Doing email marketing right is challenging in the best of circumstances. But it\u2019s made more difficult by all of the outdated and just plain wrong advice out there that leads marketers astray.<\/p>\n
To put you on the right course, we\u2019re busting 25 email marketing myths (many of which you\u2019ve probably heard repeated so many times that you\u2019d swear they were true) and providing you with the resources to get to the truth.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s bust some email marketing myths!<\/p>\n MYTH #1:<\/strong> Subject lines have the biggest impact on whether a subscriber opens an email.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Your sender name, not your subject line, has the biggest impact on whether your emails are opened. More on why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #2:<\/strong> Millennials don\u2019t like email.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Millennials prefer email for commercial communications, just like other age groups. Plus, they\u2019re very bullish on email\u2019s long-term staying power. More on why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #3:<\/strong> CAN-SPAM requires brands to obtain consent before sending people email.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> The U.S. is one of the few first-world nations with an anti-spam law that doesn\u2019t make consent a legal requirement. More on why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #4:<\/strong> Subject lines can only impact email open rates.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Subject lines can affect deep metrics\u2014all the way down to conversions. More on why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #5:<\/strong> Consumers are spending less time with email.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Consumers have been spending steadily more time reading emails, especially on mobile devices. More on why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #6:<\/strong> You only have to follow the spam laws of the country you\u2019re based in.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> No matter where your business is based, you must follow any international laws that apply to your subscribers. More on why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #7:<\/strong> The subject line\u2019s one and only goal is to get subscribers to open the email.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> The goal of a subject line isn\u2019t to generate opens. It\u2019s to generate openers who are likely to convert. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #8:<\/strong> You can only use standard system fonts in your emails.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Web fonts aren\u2019t supported in every email client, but can be used as a progressive enhancement with a fallback. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #9:<\/strong> Unsubscribes are the worst thing that can happen to your sender reputation.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Opt-outs via the unsubscribe links in your emails have no known effect on your sender reputation or deliverability. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #10:<\/strong> To compel subscribers to open, subject lines need to grab their attention with provocative and intriguing language.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Many of the most effective subject lines are straightforward, well-branded, and kind of boring. Why this myth is so very busted<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a>: \u201cThe biggest email marketing myth? @litmusapp\u2019s Myth #10. https:\/\/ctt.ec\/ZlA6w+ What do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n MYTH #11:<\/strong> Consumers don\u2019t check their spam folder.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> 67% of consumers check their spam folder at least sometimes, and 60% move emails out of their spam folder at least sometimes. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #12:<\/strong> Double or confirmed opt-in is legally required in European countries.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> While Europe\u2019s anti-spam laws are tough, only Germany requires double opt-in, and that’s through case law, not legislation. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #13:<\/strong> The worst thing that can happen to an email is that it isn\u2019t opened.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> The worst case is an email is opened and disappoints, causing an opt-out or spam complaint. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #14:<\/strong> Emails must look identical across all email clients.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Email is not print. Small variations are inevitable. Plus, insisting on sameness means ignoring progressive enhancement opportunities. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #15:<\/strong> How marketers and subscribers define spam is the same.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> While most brands think solely about permission, consumers also consider any irrelevant and unwanted email as spam. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #16:<\/strong> If an email isn\u2019t opened, then it\u2019s like you never sent it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Unopened emails can have significant influence, especially if the subject line is well-written. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #17:<\/strong> New or more IP addresses can solve all your delivery issues.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Inbox providers can easily spot senders who change IPs or \u201cshowshoe\u201d to try to hide from a bad sender reputation. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #18:<\/strong> You should never use all caps, exclamation marks, or the words \u201cfree\u201d or \u201cbuy now,\u201d because these words trigger spam filters.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Copy can trigger a spam filter, but only if you have previous poor sending practices. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #19:<\/strong> Deliverability problems are caused by inbox providers.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> In most cases, deliverability problems are the result of your permission practices and campaigns. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #20:<\/strong> Deliverability problems are caused by email service providers.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Some ESPs perpetuate this myth by guaranteeing high deliverability rates. But ultimately, deliverability depends on your practices. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #21:<\/strong> Emails must be 600 pixels wide.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> While that\u2019s a good default, wider or skinnier emails are fine. Use responsive, fluid, or hybrid design to optimize for multiple screen widths. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #22:<\/strong> Emails should only use the Transitional DOCTYPE.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> The HTML5 DOCTYPE allows for the use of newer HTML5 elements, for example <video>, which can be used in email. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #23:<\/strong> All styles in emails must be inlined.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Now that Gmail supports style in the , you only need to inline your styles if your subscribers use fringe email clients or international ones like Yandex, Libero, and Terra. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #24:<\/strong> Don\u2019t use background images in emails.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> Background images work in email, but they aren\u2019t supported everywhere, so they should be used as a progressive enhancement. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n Share the truth >> Click to tweet<\/a><\/p>\n MYTH #25:<\/strong> CSS statements need to be written as an attribute selector.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n TRUTH:<\/strong> In early 2015, Yahoo! Mail rolled out an update that made writing CSS statements this way unnecessary. Why this myth is so very busted.<\/a><\/p>\n