Email marketing: Rules to improve your Hotmail inbox

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In this article we are going to review the specific recommendations for mass mailings provided by Microsoft to improve deliverability in Hotmail, Live, MSN, Outlook.com, etc. They are taken directly from the white paper of the Microsoft support service specific to email service providers. Logically, we start from the basis that we use a reliable email marketing provider. On this point I am not impartial and I recommend using the Mailrelay platform, but objectively you should always opt for providers that guarantee, at least, the following:

Have our own shipping platforms with reliable data centres in the EU.
Be members of RIPE and have control over the IP ranges used for shipments.
Comply with the requirements of Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, etc. and antispam systems by having signed cooperation agreements with them.
Have an efficient 24x7 support service that allows you to manage any possible incident.

The second step is to follow the basic rules to avoid being address in laos considered SPAM, taking into account that Hotmail also has some specific recommendations, some of them not very well known, that can help and improve the arrival of our emails to the recipient's Inbox. Let's look at the most important ones: AVOID COMPLAINTS AND CLICKS ON SPAM When our subscribers click on the spam button in the Hotmail interface, instead of unsubscribing with our link, it has a very negative effect on the reputation of our mailings with this operator.

To avoid this, Hotmail recommends inserting a clearly visible text at the beginning of the newsletter design that tells the recipient unequivocally that clicking there will unsubscribe. It should also be direct with a single click and without any additional paperwork to avoid them resorting to the spam button out of laziness. INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SUBSCRIBERS WHO MARK US AS A SAFE SENDER The same as the previous point but in reverse. Just as those who click on spam lower our reputation, those who add us to contacts as a safe sender raise it. For this reason, it is advisable to send newsletters that really interest subscribers interspersed with commercial mailings. Additionally, Hotmail recommends also including a text at the beginning of the newsletter encouraging the subscriber to do so if they wish to continue receiving our emails.

It should be placed just below the one that indicates the direct unsubscribe link. CLEARLY IDENTIFY THE SENDER In the text at the bottom of the newsletter, we must indicate all the data of who is sending it without ambiguity and clearly indicating everything necessary to locate our company. INCLUDE AN UNEQUIVOCAL LEGAL TEXT OF OUR ANTI-SPAM POLICY It must contain an explanation of how the emails have been obtained, a link to our data protection policy page, a statement of our unequivocal willingness to respect the rules for sending commercial emails and a means to request feedback from subscribers who wish to communicate any complaint or suggestion, even from third parties such as the ESP or communications operator.