If you want your emails to land in inboxes—not spam folders—you need to master compliance and deliverability. Here’s how to stay clean, legal, and visible:
1. Always Use Double Opt-In (or Clear Consent)
- Don’t buy lists. Ever.
- Only email people who gave permission
- Use confirmed opt-in for higher-quality lists and fewer spam complaints
2. Authenticate Your Domain
- Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records
- Boosts sender reputation and proves you’re not spoofing
- Most platforms (like AWeber or GetResponse) guide you through this
3. Include an Unsubscribe Link
- It’s required by law (CAN-SPAM, GDPR, etc.)
- Makes you look legit and protects your sender score
- Bonus: fewer spam complaints = better deliverability
4. Keep Your List Clean
- Remove inactive subscribers regularly
- Bounce too many times? You’ll get flagged
- Use re-engagement campaigns before purging
5. Avoid Spammy Language
- Phrases like “Get Rich Quick” or “100% Free!!!” trigger filters
- Use natural, conversational tone—even when selling
- Emojis are okay in moderation (✅, 🚀), but don’t overdo it
6. Monitor Key Metrics
- Open rate: Should be 20%+
- Spam complaints: Keep under 0.1%
- Unsubscribes: Natural, but high churn = content misfit
7. Be Transparent
- Use your real name, address (PO box is okay), and branding
- Build trust to increase engagement, which helps deliverability
8. Warm Up New Domains or IPs
- Start small—email your most engaged subscribers first
- Ramp up volume gradually to avoid getting flagged as a spammer
Treat deliverability like reputation: easy to lose, hard to rebuild.
Download Deliverability and Compliance Checklist
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