Tips to increase the deliverability of your emails

Here we have gathered tips on what you as a user can do and what to consider when creating emails in Rule to improve the deliverability of your mailings and reach more inboxes, which is of course a high priority in email marketing.

 -Connect your domain:

Work with your IT department or domain provider to set up SPF and DKIM and connect your sending domain to Rule. With SPF and DKIM in place, your domain determines who is allowed to use the domain as a sender. By adding a few records to your domain name server, you confirm that you own the email domain you use with Rule. This makes your emails look more authentic and reduces the chance of it being classified as spam. Read more about how to set up SPF and DKIM här.

-Do Not use "spamphrases":

Remember not to use words that trigger spam filters in your mail, nor in the header or pre-header text. Although some phrases will not necessarily place you in the spambasket automatically, it is advisable to avoid using regular "spamphrases" in general. Examples of words are:

Free, victim, complimentary, risk free, eliminate your guilt 

-Avoid capital letters in the title:

Even if you use only one word in your headline that is in uppercase, the chances of your email coming directly to spam will increase significantly.

-Be careful with exclamation mark:

You can use exclamation marks in the title and text content, but use it in moderation. For example, do not use multiple exclamation marks after each other in a sequence and do not use it unnecessarily. 

-Do not use noreply @ as the sender:

Marketers often send their campaigns from non-replying email senders. These email addresses give an incorrect impression to your recipients. Why should they not be able to respond directly if they have a question? There is more than one reason to avoid "no-neply" addresses, but above all it affects deliverability, so use a professional company-domain address instead.

-Always write Alt text on your pictures:

Get into the habit of always using alternative text descriptions for images to be used in the mailing. Sometimes email images are not rendered correctly. This is especially the case on narrow screens such as mobile phones and tablets. With an ALT text that briefly describes each image, you can at least convey the idea behind the image to those who cannot see the image. Another positive attribute of using ALT text on images is that it increases deliverability, especially for Gmail. It is definitely worth spending some extra time filling in this field when working with images in the Rule content editor. Read more about how to add Alt-Text  här.

-Do not use for heavy images:

The total size of your email plays an important role when it comes to deliverability. It is important to note that the use of excessive email messages can raise a red flag for spam filters. Consider the following things:

• Keep a maximum weight of about 50 KB. 
• Make sure the image resolution is 72 dpi. 
• Save images in JPG, GIF or PNG.

-Do not embed forms:

Forms are not supported in e-mail through standard e-mail clients because of security risks. Instead, you can add a button with a link to a separate landing page consisting of a form.

-Do not use red text color:

The same applies to using invisible text, i.e. light font on top of a white background. These are common tricks that spammers use, so it's a quick red flag for spam filters.

-Double check spelling:

Not only will spelling errors in your mailing be perceived as unprofessional; They also trigger spam filters. So double check the spelling before sending.

-Double check that the links Link:

Have the habit of always double check that the links in your mailing work as they should. If your mailing contains broken links, it could be a spam trigger.

-Do not send an email containing only photos:

• Keep in mind that the first to receive your mailings are the recipients who have been most active historically. You can think of it as "the most important and active recipients" are those who are prioritized by Rule and receive messages the fastest. 
• If you need to get out an email a certain amount of time, be sure to send it a few hours before your desired arrival.
• Ask recipients to add your email address to their address book for your mailings to safely land in your inbox.
• Encourage recipients to respond to your mailing. For example, Gmail automatically adds an email address to the address Book if the recipient replies to an email message.
• Don't send campaigns with too long or too short headline. Keep the length from 18 to 52 symbols.
• Test your mailings before sending them.
•  Always have the same text at the beginning of the text version as in the regular version.
• Always offer an unsubscribe link that is clear.
• Do not use purchased lists.