to refer friends and colleagues. This is yet another great way to build a good email list.

Make sure to clean your email list regularly. Remove inactive subscribers to keep your audience engaged and improve your open rates.

Maintain a Good Sender Reputation

Feel like your emails are playing hide and seek? A good sender reputation is your secret weapon to win the inbox game.

Maintaining a proper sender reputation is crucial if you want to increase email deliverability and ensure your emails reach the subscribers' inboxes.

Email sender reputation is like a trust score for your digital messages. It's based on two important factors: your IP address and domain name.

Your IP is the digital location from which you send emails, and it can be shared or dedicated. Building a good IP reputation takes time, and damaging it with poor sending habits can take even longer to repair.

Your domain name is equally important. Even with a reputable IP, a domain known for sending unwanted emails can hurt your delivery rates. The reverse is also true – a good domain won't overcome a poor IP.

That's why serious email senders avoid free email services often used by spammers. The goal is to keep a positive reputation for both your IP and domain to make sure your emails reach their intended recipients.

Choose the Right Email Service Provider

An email service provider is a tool for systematically sending out mass email communication.

Ensure the ESP has a good reputation with ISPs and maintains high deliverability rates.

Check if the ESP supports authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, which help verify your emails and improve deliverability.

There are different service providers, like Mailchimp, Drip, Klaviyo, ConvertKit, etc.

When choosing an email service provider, consider the features that can enable your business to grow. Especially when it comes to email marketing for small businesses, you'll need to look for features like detailed analytics and customizable templates that can help you target your audience more effectively and measure the effectiveness of your campaigns.

For example, check how many emails you can send per day or per month, as well as if it provides advanced analytics, so you can keep track of your email campaign’s performance and learn what works and what needs improvement.

Also, make sure it has an easy-to-use interface that isn’t confusing. And when we say “user-friendly,” we mean it should be intuitive and straightforward for everyone.

So, it’s recommended to check and compare different service providers to choose a plan that best fits your needs and budget.

Use Double Opt-Ins

Double opt-in requires subscribers to confirm their email address twice. After signing up via a web form, they receive a confirmation email with a link or button to verify their subscription.

This method reduces the likelihood of fake or mistyped email addresses being added to your list and helps prevent spam complaints.

It also confirms that subscribers genuinely want to receive your emails.

Monitor your double opt-in rates to ensure that subscribers are successfully confirming their subscriptions.

For those who don’t confirm, consider sending a reminder email to encourage them to complete the process.

Subscribers who complete the double opt-in process are more likely to engage with your emails, leading to better open and click-through rates.

By confirming their intent to subscribe, subscribers are less likely to mark your emails as spam.

Keep Your Email List Clean

Keeping a clean email list is important if you want to improve email deliverability because it ensures that you are sending emails to engaged and interested recipients.

Clean email lists consist of recipients who have actively opted in to receive your emails and regularly engage with them. This leads to higher open rates, click-through rates, and overall engagement, which are positive signals to email service providers (ESPs).

You can set up mailfloss to automatically clean your email lists on a regular basis and even in real-time, ensuring that your lists are always up-to-date and compliant.

You can also get custom scheduled or monthly automatic bulk cleaning of your entire email list. With its custom cleaning feature, maifloss removes fake or risky email addresses easily.

It detects and removes duplicate email addresses from your list, preventing multiple emails from being sent to the same recipient.

Another great thing about mailfloss is that it connects with most email service providers. If you use MailChimp, you can easily connect mailfloss with MailChimp, set your preferences, and mailfloss will take care of automatic email verification.

Easy-peasy, right?

So, if you haven’t yet checked how your email list is performing, it’s high time you do.

Just like you keep your home clean and neat, having a clean and updated email list ensures that your messages reach your target audience and improve your campaign effectiveness.

Use Email Authentication

Using email authentication protocols is also crucial for improving email deliverability.

For this, you can use tools to check if SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are set up correctly for your domain.

SPF allows domain owners to specify which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of their domain.

DKIM is another email authentication method that provides a mechanism for validating a domain name identity associated with a message through cryptographic authentication.

DMARC is a policy framework that builds on SPF and DKIM. It enables domain owners to specify how mail servers should handle messages that do not pass SPF and DKIM checks.

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Create Compelling Email Content

You’ve probably heard that compelling subject lines and personalized greetings can increase your email open rates, haven’t you?

This is true, and if your emails lack these elements, you might be missing out on valuable engagement opportunities.

Including both your company and sender name, for instance, “James from X company,” is likely to have much more success than simply writing “James Smith” or, worse, “jamessmith564596”.

Using a company name adds credibility while adding a person’s name makes it feel less like a corporate campaign and more like a genuine message from an individual.

Additionally, make sure your subject line is informative enough and doesn’t come off as clickbait.

For example, "Important Update: Changes to Our Service Policies" is clear, whereas "You Won't Believe Our New Policy!" might be considered clickbait and reduce trust in your company.

Also, well-crafted content that provides value and includes clear calls to action (CTAs) can encourage subscribers to click on links within your emails.

For example, it can be ‘Learn More’ or ‘Get Started Now’ which can encourage subscribers to click on links within your emails.

Compelling content is often optimized for mobile devices, ensuring that your emails are readable and engaging across all devices. It is also easy to read and has an accessible design that can reduce bounce rates and increase engagement.

Testing different elements of your email content, such as subject lines, CTAs, and content layout, allows you to optimize for better engagement and deliverability.

So, make sure to provide valuable, informative content that can educate recipients about your products or services, helping to build trust and long-term relationships.

Make it Easy for People to Break Up With You

Have you ever signed up to access resources, like a free checklist, or tried a service a couple of years ago but don’t care about it anymore?

If yes, then you are not alone, as many people have experienced this.

So, make sure you have an unsubscribe button that is easy to find.

You might think, “How does it help?” Well, this way, people who aren’t interested will easily unsubscribe, and you’ll know which email addresses are relevant and engaged.

If you make it difficult for them to unsubscribe from the list, sooner or later, they’ll want to clean up their emails by marking some of them ‘spam,’ which you probably want to avoid.

Avoid Spam Traps and Blacklists

Spam traps are email addresses that are created specifically to catch spammers.

Only send emails to subscribers who have explicitly opted in to receive communications from you.

If you find yourself on a blacklist, follow the delisting process provided by the blacklist authority to request removal.

If you want to know how to test email deliverability, start by sending test emails to different email accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, etc.) to check if they are delivered to the inbox or spam/junk folder.

Choose a reliable IP Address

When selecting an IP address for better email deliverability, prioritize a dedicated IP over a shared one to have full control over your sending reputation.

Research the IP's history to ensure it hasn't been associated with spam or blacklisted, as a clean record is crucial.

Consistent monitoring of the IP's performance is vital; track metrics like bounce rates, spam complaints, and engagement rates. If any issues arise, address them immediately to maintain a positive reputation.

Conclusion

So, in summary, understanding and optimizing for email deliverability is crucial for any organization wanting to effectively reach its audience through email marketing.

By focusing on maintaining a clean sender reputation, using authenticated sending practices, and regularly monitoring engagement metrics, businesses can improve their chances of landing emails in recipients' inboxes and avoid email deliverability issues.

Email deliverability monitoring can help you detect bounces, spam complaints, or blacklisting early, allowing you to take corrective action promptly.

With these strategies in place, you can ensure that your email campaigns are not only reaching but also engaging their intended audience.

Now, you know how to increase the deliverability of your emails.

Start applying these email deliverability best practices today to achieve better results!

FAQ about email deliverability

1. What is meant by email deliverability?

It refers to the ability of an email to reach the recipient's inbox without being blocked or sent to spam.

2. How to fix email deliverability?

Ensure a clean sender reputation, use a dedicated IP, and authenticate emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Use mailfloss to prevent bounces before they happen, thus protecting your sender reputation.

3. What is a good deliverability rate for email?

Typically, over 89% can indicate that most emails reach recipients' inboxes.

4. What are email deliveries?

They refer to the successful transmission of emails from the sender's server to the recipient's email server.