SPAM: what is it and
how to avoid it
(and we don't mean the tinned meat variety either!)
So you want to join the herd of Marketers sending out cost effective
e-marketing campaigns. How hard can it be? You send emails out all
the time, there can’t be much difference...
Well, the answer is very
different actually. Get it wrong and your entire campaign could
be dumped in SPAM folders across cyberspace. Worse still, you could
be blacklisted so your campaigns will never get out to who they
should do, ever, so one big waste of time, effort and precious budget.
So read on for handy tips and advice about sending out effective
e-marketing campaigns (without all that complicated jargon to get
through which none of us really understand).
First and foremost,
when you sit down to plan out your e-marketing campaign you need
to get into the mind-set of a SPAM filter, and how it actually works.
Basically put, SPAM filters read incoming emails whilst looking
for resemblances to other emails that are from recognised SPAM.
So how can you think like a SPAM filter? The answer is easy. Open
up your Inbox, look in your SPAM folder and actually read all of
the emails that have been dumped in there. Look at the artwork layouts
they’ve used. Notice how they’ve written
their copy. What fonts and colours they’ve used. Essentially, it’s
like playing a game of ‘spot-the-difference’ only you’ll find that
other than the subject matter, there isn’t much difference at all.
When
it comes to styling here’s an idea of what you need to avoid:
| • |
Over
using colours, fonts and
formatting. |
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| • |
Make sure you actually include some
comprehensive copy, not just graphics, otherwise without having
something to actually read the SPAM filters will automatically
dump you. |
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| * |
Not every recipient of your e-marketing
campaign will be able to see the full HTML version, so always
send a Plain Text version attached to it, without it SPAM filters
can become suspicious and again, dump you. |
| |
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| • |
Don’t get over excited and
use lots of explanation marks all the time, OK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| |
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| • |
Make sure you aren’t SHOUTING
all the time by OVER USING CAPITALS. |
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| • |
You also need to make sure you don’t
over use words that are considered extremely SPAM sensitive
like ‘free’ and ‘act now’ for example,
and if you’re in the business, sorry, but ‘Viagra’ too. |
Now for the ‘science’ bit.
| • |
When
you or your in-house e-team, or external Web Agency, are writing
the code make sure they are using what’s known as ‘clean’ coding. "What?"
we hear you cry. This means that if, for example, WYSIWYG coding
is being used it often adds in obsolete coding - whilst it’s
unseen by the recipient, SPAM filters see it all too well and
dump you. |
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| • |
Also make sure the email has been
given a title (often left blank when using WYSIWYG code). |
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The top 10 dirtiest SPAM words - use them at your
peril
When writing your copy you need to make sure that not only
do you hit the right note with your potential customer but you also
hit all the right notes with SPAM filters. This is easier
said than done, so as a bit of help here’s what are
considered the ten worst words you can use in e-marketing.
| 1. |
Free |
| 2. |
Congratulations |
| 3. |
Compare rates |
| 4. |
Great offer |
| 5. |
Order now |
| 6. |
Guarantee |
| 7. |
Amazing |
| 8. |
Increase sales |
| 9. |
Dear friend |
| 10. |
Cash |
Other words to avoid include 'click here!', 'click here now!',
'act now!', or everybody's favourite, 'limited time!'.
Black lists
Without question the easiest way to get black
listed is to send out an email to a random list you've
picked up from a seminar or conference. You have
no relationship with these people, they just happened
to be in what you think is the 'right
place at the right time'. Well think again. To
send out email campaigns you need to have made sure that your recipient
list have actually agreed to receive your emails, and that doesn't
mean word of mouth. If you run into any disputes, or you are
trying in vain to get off a black list, you need tangible proof
you have their permission. So, when corresponding with your
customers you need to get them to tick an 'opt-in' box
- whether this is on a joining form, a questionnaire or such like,
but either way you need it.
So how do black lists work? Well,
the Admin Servers keep a note of all the incoming emails' IP
addresses, it then makes a separate note of any emails that are
considered SPAM. From
then on it will recognise any future emails sent by the offending
IP address and in many instances automatically delete it.
What's
more, you'll have the devil's
own job trying to get off of these lists. That's
why we can't stress
enough that you have written proof from your recipients agreeing
to allow you to email them.
Do-it-yourself
Nope, we're not talking about
putting up a shelf or two, we're talking about testing. What
better way to see if your email has inadvertently dumped into the
SPAM folder than by sending it to yourself? See where it goes -
your SPAM folder or your Inbox. But make sure you send the
actual e-mail, not a test run with Latin copy or duplicated paragraph
after paragraph, as your own e-mail function will pick it up as
SPAM because of these things.
e-Marketing that really works
With so many things to think about
and so little budget can you really afford not to get your e-marketing
done by people who really know their stuff? No, we didn't
think so. We
at TwoTrickPony understand the ins and outs of e-marketing so it
won't
hit a SPAM filter, just good old fashioned potential clients. And
what's more, our designs and copy are so good you will be
inundated with response so your ROI will soar through the roof!
Give us a call today on 01273
208878 or
pop us through an email at info@twotrickpony.co.uk
and we'll be delighted to go through your e-marketing requirements.
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