As an opt-in list, you perhaps wouldn't expect us to have problems with anti-spam software...

...well until recently we haven't had too many problems. However, we are noticing an increasing incidence of email ads intercepted by spam blockers. In many cases, these have been put in place by ISP's and our list members have no control over the spam blocking, and are sometimes unaware that it is taking place. We have also seen examples of people installing anti-virus software that comes with built in anti-spam software (some Norton packages for example). This can be installed, and the list member not realise that they are also blocking our ads.

An email blocked by anti-spam software is normally delivered, but of course will not be read. However, this makes it impossible for HTMail or our customers to know when someone has not responded to an email because they have not seen it, rather than because it was not of interest.

Many of these anti-spam software packages work to a certain set of rules to identify what the program writer considers to be spam. An example of this is given below:

0.3 NO_REAL_NAME	From: does not include a real name
2.1 GUARANTEE	BODY: Contains word 'guarantee' in all-caps
1.5 AOL_USERS_LINK	BODY: Includes a link for AOL users to click
0.5 WHY_WAIT	BODY: What are you waiting for
2.5 EXTRA_CASH	BODY: Offers Extra Cash
0.5 HTML_MESSAGE	BODY: HTML included in message
0.1 HTML_LINK_CLICK_HERE	BODY: HTML link text says "click here"
1.8 MIME_QP_DEFICIENT	RAW: Deficient quoted-printable encoding in body
0.0 CLICK_BELOW	Asks you to click below
X-Spam-Flag: YES

Spam and anti-spam software is a fact of life. We have now made changes to the way our emails are presented to help to avoid inadvertent blocking. We now include a real name in the 'From' address, and put our list members name in the 'To' address. We have dropped the words 'AOL users click here' from the body text, and replaced it with 'Alternative link'. We have also removed any 'click here' references, and changed the 'Unsubscribe' wording to 'To resign from our list'. All of these will help, but you, as a customer of HTMail can also affect the deliverability of your ad.

When you are writing your next email ad, here are a few of our recommendations:

1. Avoid the use of certain words. 'Click here' and 'Click below' seem to get picked up on. Try saying 'Use this link' instead.

2. Avoid the more common phrases such as 'Earn extra cash', 'Free', 'Vacation offers', 'Be your own boss', 'Work at home', 'Financial Freedom' and so on. It becomes more challenging to word your email - but it may prove worth it. How about phrases like 'No need to travel to the office anymore', 'Zero outlay', 'Are you going away this year', or 'Your income could be higher'.

3. Remember that in most cases the purpose of the email is to get the reader to your web site. Avoid selling the product in the email, just sell the benefit of visiting the site. That way you can remove the need to use many of these key words.

4. HTML emails are more often seen as spam. Try plain text instead and compare click through rates. HTML may make the ad look nice, but if it reduces CTR why bother? Spend the time on improving the web site instead!

5. If you do use HTML, avoid using coloured text and large text. Both appear to trigger spam warnings.

6. Avoid excessive us of exclamation marks!!! In fact, don't use them at all if you can avoid it.

7. Write the email message as if you were telling a friend about a site you think they should visit. That way you should use phrases and words that will not tend to trigger the spam blockers.

I hope the above proves helpful in overcoming one more obstacle on the path to marketing your web site.

Dave Broadway
December 2004

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