Spam is nothing but unsolicited emails or unwanted emails. Spam filters are used by the major ISPs to protect the client email inboxes from spam emails. Some common triggers let out that a particular mail is to be classified as spam and that it has to be filtered out before reaching the inbox. Here is brief about the ten common triggers that could cause the mail to be filtered out of the system.
1. Subject line
Most email programs make it a point to scan out the email subject line as carefully as possible. In the bid to keep the subject line intriguing, most spam software would tend to make the subject line dramatic, and this is a dead give away to the programs. So if someone is serious enough to avoid being caught up in spam, it is best to try to sound natural in the subject line as far as possible. At all costs avoid the special characters to compose the subject line.
2. Email content
It is not just the email subjects that spam filters watch out for. Equally important is the composition of what is written in the emails. Things like multiple exclamation marks, caps lock, weak links, and heavy use of graphics are all instances when the spam filter can get triggered most of the time. Usually, one single factor does not influence the screens, but more than one trigger is asking for trouble.
3. Auto-responders
There is more to auto-responders than simple email composition most of the time. Sometimes in a bid to keep track of the messages better, the program tends to use auto-responders that are dramatic so to tell. This can cause problems with the spam filters and is a possible trigger to the spam filters. Of particular interest are the personal auto-responders to email systems that can prove to be problematic so to tell.
4. Unethical email lists
Data mining is a field of database creation that tends to use software to create groups of emails addresses. Now there are specific ethical ways of proceeding with this activity and some more ways of not being able to create an active email list too. Entries made with email address filling software tend to be identified as spam by the filters and in essence, is weeded out of the system. One of the easiest ways of filling in email addresses is to do it manually and not to rely on hardware or software tools to have it done.
5. How does the email address look
Often in a bid to be over dramatic and eye-catching, people tend to create some of the most spectacular of email addresses. This tends to trigger email spam filters and causes people to trip up on the messaging. Despite the increasing difficulty to create a unique professional email address due to the overcrowding of the email options, the right sounding email address does wonders to get past the mail spam filters most of the time. Buying up a domain name to pick the right email address is a simple way of trying to get past the spam filters most of the time.
6. Non-personalized emails
Creating a non-personalized email body is a kind invitation to get the filters to weed it out of the system. The secret is to use the direct person to person communication modes that are bound to be straightforward in the approach. If people persist on sending a lot of misdirected emails to others from a single email address, then it would be that the mail address would be marked out as spam.
7. Do not reply addresses
It is common to send communication from company addresses but the more delicate issue is sending from do not reply addresses. This would mean that the email address from which the mail originates tends to be having handlers which make this evident. The smart thing to do would be to have do-not-reply email addresses that do not make it apparent that it is from a restricted email address as far as possible.
8. The use of URLs
Rather than use URLs to specify a link, it is best to try and use descriptive text to the body of the email address. This is by far a better way of creating link ups and to understand that the filter does not get triggered at any point of time. The use of URLs must be restricted to spaces where it is necessary to do and not otherwise. Some of the most readable content are those that stick to basic English words than the use of URLs.
9. The reputation of the email sender's ISP
It does help to use an ISP of good repute and which has a standing in the cyberspace. Over time, it is possible to come across service providers that have had little, and this tends to skew the reputation of the emails sent. One of the best ways of having issues with spam filters is to try to use the cheaper service providers to the least possible extent as it tends to create options of mismatch.
10. Uncertified emails
There are third party email evaluators that tend to certify emails as and when they are sent. These bodies do provide an air of authenticity to the proceedings most of the time. Most spam filters do not filter out an email if reputed certifying agencies and institutions have sent it. It is when there is a lack of authority in keeping with the status of the site that the spam filters tend to catch out the mail.
Conclusion
Spam filters are part and parcel of life, and most email systems would shut down in no time without a proper spam filter in place. It would only be appropriate that people sending the emails are taking the due precaution to understand what works and what does not too. The success of a system lies in finding how things can indeed go wrong as it allows the workers to stick to the workable path as far as possible.