How to Improve Email Authenticity in Ecommerce

Your customers have 1474 unread emails right now. But sure, you can keep believing that your email is really getting “read”. Most customer emails suck. Here's the uncomfortable truth: Customers don't want to build a relationship with your company. They want to build a relationship with your team. And your customer emails are failing at this most basic mission. Here are 5 ways to immediately improve your customer emails: 1. Kill the corporate templates Those beautiful HTML templates with your perfect branding? They're screaming "MARKETING EMAIL" and training customers to ignore you. Simple text-based emails from a real person get 2-3x more responses. Save the design work for your website. 2. Abandon the donotreply@ address When you send from donotreply@company.com, you're literally telling customers "We don't want to hear from you." Send from a real human's email address that accepts replies. Yes, it creates more work. That's the point. 3. Fight for attention with personality Your customer's inbox is a battlefield of corporate monotony. Would YOU be excited to open your own emails? Include an unexpected GIF. Reference something timely. Show you're a human writing to a human. 4. Write like you actually talk Record yourself explaining something to a customer. Then transcribe it. That's how your emails should sound. Professional doesn't mean robotic. Your legal team might not love it, but your customers will. 5. Make CTAs about THEIR goals, not yours "Click here to complete your onboarding" is about YOUR process. "Take 3 minutes to unlock [specific outcome they care about]" is about THEIR success. Every CTA should connect directly to a customer outcome, not your internal checklist. These aren't just "best practices" - they're survival tactics in an era where the average person receives 120+ emails daily and your competitors are a click away. What's one change you've made to your customer emails that dramatically improved engagement?

How a client saved his 10,000+ email list from spoofing—and restored his deliverability The business owner: - Had a list of 10,000+ subscribers - Relied on email marketing for revenue - Hired someone on Fiverr to set up his email authentication Everything looked fine on the surface. His email service provider said he was “passing” authentication. So why did his open rates suddenly plummet? Turns out… A LOT of email service providers will say you’ve “passed” authentication when you only have p=none in your DMARC record. Technically, it passes. But it doesn’t protect you. And since he didn’t set up DMARC reporting, he had no way of knowing that ❌ Someone was trying to spoof his email ❌ He was getting hit with spam complaints ❌ His emails were quietly getting filtered out He reached out, worried he’d lose his audience. We stepped in and: ✔️ Diagnosed weak authentication ✔️ Set up DMARC reporting to monitor threats ✔️ Strengthened his setup to stop spoofing ✔️ Paused campaigns to rebuild his sender reputation ✔️ Relaunched with a healthy, engaged list Now, his emails land safely and open rates are climbing. Most people think “authentication is done” when their email service provider gives them a green check. But if you don’t have reporting set up… If your DMARC is set to p=none… If you never check your sender reputation… You could be losing deliverability without even realizing it. He caught the problem in time. But a lot of businesses don’t. Don’t assume your authentication is working just because it “passes.” Check your setup. Monitor your domain. And make sure your emails are actually landing where they should. Have you ever faced deliverability challenges? Drop a comment —I’d love to hear your experience.

Starting from February 1st, Gmail and Yahoo are making some big changes to their policy. But the no.1 requirement is one too technical for most marketers: “Authenticate outgoing emails setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC” Here’s what all those terms means, and what you need to do to make sure your emails continue to reach your users: What email clients want is for a way to check the “authenticity” of your emails. So they ask you to set up these authentication techniques: 1. SPF allows a domain to specify which IP addresses can send that mail. It’s like specifying which ‘postman’ is allowed to deliver the mail. 2. DKIM is like a digital signature. Imagine a seal on the envelope telling you its contents were not altered. 3. DMARC is a policy that decides what to do with the mail if both SPF and DKIM fail. *** How can you check if your email is authenticated as a sender?  1. Open an email in your desktop  2. Click the three dots on top right  3. Click “Show original”  4. Should show PASS for SPF/DKIM/DMARC *** Besides having these in place, here are some other recommendations in the recent updates by Gmail & Yahoo: 1. DMARC policy of p=none is enough for now. DMARC policies can be of different types. In ‘p=none’, you don’t take any action against emails that have failing SPF/DKIM. But you receive reports to keep an eye. But if your brand has already seen phishing emails being sent in your name, it’s better to switch to p=reject/quarantine.  2. Separate email types by IP or DKIM domain I.e., don’t send marketing emails and transactional emails from the same source. It ensures that any negative response to a marketing campaign doesn’t also lead to your important transactional emails to land in spam. *** None of these requirements are new. They were just more often called ‘best practices.’ If you need any other questions about these changes, ask away in the comments below

If you don't understand DKIM, SPF, or DMARC, email will get a lot harder. New email requirements from Google and Yahoo, kicking off next month, are not just updates but will significantly impact your email programs. Outbound or Inbound. As a HubSpot customer, you'll get an email in the next few days that recap this news. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄: 𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 • DKIM, SPF, and DMARC: These aren't just fancy acronyms; they're your new best friends in email marketing. They will become mandatory to combat spam and ensure your emails don't bounce back.    𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗨𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 • The power shifts to the receiver. Ensuring your recipients can opt out easily is more than a courtesy; it's a requirement. 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗘𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 • Keeping your spam rate below 0.1% isn't just good practice; it's essential. High spam rates can lead to severe email deliverability issues.    𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲? These changes aren't just about following rules; they're about enhancing email deliverability and building trust with your audience. It's about sending emails that your audience wants and values, not just what you want to send. How Does This Affect You? If you think, "I'll deal with it later," think again! These changes call for a proactive approach. They require a deep dive into your current email strategies and a significant overhaul to align with these new requirements. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗼? 1. Start by reviewing your email authentication methods and technical setup. 2. Make sure your unsubscribe process is thought out. 3. Proactively monitor your email engagement and spam rates 4. Run re-engagement campaigns to confirm opt-in 5. Use email verification 6. Monitor sequence sender scores if you're running your Outbound through HubSpot.     I've included a cheat sheet below that explains these technical terms in-depth and provides suggestions for addressing them. Reach out with questions! #hubspot #email #marketing #spam  

Founders lose $1000s from 1 cold email mistake. (And it takes 5 minutes to avoid it) High bounce rates are silently destroying your sender reputation. Every bounced email is a red flag to email providers. They think you're spam. And they're right to be suspicious. Here's the thing: Most agencies are making the same 3 mistakes. 1: Salesy subject lines "Re:" and "Following up" just shows you just want to sell something. Recipients delete without opening. 2: Skipping email authentication No SPF, DKIM, or DMARC setup. You're basically asking to land in spam. 3: Using dirty email lists Outdated contacts, spam traps, invalid domains. You're shooting yourself in the foot. The fix is simpler than you think. First, diagnose your problem: ↳ Are your subject lines personalized? ↳ Is your domain properly authenticated? ↳ When did you last verify your email list? Then, take action: ↳ Use variables like {firstName} in subject lines ↳ Verify emails with Bouncer ↳ Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records properly The result? Your emails start hitting inboxes again. Your sender reputation recovers. Your book meetings overnight. This is fundamental. What's your current bounce rate (should be less than 2%)?

Are your emails ending up in the spam folder? Is your #deliverability rate plummeting? Don't throw in the towel and switch domains just yet! The solution might be simpler than you think. Changing domains is a temporary fix that doesn't address the root cause of your email reputation issues. Instead, focus on improving your email practices: Reduce Complaints: * Get permission first: Ensure all recipients have opted-in to your list. * Segment your audience: Send targeted messages to engaged subscribers to increase relevance and reduce unsubscribes. * Make unsubscribing easy: Provide a clear and easily accessible unsubscribe link in every email. Implement functional List-Unsubscribe headers. List Hygiene: * Address permission issues: Individuals should not be surprised by your email, consider Confirmed Opt-in if you're having issues with new subscribers and complaints. * Remove inactive subscribers: Regularly clean your list of inactive or unengaged contacts. * Validate email addresses: Verify the validity of email addresses before sending campaigns. Authentication: * Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC: These authentication protocols help verify your identity and prevent email spoofing. * Monitor your authentication records: Regularly check for errors or inconsistencies. Configurations: * Ensure your DNS is right: rDNS, Helo domains, and other system configs are important to setup properly * Protect your forms: Implement anti-bot features on your forms like reCAPTCHA, and form submission limitations * Manage mail streams: Separate marketing and transactional emails into different domains and IPs whenever possible. Additional Tips: * Check your content: Ensure your email content is error-free and well coded. * Optimize email size and format: Avoid large attachments and excessive images. * Test your emails on different devices: Ensure your emails render correctly across various platforms. * Send regularly: Maintaining a consistent sending schedule helps build trust with email providers. * Monitor your results: Track key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates to identify areas for improvement. #EmailIsHard and it takes time to build a strong email reputation takes time and effort. But by implementing these practices, you can build good reputations to help your emails land in the inboxes of your subscribers. Share your thoughts in the comments below! What are your best tips for improving email deliverability? #EmailGeeks #EmailMarketing

If you aren't doing these things, you're eviscerating your email delivery rates... 1. Authenticate Your Emails: Implement SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) to authenticate your emails. Get to know Google Postmaster Tools. 2. Clean Your Email List Regularly: Remove inactive subscribers and invalid email addresses. A clean list reduces bounce rates and improves your sender reputation. 3. Segment Your Audience: Send targeted emails to specific segments of your audience. Personalization increases engagement, which signals to ISPs that your emails are valuable. 4. Craft Engaging Subject Lines: Create compelling and relevant subject lines to improve open rates. Avoid using spam trigger words like “free,” “buy now,” or “guarantee.” 5. Use a Reputable Email Service Provider (ESP): Choose an ESP with a good reputation for delivering emails and strong anti-spam measures. They can help ensure your emails are properly configured and compliant with regulations. 6. Optimize Email Content: Keep your emails concise, relevant, and visually appealing. Use a mix of text and images, and ensure your emails are mobile-friendly. Personalized video goes a long way. 7. Include a Clear Unsubscribe Option: Make it easy for recipients to unsubscribe if they no longer wish to receive your emails. This helps maintain a positive sender reputation and reduces spam complaints. 8. Monitor Your Email Metrics: Track key metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates. Use this data to refine your strategy and improve future email campaigns. 9. Warm Up Your IP Address: If you’re starting with a new IP address, gradually increase your email sending volume. This helps build a positive sender reputation with ISPs. 10. Avoid Using URL Shorteners: URL shorteners can be associated with spam. Use full URLs or branded links to maintain trust and avoid triggering spam filters. 11. Ask for Whitelisting: Encourage your subscribers to add your email address to their contact list or whitelist. This ensures your emails land in their inboxes. 12. Check Your Email’s Spam Score: Use tools to analyze your email content for spammy elements before sending. This helps you identify and rectify potential issues that could land your email in the spam folder. By following these simple tricks, you can significantly improve your email delivery rates, ensuring your messages reach your audience effectively and boost your overall email marketing success. Feel free to share any additional tips or experiences in the comments!

Emails going to Spam? Here’s how to fix it If your email open rates are below 25%, your emails are consistently getting filtered into spam and email providers don’t trust you. But here’s the good news: you can fix it. *The 4-Step Framework to Diagnose & Fix Email Deliverability Issues* → Step 1: Check your Sender Reputation Your sender reputation is like your credit score. It determines how trustworthy your emails appear to inbox providers like Gmail and Outlook. ▸ Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools or SenderScore to check your email reputation. ▸ If your reputation is low, it’s often due to high bounce rates, low engagement, or spam complaints. How to Fix it: Clean your email list regularly. Remove inactive subscribers who haven’t engaged in 90+ days and AVOID sending to purchased lists. → Step 2: Authenticate Your Emails Email providers block or filter out emails that seem suspicious. Authentication proves your emails are legitimate. ▸ SPF: Confirms your email is coming from an authorized sender (also blocks UV rays). ▸ DKIM: Ensures the email hasn’t been altered after being sent. ▸ DMARC: Prevents phishing attacks using your domain. How to Fix it: Ask your email provider or IT team to set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. Without them, your emails will always be at risk. → Step 3: Optimize your Email Content to avoid Spam Triggers Spam filters scan for certain words, formats, and practices that make emails look untrustworthy. ▸ Avoid excessive capitalization and punctuation (🔥 LIMITED TIME OFFER!!!). ▸ Use a branded sender name instead of a generic one (“Ryan from [Dispensary Name]” instead of “info@[dispensary].com”). How to Fix it: Keep your emails natural, balanced, and engaging. If an email looks or feels spammy, it probably is. → Step 4: Improve Engagement Metrics Email providers prioritize senders who get high engagement (opens and clicks) and penalize those who get ignored. ▸ Start with engaged customers. Send emails to your most active list segment first before emailing everyone else. ▸ Monitor your open rates. If it’s consistently under 25%, your emails are likely being flagged. How to Fix it: Segment your audience, remove unengaged contacts, and write subject lines that actually make people want to open. → Test It: Want to see if you have a problem? Send a test email to multiple inbox types (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, etc.) and check where it lands. It can take 3-4 weeks to go from a low reputation to medium in Google Postmaster, so be patient. If more people get your emails in their main inbox it will lead to 💵 💵 💵 If you’re seeing issues, or just want to guarantee your emails reach more customers—we can help. Tact Firm specializes in cannabis email marketing that actually gets delivered. Let’s fix this together.

An ecommerce company recently approached my team to do an email audit as they were facing challenges with low open and click-through rates. After analyzing their email account, here are our main recommendations to revive their email marketing channel: 1. Strategic Email Segmentation: Currently, your emails lack personal relevance due to a one-size-fits-all approach. This is a crucial area to address. Action Plan: Implement segmentation based on purchase history, engagement levels, browsing behavior, and demographic information. 2. Personalized Content Creation: Generic content won't cut it. Your audience needs to feel that each email is crafted for them. Action Plan: Develop emails specifically tailored to the different segments. This includes curated product recommendations, personalized offers, and content that aligns with their interests. 3. Subject Line A/B Testing: Your current subject lines aren't doing their job. You need to be implementing ongoing A/B subject line tests, as this is low-hanging fruit to improve your open rates. Action Plan: Regularly test different subject line styles and formats to identify what resonates best with each segment. Keep track of the metrics to inform future campaigns. 4. Mobile Optimization: A significant portion of your audience reads emails on mobile devices. Neglecting this is causing a decrease in your email engagement rates. Action Plan: Ensure all emails are responsive and visually appealing on various screen sizes. Test your emails on multiple devices before sending them out. Additional Campaign Strategies We Recommend: - Launch a Monthly Newsletter: This should include new arrivals, style guides, and user-generated content. It’s an excellent way to keep your brand in the minds of your customers. - Seasonal Campaign Integration: Tailor your campaigns to align with holidays and seasons. This approach can significantly boost engagement and sales during key periods. - Re-Engagement Campaigns: Specifically target subscribers who haven't interacted with your brand recently. Offer them unique incentives to rekindle their interest. Next steps: 1. If you found this helpful, please leave a comment and let me know. 2. If you own/run/work at an Ecommerce company doing at least $1 million in annual revenue, message me so my team can audit your email channel to see if there's a good fit for working together.

Reality check: If your emails don’t land in the inbox, nothing else matters. Not your copy. Not your offer. Not your follow-up. Here’s how to fix deliverability before it kills your campaign: 1. Use more inboxes Never rely on 1-2 inboxes to do all the work. You need volume spread out, not stacked. I’m talking 10, 20, 30+ inboxes. Lower volume per sender = higher deliverability. 2. Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC These aren’t optional. They tell Gmail and Outlook, “Hey, I’m legit…don’t flag me.” No authentication = no inbox. 3. Clean your list Bad leads kill good campaigns. Every bounce hurts your sender score. Use verified leads. Target people who actually care. 4. Avoid spammy language No “free trial,” No “act now,” No “guaranteed results.” You’re not writing an infomercial. Keep it casual, relevant, and to the point. Always remember that a killer offer that lands in spam is worthless. Fix your setup first or don’t bother sending.