17 E-mail Deliverability Tips for 2008

Email deliverability is a headache. We used to worry about the content of an email blast, and avoid spammy words like free or using ALL CAPS. But with the shift in the last few years towards reputation based SPAM filtering, email deliverability tactics have changed drastically. Now, instead of one isolated email getting stuck in the bulk folder, you risk damaging your long term sender reputation if you're not using best practices. Below, I've gathered some tips for ensuring your email makes it successfully to the inbox.

Join Feedback Loops: Feedback loops allow you to see who is marking your email as spam (so you can remove them). Some ISPs, like AOL, provide an easy way to join the feeback loop. For other ISPs, you may need to contact your email service provider to see if they can provide you with this information.

Remove Inactive Subscribers: Inactive subscribers are most likely to mark your email as junk. Sure, nobody wants to willfully shrink the size of their opt in list, but you have to think long term.

Consistent Timing: ISPs love it when you consistently send email on the same day at near the same time. Since spammers don't care, consistency is the mark of a responsible email marketer.

Use Consistent From Information: Be sure to always use the same from name and address. Changing the from email will require your subscribers to add each address to their address book in order to ensure deliverability. In addition, a consistent from name helps readers recognize your brand.

Use Double Opt In: Double opt in is a best practice required by many ISPs in order to be considered for
white listing. In addition, it protects your database from misspelled email addresses.

Unsubscribe Link at Top: Why at the top? Because if unhappy subscribers can't find it within a few seconds, they may hit the junk button instead, which damages your rep. Better to lose a subscriber than get a spam complaint.

Static IP Address: If you send marketing emails from your own server, always send from the same IP address. If you use an email service provider, find out if they offer a dedicated IP for an additional charge. If they do, it's worth it. Like shared web hosts, many ESP's group many clients under one IP address. In other words, what another company does with their email marketing can affect your deliverability. It's much easier to manage the reputation of one IP address rather than many.

Reverse DNS: Many ISPs perform a reverse DNS lookup, which checks to make sure the IP you are sending from is authorized to send from your domain.

White List Reminder: Encourage subscribers to add your email address to their address book or
white list. Some ISPs look at the number of times you are added to an address book as a sign of trust.

Get Authenticated: Email authentication is confusing as heck. There are a few standards out there that are not necessary competing. The Sender ID Framework uses a simple SPF record with your DNS Zone. Microsoft has a handy Sender ID wizard to help you create this text record for your DNS. In addition to Sender ID,
DomainKeys is another popular authentication method. Both methods help to both ensure deliverability and prevent spammers from spoofing with your domain.

Don't Worry about SPAM Words: Don't stress about using the word "free" or
occasionally putting all caps in the subject. I find these tactics to be successful and have no affect on delivery.

Remove Bounces: Be sure to remove all hard bounces that come back as undeliverable. Repeatedly sending to an invalid email will send off red flags with most internet service providers.

Reply to Challenge Responses: Occasionally, SPAM filtering software will send back a reply to your email asking you to confirm that you are a real person. Invest the 30 seconds or so it takes to do this for each challenge response you receive. Not only will it ensure that this particular
recipient receives your message, but it can improve your sender reputation as well.

Be Relevant: Nothing encourages spam complaints more than sending people stuff they didn't sign up for. If they signed up for a ezine newsletter, and you send them nothing but sales pitches, you're likely to get complaints.

Send In Spurts: Some ISPs have limits as to how many emails you can send to in a given period of time. If you're having trouble sending email to a particular ISP such as Yahoo, Gmail, or Hotmail, see if your email service provider gives you the ability to stage the email over a longer period of time.

Get Off Black Lists: MxToolBox offers a great tool to check if your email server is blacklisted. If it is, begin the process of contacting each of the the black list service and find out the process for getting your IP removed.

Get On White Lists:
Achieving white list status with the major ISPs is no small feat. If you're not
up for the challenge, consider uses an email deliverability consulting firm that specializes in this area.

For more
email
marketing tips and tactics, please visit the Palmer Web Marketing Blog.

Justin Palmer is the founder of Palmer Web Marketing, which offers eCommerce website reviews. In addition, Justin is the director of online marketing for C28.com, which sells T-shirts & clothing for Christians.

Free Advice For All Ages by E-Mail and Forum

In the days before the internet and World Wide Web people would write to newspaper columnists such as Ann Landers and her sister Abigail Van Buren for help. The advice giver would pick out representative letters to answer and the answers would appear daily in the paper. Similar advice columns now appear on the web, sometimes answered by an individual such as those working with Mike Hardcastle on About's Teen Advice. Carolyn Hax dispenses advice on her website from Seattle. Her column appears with those of Dr. Joyce Brothers and Rev. Billy Graham.

Amy Alkon, calling herself The Advice Goddess, writes a column which is intended to be both funny and appropriate advice. Amy Dickinson gives advice under the rubric Ask Amy.

If you type in the word ADVICE in Google or another search engine, you will find lots of opportunities to receive advice, including all the ones mentioned above. An unusual one is Elder Wisdom Circle. The advice is provided by people who are 60 years old or older who have been selected to offer their wisdom accumulated during a lifetime of activity and learning experience. Every letter is answered by email. You can read sample letters and answers on the website.

If you are troubled by any kind of problem at school or at home or work, about personal concerns, family matters, sexual worries, etcetera, and feel that you have no one to talk to about it, try one of the many advice columns and websites available to you via the internet.

........................................................................

Jack Wilson is a writer and artist in Tempe, Arizona:

http://jackwilson-links.blogspot.com/

Your E-mail and the Shift Key

With e-mail, how you are perceived is important to if your message, request or point of view will be taken seriously. A primary example is making just a little effort by hitting that darned shift key to capitalize the start of your sentences. Doing so can make all the difference in the world as to whether you will be perceived as someone who is to be taken in earnest.

Of course if you have arthritis or are impaired in some manner that makes it impossible for you to use the shift key, then it would behoove you to make a note stating as much at the top of your e-mail. All e-mailers need to understand that how they e-mail will be a reflect upon them. Perceptions are made whether we like it or not, so why not make the minimal effort to ensure we leave a favorable reaction?

We all learned basic sentence structure in grade school. Use it. There is not a single resource that I am aware of that negates the need to communicate in an educated and thoughtful manner when it comes to e-mail. When you do not capitalize your name or the beginning of sentences you are relaying several possible things about yourself:

1. I don't care if I am perceived as uneducated or...

2. I am uneducated or...

3. I am so lazy I can't hit the shift key when required.

None of the above is complimentary. Use your shift key. It is an effort well worth the positive impression doing so will leave.

About the Author:
Judith Kallos is an authoritative and good-humored Technology Muse who has played @ http://www.TheIStudio.com for over a decade. Check out her popular E-mail Etiquette Web Site, Books and Free Tools @: http://www.NetManners.com