8 reasons for testing your email before you send it

We keep hearing tons of excuses for not testing your emails. “We don’t have time, this email has to be sent now!” “I’m using the same design as last month; nothing’s changed,” “This email looks fine on my computer, so it probably looks fine everywhere.”

But nothing could be further from the truth. Email clients change, meaning your design could break. And nothing looks worse than an email with spelling errors. Before you hit that ‘send’ button, check whether your email meets the criteria below.

It is easier to check your email upfront then to repair it when the damage is already done.

1. Email clients change

Email clients change and adapt their platform. For instance, some time ago Gmail changed the way they display images, and Hotmail and Outlook.com no longer support margins.

Your email template might have been fine last month; that doesn’t mean the same will be true this month. So always perform a test to check whether your email still looks good on every device.

2. Broken links

Broken and incorrect links – it happens to the best of us. Unless you’re sending a plain text email, URLs are usually hidden behind a hyperlink or button. You don’t want to send your subscribers to a 404 page and miss out on conversion. So test each link in your email before you send it.

3. The subject

Did you change the placeholder text? Sending out a newsletter titled ‘newsletter October’ while it should have been ‘11 email blunders you can prevent’ would be a real shame. If you’re using emoticons or special characters, don’t forget to check whether they are supported in a variety of clients.

4. The preheader

Some email clients (Gmail, Outlook) display the preheader next to the subject line. Use this precious space to persuade the recipient to open your email! If you do not enter any text here, the clients will automatically display the first few sentences in your email instead.

5. Speeling errors

We all make them every now and then. And no matter how badly we might want to, once we send an email, there’s no way to undo it. So look for the biggest language enthusiast in your organisation and have them proofread your newsletter. Ask them to check every single period and comma. This reduces the risk of sending an email with a spelling error to thousands of people.

6. Sender name and sending emails from a no-reply address

Have the sender name and the reply-to address been spelled correctly? Make sure the sender is clearly recognisable for your subscribers.

Email marketers using a no-reply address as missing a major opportunity: that of interaction with their recipients. Even though an email itself may be full of buttons, if you send it through a no-reply address you’re sending your customer a pretty clear signal that you’re not interested in a response.

7. Wrong images and missing ALT texts

When it comes to images, you need to make sure they are loaded correctly and have a decent backup in case they don’t work.

In your test mailing, check whether the placeholder images have been replaced and whether the right images are in the right place. This is especially important if you send mailings regularly. Someone may have moved a number of files.

Many email clients block images automatically. This is why it’s important to add the right ALT text.

8. Unwanted blue links on iOS devices

Phone numbers, addresses, data and even some words like ‘tonight’ are often underlined and made blue on iPhones and iPads. These links allow people to take certain actions, like calling someone or adding an event to a calendar.

This could be useful for the recipient, but these links can actually be a nuisance in some cases, ruining your carefully planned branding. Additionally, they can make your message hard to read at times.