When Substack creators notice that their emails aren’t reaching subscribers, it can be concerning. There are several common issues that might be preventing emails from arriving in subscribers’ inboxes. Emails could be marked as spam, filtered into a different folder, or blocked by internet service providers.
Subscribers might miss out on content because email providers sort incoming messages into various categories, such as promotions or social. If an email inadvertently lands in one of these sections, it might go unnoticed. Ensuring that subscribers have correctly added the Substack email to their contacts can often resolve this issue.
Creators should also check that their email settings on Substack are configured to allow replies from subscribers, which fosters better communication. They can conduct tests by sending a sample email to confirm that the settings are properly adjusted, and encourage subscribers to check their spam folders and email settings.
Understanding Email Deliverability
Email deliverability is crucial for Substack creators to effectively reach their subscribers. It determines whether an email lands in the inbox or the spam folder.
Essential Email Infrastructure
The foundation of email deliverability hinges on a well-structured email infrastructure. Email Service Providers (ESPs) rely on certain elements to classify an email as legitimate. These elements include proper Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records, DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) signatures, and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) policies. These technical setups help verify that the sender is trustworthy and reduce the risk of emails being flagged as spam.
How Substack Works
Substack is a service that allows creators to send newsletters directly to their subscribers’ inboxes. When a creator publishes content, Substack sends out emails using its own infrastructure. It’s important for creators to ensure their domain is authenticated and that they’re following Substack’s best practices for email campaigns to maintain high deliverability.
Common Email Delivery Issues
Subscribers might not receive emails due to several issues. Emails may be mistaken for spam or get blocked by internet service providers. Having too many images or links, using certain spam trigger words, and experiencing low engagement rates can affect deliverability. Creators should regularly clean their email lists to remove inactive subscribers and avoid these common pitfalls to ensure their newsletters reach their audience.
Troubleshooting Steps
When Substack subscribers are not receiving emails, it’s crucial to investigate several aspects. A closer look at subscriber details, potential spam flags, and email settings can uncover common issues.
Check Subscriber Details
One should first verify the accuracy of the subscriber’s email address within the Substack dashboard. It’s possible for typographical errors to prevent emails from reaching their intended recipient. Subscribers can also unintentionally mark emails as spam, which diverts future emails away from the inbox. Writers can ask subscribers to check their spam folders and whitelist the Substack email address to prevent this.
Analyze Email Content for Spam Flags
Email content itself can trigger spam filters. Writers should avoid using excessive links or sales-oriented language that can be misconstrued as spam by email clients. Regularly analyzing email content for spam flags helps ensure emails land in subscribers’ primary inboxes.
Review Email Settings
A subscribers’ email client settings play a role in email delivery. One should advise subscribers to check their email settings to ensure newsletters are not being filed into tabs like ‘Promotions’ in Gmail, which can lead to missed emails. Test emails sent from the Substack platform to the writer can help identify delivery issues.
Improving Email Open Rates
To ensure your Substack subscribers consistently receive and engage with your emails, one must focus on enhancing the open rates. This involves crafting compelling subject lines, accurately segmenting your audience, and scheduling emails for optimal times.
Crafting Engaging Subject Lines
An engaging subject line is crucial; it acts as the first impression for your email. They should be clear, intriguing, and reflective of the email’s content. Personalization, such as including the subscriber’s name, or posing a thought-provoking question, can increase open rates. Testing different variations can help identify which type of subject lines resonate best with your audience.
Segmenting Your Audience
Subscribers are more likely to engage with content relevant to their interests. Segment your audience into different groups based on their behavior or preferences. For instance, new subscribers might receive a different email series than long-time followers. This personalized approach ensures that each subscriber receives content that feels tailor-made for them, boosting the likelihood of email opens.
Optimizing Send Times
The timing of your emails can significantly impact open rates. Analyze your subscriber data to determine the days and times when your audience is most likely to open emails. Scheduling your messages accordingly ensures that they sit at the top of your subscribers’ inboxes at these peak times. Keep in mind time zones and work patterns to optimize engagement.
Substack Specific Solutions
When Substack subscribers aren’t receiving emails, the publisher has a couple of targeted solutions at their disposal. The platform offers support features, and analytics can help pinpoint where issues may arise.
Leveraging Substack’s Support Features
Substack’s support system is designed to assist subscribers who are facing issues with receiving emails. Publishers can advise their readers to check their spam or junk folders, as emails may unintentionally be marked as spam. It’s also beneficial for subscribers to add the publication’s email address to their contacts to ensure future emails arrive in the inbox. Substack provides a helpful page that publishers can share with their readers to guide them through the process of troubleshooting reception issues.
Utilizing Analytics to Identify Problems
Use Substack’s analytics tools to understand email delivery patterns. Publishers should look into bounce rates, as these can indicate emails that weren’t delivered successfully. High bounce rates often point to invalid subscriber email addresses or issues with the subscriber’s email server. By reviewing analytics reports, publishers can identify commonalities in non-delivery instances and take active steps to rectify any identified problems, such as reaching out to subscribers directly to confirm email details or troubleshoot together.
Preventive Measures and Best Practices
To ensure subscribers receive emails, content creators must be proactive. Implementing preventive measures and adhering to best practices can significantly reduce the chances of emails landing in spam folders.
Maintaining a Clean Mailing List
Relevance: Keeping the mailing list updated ensures that emails reach interested and active subscribers. Creators should regularly remove inactive subscribers and confirm that new subscribers have intentionally opted in.
- Confirm Subscriptions: Utilize double opt-in methods to verify that subscribers want to receive communication.
- Prune Inactive Users: Periodically check for and remove subscribers who haven’t engaged with emails over an extended period.
Regularly Testing Email Delivery
Monitoring: Regular testing can catch deliverability issues before they affect a large segment of the audience. Send test emails to accounts on different email platforms to ensure they are received in the inbox.
- Send Test Emails: Before sending out a campaign, it’s wise to send test emails to addresses from various providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook.
- Analyze Reports: Use analytics to review open rates and investigate any irregularities that might suggest delivery issues.