Spamhaus is working to enhance transparency and communication to help marketers resolve issues effectively.

"You guys have may have noticed... We're trying to be out there a little bit more. We're trying to let you guys understand, hey, hi, we're here... The thing that we're really trying to evolve right now is that how... you're listed. It's terrible. How do you fix it?"

Takeaway:

• Leverage Spamhaus's resources and engagement to address deliverability issues.
• Take advantage of industry support channels like forums and Slack groups.
• Open communication with filtering organizations can aid in resolving problems.

Not knowing the rules is no excuse for non-compliance; understanding regulations is crucial in email marketing.

"When you have a job to do... it makes it so much more difficult... when somebody isn't doing those right. And we really shouldn't put that blame on the filter... That's why it's important for you as a sender... to pay attention to those little things..."

Takeaway:

• Educate yourself on email marketing laws and best practices.
• Ensure compliance to avoid penalties and damage to reputation.
• Take responsibility for your email practices to maintain trust and deliverability.

Prioritizing quality over quantity in your email lists leads to better engagement and deliverability.

"I understand that some people are like, I need to have as many email addresses in my list as possible so I can have as high of ROI as I can. That's not necessarily always the truth... Does it really matter? Is the spam getting blocked? Is it effective for you?"

Takeaway:

• A smaller, engaged list is more valuable than a large, unresponsive one.
• Focusing on quality improves open rates, click-through rates, and ROI.
• Regular list hygiene ensures you are reaching interested subscribers.

Accidental spam reports can harm your sender reputation, often caused by misclicks due to interface layouts.

"One thing that I wanna really, you know, get into some of these mailbox providers about is the fact that delete and report spam are right next to each other. Makes it really easy to click one or the other... So it's just a confusing thing."

Takeaway:

• Understand that accidental spam reports can occur due to user interface issues.
• Implement strategies to reduce spam complaints, such as clear unsubscribe links and re-engagement campaigns.
• Monitor complaint rates and address any sudden increases promptly.

Sending emails to inactive subscribers can harm your reputation and lead to spam complaints.

"When it was the beginning of the pandemic, man, I was receiving emails from... I bought the oxygen sensor in like 2005, and I never went to the website, and I got this thing... Guys, you had... I didn't do anything with you for 15 years, and now you want to tell me about... COVID and whatnot."

Takeaway:

• Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive subscribers.
• Avoid reactivating outdated contacts to prevent negative responses.
• Focus on engaged subscribers to maintain a healthy sender reputation.

Understanding subscriber engagement requires looking beyond clicks and opens to other interactions with your brand.

"There's also other ways to think about engagement. Not only are you monitoring, you know, clicks and opens, but if you have a, you know, a shopping cart and you send receipts to somebody, has that person logged in and bought something from you? That's a sign of engagement."

Takeaway:

• Evaluate engagement through purchase history and website interactions, not just email metrics.
• Diversifying engagement metrics provides a more accurate picture of subscriber interest.
• Adapting to privacy changes requires innovative approaches to measuring engagement.

Not transferring suppression lists when changing ESPs can result in emailing unsubscribed users, leading to complaints and blacklisting.

"Sometimes when people move from ESP to ESP, sometimes that suppression data doesn't transfer over. So they're like, here's my list, and then they go and put it into the thing, and then they get blacklisted because... they had a bunch of users that were like, nope, I don't want this email."

Takeaway:

• Always transfer your suppression lists when switching ESPs to avoid emailing unsubscribed users.
• Failing to honor unsubscribes can lead to spam complaints and damage your sender reputation.
• Proper data management during transitions ensures compliance and maintains deliverability.

Maintaining accurate opt-in data is crucial for compliance and effective email marketing. Brands must take responsibility for managing this data.

"So, you know, when we're talking about the opt-in stuff, it's, it belongs to you. It's something you should keep track of... As the brand, it's your responsibility to keep track of it."

Takeaway:

• Brands should maintain detailed records of opt-in data to ensure compliance.
• Relying on your ESP to manage opt-in data is insufficient; the responsibility lies with the brand.
• Proper management of opt-in data helps prevent spam complaints and improves deliverability.

In the fast-paced world of email marketing, continuous learning and networking are vital for staying ahead.

"Really, I was one of the only ones who was more or less raising my head saying, yep, I'll go to the conference and learn all this stuff and bring back feedback and go to these sessions. You know, the most important thing when you're talking about somebody who wants to go to a conference... It's really about connecting with people, learning who's there in the industry... It's meeting those people, developing those connections, and learning those things."

Takeaway:

• Attending industry conferences can provide valuable insights and foster professional connections.
• Continuous learning helps marketers stay informed about the latest trends and best practices.
• Networking with peers enables sharing knowledge and tackling challenges collaboratively.

Transparency in email marketing is crucial for building trust and ensuring effective communication with clients.

"But yeah, the whole concept around transparency... It's really, you know, letting people know not only just what things are, but why. We're great in our industry by saying things like, implement two-factor authentication, implement all of this authentication stuff, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI... but we're not really saying why or how."

Takeaway:

• Marketers should not only tell clients what to do but also explain the why and how behind it.
• Providing guidance helps clients better understand and implement email best practices.
• Clear communication enhances trust and improves overall email performance.