How to Stop Your Important Emails From Going to Someone’s Spam Folder

My spam folder currently contains over 500 emails from incomprehensible phishing attempts, newsletters from companies unknown to me I subscribed and a variety of unwanted messages. I am grateful that there is a spam filter that checks for certain email characteristics So My inbox isn’t completely clogged. But what about the occasional well-meaning email that gets accidentally marked as spam?

Spam filters are hardly perfect when it comes to scanning your content. Some scams make it to your primary inbox, while serious senders (perhaps a recruiter or long-lost relative) are mistaken for junk. Here are all the reasons your email might get flaggedand how to make sure it actually reaches your target recipient’s inbox.

If it looks like spam, it will be filtered as spam

While many duplicitous scammers have figured out how to evade detection, there are some surefire signs of a spam email. These are all traits of a classic spam-worthy email to avoid:

• Bad grammar and spelling
• All caps

• Too many punctuation marks, especially exclamation marks
• Too many shortcuts
• Too many attachments
• Inconsistent fonts, colors, and formatting
• Image-only emails or a high image-to-text ratio
• With an anonymous or unknown sender name
• Address your recipient “My Friend” or “Dear” (or not their name)
• Advertising language such as “click here”, “free”, or “Earn money now”

If you’re creating a marketing email for your business, take a look at this HubSpot’s 300+ word list this could trigger spam filters.

Follow HTML best practices

While plain text email is the most secure choice, it’s not always practical. Here are some best practices for HTML for email, according to Mailchimp:

• Keep the maximum width of your email between 600 and 800 pixels.
• Don’t rely on images for critical information, as your recipients may block certain media elements.
• Delete Flash, JavaScript or Active-X elements as spammers are known to use them to spread viruses.
• Check all links added to your email signature and avoid sites that may be flagged as spam.

Finally, for anyone sending out a newsletter, make sure you do it Add an unsubscribe option to your recipients. It’s not just about avoiding the spam folder; It’s the law.

Test your email’s spam score

Before you hit submit, check out tools like mail tester, with which you can test your e-mail against the most common spam filters. You’ll get a score that shows you the likelihood of your mailings ending up in someone else’s junk folder, so you can adjust accordingly.

If you can, get permission to send email first

The easiest way to get your email in the right inbox is to make sure your recipient actually wants or needs your correspondence. I get it – most of us these days need a newsletter campaign. The tips above are designed to help you avoid the spam folder, so please if spammers are reading this: use this guide forever.