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In this post, I put together a quick email marketing checklist to help you catch last-minute errors before hitting send.
If you want to go beyond the basics, I’ve also included a comprehensive checklist to help you refine your entire email marketing strategy and improve campaign performance in advance.
I’ll start with the quick checklist, but if you’re ready for the full version, jump here.
If your time is limited and the campaign has to launch today, run through this email campaign checklist to make sure your email is fully optimized and ready to land in inboxes.
For that, you don’t need any fancy tools. If you’re using a modern email service provider (ESP), you can test and tweak everything directly from your account. So make sure:
- The subject line and preheader are clear and engaging. Avoid suspicious words that might trigger spam filters. Use tools like Mailtrap’s Spam Checker to scan your email for words or formatting that might get it flagged as spam.
- Email content is error-free and easy to read. Check for typos, grammar mistakes, and awkward phrasing to maintain clarity.
- Personalization and dynamic fields display correctly. Verify that merge tags (e.g., [First Name]) work as expected for all recipients.
- Links and call-to-actions (CTAs) work properly. Test every button, image, and text link to confirm they direct users to the right place without any issues.
- Images load correctly and have alt text. Check that images display as intended and include alt text to improve accessibility and provide context if they don’t load.
- Unsubscribe link is there for compliance. Confirm that there is a clear opt-out option so that your email meets requirements of CAN-SPAM, GDPR, CASL, CCPA, and other relevant regulations.
- Email displays correctly on all devices and clients. Test formatting on mobile, desktop, and various email platforms. Many ESPs offer preview functionality to help you spot and fix any formatting issues before they reach your audience like Mailtrap HTML checker.
- You chose the correct audience segment. Double-check that the email is going to the right group of audience.
- Email is tested in an actual inbox. Send a test email to yourself and your team, and review everything in an actual inbox before sending it to your subscribers. Again, as an alternative you could try Mailtrap Email Testing service.
Full campaign preparation checklist
Most email mistakes happen long before the emails are sent. A well-thought-out preparation stage makes it easier to catch and prevent issues before they harm your campaign.
This ultimate email marketing checklist will help you get everything right so your emails achieve the best results.
I’ve broken down the checklist into logical sections to make it more readable and easy to follow.
Email list management
A strong email list is about quality and engagement, not just the number of subscribers. So check that:
- The email list is of high quality and contains only interested contacts
- The email list is collected organically. All the subscribers have opted in willingly and are interested in receiving your messages.
- Subscribers are active. Regularly monitor open rates, click-through rates, and reply rates to check for healthy interaction levels.
- Low-engagement contacts are removed or suppressed. You’ve cleaned out unresponsive subscribers to maintain high list quality.
- Unsubscribes are processed right away. All opt-out requests are processed without delays.
- Emails are targeting the right people
- The audience is segmented. You’ve grouped subscribers based on factors that help you deliver curated content specifically for them.
- Segments align with campaign goals. Your audience is grouped in a way that matches your email campaign objectives.
- The segments are reviewed and updated regularly. You review and adjust your lists to keep them accurate and effective on a regular basis (every 3-6 months).
Check out our dedicated guide to learn more ways to keep your email list fresh and the best tools to use.
Email deliverability
Only about 30% of successful deliverability depends on ESP. All the rest is in your hands. So, confirm that:
- You have a reliable email infrastructure
- Email service provider is trustworthy. You’re using a reputable ESP with the following features:
- Strong email deliverability and compliance with industry standards
- Built-in SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication support
- Reliable sender reputation monitoring and blacklist checks
- Advanced automation for scheduling and segmentation
- Detailed analytics to track open rates, clicks, and engagement
- Easy integration with other marketing and CRM tools
- Robust security features to prevent spoofing and phishing
- Email authentication is set up correctly. You’ve checked that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are in place, tested them to make sure they work, and confirmed they align to prevent spoofing. Explore our dedicated guide for a deeper look into email security protocols and how they work.
- Your IP and domain have good reputations. You’ve reviewed your sending IP and domain health to make sure they aren’t blacklisted and maintain strong deliverability.
- You warmed up your IP and domain properly. You’ve gradually increased sending volume to build a good reputation without rushing the process.
- Email service provider is trustworthy. You’re using a reputable ESP with the following features:
Email sending
Your sending pattern means a lot. So, before sending, check that:
- There is a defined and consistent sending schedule
- Sending frequency is optimized. You’ve set a consistent sending schedule based on audience expectations and adjusted it using engagement metrics.
- Best send times are tested and applied. You’ve run A/B tests to find the most effective days and times for engagement.
- Emails are scheduled and time zone-friendly. Your emails go out at the right time for each recipient’s location.
Email content
An email’s success depends on how relevant, engaging, and personal it feels to a recipient. If the content doesn’t connect with them, they won’t read it. Let alone take action.
So, make sure that:
- Emails feel personal and relevant.
- Personalization is done right. You used subscriber data like names, past interactions, or preferences and it works correctly.
- Greetings and sign-offs feel natural.You addressed recipients by name and used a friendly, conversational tone that fits your brand tone.
- Your email content is valuable. You’ve researched your target audience’s needs, interests, and pain points and compiled a letter that meets readers’expectations.
- Subject lines make people want to open
- Email subject line is clear and compelling. You used concise, engaging language that sparks curiosity or highlights value. It should be short and easy to read.
- No spammy words or symbols. You kept subject lines free of excessive caps, emojis, or misleading phrases to enhance deliverability.
- The unsubscribe option is visible and clear
- Unsubscribing is quick and easy for recipients. Every email has a clear unsubscribe link, and subscribers can opt out with just one click — no unnecessary steps.
- The unsubscribe process is tested and confirmed. You’ve confirmed that the link works properly and removes users from the email list as expected.
Email design
An effective email needs to look good and function seamlessly across all devices and email clients.
So check that your:
- Email is responsive and renders across all devices and email clients
- Email template you use adjusts to all devices and email clients. You checked formatting, images, and layouts on desktops, tablets, mobile devices, and major email clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, etc.), tested templates, and saved them for the next use.
- Images and media load fast. You optimized visuals to prevent slow load times on mobile networks.
Check out our detailed guide to find out how to test your emails on different email clients.
Email testing
Before any campaign is launched, you need to test its various aspects to make sure your subscribers would be glad to get messages from you. So check the following elements:
- There are no broken links, CTAs or images. You clicked through all links, checked images, and tested buttons to confirm they work properly.
- You ran spam and inbox placement tests. You checked for spam triggers and confirmed that emails will land in inboxes.
- You reviewed personalization and dynamic content. You verified that merge tags and conditional content display correctly for each recipient.
- You checked the plain text version. You reviewed the plain text alternative to ensure readability for users who can’t view HTML emails.
- You tested email load time. You made sure large images or unnecessary elements don’t slow down your email’s loading speed.
Wrapping up
Even the most experienced email marketers don’t rely on guesswork. They test, adjust, and optimize every part of their campaigns to maximize results.
So take advantage of this checklist to give your email marketing campaigns the best chance of increasing engagement and conversion rates. This extra effort upfront will pay off in higher deliverability, conversions, and customer satisfaction.
Also, check out these guides. They’ll help you learn more and step up your email game.
