Every year, as the holiday season approaches, it's a time when the email marketing world kicks into high gear. Amidst the excitement, marketers intentionally increase their email volume, flooding inboxes with many emails during this period and exceeding their usual monthly output. The logic appears simple: sending more emails should increase the chance of attracting more shoppers. But, as any seasoned marketer knows, the reality is far more intricate.
📉 How Inbox Providers See the Surge
When email providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook witness a sudden, massive surge of emails, their spam filters swing into action. They use sophisticated algorithms to decide whether an email should be delivered to the inbox, marked as spam, or rejected. These algorithms consider various factors, including the volume of incoming emails.
The primary goal of mailbox providers is to protect their users from spam and unwanted messages. When they notice a spike in email volume from an unfamiliar sender, as is often the case on Black Friday, that will often lead to a spam folder. Consequently, they typically take two significant actions:
(a) Throttling Down: Email providers may delay your emails and monitor to see if recipients ignore or quickly delete them. It signals that they may be unwanted which could lead to future emails being marked as spam.
(b) Rejection: In severe cases, when the email surge looks threatening, they might reject the emails outright, not even sending them to the spam folder.
The Importance of Black Friday
You might wonder what all the fuss is about. After all, your role is to ensure that emails reach their intended recipients and land in their inboxes. However, Black Friday and the entire holiday season pose unique challenges to deliverability, making it essential for your team to not only care about this shopping extravaganza but also to actively participate in optimizing email campaigns.
Why should you care?
Is it just another marketing gimmick, or does it hold genuine value for consumers?
Here's why it matters:
🔸 High Customer Expectations: Shoppers have come to expect irresistible deals and promotions on Black Friday. Failing to meet these expectations can decrease customer satisfaction and trust, potentially leading to unsubscribe requests or spam complaints.
🔸 Social Experience: For many, Black Friday is not just about shopping; it's a social event. Friends and family often gather to explore the deals together, creating a sense of community and shared excitement. It's a tradition that many look forward to, fostering connections and making memories.
🔸 Revenue Potential: Black Friday is one of the most lucrative shopping events of the year, with billions of dollars in sales. Ensuring your emails reach the inbox is paramount to your company's success during this period.
Tips from the Deliverability Team
So, how can email marketers navigate the challenges of Black Friday without falling into these traps? Here are some deliverability team-approved tips:
1. Plan ahead📅
Begin planning your Black Friday email campaigns well ahead of time. Divide your email list into segments and create a schedule that gradually increases the volume of emails leading up to the big day.
2. Build Relationships 🤝
For inexperienced email marketers, it is important to cultivate relationships with subscribers. Consistently send engaging and relevant content throughout the year to ensure that your Black Friday emails do not come across as spam.
3. Email Design 💌
Design a Black Friday email with a simple and responsive structure. Aim for a 60/40 ratio of high-definition images and text, use aligned fonts, and incorporate clear call-to-action buttons in contrasting colours.
4. A/B Testing🧪
Consider implementing A/B testing, which involves sending two versions of an email (A and 
to your audience to determine which performs better. Utilize this method to refine your content, subject lines, and other elements for maximum impact.
5. Quality over Quantity ✉️
Focus on the quality of your emails rather than the quantity. Craft intriguing subject lines and captivating content to make your emails stand out in the inbox.
6. Monitor Deliverability 📊
Keep a close eye on email deliverability rates by utilizing helpful tools and regularly reviewing feedback from inbox providers. Take prompt action to address any deliverability issues that arise.
7. Clean Your List 🧹
Regularly remove inactive or unengaged subscribers from your email list. Sending emails to a smaller, more engaged audience can significantly enhance your deliverability.
🌟 Making Black Friday a Win-Win
During the Black Friday period, it is undeniable that businesses greatly benefit from engaging with customers through email marketing. Nevertheless, it's imperative to remember that a sudden surge in email volume, without a well-thought-out strategy, can lead to inbox complications.
As the deliverability team suggests, we strongly advise email marketers to take a proactive and strategic approach while being mindful of their email practices during this time. By doing so, you can effectively capitalize on the Black Friday opportunity while upholding a positive sender reputation and ensuring the delivery of your emails to the intended recipients.
