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Statistics show emails remain the top communication method in the corporate world.
62.86% of professionals use emails as their main mode of communication.
This method is especially important in marketing and internal corporate communication. Sending emails nowadays goes beyond tapping or clicking the send button.
The number of messages delivered, opened, read, and acted upon is crucial.
Factors like email content, quality, and service providers all impact deliverability.
Recently, there’s been concern that adding images to emails could cause them to be marked as spam. But is that true?
Let’s understand some common reasons why emails get blocked and are images responsible.
Read on.
Why is my email getting blocked?
Several things make your emails get blocked.
Every email provider has installed various spam filters in their systems. These are tools that prevent harmful and irrelevant emails from reaching a recipient’s inbox. These filters nowadays are smart because AI powers them.
AI helps filters to scan emails and decide which folder they should go to.
Some of them go to your spam folder, while others go to your main inbox. They do this based on historical data and other AI algorithms. These filters scan the following.
- They scan the content in the mail and test its images. It also tests the links, texts, and attachments.
- The filters scan the technical details of the mail to see if they are correctly set. This includes mail settings like DMARC and DKIM.
- The tools check if the sender has a bad reputation. If they have, their emails will likely be blocked or directed to spam all the time.
- Another important thing is the engagement rate of your emails. The tools check the click, reply, and open rates of your emails.
Based on these checks, it decides whether your email will be sent to the inbox or to the spam folder.
Is there a relationship between images in email and deliverability?
Online security is a major concern for people using emails.
Filters from email providers ensure that they offer maximum email security to their clients. People do not like to receive spammy images so they often send them to spam boxes. Just as you would use an app to hide pictures on iPhone, delete the unnecessary ones and not open the suspicious ones, many people on the internet use the same policy with images.
This brings us to another important question - what role do images play in emails? Are they important?
Let’s quickly cover this:
What Role Do Images Play in an Email?
- Boost Engagement
Including images in your emails can significantly increase engagement. Visual elements capture attention and make your emails more appealing, encouraging recipients to interact with your content.
Research shows that emails with images have higher click-through rates compared to those without.
- Simplify the Message
Images help break down complex information into easily digestible visuals. A well-chosen image can illustrate a concept or highlight key points, making it simpler for your audience to grasp the message quickly.
This visual simplification aids in conveying your message more effectively.
- Attract More Attention
Emails featuring images stand out in crowded inboxes. The human brain processes visuals faster than text, so including compelling images can grab attention and entice recipients to read further.
This can be particularly beneficial for making your emails more memorable and engaging.
- Encourage Quick Responses and Actions
Visual elements can prompt immediate responses. For instance, a clear call-to-action button or an attractive product image can drive recipients to take the desired action, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a webinar, or exploring more about your brand.
- Enhance Retention
Images have strong retention capabilities. They help reinforce your brand’s identity and message, making it easier for readers to recall your brand days or even weeks later.
A memorable visual can leave a lasting impression, helping your brand stay top-of-mind.
So, images can help you make your emails more engaging.
But do they impact deliverability?
The answer is both yes and no.
Largely no - if done in the right way.
Yes - if you fail to take care of key things.
What can make images in email to be marked as spam?
Below we have shared a few things that make images in emails to be marked as spam.
Let’s check them out.
Images that lack alt text and accessibility
Alt text means the text included in an image to describe it.
In case the image fails to load, this text appears instead. It lets the reader know what it is about. Images that lack this text will not likely be delivered. It might be viewed as a phishing email image.
Filters view images with alt text to be more trustworthy. They will likely deliver the messages to the inbox folder.
Too many images compared to text
Some people might include too many images in an email leaving it with limited text.
This could cause the filters to mark the mail as suspicious. This should not discourage you from using images in your emails. What you need is to balance the ratio.
Ensure your message contains just enough images and do not overdo it.
The difference between hosted and embedded images
Embedding images means adding them directly to the email without linking them.
This method increases the chances of your emails being flagged as spam. People who send phishing emails often embed images to hide malicious links. Emails with embedded images also look larger.
The best way should be to host your images by linking them.
Your email structure and size
Most email providers hide some content if your email is larger than 102 KB. The provider may also hide some content if the email structure is poor and disorganized. The message might not be marked as spam but the images might be hidden.
You can increase deliverability by ensuring your emails are not heavy.
Having talked about the key impacting factors, let’s also quickly check the disadvantages of having images on your emails.
What setbacks can images have on your emails?
Images increase the size of your email messages. This can be a disadvantage in some servers because they might get blocked. Larger or more images in the message affect loading time. This happens when the content becomes too heavy. It can affect the speed of your website and detour potential readers.
Spam filters sometimes mark an email as spam due to the types of images in the message. Using images, however, automatically marks your emails as spam. Many other factors come into play as discussed here. Some people may program their servers to block certain emails by default. They may include emails with images in the settings.
Ways to increase email deliverability when you include images
Images do not automatically make your emails go into spam folders. They do not automatically lead to the blocking of your messages. There are important best practices you can implement when using images in emails. These decrease the chances of marking your messages as spam. They significantly increase deliverability.
Choose provider and server wisely
Unreliable servers increase the chances of your emails being marked as spam. Host your images on a reliable server to avoid problems with spam filters. Adopt a habit of adding alt text in your images. This increases the chances of passing the spam test by filters. An increased deliverability volume means you will get better responses from readers.
Optimize your images and choose quality over quantity
Optimized images are not too large but have the right size. Search information to know the best image size and type for use in emails. The image should look attractive and high quality. Use editing tools to create a sharp image that attracts more attention. Quality is always better than quantity. If you want to use more images, balance the image and text ratio.
Test and monitor engagement
It helps to test your images before sending them. There are useful tools for testing how your images will be viewed by spam filters. Improve them until they pass the litmus test. Monitor the way people interact with your images in emails. If the read and open rate is higher, it increases trust by filter tools. Your images will perform better if you link them to mails instead of embedding them.
Conclusion
When selecting images, choose those that are personalized to show you understand your prospects. While images are effective, too many can trigger spam filters; opt for a few high-quality ones.
Using 1-2 images in your cold emails is generally safe and won’t harm deliverability, so you can enhance your messages with visuals without worrying about them being flagged as spam.
If your emails are brief—under 500 characters—ensure the image-to-text ratio is balanced by including just one image.
Steer clear of GIFs, as they can decrease open rates and may trigger spam filters.
Prioritize a good sender reputation and proper technical configurations, including SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and MX Records.
If you’re sending a high volume of emails, utilizing a warm-up tool like Smartlead can help optimize deliverability.
Author’s Details
Smridhi Malhotra
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Frequently asked questions
What is Smartlead's cold email outreach software?
Smartlead's cold email outreach tool helps businesses scale their outreach efforts seamlessly. With unlimited mailboxes, fully automated email warmup functionality, a multi-channel infrastructure, and a user-friendly unibox, it empowers users to manage their entire revenue cycle in one place. Whether you're looking to streamline cold email campaigns with automated email warmups, personalization fields, automated mailbox rotation, easy integrations, and spintax, improve productivity, or enhance scalability with subsequences based on lead’s intentions, automated replies, and full white-label experience, our cold email tool implifies it in a single solution.
What is Smartlead, and how can it enhance my cold email campaigns?
Smartlead is a robust cold emailing software designed to transform cold emails into reliable revenue streams. Trusted by over 31,000 businesses, Smartlead excels in email deliverability, lead generation, cold email automation, and sales outreach. A unified master inbox streamlines communication management, while built-in email verification reduces bounce rates.
Additionally, Smartlead offers essential tools such as CNAME, SPF Checker, DMARC Checker, Email Verifier, Blacklist Check Tool, and Email Bounce Rate Calculator for optimizing email performance.
How does the "unlimited mailboxes" feature benefit me?
Our "unlimited mailboxes" feature allows you to expand your email communications without restrictions imposed by a mailbox limit. This means you won't be constrained by artificial caps on the number of mailboxes you can connect and use. This feature makes Smartlead the best cold email software and empowers you to reach a wider audience, engage with more potential customers, and manage diverse email campaigns effectively.
How does Smartlead as a cold emailing tool can automate the cold email process?
Smartlead’s robust cold email API and automation infrastructure streamline outbound communication by transforming the campaign creation and management processes. It seamlessly integrates data across software systems using APIs and webhooks, adjusts settings, and leverages AI for personalised content.
The cold emailing tool categorises lead intent, offers comprehensive email management with automated notifications, and integrates smoothly with CRMs like Zapier, Make, N8N, HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive. Smartlead supports scalable outreach by rapidly adding mailboxes and drip-feeding leads into active campaigns Sign Up Now!
What do you mean by "unibox to handle your entire revenue cycle"?
The "unibox" is one of the unique features of Smartlead cold email outreach tool, and it's a game-changer when it comes to managing your revenue cycle. The master inbox or the unibox consolidates all your outreach channels, responses, sales follow-ups, and conversions into one centralized, user-friendly mailbox.
With the "unibox," you gain the ability to:
1. Focus on closing deals: You can now say goodbye to the hassle of logging into multiple mailboxes to search for replies. The "unibox" streamlines your sales communication, allowing you to focus on what matters most—closing deals.
2. Centralized lead management: All your leads are managed from one central location, simplifying lead tracking and response management. This ensures you take advantage of every opportunity and efficiently engage with your prospects.
3. Maintain context: The "unibox" provides a 360-degree view of all your customer messages, allowing you to maintain context and deliver more personalized and effective responses.
How does Smartlead ensure my emails don't land in the spam folder?
Smartlead, the best cold email marketing tool, ensures your emails reach the intended recipients' primary inbox rather than the spam folder.
Here's how it works:
1. Our "unlimited warmups" feature is designed to build and maintain a healthy sending reputation for your cold email outreach. Instead of sending a large volume of emails all at once, which can trigger spam filters, we gradually ramp up your sending volume. This gradual approach, combined with positive email interactions, helps boost your email deliverability rates.
2. We deploy high-deliverability IP servers specific to each campaign.
3. The ‘Warmup’ feature replicates humanized email sending patterns, spintax, and smart replies.
4. By establishing a positive sender reputation and gradually increasing the number of sent emails, Smartlead minimizes the risk of your emails being flagged as spam. This way, you can be confident that your messages will consistently land in the primary inbox, increasing the likelihood of engagement and successful communication with your recipients.
Can Smartlead help improve my email deliverability rates?
Yes, our cold emailing software is designed to significantly improve your email deliverability rates. It enhances email deliverability through AI-powered email warmups across providers, unique IP rotating for each campaign, and dynamic ESP matching.
Real-time AI learning refines strategies based on performance, optimizing deliverability without manual adjustments. Smartlead's advanced features and strategies are designed to improve email deliverability rates, making it a robust choice for enhancing cold email campaign success.
What features does Smartlead offer for cold email personalisation?
Smartlead enhances cold email personalisation through advanced AI-driven capabilities and strategic integrations. Partnered with Clay, The cold remaining software facilitates efficient lead list building, enrichment from over 50 data providers, and real-time scraping for precise targeting. Hyper-personalised cold emails crafted in Clay seamlessly integrate with Smartlead campaigns.
Moreover, Smartlead employs humanised, natural email interactions and smart replies to boost engagement and response rates. Additionally, the SmartAI Bot creates persona-specific, high-converting sales copy. Also you can create persona-specific, high-converting sales copy using SmartAI Bot. You can train the AI bot to achieve 100% categorisation accuracy, optimising engagement and conversion rates.
Can I integrate Smartlead with other tools I'm using?
Certainly, Smartlead cold email tool is designed for seamless integration with a wide range of tools and platforms. Smartlead offers integration with HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Clay, Listkit, and more. You can leverage webhooks and APIs to integrate the tools you use. Try Now!
Is Smartlead suitable for both small businesses and large enterprises?
Smartlead accommodates both small businesses and large enterprises with flexible pricing and comprehensive features. The Basic Plan at $39/month suits small businesses and solopreneurs, offering 2000 active leads and 6000 monthly emails, alongside essential tools like unlimited email warm-up and detailed analytics.
Marketers and growing businesses benefit from the Pro Plan ($94/month), with 30000 active leads and 150000 monthly emails, plus a custom CRM and active support. Lead generation agencies and large enterprises can opt for the Custom Plan ($174/month), providing up to 12 million active lead credits and 60 million emails, with advanced CRM integration and customisation options.
What type of businesses sees the most success with Smartlead?
No, there are no limitations on the number of channels you can utilize with Smartlead. Our cold email tool offers a multi-channel infrastructure designed to be limitless, allowing you to reach potential customers through multiple avenues without constraints.
This flexibility empowers you to diversify your cold email outreach efforts, connect with your audience through various communication channels, and increase your chances of conversion. Whether email, social media, SMS, or other communication methods, Smartlead's multi-channel capabilities ensure you can choose the channels that best align with your outreach strategy and business goals. This way, you can engage with your prospects effectively and maximize the impact of your email outreach.
How can Smartlead integrate with my existing CRM and other tools?
Smartlead is the cold emailing tool that facilitates seamless integration with existing CRM systems and other tools through robust webhook and API infrastructure. This setup ensures real-time data synchronisation and automated processes without manual intervention. Integration platforms like Zapier, Make, and N8N enable effortless data exchange between Smartlead and various applications, supporting tasks such as lead information syncing and campaign status updates. Additionally, it offers native integrations with major CRM platforms like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Pipedrive, enhancing overall lead management capabilities and workflow efficiency. Try Now!
Do you provide me with lead sources?
No. Smartlead distinguishes itself from other cold email outreach software by focusing on limitless scalability and seamless integration. While many similar tools restrict your outreach capabilities, Smartlead offers a different approach.
Here's what makes us uniquely the best cold email software:
1. Unlimited Mailboxes: In contrast to platforms that limit mailbox usage, Smartlead provides unlimited mailboxes. This means you can expand your outreach without any arbitrary constraints.
2. Unique IP Servers: Smartlead offers unique IP servers for every campaign it sends out.
3. Sender Reputation Protection: Smartlead protects your sender reputation by auto-moving emails from spam folders to the primary inbox. This tool uses unique identifiers to cloak all warmup emails from being recognized by automation parsers.
4. Automated Warmup: Smartlead’s warmup functionality enhances your sender reputation and improves email deliverability by maintaining humanised email sending patterns and ramping up the sending volume.
How secure is my data with Smartlead?
Ensuring the security of your data is Smartlead's utmost priority. We implement robust encryption methods and stringent security measures to guarantee the continuous protection of your information. Your data's safety is paramount to us, and we are always dedicated to upholding the highest standards of security.
How can I get started with Smartlead?
Getting started with Smartlead is straightforward! Just head over to our sign-up page and follow our easy step-by-step guide. If you ever have any questions or need assistance, our round-the-clock support team is ready to help, standing by to provide you with any assistance you may require. Sign Up Now!
How can I reach the Smartlead team?
We're here to assist you! You can easily get in touch with our dedicated support team on chat. We strive to provide a response within 24 hours to address any inquiries or concerns you may have. You can also reach out to us at support@smartlead.ai
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