Email marketing helps organizations reach out to their customers, make connections, and boost sales. There are, however, some potential dangers. According to the FBI, there’s been a sharp rise in Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks, causing billions of dollars in losses each year, underscoring how important it is to keep your email marketing efforts safe.
Understanding Email Marketing Risks
Scammers use common tactics like phishing, spam, and data breaches to exploit personal data, commit fraud, or sell the information for financial gain. With phishing, scammers pretend to be trusted sources to steal sensitive information, while with spam unwanted mass emails are sent to unsuspecting victims.
On the other hand, hackers can also access private information, such as customer details causing data breaches that can ruin your reputation, or even get you into trouble with the law. With this in mind, here are 9 handy tips to stay safe when doing email marketing.
Best Practices for Safe Email Marketing
1. Use Top Virus Protection Software
Antivirus software is the most common way to protect your email marketing efforts from viruses, phishing scams, and data breaches. It’s important to find the top virus protection software in order to get the best protection possible. According to Tech Expert Krishi Chowdhary, high-quality antivirus programs offer strong security, real-time threat detection, and reliable performance, keeping your email marketing tools and data safe.
A good virus protection software can also check email attachments and links for dangerous software that could hurt your data or disrupt your campaigns. When selecting security tools for your email marketing, antivirus software should be part of a broader strategy that includes secure email marketing platforms, strong authentication, and regular security audits.
2. Understand and Comply with Email Regulations
A key part of safe email marketing is following regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in California. These laws require you to get explicit consent from recipients before sending marketing emails. Make sure your email list only includes those who have opted in.
When collecting email addresses, be clear about the type of content subscribers will receive and include a checkbox for them to agree.
Keep your email list up to date by removing outdated or invalid addresses. Regularly clearing out inactive or bounced emails helps protect your reputation and improves the chances of your emails reaching the intended audience.
In addition, there can also be consequences for non-compliance:
Fines
Marketers or organizations who don’t follow the rules can be fined a lot of money. A clear example is when the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) fined several brokerage firms in 2021.
Cambridge Investment Research and KMS Financial Services, among others, were fined $750,000 when hackers gained control of employee email accounts and exposed the personal information of thousands of customers and clients.
Reputation Damage
If you don’t follow the rules, people might not trust your business anymore. This can make it hard to sell things and get new customers.
Legal Trouble
You could get into legal trouble if you don’t follow applicable regulations. This can be stressful and expensive.
3. Use a Secure Email Marketing Platform
Choosing the right email marketing platform is necessary for security. Research and look for providers with a good reputation and positive reviews and are easy to navigate and use, even if you’re not tech-savvy.
To protect your data, look for platforms with strong security features like strong encryption and two-factor authentication. Trustworthy providers also have ways to stop phishing attacks aimed at their users. Mailchimp and Constant Contact are popular platforms that provide these features.
4. Implement Strong Authentication Methods
Keep subscribers’ information safe using the following tools:
MFA
Always use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security.
Encryption
This scrambles your data, making it hard for others to read. Even if someone gets your password, they will still need another way to verify it’s you to access your account.
Strong Passwords
Also, use passwords that are strong, unique, and hard to guess. Avoid using the same password across multiple accounts, and update your passwords regularly. This simple step can prevent unauthorized access to your email marketing tools.
5. Deploy Email Authentication Protocols
Email authentication is like showing your ID to prove you’re who you say you are. It makes sure your emails are really from you and not from a scammer. Here are some tools you can use:
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance)
This sets policies for how email servers should handle emails that fail authentication checks. DMARC policies give mail carriers instructions on what to do if they’re unsure whether a letter is fake, and you get a report about suspicious activity.
Avoid sharing your email list with third parties unless necessary, and ensure they follow strict security measures. Regularly backup your email lists, but store these backups securely to prevent unauthorized access.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
SPF tells email servers which IP addresses are authorized to send emails on your behalf. It helps prevent scammers from sending fake emails pretending to be you.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails, proving nothing hasn’t been changed on its way to the recipient.
6. Conduct Regular Security Audits
To keep your email marketing safe, regularly monitor your campaigns to help you find weak spots in your email marketing system. Review your email practices, software, and data protection measures.
A sudden drop in open rates or deliverability can indicate problems like your emails being marked as spam or a security breach. You can quickly spot and address potential threats by staying alert and using safe email practices.
To check if your system is safe, you can use tools like Nessus, OpenVAS, or Qualys, or you can hire a security expert to check your system and give you advice. To keep your email marketing secure, ensure your software is always up to date and back up your data regularly.
Keep copies of your email lists, campaign details, and other important files in a safe place, like cloud storage. This way, your data is protected and can be easily restored if a breach or data loss occurs. Always have a recovery plan in case something goes wrong.
7. Educate Your Team and Clients
Security is a team effort. Make sure your team is well-trained in email marketing best practices and security measures. Keep everyone updated on the latest threats and how to avoid them through regular training sessions.
Encourage your clients to report any suspicious emails they receive. You can get useful information from their feedback.
8. Stay Informed About Security Threats
Cybersecurity is always changing, so it’s important to stay updated. Regularly check cybersecurity news to learn about new threats and how to protect your email marketing efforts.
Subscribe to alerts from cybersecurity groups and update your email marketing strategies as needed. For example, if a new phishing scam targets email marketers, make sure to update your security measures to stay protected.
Wrapping Up
You have to be vigilant and conduct regular updates to keep your email marketing safe. It’s important to stay informed and continuously improve your tools and strategies as security threats are also constantly evolving.
For businesses looking to improve their email deliverability and domain security, contact us at PowerDMARC to get a free expert consultation.
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