Will including a bra size grid with multiple links in marketing emails affect deliverability, and how can I optimize it?
Summary
What email marketers say10Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Sendinblue shares that complex email designs with many links and images can increase the likelihood of being flagged as spam. They advise using a balanced approach, optimizing images, and ensuring links are relevant and trustworthy.
Email marketer from HubSpot explains that spam filters assess multiple factors, including the number of links, the reputation of those links, and the overall content of the email. Using URL shorteners or linking to untrustworthy sites can be detrimental.
Email marketer from a forum discussion suggests A/B testing the bra size grid versus a more personalized approach to see which performs better. A/B testing is best and you should only change 1 thing.
Email marketer from Email on Acid explains that using valid HTML and avoiding excessive or broken links is key for deliverability. They suggest using link checkers and validating HTML code to ensure emails are properly rendered and don't appear suspicious.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that while the number of links itself might not directly hurt deliverability, it can trigger spam filters if the email is otherwise problematic. They emphasize content quality and recipient engagement as more critical factors.
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign emphasizes the importance of sender reputation and relevance. Too many links, especially to low-reputation sites, can negatively impact this. They recommend focusing on personalization and segmentation.
Email marketer from Reddit suggests that instead of using a complex grid, personalizing the email with the recipient's known size or a few related sizes can improve engagement and reduce the perception of spam. They emphasize segmentation.
Email marketer from SparkPost advises that sender reputation is critical. While a grid of links might not be inherently bad, if it's combined with poor sender practices (low engagement, high complaint rates), it will exacerbate deliverability issues. They stress consistent sending practices.
Email marketer from Litmus shares that while deliverability is complex, a well-coded email with a balance of text and images, and a reasonable number of links to trustworthy sites, is less likely to trigger spam filters. They advocate for testing email designs across different clients.
Email marketer from Campaign Monitor explains it is best to only send a grid layout to only those who are going to use and engage with it, those who don't fit it wont engage, and this may trigger spam filters.
What the experts say6Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks states that having a grid of links will not, in itself, cause delivery issues. However, sending emails with a high number of links ('what the fresh hells is this' level) could be problematic.
Expert from Email Geeks suggests testing the grid versus no grid. They also agrees with Laura about sending the customer's size if known, maybe +/- a couple sizes.
Expert from Email Geeks strongly recommends sending recipients a link to their size, if known, or a link along the diagonal of compatible sizes. Avoid sending irrelevant sizes.
Expert from Word to the Wise answers about the importance of email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to establish sender legitimacy and improve deliverability. They note that failing authentication will negatively impact deliverability regardless of email content.
Expert from Spam Resource mentions multiple factors that affect deliverability including links, content, and email authentication protocols. They also mention that sender reputation and consistent volume is key to staying out of the spam box.
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that excessive link tracking, particularly using redirects through multiple domains, can negatively impact deliverability. They advise minimizing redirects and using reputable link tracking services.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from RFC suggests that the content of emails should be carefully considered and avoid spam-like characterestics. Including too many URLs might be seen as attempts at redirection. Following correct standards helps.
Documentation from Yahoo suggest to keep the number of links reasonable. It suggests keeping content relevant and clean, and ensuring links are up-to-date.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools shares that a high number of links, particularly if they lead to different domains or are unusually formatted, can act as a spam trigger. They suggest monitoring feedback loops and keeping content clean and relevant.
Documentation from Microsoft explains that the overall structure and coding of an email, including the number and type of links, can impact deliverability. They recommend using clean HTML, avoiding excessive use of images, and ensuring links are properly formatted and point to reputable domains.