Spam filters have gotten more sophisticated in the past several years, but they're still not perfect. Your emails–even your best emails–can still get caught in the dreaded spam folder, never to see the light of day.
If you want to maximize the reach of your email marketing campaigns, you'll need to do everything possible in order to avoid being flagged as spam.
Here are some best practices to keep your emails from falling into spam folders:
Avoid the excessive use of "salesy" language (these are spam trigger words like "buy", "clearance", "discount", or "cash").
Don't "bait-and-switch" by using deceptive subject lines.
Include an easy way for subscribers to opt-out of your emails.
Make Your Subject Line Stand Out
When it comes to email open rates, your subject lines are everything. Your job is to make your subject lines stand out.
Companies have used email marketing for years, often copying the same subject line formulas. As a result, these common subject lines are often filtered out as white noise. To break away from the competition, you'll have to get more creative with your subject lines.
Here are some tips for crafting creative subject lines:
Entice curiosity, but don't be too clever. You want to make them curious enough to open, but without being so cryptic that the subscriber hasn't a clue as to what you're talking about.
Insert numbers. There is something about numbers that draws the eye.
Use a fun, joking, or conversational tone.
Speak in the language and style that your subscribers use themselves, especially when talking with their friends.