© 2004. getactive software. all rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 1 is email dead? communicating in...
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© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 1
Is Email Dead?
Communicating in the era of spam control
Bill PeaseChief Technology Officer
GetActive Software
NTEN, Washington DCOctober 14, 2004
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 2
Overview of Session
Email Publisher Perspective – Bill Pease, CTO, GetActive
Impact of spam on non-profit communication effortsSocial, legal, technical trends in spam controlBest practice advice
ISP Perspective – Charles Stiles, Postmaster, America Online
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 3
Email at risk as a means of communication
Spam flood65% of all email traffic in 2004 will be spam or virusIncreasing forgery, fraud and malware exploits make email untrusted
Triggers spam control measures Control “at any cost” results in considerable “collateral damage” Legitimate messaging is blocked or routed into oblivion
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Non-delivery is a growing problem
Return Path March 2004 Blocking and Filtering Report
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 5
Impact on non-profits
Messages don’t get through Slower list growthGreater risk of brand damage
Stigmatized as a spammerSpoofed by a phisher
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Social trends in spam control
Throw the baby out with the bathwaterBenefit of blocking offensive spam outweighs risk of non-delivery of legitimate email
Guilty until proven innocentNo special exemptions for messaging to members, for political or charitable appeals, etc.
VigilantismPrivate action required to stop spam; government action only makes it worse
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 7
Legal trends in spam control
CAN-SPAM of 2003Worsened spam problemOpt-out, not opt-in
Legalized unsolicited commercial messaging
Weak requirementsNo false headers/subjectsNo email harvestingWorking opt-outStudy do-not-email registry Pre-empted stricter state laws
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 8
Technical trends in spam control
Client-side delivery barriers to protect the inbox
Multiple, error-prone systemsAccessing each inbox becomes a job
Distributed spam id systemsMore complaints -> more barriers
Demand for sender authentication
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 9
Your deliverability depends on
List buildingSubscription managementContentEmail vendor performanceSpam complaint management
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 10
Value of permission
To establish & maintain a trust relationship with supportersTo improve response ratesTo defend the legitimacy of your messaging if challenged by ISP blocking, blacklisting, etc.
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Getting it and losing it
Request explicit permission whenever you collect email addresses
Link brand or publication name to every opt-in requestDocument all opt-ins – especially those collected offline
Respect permissionLet subscribers control their communication preferences Honor opt-out
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 12
List-building methods to avoid
Questionable Opt-in without positive action
Pre-checked opt-in
Hidden opt-inTransactional opt-inAuto-adding to other lists – especially independent orgs
Transferred opt-inList shares or buysCo-registration
Indefensible Opt-outEmail harvesting
From web pages or directories
E-pendingTo voter registration listsTo any list source without permission
>80% of recipients do not think a mailer who has their postal address on file "has the right to send me email"
http://www.proclickexchange.com/news/easyway.php
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Barriers to list growth:Challenge-response
Assumes sender is suspect unless listed in recipient's address book Imposes additional burden on publishers to “prove” their legitimacy prior to accessing inbox
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 14
Barriers to list growth: Getting into the address book
Serves as a local whitelist If you’re on it, email is deliveredIf you’re not, email will be blocked, routed or mangled
Use a persistent from: addressProvide instructions regularly
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Barriers to list growth: Email address churn
Basic list hygieneQuality control email capture
Easy subscription managementSelf-serve profile maintenanceNo complicated log-inPersonalized links
Address correction services
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Don’t make subscription management difficult
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Make it the starting point for relationship management
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Does content matter?
Generally, noMarket-leading spam systems rely on multiple filtersNon-profit content itself rarely exceeds triggers
But “false positives” do occurError-prone, rule-based systems exist among your audience
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 19
Understanding filters
Few filter by content aloneMarket-leaders like Spam Assassin
authenticate senderscheck blocklists & whitelistscheck distributed spam id systems
Spam complaints, list building and mailing practices drive delivery barriers
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 20
Email vendor mailing practices
GOODWhitelistedVerifiable senderThrottle by ISPCompliance with bounce mngmt standardsFeedback loops & Good ISP relationship mngmt
BADBlacklistedIncorrect DNSHigh send ratesHigh proportion hard bounce or invalid emailsNo respect for ISP customers & no relationship mngmt
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 21
Abuse complaint management
Operational removal/unsubscribeFeedback loops to automate complaint processingOngoing evaluation of list building practicesStrategic use of subscribers to communicate with ISPsMaintain a good reputation
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 22
What to expect (1)
Accountability For your list building & messaging practicesReputation based on measurable performance
VulnerabilityThreat to brand from being tarred a spammerIdentity theft by a spoofer or phisher
Increasing costsTo acquire permission-based namesTo respond to spam controlsTo obtain third-party certification
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 23
What to expect (2)
List growth challengesLess e-pending & co-registrationResistance to list sharing Decline in email viral marketing yields
New communication channelsAlternatives to email RSS syndication
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 24
Links - General
Best Spam resourceshttp://spamnews.com/blog/spamNEWS/index.htmlhttp://www.paulgraham.com/antispam.htmlhttp://spam.abuse.net
Spam legislation & regulationhttp://www.spamlaws.com/us.htmlhttp://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/spam/index.html
Anti-Spam tools in usehttp://spamotomy.com/http://www.nwfusion.com/reviews/2003/0915spam.htmlhttp://www.consumerreports.org/main/detailv2.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=322713&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=162693&bmUID=1057709143469
Anti-Spam activismhttp://spamlinks.port5.com/spamlinks.htmhttp://www.cauce.org/http://www.spamhaus.org/http://www.mail-abuse.org/
© 2004. GetActive Software. All rights reserved 10/1/2004 page 25
Links - Practical
Check your spam statushttp://www.senderbase.org/searchhttp://www.spamvertized.org/
Avoiding spam filtershttp://ezine-tips.com/articles/management/20020812.shtmlhttp://www.newsletterindustry.com/newsletterindustry-57-20021218AvoidingtheSpamTrap.html http://www.emailsherpa.com/barrier.cfm?currentID=2125http://www.emailsherpa.com/barrier.cfm?currentID=80
Challenge-responsehttp://blogs.onenw.org/jon/archives/000450.htmlhttp://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1204684,00.asphttp://www.templetons.com/brad/spam/challengeresponse.htmlhttp://kmself.home.netcom.com/Rants/challenge-response.html