When people keep saying your emails are spam, it’s called a “spam complaint rate.” Having lots of complaints is bad because it makes it harder for your emails to reach people’s inboxes. This article will explain what spam complaint rates are and how to make them happen less often.
The spam complaint rate shows how many times subscribers label your emails as spam. Here’s how to calculate it:
Spam complaint rate = (Number of people marking your email as spam) / (Number of people who received the email)
Why spam complaints rates matter
When people label your emails as spam, it tells inbox providers that you’re sending unwanted content. They might start putting your emails straight into spam instead of the inbox. Spam complaints are worse than unsubscribes because they show stronger disapproval. If your spam complaints go up, it’s a big deal. To keep your sender reputation good, keep an eye on your spam complaint rates. If they start to rise, act fast to bring them down. A good spam complaint rate is less than 0.01%.
How to decrease spam complaint rates
Here are some important tactics to lower your spam complaint rates:
1. Make it easy to find and use the unsubscribe link.
2. Use double opt-in confirmation for subscriptions.
3. Offer a way for users to unsubscribe from all your emails at once.
4. Steer clear of using subject lines that seem spammy.
5. Make sure your emails display properly for everyone who receives them.
Make your unsubscribe link easily accessible
Always include a visible unsubscribe link in your emails. If someone can’t find it and wants to stop receiving your marketing, they might label your email as spam instead. Spam complaints harm your ability to reach inboxes much more than unsubscribes. Therefore, it’s essential to make the unsubscribe link easy to find.
For instance, don’t hide the link with light text on a white background or bury it within the email content. Instead, place it prominently at the start or end of your emails, or even in both places, using colors that stand out for clear visibility and accessibility.
Enable double opt-in
We strongly suggest activating double opt-in for your account. You can find this option in your main subscriber list settings. To access it, choose your list and go to Settings. Then, scroll down to the Opt-in Process section.
Double opt-in is a method where a new subscriber has to confirm their subscription before joining your list. This feature is automatically turned on for all Klaviyo lists, and we advise keeping it active unless you have a special reason for using single opt-in.
Enable global unsubscribes
We strongly advise activating global unsubscribes for your Klaviyo lists. With global unsubscribes enabled, anyone who opts out from one email will be unsubscribed from all lists and won’t receive any further emails. To set this up, go to your chosen list, click on Settings, and then scroll down to Unsubscribes.
Globally suppressed profiles will stay in your lists but won’t get any more emails. To remove these suppressed emails from your lists, go to Manage List > Remove Suppressed Profiles.
If you don’t have global unsubscribes turned on, someone might unsubscribe from one email thinking they won’t hear from your brand again. However, if they’re on multiple lists or meet certain criteria, they could still get emails and might mark them as spam. It’s better to enable this feature in your list settings.
You can find a direct link to the global unsubscribe page by going to Settings > Other, then scrolling down to the Consent section. Share this link to let subscribers opt out of all future emails.
Do not use spammy subject lines
Another effective way to reduce your spam complaint rate is to steer clear of subject lines that resemble those used by spammers. Using such subject lines can lead recipients to perceive your emails as spam and mark them accordingly, potentially triggering suspicion among inbox providers.
Inbox providers utilize spam filters to automatically divert suspicious emails to the spam folder instead of the inbox. Certain words and phrases can trigger these filters, so it’s advisable to avoid the following spam triggers:
– Using all capital letters (e.g., FREE MONEY NOW)
– Employing excessive symbols (e.g., 100% FREE MONEY!!$$$)
– Including only one large image in your email with minimal or no accompanying text
– Incorporating attention-grabbing or spam-inducing phrases (e.g., JUST THIS ONCE FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY or ACT NOW!!!)
Ensure your emails render for all users
Always consider both mobile and desktop layouts when designing your emails. Problems with either layout can lead to recipients marking your emails as spam.
A spam complaint rate that’s higher than normal might also indicate email clipping. For instance, Gmail clips emails larger than 102 KB. Be aware of this and modify your email design to reduce its size and prevent frustrating recipients.