Why Inbox Placement Matters in Your Email Warming Strategy

September 25, 2023
minutes
Why Inbox Placement Matters in Your Email Warming Strategy

In the world of digital marketing, where competition is just a click away, email marketing retains its irreplaceable role. But, to succeed in this field, knowing the secrets of effective email warming is necessary. Just as an athlete warms up before a game, so does our email campaign, which requires preparation for it to function long-term and successfully. 

However, it's not enough just to send an email. It has to be not only delivered but also noticed, opened, and read. This crucial role is played by inbox placement. The position of your message in the recipient's inbox can be decisive - whether it will be ignored or opened and read. In the following text, we will discover how strategic positioning in the inbox can be the secret ingredient for the success of your email-warming strategy

What Is Email Warming? 

Email warming is the process of gradually increasing the number of emails you send from a new email account or IP address. This process builds a reputation with Email Service Providers (ESPs), so they recognize your emails as legitimate and allow them to reach the recipient's inbox rather than the spam folder. 

When you start sending emails from a new address or IP, ESPs are initially cautious because they do not know whether you are a reliable sender. To gain their trust, you should start by sending a small amount of emails and gradually increase that number over time. This shows ESPs that you are not a spammer but a legitimate sender who adheres to email marketing rules. 

Warming up email is crucial for an effective email marketing campaign because, without it, your emails can end up in the spam folder instead of the recipient's inbox. Regardless of how well your message is written or your offer is attractive, your target group won't see it if your email does not reach the inbox. That's why email warming is a necessary first step in any successful email marketing strategy.

Steps included in the process of email warming 

Email warming, essentially, is a strategic approach to establishing a positive and credible reputation with Email Service Providers (ESPs) for a new email account or IP address. This process must be carefully planned and executed. It involves a series of steps to gradually increase the sending of emails over a certain period of time and gain a certain reputation.

The steps in this process can include:

Start small: You can't send a few thousand emails immediately and expect all spam alarms not to go off. Rather, start by sending a few emails a day. This number can be around 10-20 emails, especially if the email account or IP address you are warming up is completely new.

Gradually increase volume: Gradually increase the number of emails you send daily. The key is for this increase to be gradual and constant to not trigger spam filters.

First, send to known contacts: When you start your email campaign, first send to people you know will open, read, and interact with your emails. Their positive engagement will definitely contribute to establishing your reputation with ESPs faster.

Provide high-quality content: Of course, the content of your emails is very important. The emails you send must be relevant to the recipient. Also, ensure that your emails are engaging and the content is valuable to the recipient. If promotions are interested in the content you offer and they are also quality, it significantly increases the chances that your emails will be opened and read.

Track engagement rates: Carefully monitor open, click, and response rates. Numbers never lie. If you notice that these metrics start to decline, it's a certain sign that something is wrong. This can mean that you are increasing the volume of sending too quickly or that the content you offer is actually not interesting to your audience. Explore what the problem is, and be sure to correct it as soon as possible.

Avoid spam traps: Be very careful about whom you send emails to. It is better to slowly build a list of interested audiences than to send emails to outdated or purchased lists. In that case, you will probably activate spam traps, significantly damaging your sender reputation.

Respond quickly to responses: If your subscribers respond to your emails, be sure to respond quickly. In this way, you build and maintain a healthy relationship with promoters, which is one of the campaign's goals. But it also proves to ESPs that you are a legitimate sender.

Remember, email warming is not a one-time process. It should become your continuous practice. It includes and requires regular monitoring of metrics and adaptation to ensure optimal email deliverability.

Email warming objectives

The main objectives of email warming are to improve delivery rates and enhance the sender's reputation. Given that a new email account or IP address has no proven track record, if you suddenly start sending many emails, ESPs can mark it as spam activity. That's why email warming is used to reduce this risk. In this way, the sender slowly and stably proves their legitimacy. While building trust with ESPs through consistent and responsible behavior when sending emails.

Email warming is not just the volume of sent emails; the quality and relevance of the content are also very important. Before starting the process, you need a good strategy. An effective warming strategy ensures that the emails sent are useful to the recipient, further enhancing your sender reputation. Focusing on quality over quantity helps reduce the likelihood that emails will be marked as spam or ignored by recipients.

Email warming is the foundation that sets the stage for successful email deliverability. It is an ongoing and proactive measure to ensure that your email communication is effective, reliable, and, most importantly, welcome by your recipients.

What is inbox placement, and why is it important? 

Inbox positioning is a concept that refers to where your email lands within the recipient's inbox. Positioning is key as it affects how likely the recipient will see and open your message. 

Emails that are at the top of the inbox are more visible and thus have a higher chance of being opened. If your emails consistently land at the bottom of the inbox or, worse, in the spam folder, there's a high chance that the recipient won't even see them, let alone open them.

Inbox positioning is directly linked to email warming. Properly warming up your email helps build your reputation with ESPs, leading to better inbox positioning. On the other hand, if you neglect the email warming process, your emails could end up in spam, resulting in poor inbox positioning. 

In essence, inbox positioning is critical for the success of your email marketing campaign. No matter how attractive your offer is or how well-crafted your message is, it's all for naught if your email doesn't land in the right place in the inbox. That's why it's important to pay attention to email warming and work on improving your inbox positioning. 

How can we improve inbox positioning through an email-warming strategy? 

Warming up your email strategy is the key to success when it comes to getting your emails seen in the inbox. It takes a bit of patience, consistency, and a good strategy plan. Here is some advice on how to improve inbox placement and email warm-up strategy. 

Gradual Progression

You should start your email campaign with fewer emails and progressively increase the volume. This slow process will help you establish a credible reputation with Email Service Providers (ESPs) and minimize the risk of your emails being classified as spam. 

Active User Focus

During the warming-up phase of your email strategy, prioritize the most active and engaged users. These users are more likely to open your emails. That can enhance your open rate and improve your email's inbox positioning. 

Quality Content

Ensure your emails contain relevant and valuable content to your recipients. High-quality content increases the probability of your emails being opened and diminishes the likelihood of them being labeled as spam. 

Regulatory Compliance

It's imperative to comply with CAN-SPAM and GDPR regulations. These rules are designed to protect users from unsolicited emails, and non-compliance could lead to severe repercussions. 

Implementing these tactics can lead to noticeable improvements in your email's inbox positioning. For instance, Mailchimp, a renowned email marketing platform, employs an email warming strategy to ensure optimal inbox positioning for their users' emails. They incrementally increase the number of emails sent and constantly monitor their performance to fine-tune their strategy.

Adopting an email warming strategy is important for improving your email's inbox placement. A strategically designed and implemented email warming tactic can significantly improve the delivery of your messages, ensuring they reach the right recipients rather than ending up in the spam folder. 

Warming up email is not just a one-time activity. It's a continuous process that requires constant dedication and supervision. You can effectively warm up your email-sending strategy by gradually increasing the volume of your emails, targeting active users, providing quality content, and adhering to email rules. A thorough email warming strategy is beneficial and necessary for all those who want to maximize their email marketing efforts and ensure better inbox placement.

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