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Seven Steps to a Better Template

Redesigning your message templates cannot be the best way to avoid getting blocked, filtered, or blacklisted or to minimize spam complaints and bounces. Therefore, you have to focus on the ways to avoid this. Template redesign alone will not help deliverability if your messages generate too many spam complaints or your IP address is blocked or blacklisted. Still an effective redesign can eliminate factors that cause delivery problems.

First, test your template. Follow these steps, or contract a deliverability service to do it for you. This is more important,: If you suspect something in your message is hindering delivery,

• E-mail the template to test accounts in various email clients, such as Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail etc..

• Run the template through Spam content checker and HTML code validator, after taking off al variable content like images and text

• View the message in different browsers like IE, Fire fox, Opera etc. And platforms like PC, Macintosh, or cell phone

Once the corrections are made after running through above steps load the text etc and repeat the above process again.

You can resolve both deliverability and rendering issues with the help of following systematic redesign process

1. Redesign for the Preview Pane

Message preview pane is roughly 4 inches wide and 2 inches deep, and it is all that shows up in the preview pane. This feature in many email clients lets email readers partially scan messages without opening them. Readers choose their way to read full messages after scanning the pre view pane.

Therefore, Redesign the template with a more horizontal format, and pack as much information at the top as possible: like a link to your Web site, a summary of the message content, or a newsletter table of contents. Always use text instead of a single big image..

This helps deliverability as it can reduce spam complaints. Readers should more easily be able to know about you and your business and their relation with same.

2. Redesign for Blocked Images

Avoid Templates that place all the message content into a single large image, because many spams filters flag large images as potential spam content.

Therefore, reduce reliance on images that link back to your Web site. Replace navigation images with text links, or add descriptive "alt" tags that describe the photo or desired action..

3. Review Broken Cod

Broken code is a prime spam indicator. Filter programs such as SpamAssassin look for it. Sometimes the problem is just forgetting an opening symbol, such as "<," or you may have an outdated tag.

Hence, avoid JavaScript or VBScript Also avoid CSS when possible. Web-based email clients usually disable linked CSSs that are defined outside the message and reference and even some in-line CSS styles to prevent corruption of the Web client interface. Keep it simple, and use vanilla HTML formatting.

Test your email in a Web-based client, such as Yahoo or Hotmail, and use an HTML validator to highlight code problems.

4. Tone Down Message Content

"Free" will not automatically get a message blocked or filtered, but aggressive language and excessive punctuation or capitalization will if your market is particularly spam-sensitive like financial services, chemicals and medicine, gaming or adult-oriented content. You cannot avoid content that may trigger spam filters. However, its impact can be moderated

Reduce the number of "click here" commands. Beware third-party ads that can insert objectionable copy beyond your control. Place sensitive language in an image instead of in text copy or links.

5. Add Essential Elements

The following elements help every email message, whether newsletters, offers, confirmations, or bulletins.

• Working opt-out link

• Company name and physical address

• Recipient's email address

• Link to preference-update link

• Working "contact us" link or phone number

Therefore, Group these elements in an administration center, and put it in the same place of each email. This makes it easier for respondents to unsubscribe, change preferences, or contact you, which can keep them from going for the "report spam" button.

6. Test-Drive the Redesign

Once you redesign your template, you must test it before going live.

Hence, repeat the procedure you used to diagnose problems. Also, enlist others in your office to receive and report on the redesigned message.

7. Compare Before and After Delivery Rates

If you have correctly identified and fixed troublesome message elements, you should see a measurable increase in delivery, as post-sent delivery reports reveal what percentage of the total mailing list was actually delivered..

You may compare recent pre-redesign delivery reports with the first few post-redesign deliveries. If you do not see an upward trend, then you must pay more attention to bounce reports and spam complaints.