9 REASONS YOU’RE GETTING HIGH SPAM COMPLAINTS (AND HOW TO FIX THEM)

TOO MANY SPAM COMPLAINTS?

Even with a permission-based list, you can have a spam complaint problem.

This can keep you from delivering to the Inbox.

Are you making any of these mistakes?

How do you fix them?

#1 YOUR SUBSCRIBERS DON’T RECOGNIZE YOUR EMAIL.

BRANDING MATTERS.

Use the same brand in your email as your sign-up page.

Remember, only the Subject and ‘from name’ are visible before opening an email:

your brand must be here.

#2 YOU’RE NOT SENDING WHAT YOUR SUBSCRIPTION PAGE SAYS YOU WOULD SEND.

NO ONE LIKES A BAIT-AND-SWITCH.

Example: Subscriber enters contest to win iPhone. Subscriber gets unrelated weekly email.

Cue spam complaints.

Set clear expectations at sign-up for what they will get and how often.

Offer and describe multiple, targeted subscriptions. Let subscribers choose.

#3 YOU’VE CHANGED YOUR SENDING FREQUENCY.

NOBODY LIKES “THAT” GUY.

If you’ve been invited into the Inbox on a monthly basis, don’t show up weekly or daily.

If you plan a large increase, ask for permission.

Provide a preference center for readers to choose or opt-down the frequency.

#4 YOU DON’T MAKE IT EASY TO UNSUBSCRIBE.

TIME FOR AN AUDIT.

Sign up for your own email and unsubscribe.

Does the page load? Is it easy? Is it polite?

Do you stop getting email?

Can your readers find the unsubscribe fast?They know where the “This is Spam” button is.

#5 YOU’RE DELIVERING CONTENT NO ONE WANTS.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR THEM?

Ask yourself or a friend in the target market “is this valuable content for my reader?”

Do readers look forward to your email?

Would they miss it?

#6 YOU DON’T HAVE A PLAN TO REMOVE INACTIVE SUBSCRIBERS.

EMOTIONALLY UNSUBSCRIBED BUT FORGOT TO TELL YOU

Meet the inactive subscriber: has been subscribed at least 30 days to

6 months but not opened/clicked in that time.

Segment out or reduce sending to them.

This is a major source of complaints.

WHAT!? MAKE MY LIST SMALLER?

Don’t think smaller. Think more effective.

Inactive subscribers are not reading your email and are hurting delivery to everyone else.

The upside: more people will see your email.

Time and time again: senders make more money after removing inactive subscribers.

#7 YOUR EMAIL LOOKS BROKEN.

FIND A RENDERING TOOL.

What looks right in your email client may look broken in a different email client.

Test your email and how it renders in various email clients and versions.

#8 YOU HAVE A NEW EMAIL PROVIDER AND ACCIDENTLY ADDED UNSUBSCRIBERS BACK.

ACCIDENTS HAPPEN.

When you exported from your old provider were unsubscribers and spam complainers included and reactivated?

Double check. Triple check. This accident really does happen.

Sending to these guys is email suicide.

#9 YOU JUST STARTED GETTING BETTER EMAIL DELIVERABILITY.

THE GOOD NEWS & BAD NEWS OF BETTER DELIVERY.

If your delivery just improved, you’re now in the Inbox of subscribers who may have forgotten

about you.

Yo-yo effect: They complain. Delivery suffers.

Removing inactive subscribers at the domains with this problem (or globally) is a solution.

Need help with delivery, contact:

Dave Lucas Or visit our eBook Library to learn more.

(866) 374-4678 | www.drh.net