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Email deliverability: Best practices for successful year-end marketing campaigns

The holiday season is approaching, and with it, the opportunity to boost your sales through targeted email marketing campaigns. However, in a context where inboxes are flooded with promotional messages, how can you ensure that your emails reach their target? The key lies in excellent deliverability.

Anne-Claire Fichten, head of the deliverability team at Actito, shares her expertise to optimize your email campaigns for the end of the year. Discover how to build a high-performing, customer-centric email strategy that will not only reach its target but also generate engagement and conversions.

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Understanding the importance of email deliverability for the holidays

The art of deliverability

When we talk about email deliverability, we enter a fascinating domain. Anne-Claire Fichten, our expert on the subject, likes to say that "deliverability is an art, not a science, because there is such an important human factor." And she's absolutely right! Imagine for a moment: you've spent hours perfecting the content of your email, choosing the best offers for your customers, but if that email never reaches their inbox, all that work will have been in vain.

Deliverability is precisely that: ensuring that your precious messages land where they're supposed to, right in front of your recipients' eyes. But be careful, it's not just a technical issue. What really makes the difference is the behavior of your recipients. Do they open your emails with enthusiasm? Do they click on your offers? Or on the contrary, do they systematically ignore them?

The specific challenges of the holiday season

During the holiday season, these questions take on even greater importance. Why? Because it's the time when everyone, and I do mean "everyone," intensifies their communications. As a result, your customers' mailboxes are bombarded with promotions, special offers, end-of-year greetings... In this digital hubbub, how do you make your voice heard?

This is where the magic of deliverability comes into play. Good deliverability is like having a VIP pass to your customers' inbox. Not only will your special offers be seen, but you'll also build a solid sender reputation in the long run. It's a bit like becoming that good friend who you're always happy to see arrive in your mailbox.

Risks to avoid

But be careful, the holiday season has its own challenges. The volume of emails explodes, everyone wants their piece of the pie. Consumers are on the lookout for good deals, of course, but they're also quicker to mark as spam the emails that don't interest them. It's a delicate balance to strike.

And then there's the risk of tiring your subscribers. You know, it's like when you eat too much chocolate during the holidays: at some point, even if it's delicious, you can't take it anymore. Same goes for emails: too much is too much. And a tired subscriber is a subscriber who may stop opening your emails, unsubscribe, or worse, complain.

Optimizing your email marketing strategy for year-end

The big cleanup of your database

Now that we've laid the groundwork, let's talk strategy. How do you go about making sure your year-end emails are a hit? It all starts with a database in top shape. Think of it like your guest list for New Year's Eve: you only want people who really want to be there, right?

First step: the big cleanup. Yes, I know, it's not the most exciting activity, but believe me, it's worth it. Delete addresses that consistently bounce. These addresses are like invitations that keep coming back in the mail: there's no point in persisting.

Smart management of inactive subscribers

Next, let's deal with the infamous "inactives." You know, those contacts who haven't opened your emails in months, maybe even years. Anne-Claire has an interesting approach to this. She tells us: "Stop sending emails to your entire base. Not everyone is interested all the time." And she's right! Rather than stubbornly trying to wake up sleeping contacts, focus on those who show interest.

But be careful, don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Among these inactives, there may be customers who were once very engaged. For those, it's worth trying a different approach. Maybe a personalized email to tell them you miss them? Or a special offer to win them back? The idea is to reactivate these contacts in a smart way, not to blindly bombard them.

The art of personalization

Once your list is all clean, let's move on to personalization. This is where it gets really interesting. Personalization isn't just putting "Dear \[First Name\]" at the beginning of your email. It's understanding what each segment of your audience is really looking for.

Our expert gives us a golden piece of advice on this: "Integrate your brand name into the subject line to differentiate yourself from spammers." Clever, right? Not only does it reinforce your brand identity, but it also immediately sets you apart in an overcrowded inbox.

The multichannel approach

And don't forget the magic of multichannel. Email is great, but it's not the only tool in your marketing toolbox. Combine it with SMS, push notifications, maybe even paper mail for your most loyal customers. The idea is to create a consistent and immersive experience for your customers, regardless of their preferred channel.

Techniques to improve the deliverability of your emails

The importance of authentication

Let's move on to the slightly more technical aspects, but don't worry, I'll try to make it as digestible as possible. You know, deliverability is a bit like the plumbing of a house: it's not the most glamorous part, but without it, nothing works properly.

Let's start with authentication. DKIM, SPF, DMARC... No, these aren't names of exotic cocktails, but essential authentication protocols. Think of them as your ID card for the email world. These protocols tell email providers: "Hey, look, it's really us sending these emails, we're legit!"

BIMI: Your logo in the inbox

And then there's the new kid on the block that's getting a lot of buzz: BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification). Anne-Claire speaks about it with enthusiasm: "It allows you to reassure the recipient that the brand communicating is indeed the one communicating." Basically, it's like putting your logo directly in your customers' inbox. Classy, right?

The perfect balance of content

But technique is only part of the equation. The content of your emails is just as important. You know, it's like a good dish: you need the right balance of ingredients. In the case of an email, this translates to a good text/image ratio. Too many images, and you risk triggering spam filters. Not enough, and your email may seem a bit bland.

And never forget the golden rule: create content that truly brings value to your recipients. Always ask yourself: "If I received this email, would I be happy to open it?" If the answer is no, then you need to revise your copy.

Mobile optimization: A must

Oh, and don't forget to optimize for mobile! Nowadays, many people check their emails on their smartphones, especially during the holidays. An email that displays poorly on mobile is like a poorly wrapped gift: it makes you less want to open it.

Measure and adjust your performance

Key indicators to monitor

Now that we've put all these beautiful mechanisms in place, how do we know if it's working? This is where performance indicators come into play. Anne-Claire insists a lot on this, and she's right.

The first indicator to monitor is the deliverability rate. "The first thing when you send a campaign is to make sure your emails are arriving." Makes sense, right? If your emails aren't even reaching their destination, nothing else matters.

Next, keep an eye on your open and click rates. These are good indicators of your recipients' engagement. If these rates are dropping, it may be a sign that you need to review your content strategy.

The importance of the complaint rate

Another very important point: the complaint rate. "Gmail starts blocking if you have a complaint rate higher than 0.3%." That's low, right? It shows how important it is not to annoy your recipients.

Also, don't forget to monitor your unsubscribe rates. A sudden spike could be a sign of a problem with your content or your sending frequency. It's like if all your guests started leaving your party at the same time: you need to ask yourself some questions!

Tracking and analysis tools

To help you with this task, our expert highly recommends using Google Postmaster Tools. It's a bit like having a spy in the Gmail camp, telling you how your emails are perceived.

Real-time adjustment

And don't be afraid to adjust your strategy along the way. If you see that engagement is dropping, maybe you need to reduce the frequency of your sends. Or as Anne-Claire mischievously suggests: "Sometimes, sending during the lunch break can be more effective than being the first at 8am." It's true, after all, who doesn't like a little distraction during their lunch break?

Key learnings

In the end, email deliverability isn't just about technique or numbers. It's first and foremost a matter of respect and understanding of your audience: "The better you know your customer, the better you'll be able to serve them."

To succeed in your holiday email marketing campaigns, put yourself in your recipients' shoes. Create content that truly brings them value, technically optimize your sends, and stay tuned to the signals they send you through their engagement (or lack thereof).

And above all, don't forget that deliverability is a long-term job. It's not something you can cobble together at the last minute just before peak periods. It's a relationship you build day after day with your recipients, all year long.

By following these tips, not only will you increase your chances of success during the holidays, but you'll also lay the foundation for a lasting and fruitful relationship with your audience. And that's the best gift you can give your business!

(Re)Watch the webinar replay

Rediscover our special deliverability Activation Talk to help you prepare your campaigns for the festive season.

Our expert speakers:

  • Anne-Claire Fichten, deliverability expert at Actito, shares her know-how to help you ensure that your emails always reach the right inboxes. Drawing on her experience, she explains how to improve your deliverability, avoid spam filters and maximize the impact of your mailings during this fiercely competitive period.

  • Jonathan Wuurman, VP marketing at Actito, brings his strategic vision and practical advice to boost your overall performance. He reveals the best practices for adapting your marketing strategy to the specificities of the holiday season, and leveraging every available channel (email, SMS, push notifications, etc.) to engage your audiences more effectively.

About the author

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Isabelle Henry

Head of Content Marketing and Growth

Imagine a GPS to guide you through the intricacies of marketing automation. That's what I'm all about at Actito, after 18 years of exploring every nook and cranny of marketing! My fuel? Curiosity and the desire to help you discover new horizons. With me, ideas fly at the speed of light. An article here, a video there... I juggle formats like a chef to concoct inspiring content. So, are you ready to embark on a journey to the heart of the latest trends? Fasten your seatbelts!

Ready to boost your email deliverability?