Multi-thread emails (Reply/Forward)
To maintain a consistent conversation across many emails, multiple threads are used.
Example: "Re: Fitness equipment order" or "Fwd: Fitness equipment order" Sometimes even two or more threads are employed. For instance, "Fwd: Re: Fwd: Fitness equipment order."
Even before an email is delivered, the recipient's system checks chain conversations and identifies forged fwd:/re: emails. Any emails without the proper fwd/re footprints are quarantined, usually in the spam folder. If you add fwd/re tags in your email campaigns and your recipient finds out that there are no previous conversations, they may feel skeptical and mark it spam.
Email threads are maintained through the following technical information:
- Message ID - a code created to maintain the identity of the first email and it's sender.
- Reply to/References - two values that are maintained over the course of a thread.
This technical information is automatically generated when sending an email.
A system can easily recognize a chained email thread by observing the presence or absence of the In Reply To and References.
You may include "Re:" or "Fwd:" in the subject line or copy-paste breakpoints, style lines, and salutations in the content but the technical information cannot be forged.
Emails without proper In Reply To and References info with a subject line containing "re:" or "fwd:" will be quarantined or marked as spam. If the system recognizes enough fake multi-thread emails from the same source, the source domain's reputation will be degraded. In some cases, the domain may be blacklisted, unable to reach any customers via email.
First Message will have a Message ID
First message will not have In-Reply-To and Reference values
First message will not have In-Reply-To and Reference values
In-Reply-To and References will be found only in genuine reply or forward messages.
Solutions
- Avoid using fake multi-thread emails to improve deliverability.
- If you want your email recipients to recollect your previously sent campaigns, then you can include a reference to your previous newsletter in a box or within quotes as shown below:
Scenario 1:
When you send a campaign and want to ensure that your email recipients will remember your previous conversation/ campaign.
Scenario 2:
When sending an email to someone you met at a trade show or conference and want to make sure they remember your previous conversation.
Conclusion
An honest marketing strategy will get a better response than a fake one. You now know the consequences of using fake multithread emails. We recommend that you build your marketing strategy genuinely.
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