How to Prevent Studio Ninja Emails from Landing in Clients’ Junk Mail

Ever wonder why your emails end up in your clients’ junk folders? When using platforms like Studio Ninja, it’s crucial to ensure your emails reach your clients’ inboxes. Let’s dive into the steps you need to take to improve your email deliverability rates and keep your emails out of the dreaded junk folder.

Why Do Emails End Up in Junk Folders?

When you send emails via a third party (i.e., Studio Ninja, Dubsado, Flodesk, MailChimp, or any other platform), your email host doesn’t know if it’s really from you. Your email host gets worried that your email has been altered or tampered with somewhere between you typing it and it reaching them. So, you need to tell your email host that you approve emails from that third party – that way, it’ll flag them as safe and give the email host a way of verifying that the contents of that email have not been tampered with.

Step 1: Add a Studio Ninja SPF Record

SPF stands for Sender Policy Framework. It’s like a security badge for your emails, showing they’re really from you.

Here’s how to add the SPF Record:

1. Log in to your domain provider. This might be someone like GoDaddy, Wix, Google Workspace, or CrazyDomains – wherever you purchased your web domain.
2. Go to your domain’s DNS settings (think of it as your email’s backstage).
3. Add a new TXT Record.
4. Copy and paste this into the ‘value’ field:

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:spf.studioninja.co ~all

(Note: If you’re not using Gmail, you’ll need a different code from your email provider. Your Host Name will be your domain name – e.g. kpvirtualassistance.com.au)

Step 2: Add a DKIM Record

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is another layer of security that verifies your emails are legit.

Here’s how to generate a DKIM key:

• For Gmail or G Suite:
  • Log in to the Google Admin Console.
  • Navigate to Apps > Google Workspace > Gmail > Authenticate Email.
  • Follow the instructions to generate a DKIM key.
    
• For Office 365:
  • Log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
  • Go to Settings > Domains.
  • Select your domain and follow the prompts to set up DKIM.
    
• For web hosting services:
  • Log in to your web hosting control panel (like cPanel).
  • Look for sections like Email Authentication, Email Security, or Advanced DNS Zone Editor.
  • Find the DKIM section and follow the instructions to generate a DKIM key.

Add the DKIM Record to Your DNS:

1. Access your DNS settings.
2. Add a new TXT Record.
3. For the host/name, enter the DKIM selector provided by your email service (e.g., google._domainkey for Google).
4. In the value field, paste the DKIM key you generated earlier.
5. Once the TXT record is added, go back to your email service provider’s admin settings and activate the DKIM by following the prompts.

Step 3: Add a DMARC Record

DMARC helps prevent your emails from being used for phishing scams.

Here’s how to add the DMARC Record:

1. Access your DNS settings.
2. Add a new TXT Record.
   • Host Name: _dmarc.[YOUR DOMAIN] – for example: _dmarc.kpvirtualassistance.com.au
   • Value: v=DMARC1; p=none; adkim=r; aspf=r

Step 4: Use a Domain-Based Email Address

Using an email address that matches your domain (like hello@kpvirtualassistance.com.au) instead of a generic one (like yourphotographybusiness@gmail.com) makes your emails look more professional and trustworthy.

While using hello@yourdomain.com is not inherently bad, using name@yourdomain.com can improve your chances even further of reaching your clients’ inboxes due to the personalized and trustworthy nature of personalized addresses.

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By following these steps, you can significantly improve your email deliverability rates and ensure that your Studio Ninja emails land in your clients’ inboxes, not their junk folders. Implement these changes today and watch your client communication soar!

These steps don’t guarantee a 100% deliverability rate, and from time to time your emails still work their way into junk. Personally, I find this is worst when emailing hotmail addresses. BUT by following these steps, you’ll see a big improvement in your email deliverability. Your important messages will land where they’re supposed to – right in your clients’ inboxes.

Need help with setting up your email settings or streamlining your photography business? Contact KP Virtual Assistance today and let’s get your email delivery optimised!