# Deliverability - making sure your email doesn't look like spam

Reading and acting on the advice below will reduce the number of emails getting caught by spam filters and hopefully deliver more emails to your subscribers inboxes.


#### Alt tags on Images 
Use 'alt' tags on images. Just click the image after you've added it into an email and write a description for the 'alt/title' e.g. _Rebel holding pink banner reading Act Now_. This is good practice for accessibility for people with visual impairments who use screen readers, but could also help with deliverability.

#### Image sizes 
Don't use images over 600px wide. You can change the size after you've added it to the email.
Guidance on [adding images is here](https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/link/706#bkmrk-page-title).

#### Short Links
Don't use short links (e.g. don't use bitly.com/xxx or tinyurl.com/xxx or even XR's own short link generator [xrb.link](https://xrb.link/)  - it's fine to use these on telegram or social media- but not in emails. This doesn't mean you have to have a long link url on show - just hide it as a hyperlink.

The reason for this seems to be that people that send spam email often hide links behind shortlinks and so they make your make email look suspicious. 

#### Private data embeded in links  
VERY IMPORTANT - don't use links that you've copied out of other emails. Links from Action Network emails contain tracking links and people's personal Action Network ID's etc. You will get an error message if you do this of **"You appear to have a link with an Action Network ID attached"** - read [details of this error message](https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/link/614#bkmrk-page-title).

#### Reply-to email address
You will need to 'validate' your reply-to email address. This is quick to do and [the instruction are here](https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/link/1844#bkmrk-page-title).

You can use any email address as your reply-to e.g a gmail or protonmail address. Usually this would be your Local Group's (or campaign/community group) public contact email. But more of your subscribers are likely to get your newsletters/emails in their inboxes if you use a 'trusted domain' like extinctionrebellion.uk. This should make it less likely that your mailouts will be stopped by spam filters or diverted to 'junk' folders.

You can apply for your own email address in the format **_GroupName_@extinctionrebellion.uk** - [guidance on how to request one of these email address is here](https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/books/other-online-tech-tools/chapter/applying-for-and-using-extinctionrebellionuk-email-accounts). 
It is now very important for groups with list sizes over 5000 to use one of these address or another 'trusted domain'. If you have your own domain e.g. XR Nottingham have xrnottingham.org and use 'support@xrnottingham.org', but if you do this you should [set up the DMARC, DKIM records](https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/books/action-network-for-xr/page/installing-dkim-spf-and-dmarc-records).




#### Warning message when targeting emails
This warning is documented on the [Targeting and email](https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/link/1339#bkmrk-page-title) page.

#### Engagement
Extra guidance can be read in the [AN Deliverability Checklist](https://help.actionnetwork.org/hc/en-us/articles/18929552061204-Deliverability-Checklist) and the full [Deliverability Training (15min) video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3yMoIAWApk). If you watch these and feel out of your depth, then reach out to the [Action Network Data Team](https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk/books/action-network-for-xr/page/contact-the-action-network-data-team) for support.