How to Optimise Your Email Links to Avoid Spam Filters

Including links in your marketing emails is an important part of driving engagement, whether you're directing readers to your website, a booking page or a special offer. However, formatting links incorrectly, overusing them or linking to insecure websites can make your email appear untrustworthy and trigger spam filters. This can lead to emails landing in junk folders, harming your sender reputation and reducing campaign effectiveness.

Best Practices for Adding Links to Emails

To help prevent these issues and improve deliverability, follow our tips for adding links to your campaigns.

• Use Descriptive Link Text
  When creating links, use descriptive text rather than including the full web address (URL) as your clickable text. For example, instead of linking from the words www.mywebsite.com, use Visit Website. This is important because email platforms often replace your links with invisible tracking URLs so they can monitor clicks. If the visible text looks like a full URL but doesn’t match the tracking link, it can appear suspicious to spam filters. If you see a warning like "The link text looks like a URL and is likely to be classed as a phishing link" when testing your campaign, simply update the visible link text to use a descriptive phrase instead.
  
  
• Limit the Number of Links
  Including too many links in an email can look suspicious to email security filters. Try to limit the number of links to a reasonable amount. Depending on the type of campaign you’re sending, ideally include no more than two to three main links per email.
  
  
• Create a Plain Text Version of Your Campaign
  Whenever you send a campaign, it’s important to generate a plain text version alongside your ‘glossy’ HTML version. This is known as a multipart email and professional email marketing platforms like Smart Messenger can generate it with a click of a button, issuing both versions simultaneously when you send your campaign. Many email clients, including Gmail and Apple Mail, prefer multipart emails because they improve compatibility across different devices and email systems. They also help with spam filtering, as plain text versions reassure email providers that your message is legitimate, especially where links are concerned. 
  
  
• Ensure Your Links Lead to Secure Websites
  Links leading to untrustworthy or unsecured websites can trigger spam warnings. Always make sure your links point to reputable, secure sites with SSL certificates.
  
  
• Avoid URL Shorteners
  While URL shorteners (eg Bitly) can tidy up your links, they are often seen as suspicious by spam filters. Instead, opt for trackable links with concise descriptive text.
  
  
• Check for Warnings Before Sending
  A professional platform like Smart Messenger will automatically flag potential issues with your links before you send your campaign. If a link looks like a phishing attempt or directs to a suspicious website, you'll receive a warning so you can fix the issue in advance. This helps protect your sender reputation and improves email deliverability by ensuring your content meets security standards.

The Bottom Line

By following these best practice tips, you’ll not only improve the deliverability of your emails but also ensure that your links look professional and trustworthy to your audience. Simple changes like using descriptive text and limiting the number of links can make all the difference in keeping your emails out of spam folders and improving engagement.

If you’re unsure how to update your links or need advice on improving your email deliverability, our team is always happy to help. Feel free to get in touch for support or guidance.

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