As email continues to be an important marketing and transactional tool for modern business, the rate at which we send email has increased steadily over the years. Since 2015 the number of emails sent annually has increased by more than 40 billion, according to the Email-Statistics-Report published by the Radicati Group. Year over year, the number of emails is increasing at an astonishing rate, yet the number of email users is increasing at a slightly less exciting pace. This means that the number of emails coming from individual accounts is increasing. Why could this be? More email senders are using email blast marketing techniques.
The trend of increased email sending comes in the wake of new email marketing tactics, some that are completely legitimate and some not so much. On the less legitimate side, people refer to their email marketing strategy as the “email blast”. Here at SocketLabs, we send a lot of email, but we are more interested in eradicating the use of the word “email blast” altogether, along with some of the shadier marketing tactics it stands for.
What is an Email Blast
An email blast generally refers to the practice of blindly sending a single message to a large number of email addresses or recipients. Technically there is nothing wrong with this concept IF the sender is following best practices. Following email best practices ensures that senders are delivering email in a responsible fashion, as to not irritate their recipients . When referring to sending habits as an “email blast” it generally infers that the sender is not following best practices, sending mail that is closer to spam than legitimate mail.
As mentioned previously, the overarching notion of sending bulk email isn’t a problem at all, it’s a huge part of what we do at SocketLabs and it’s a legitimate practice that can be completely unrelated to spam. But when senders come to us looking for the best ’email blast service’, they often come in with the mindset that they are going to blindly blast their victims with their latest promotions, offers, or even malicious mail. This mindset already puts a sender in the realm of a spammer and we at SocketLabs along with all major mailbox providers, are constantly working to keep spam out of our email infrastructures.
Rather than thinking you will blast your entire purchased mailing list with some spam email, think more about providing your loyal customer base with a thought provoking/rewarding email that they will react positively to. You’re not blasting them, no one wants to get “blasted”, you are just emailing your customers (who opted in to the email list) with important information that will benefit them rather than bother them. You should also be sending your email to a segmented audience, so the right people are getting the right mail. On occasion, it also might be a good idea to set up a drip campaign so your email isn’t being blasted, and the right people are receiving your messages at the right time. There are tons of email strategies you can use like this that are more effective than an email blast in the traditional sense. The smartest email strategies are made easy with the help of an email service provider like SocketLabs.
How to Send Bulk Email Successfully
Now that your mindset is starting to shift away from the notion of “blasting” people with email (hopefully) you should start to think about how to send the most effective email.
As mentioned previously, there are a number of email sending best practices that can help you avoid obtaining the reputation of a spammer. Getting your mail successfully to the inbox is no walk in the park.
First, and most obvious, you need a robust and reliable email infrastructure that will get your emails to their destination successfully. Managing your own servers and mailboxes can be complicated if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Assuming you have all of the knowledge and resources to build this infrastructure, your email makes it to the recipient server, now it actually has to make it to the inbox. Your email will be judged based on hundreds of small details by highly intelligent spam filters and firewalls to make sure your email is trusted and legitimate. If you have experience as a bulk email sender, you know that these filters can be unforgiving. If you want to learn more about how to create an email that will not get caught in the spam folder, read our blog on how to avoid the spam filter.
Then, once you make it to the inbox you had to have created an appealing email that demands the viewer to click, interact and hopefully take action. Accomplishing this means your email was constructed in a way that appeals to both its recipients and the filters its passing through. To learn more about how to make a successful email, read our blog on how to improve your email open rates.
Now that we have covered the basics of successfully delivering an email, you can get off on the right foot. Obviously, there are a lot of details that go into managing and delivering your own bulk email, but this is a good starting point. If you aren’t an email expert already, a well equipped email service provider will give you the professional support you need to succeed.
Working With the Right Email Partner
The more email you send, the more complicated it becomes to successfully deliver your email. This is why many high volume email senders will enlist the help of an email service provider.
On one end, an email service provider will give you the guarantee of a reliable email infrastructure that will handle all of your mail with limited disruption. Additionally, a good email service provider will have an on-call support team to help if any issues do arise. So you have the knowledge of the professionals at your fingertips.
Aside from the infrastructure, a good email service provider, like SocketLabs, will give you the resources, tools, and valued expertise you will need to make the most of your email from design to delivery. With SocketLabs, there is no shortage of information on best practices, email design, bulk email etiquette and other hot topics that will elevate your email game to the next level. If you want to know how an industry leader can help you send email for free, visit our plans and pricing page.
