Email is still one of the most powerful tools for communicating with customers. But if you’ve ever sent out a bulk email only to find many of them bounce back or get flagged as spam, you know how frustrating that power can be when misused. It only takes one blacklist to derail your outreach efforts.
Sure, you could try emailing people one by one or hope they check your website or social media—but let’s be honest: that’s time-consuming and often ineffective. If your emails aren’t landing where they should, your message is getting lost.
Why Emails Get Blocked — And Why It Matters
When your messages are flagged as spam or land in the "Promotions" tab, it’s not just an inconvenience — it’s a major roadblock to reaching your audience. With laws like the CAN-SPAM Act in place and increasingly strict filters from Gmail, Outlook, and others, your emails must strike the right balance between engaging and compliant.
That’s where email best practices come in — helping you increase open rates, drive clicks, and avoid the dreaded blacklist.
Step One: Know Your Audience and Purpose
Before writing a single word, get clear on two things:
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Who are you talking to?
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What do you want them to do?
Kayc Ullrich from Yuit Communications puts it simply: “If you don’t know what you’re trying to say or who you’re saying it to, your email won’t connect.”
Understand the Reader’s Email Experience
Your recipients don’t live in a vacuum. Their reaction to your email is shaped by four major factors:
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The Law – The CAN-SPAM Act requires every email to include a physical address and an unsubscribe link. Failing to comply can land you in hot water (and possibly on a blacklist).
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Email Overload – People are drowning in emails. Inboxes are more crowded than ever, and your message has to stand out to get noticed.
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Mobile Reading – Most users now check emails on their phones. If your message isn’t mobile-friendly, you’ll lose readers fast.
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Email Filters – Clients like Gmail automatically sort and hide emails in promotions or spam tabs. Microsoft Outlook, for example, blocks images by default. Long messages get clipped. If you’re not testing for this, your email might never be seen.
Writing Emails That Actually Work
Let’s break down how to write emails that are engaging, legal, and likely to be opened.
✅ Subject Lines That Spark Curiosity
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Make it short and direct.
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Avoid spammy terms like "Free!" or "Cash Bonus."
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Keep the first 40 characters sharp and informative.
Your subject line and preview text are your first impression. If it doesn’t grab attention in under 3 seconds, it’s probably getting ignored.
✅ Sender Info That Builds Trust
Use your organization’s name in the sender field. If you’re using tools like MailChimp, you can split the name into two fields. Avoid using random team members’ names — your audience may not recognize them, and it might trigger spam filters.
✅ Message Body That Delivers Value
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Make it scannable with bullet points and subheadings.
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Use short sentences and simple words.
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Put the most important info at the top.
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Avoid using big images or attachments — they often don’t display correctly.
Want to go deeper without overwhelming readers? Use links. Direct them to a landing page or blog post with the full content.
Pro Tip: Want to check your email's spam score before sending it out? Use TestMailScore.com — a free and powerful tool that gives you an in-depth look at your email’s deliverability.
✅ Legal Footers That Don’t Get You Flagged
Every email needs a physical address and an unsubscribe link. Don’t hide it in tiny text — make it easy for people to find and act on.
Test, Test, and Test Again
Before you hit “Send,” run tests:
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View it on different devices (mobile vs. desktop, light mode vs. dark mode).
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Use different email clients (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook).
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Check how it displays across screen sizes and platforms.
Use test accounts and tools like TestMailScore.com to pre-check formatting, links, and potential spam triggers.
Smart Sending Strategy
Not every email list is a good one. If someone hasn’t interacted with your brand in 3+ years, it’s time to remove them. Old or disengaged contacts can damage your sender reputation.
Segment your list based on audience types — customers, journalists, B2B — and tweak the message for each group. Personalized messages almost always perform better.
Analyze Your Results
After sending, don’t just forget about the email. Track:
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Open rates
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Click-through rates
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Bounce rates
High bounces from a specific domain? You might be blacklisted. Visit Spamhaus to check your IP and domain reputation.
If open rates are low, ask yourself: Did my subject line work? Was my email valuable? A low open rate means your communication didn’t land—literally or figuratively.
Final Thoughts
Email isn’t just about sending—it’s about delivering a message that actually gets seen, read, and acted upon. By combining smart strategy with the right tools, like TestMailScore.com, you can create powerful, compliant campaigns that grow your reach, not your spam score.
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