eMail as a marketing channel 

Inbox innovation – understanding the new normal in email marketing

Today, we’re diving deep into the world of using emails as a marketing channel, a space that’s just received a fresh coat of paint thanks to some new updates from the corporate giants Gmail and Yahoo.

We’re here to help you with navigating these new updates and show you, how you can optimise the use of your use of emails as a marketing channel. We do this with the help of Klaviyo, an elite customer data platform with a list of different tools to help you be the best marketer you can be. We’ll finish with a checklist to ensure your emails will not just be opened but read with the intent to increase conversion too truly.

Authentication & deliverability

Deliverability is the make-or-break factor that decides whether your message will arrive in the inbox of the desired target audience or end up in their spam folder. With Gmail and Yahoo shaking things up, it’s more crucial than ever to understand their authentication, engagement, and content quality that get your emails front and center.

Understanding the language: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC

Before we can dive any deeper than that, we should understand some of the tech talk. SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance)

SPF is an email authentication method designed to prevent spammers from sending messages on behalf of your domain. With SPF, an organisation can publish authorised mail servers in their Domain Name System (DNS) records. When an email is received, the receiving mail server checks the SPF record to verify that the email came from an authorised server. If the check fails, the email can be marked as spam or rejected. SPF helps to ensure that only legitimate emails from your domain reach the inbox.

DKIM adds a digital signature to emails sent from your domain. This signature is attached to the email’s header and is verified using a public key published in the sender’s DNS records. When an email is received, the receiving server uses the public key to verify the signature and confirm that the email hasn’t been tampered with during transit. DKIM provides a way to validate the authenticity of the email content and the sender, making it harder for attackers to spoof emails from your domain.

DMARC builds upon SPF and DKIM by allowing domain owners to specify how receiving mail servers should handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks. It’s published as a DNS record and includes policies that can instruct receiving servers to either do nothing, quarantine the email (e.g., move to spam), or reject it outright if it fails authentication checks. DMARC also provides reporting capabilities, giving domain owners visibility into the emails being sent from their domain (or spoofed versions thereof), which is invaluable for identifying and stopping email spoofing and phishing attacks.

Gmail and Yahoo have rolled out a new update in February 2024 for anyone who wishes to send out more than 5000 emails. These guidelines state that all emails are required to be greenlit by the three aforementioned tools. It also needs to be clear how to unsubscribe from the email; otherwise, you may end up getting reported for spam, which would be the worst-case scenario. This is also something that Google spoke out about in their guidelines. They mentioned that companies should always attempt to keep their spam flags below 0,10% and never let it surpass 0,30%. This stat can be tracked with the use of Postmaster Tools.

Klaviyo – a nice tool

Klaviyo, one of our favorite email marketing platforms, helps businesses foster deeper, more profitable relationships with their customers through personalised, data-driven campaigns. It stands out for its ability to collect and leverage customer data for highly targeted messaging, seamless integration with eCommerce platforms, advanced automation of email workflows, and comprehensive real-time analytics.

Klaviyo supports A/B testing to refine strategies and offers strong community and customer support resources. It’s not just a tool but a comprehensive solution that enhances email marketing effectiveness, driving engagement and revenue growth. Flatline Agency recognises Klaviyo as a valuable asset for staying ahead in digital marketing, offering the capabilities needed to elevate email strategies and improve customer engagement and sales.

Learn more about Klaviyo here.

The Checklist: Creating emails that will work

Ready to make sure your emails are complete and ready to get sent out? 

Here’s a quick checklist to keep your campaigns on track:

Authentication: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are set up correctly.

Personalisation: Use Klaviyo to tailor your messages. The more relevant the email, the better the engagement.

Quality over quantity: Craft compelling content that your audience cares about. Make every word count.

Testing: Use A/B testing to determine what resonates best with your audience. Keep tweaking until you find your sweet spot.

Monitoring: Keep an eye on open rates, click-through rates, and conversions. Klaviyo’s analytics are gold for understanding what works and what doesn’t.

Stay updated: The digital world is always evolving. Stay on top of trends and adjust your strategies accordingly.

We at Flatline Agency, official Shopify Plus partners, are here to help you take your business to the next step, including custom development, design, and marketing. As a digital marketing agency in Amsterdam, we build this same deliverability-first thinking into every email campaign we run for clients. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.