Stop Your Newsletter From Going to Spam
▼ Summary
– Email deliverability expert Al Iverson emphasizes that audience engagement has a technical component, where outdated myths about spam filters should be replaced with a focus on content relevance and sender authenticity.
– Owning your email identity through technical control, such as sending from your own domain, enhances deliverability and long-term branding independence from corporate platforms.
– High subscriber counts are less important than engagement rates, as low interaction increases the likelihood of emails being marked as spam by mailbox providers.
– Implementing subscriber lifecycle management—including suppressing inactive users and audience segmentation—is crucial for maintaining high engagement and improving email reputation.
– Investing in a deliverability testing and monitoring platform is essential for tracking inbox placement and making strategic adjustments to ensure email marketing success.
Launching a successful newsletter involves far more than just writing compelling content. Deliverability challenges often catch new senders off guard, with technical hurdles like authentication protocols posing significant barriers to reaching the inbox. Understanding these elements is essential for anyone hoping to build a reliable email channel.
Al Iverson, a veteran in the email industry, emphasizes that audience engagement isn’t purely creative, it has a strong technical foundation. Spam filters can behave unpredictably, sometimes flagging seemingly harmless content while allowing traditionally “risky” phrases to slip through. He advises against putting too much stock in outdated “forbidden words” lists, noting that modern filters like Gmail’s are more sophisticated. They evaluate whether the subject line and sender accurately reflect the email’s content. Starting a bulk email with “Re:”, for instance, is a red flag because it misleads recipients. The real takeaway? Technical setup is just as important as quality writing.
Another critical consideration is ownership. Unlike social platforms, where algorithms and policies shift without warning, email offers a direct, owned channel to your audience. However, that independence comes with responsibility. Without proper technical control, such as sending from your own domain, you remain vulnerable to deliverability issues. Iverson recommends gaining as much autonomy as possible, whether through learning key skills or hiring expertise. This approach not only improves inbox placement but also strengthens long-term branding.
Perhaps the most counterintuitive insight is that subscriber count matters far less than engagement. A large but disengaged list can harm your sender reputation, increasing the likelihood of emails being filtered as spam. Iverson stresses that mailbox providers prioritize signals like opens and clicks. To maintain high engagement, he suggests implementing lifecycle management: suppressing inactive users, segmenting audiences, and maintaining transparency. These practices signal to providers that your content is wanted, which in turn supports consistent deliverability.
When asked about the single most valuable investment for email growth, Iverson pointed to deliverability testing and monitoring tools. Without them, marketers operate blindly, unable to track whether messages land in the inbox or spam folder. These platforms provide actionable data and expert guidance, helping senders adjust strategies and avoid pitfalls. For anyone relying on email for revenue, such tools are non-negotiable.
Looking ahead, Iverson poses a question to the community: which outdated marketing habit should be abandoned, and what should take its place?
(Source: HubSpot Marketing Blog)
