The New York Times; Postage Is Due for Companies Sending Email

New York Times Article

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Why Email Stamps Are a Bad Idea

The introduction of the email stamp model by Goodmail is a radical departure from the current email ecosystem. While I’m all for change and believe the spam problem is still real, I don’t think stamps are the answer. Rich Gingras of Goodmail, who I have a tremedous amount of respect for, has laid out some of his arguments for this plan here in the DMNews blog. I’ll respond to those arguments as well as add some others in this posting.

It seems that Rich’s main argument in favor of stamps is that whitelists don’t work. While he clearly does understand ISPs (he used to work at one), he doesn’t seem to understand the world of publishers and marketers. His solution is fundamentally hostile to the way they do business ….

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AOL and Goodmail: Two steps back for email, Part II

There’s been a lot of noise this week since the news broke about AOL and Goodmail, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to change the direction of the dialog a little bit.

First, there are two main issues here, and I think it’s healthy to separate them and address them separately. One issue is the merits of an email stamp system like the one Goodmail is proposing, relative to other methods of improving and ensuring email deliverability. The second issue — and the one that got me started earlier this week – is the question of AOL making usage of Goodmail stamps a mandatory event, replacing its enhanced whitelist. To really separate the issues, this posting will tackle the second question, and the next posting will tackle the first question.

I have reached out to Charles Stiles this morning to try to clarify AOL’s position …

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Direct Newsline; AOL- Goodmail Deal Called Cynical Money Grab

AOL’s announcement that it would begin implementing Goodmail’s CertifiedEmail program and phasing out its enhanced whitelist is being denounced by at least one top industry executive as a cynical attempt to get more money out of non-spamming marketers…

Direct Newsline News Article

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AOL and Goodmail: Two steps back for email

Remember the old email hoax about Hillary Clinton pushing for email taxation? When we first heard AOL’s plans for Goodmail today, we thought maybe the hoax had re-surfaced and a few industry reporters got hooked by it. But alas, this tax plan seems to be true.

AOL has long held the leading standard in email whitelisting. Every email sender who cares about delivery has tried to keep their email reputation high so that they could earn placement on AOL’s coveted Enhanced Whitelist. Now, AOL may be saying that those standards don’t matter…

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Consumer Courtship

Every marketer knows that email works when it is done right. Yet the data shows that precious few make that happen in their email programs. Consumers want your email, will open your email, and will buy from you via email–if you build a relationship and keep that relationship relevant. Think of it as a courtship–with better odds.

A recent Return Path survey analyzing consumer use of email during the holiday shopping season showed that consumers respond to email when they have an ongoing positive experience with the sender and have received value from their email program…

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Reputation Scores Analyzed

We’ve had a few questions about IronPort’s announcement this week regarding its new reputation scoring for URLs, what it means for the world of reputation checks, and what it means for marketers.

There seems to be another announcement on reputation services weekly these days. What marketers need to know is this: you have a reputation, and that reputation matters. The more data you can get on your reputation as it relates to how email receivers…

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Spam is Dead. Long Live Spam!

As pointed out in The Register this week, it’s now been exactly two years since Bill Gates declared that Microsoft would eliminate spam in two years.

Hmmm.  Let’s think about that.  Filters do keep getting better, which Gates predicted.  But challenge/response filtering seems to be dead in the water, and the notion that we’re all going to pay for email stamps…

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Can I get a list of spam words to avoid?

By: Tom Sather; ISP and Deliverability Consultant and
Stephanie Miller; VP of Strategic Solutions

This is a common question from email marketers. The bad news is that nearly every effective direct marketing word can be found on these lists. The good news is that It isn’t really about a list of words per se, it’s how the filters see a constantly evolving combinations of words get used that trigger the filters.

We always suggest that clients write great marketing copy for their offer, marketing goals, brand and audience, and then test their creative for current triggers using our Campaign Preview and Spam Filter Monitor tools. Often, the flagged words include…

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MediaPost; Email Marketers Face Holiday Backlash

MediaPost News Article

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