Advice on Writing E-mail Newsletters

Infected - Some spam filters block e-mails with attachments by default, as they have the potential to be infected with a virus, or malware. It is recommended to avoid attachments in order to have a better likelihood of not being filtered.

Blacklisted - Some users may blacklist e-mails from your domain or e-mail address. To be sure this does not happen, it is recommended to request your users to add them to their whitelist. This is a common e-mail marketing practice that ensures you and your readers that your e-mail reaches them.

Encrypted - If you scramble, or encrypt your e-mail message, it may appear suspicious, and the likelihood of it being filtered is high. Be sure your recipient has whitelisted you in order to ensure the arrival of your e-mail.

Language - SPAMfighter, and other common spam filters, offer a language filter, allowing users to filter out languages they do not understand. If your e-mail is written in another language than their native tongue or one that they understand, there is a chance it will be classified as spam.

Spam - If your message appears to be or has been previously reported as spam, it will be filtered. Please read the tips below to avoid making your newsletter appear as spam.

Be Cautious of your Graphics
Many marketers link to graphics, which can look suspicious to spam filters. Instead it is important to either attach or embed images to the e-mails being sent. If it is necessary to link to a graphic, be sure the link is redirected through your domain.

Linking to Third Party Websites
Never link directly to a third party website. Instead, if you want to direct your readers to a site other than your own, redirect them through your own site, so the spam filter does not pick up on multiple links in your e-mail.

Make the Unsubscribe Link Clear
E-mail newsletters should only be sent to those who have opted in to receive them. These people should always have the option of unsubscribing at anytime. If the unsubscribe link is not clear, functional, or available, the e-mail may be reported as spam, and filtered out in the future.

SPAMfighter is a community spam filter, and users are the ones who report what they feel is spam. If your newsletter appears to be spam, for example, without an unsubscribe link, it is likely it will be reported and therefore filtered out for other users in the SPAMfighter community.

Give the Readers Options
Give your readers the option to read your newsletter in text form. If your newsletter is sent to a reader who does not accept e-mail in HTML form, and you do not have an automatic text option, your newsletter may not make it to the recipient.

Use a Consistent Template
Using a consistent template for all your newsletter communications will not help you avoid spam filters, but will help you avoid being reported as spam. Once a reader recognizes your template, they are more likely to read it, and less likely to report it as spam accidentally.