# How to Avoid the Spam Folder: The Ultimate Deliverability Guide
In the world of digital marketing, your email is only as good as its ability to reach the inbox. If your messages are landing in the 'Junk' folder, you aren't just losing sales; you're wasting your marketing budget and potentially damaging your brand’s reputation with major providers like BigPond, Gmail, and Outlook.
Why Deliverability Matters for Australian Businesses
With the recent 2024 updates from Google and Yahoo, the rules for email marketing have become much stricter. For Australian small businesses, staying out of the spam folder is no longer just about avoiding "spammy" words; it’s about proving to the world that you are a legitimate sender with a clean technical setup. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to ensure your emails land exactly where they belong: right in front of your customers.---
Prerequisites: What You’ll Need
Before we dive into the steps, ensure you have the following ready:- Access to your domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, VentraIP, or Crazy Domains).
- Access to your Email Service Provider (ESP) like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or ActiveCampaign.
- A professional email address (e.g., hello@yourbusiness.com.au)—never use a @gmail.com or @outlook.com address for bulk marketing.
- Your Australian Business Number (ABN) details for your privacy policy update.
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Step 1: Authenticate Your Domain with DKIM and SPF
Think of this as your digital passport. SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) tell receiving mail servers that your ESP has permission to send emails on your behalf. What you should see: In your ESP settings under "Domains" or "Authentication," you will find two or three CNAME or TXT records provided by the platform.- Copy these records.
- Log into your domain registrar (where you bought your .com.au domain).
- Go to DNS Management and paste these records in.
- Wait up to 48 hours for them to propagate.
Step 2: Set Up a DMARC Policy
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is now mandatory for anyone sending more than 5,000 emails a day, but we recommend it for every Brisbane business regardless of size. It tells servers what to do if an email fails authentication. Pro Tip: Start with a "p=none" policy. This means if authentication fails, the email is still delivered, but you get a report. It’s the safest way to start without accidentally blocking your own legitimate emails.Step 3: Clean Your List (The 'Sunset' Policy)
Sending emails to people who never open them is a fast track to the spam folder. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) track engagement. If your engagement is low, they assume you are sending unwanted content.- Identify subscribers who haven't opened an email in 6 months.
- Send one final "We miss you" re-engagement campaign.
- If they don't open that, delete them from your list immediately.
Step 4: Avoid "Spammy" Subject Lines
While modern filters are smarter than they used to be, certain triggers still raise red flags. Avoid using all caps (e.g., "OPEN NOW FOR FREE GIFT!!!") and excessive punctuation. Common Mistake: Using too many currency symbols or aggressive sales language like "Buy now or lose out" in the subject line can trigger automated filters before a human ever sees your message.Step 5: Master the Text-to-Image Ratio
Spammers often hide their messages inside a single large image to bypass text filters. Consequently, if your email is just one big graphic, it looks like spam to a robot. The Golden Rule: Aim for a 60/40 split—60% text and 40% images. Ensure you always add "Alt Text" to your images so that if they don't load, the recipient (and the filter) knows what the image represents.Step 6: Provide a Clear Unsubscribe Link
In Australia, the Spam Act 2003 requires every commercial electronic message to include a functional unsubscribe facility. Making it hard to unsubscribe doesn't keep people on your list; it just makes them click the "Report Spam" button, which is much more damaging to your reputation. What you should see: A clear, easy-to-read link in the footer of every email. Ideally, use a "One-Click Unsubscribe" method to satisfy the latest Google requirements.Step 7: Personalise Your "From" Name
Don't send emails from "No-Reply" or "Admin." These feel cold and automated. Use a name your customers recognise, such as "Sarah from [Business Name]" or simply your brand name.Step 8: Optimise for Mobile
A huge portion of Australians check their email on their phones while commuting or on break. If your email looks broken on mobile, users will delete it or mark it as spam. Use a responsive template provided by your ESP and always send a test email to your own phone first.Step 9: Monitor Your Spam Complaint Rate
Keep your spam complaint rate below 0.1% (that's 1 complaint per 1,000 emails). If you hit 0.3%, Google may start blocking your emails entirely. Check your ESP's dashboard regularly to monitor this metric.Step 10: Warm Up New IP Addresses
If you have just moved to a new email platform or started a new domain, don't send 10,000 emails at once. Start by sending to your most engaged customers (those who opened an email in the last 30 days) and gradually increase the volume over 2-4 weeks.---
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- "My emails are going to the 'Promotions' tab!"
- "I've authenticated my domain but I'm still hitting spam."
- "My open rates suddenly dropped to zero."
Warning: Never buy email lists. Not only is it a violation of the Australian Spam Act, but these lists are often filled with "spam traps"—email addresses designed specifically to catch and blacklist spammers.
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Next Steps
Now that your technical foundation is solid and your content is clean, it's time to focus on growth. Check out our Guide to Building a Quality Email List or learn how to [Write High-Converting Email Copy].If you're feeling overwhelmed by DNS records and DMARC policies, our Brisbane-based team can handle the technical heavy lifting for you. Contact us at Local Marketing Group to ensure your messages always reach your customers.