Users of Apple products are able to make use of iCloud Mail as a dedicated email service. On this single platform, they can also manage their files, videos, photos, and music, and create system backups. iCloud is considered one of the safest email service providers out there, but robust security measures mean users don’t often receive spam emails – or even authentic marketing emails. If you’re in marketing, this can pose problems. The following information may help ensure that your marketing is reaching those all-important iCloud users.
Follow Apple’s Rules
When you were setting up iCloud email addresses for yourself, you may have noticed just how many security hoops you had to jump through. Those security hoops exist for marketers trying to send emails to iCloud users, as well. One of the best things you can do as a marketer is to follow Apple’s set of recommendations for a successful delivery.
These include:
- Honoring user requests for unsubscribing from emails
- Removing email addresses that bounce
- Reviewing email lists frequently to remove email addresses of inactive or disengaged subscribers
Understand Whitelist Functionality
One of the key success factors to ending up in an iCloud user’s inbox is becoming a whitelisted sender. These senders are rewarded with perks like more relaxed spam filtering and higher placement in inboxes. However, it’s important to note that Apple doesn’t actually offer a whitelist feature per se. Instead, they track your reputation based on content checks, your IP, and domain reputation. Work on these, and you may end up as a whitelisted marketer.
Make Sure Your Emails Are RFC Compliant
Many emails can be bounced back to the original sender if they are not RFC-compliant. Becoming compliant means your emails abide by internet standards track protocol, and follow internet messaging formatting. These specific rules were standardized in the 1980s by the Internet Engineering Task Force.
Have Permission to Send Emails
When you are new to the world of email marketing, you may not have very many email addresses to send your material to. As a result, it can be tempting to start filtering through your customer contact information to find email addresses to add to your list. Unless those customers have explicitly said you can send them emails, this is not an advisable practice for reaching iCloud customers and getting the most from email marketing. Remember, Apple looks fondly on reputable email marketers, not those who use improper marketing tactics.
Have Clear Opt-In, Opt-Out Buttons
Even if you have permission to send marketing material to an email address, it’s always a good idea to give those customers the chance to change their minds. Make sure that every email has a clear ‘unsubscribe’ button at the bottom of it.
Follow that up by having an equally as clear ‘subscribe’ button on your website if they should change their mind later. Good business etiquette dictates that you should remove a person’s email address from your subscribers’ list as soon as possible if they unsubscribe.
Apple prides itself on offering a secure, spam-free platform for iCloud users to access the emails they care about. While you may have to jump through a few more hoops than other platforms to deliver your message, it can all be worth it when Apple gives you the tick of approval.