Even if you’re new to email marketing, it’s important to understand the basics in order to create successful campaigns. Without a strong understanding of email marketing basics, your campaigns are likely to fall short.

Our guide will help you get up to speed on the most important email marketing terms and the very important CAN-SPAM Act so that you can create successful and engaging campaigns.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is the process of using email lists to send promotional messages to potential or existing customers. Email marketing can be used to promote a wide variety of products or services, and can be an effective way to reach a large audience at a relatively low cost.

Email List

An email list is a database of email addresses that can be used for marketing purposes. Email lists can be compiled from a variety of sources, including website sign-ups, online surveys, and offline data sources such as customer lists.

Opt-In

Opt-in is a term used to describe the process by which someone gives permission for their email address to be added to an email list. In order for someone to be added to an email list, they must first opt-in, typically by filling out a form or ticking a box indicating that they would like to receive emails from the company.

Opt-Out

Opt-out is the opposite of opt-in, and refers to the process by which someone gives permission for their email address to be removed from an email list. Most companies include an opt-out link in their promotional emails, which allows recipients to easily unsubscribe from the list if they no longer wish to receive emails.

Phishing

Phishing is a type of online fraud that involves sending emails that appear to be from a legitimate source in order to trick people into providing personal information or clicking on malicious links. Phishing emails often contain typos or other red flags that can help recipients identify them as fraudulent.

Whitelist

A whitelist is a list of approved senders whose emails are always allowed through to the recipient’s inbox. Many email providers allow users to add addresses to their whitelist in order to ensure that they never miss an email from someone they want to hear from.

Blacklist

A blacklist is a list of disapproved senders whose emails are always blocked from reaching the recipient’s inbox. Email providers maintain blacklists of known spammers and scammers in order to protect their users from receiving unwanted or dangerous emails.

Spam

Spam is an unsolicited email, typically sent in large quantities and without the recipient’s permission. Spam is generally considered to be annoying and ineffective, and can result in high levels of complaints and unsubscribes from recipients. As such, it is important that companies avoid sending spam emails when conducting email marketing campaigns. If you are thinking about sending unsolicited emails you should be very familiar with what you can and can NOT do! Familiarize yourself with the CANSPAM act. (Learn more at the end of this blog!)

Bounce

A bounce is an email that is returned to the sender without being delivered to the recipient. There are two types of email bounces – soft bounces and hard bounces. A soft bounce occurs when an email is temporarily undeliverable, typically due to a full mailbox or an issue with the email server. A hard bounce occurs when an email is permanently undeliverable, typically due to a non-existent email address.

Email deliverability

Email deliverability is the ability of an email to successfully reach the inbox of the intended recipient. Email deliverability can be affected by a number of factors, including email content, sender reputation, and email list quality.

Email Service Provider (ESP)

An email service provider (ESP) is a company that provides email-related services, such as email marketing, email list management, and email deliverability. ESPs typically offer a variety of features and tools to help companies with their email marketing campaigns, including email templates, list segmentation, email deliverability monitoring, and more. Popular email service providers include Mailchimp, and Constant Contact as well as niche providers like Sailthru, Klaviyo, and Drip.

HTML Email

HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language, which is a code used to create websites and web pages. HTML emails are emails that are created using HTML code, and often include images, links, and other interactive elements. HTML emails tend to be more visually appealing than plain text emails, but can take longer to load on slow internet connections.

Plain Text Email

Plain text emails are simple emails that do not contain any HTML code or other formatting elements. Plain text emails are typically quicker to load than HTML emails, but are less visually appealing. Many people prefer plain text emails as they can be easier to read on small screens such as mobile phones

Subject Line

The subject line is the text that appears in the “subject” field of an email message. The subject line is one of the most important elements of an email, as it determines whether or not the recipient will open and read the message. A good subject line should be clear, concise, and relevant to the content of the message.

Preheader Text

Preheader text is the text that appears after the subject line in an email message. The preheader text can give recipients additional information about the content of the message, and can also be used as a call-to-action (CTA). For example, preheader text might say “Click here to read our latest newsletter” or “Scroll down for special offers”.

A Brief Explanation of the CAN-SPAM Act and How it Impacts Your Business

The CAN-SPAM Act is a law that sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives customers the right to have emails stopped from being sent to them, and spells out tough penalties for violations. In a nutshell, the CANSPAM Act is designed to put an end to spam emails once and for all.

The acronym “CAN-SPAM” stands for “Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing.” The law was enacted in 2003 and covers all commercial messages, which are defined as “any electronic mail message the primary purpose of which is the commercial advertisement or promotion of a commercial product or service,” including email promoting content on commercial websites.

The 7 Key Requirements of the CAN-SPAM Act

1. You must include a valid physical address in your email
2. You can’t use false or misleading header information
3. You can’t use deceptive subject lines
4. You must tell recipients how to opt-out of receiving future emails from you
5. You must honor opt-out requests promptly
6. You can’t give or sell email addresses of people who have opted out to anyone else
7. You must monitor what others are doing on your behalf

The FTC has released a Compliance Guide with more detailed information about how to comply with the law. They’ve also released a Small Business Compliance Guide which explains the law in simple language specifically for small businesses.

In addition to following the 7 key requirements above, business owners should also be aware of the penalties associated with violating the CAN-SPAM Act. Penalties can include up to $16,000 in fines per violation! Given these high stakes, it’s important for business owners to make sure they are in compliance with this law. Many businesses choose to hire an Email Marketing Service Provider (ESP) to help them navigate the complex world of email marketing and ensure they are in compliance with all laws and regulations.

The CANSPAM Act is a complex law that impacts business owners who send commercial emails as part of their marketing efforts. The law includes 7 key requirements that business owners must follow, as well as tough penalties for violators. Business owners should take care to ensure they are in compliance with this law by working with an Email Service Provider or taking other steps to stay informed about best practices in email marketing.

Email marketing can be tough- there’s no doubt about it. But if you take the time to understand the basics, and put in the work to create great campaigns, you’ll be successful. The CANSPAM Act is one important element of email marketing that business owners need to be aware of, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of this, reach out and we’ll help you get started on your way to Email Marketing greatness!