Deliverability. It’s not just for Amazon packages. What if I told you your emails aren’t guaranteed to make it to the other side? That not all emails are created equal, and some don’t make it to your reader’s inboxes. Or promotions folders. Or even the dreaded spam folder.
In 2021, deliverability should be your number one focus because if you’re taking the time to write fantastic emails, you sure as heck want them to land in an inbox.
Here’s how you’re going to get that done.
- Choose an email service provider that ranks high on deliverability. Of course, my favourite for authors is Mailerlite. Please step away from your Mailchimp account. It’s ranked one of the lowest for deliverability. This is because of many reasons, but mostly because they accept non-verified email addresses as viable sending addresses. Think Hotmail, Gmail. These are highly hackable and often used by spammers. No go!
- Set a consistent AND frequent sending schedule and stick to it. This gives the algorithm reliable data to go off of AND tells your readers when to expect your emails. Believe your subscriber when they gave you their email in exchange for being on your list. They want to hear from you.
- Split test your subject lines. Even if it’s not a feature your platform offers, do it manually. It will increase your overall open rates as you test your subject lines little by little. Learn what makes your readers want to open and then send that subject line to the majority of readers.
- Know your ratios. The general rule of thumb is 80% text to 20% images inside your email. If you’re sending large images all over the place, you’re going to get slotted into the spam folder more than you’d like.
- Use Alt Text for your images when possible. This will not only help make your email more accessible, but it will also allow those who do not view images to know what they are looking at and give the algorithm information.
- Keep your list healthy. Ditch the dead weight. Don’t be afraid to remove lurkers. For me, I want that person so fired up about what I’m emailing that they are always opening and clicking. If they’ve been lurking, they’re not my reader. Remove them and keep your list healthy, deliverable, and keep your costs down. I would never want to pay for someone who’s not even interested in opening my emails.
Start with those six steps and then move on to some advanced items.
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