Summary
The consensus is that AMP code itself is unlikely to *directly* cause increased spam placement in email clients like Outlook and Hotmail, even if they don't render AMP. However, *indirect* factors related to AMP implementation and general email sending best practices significantly impact deliverability. These factors include poorly implemented AMP code, reliance on external resources, failing AMP validation, complex code increasing the risk of errors, and a subpar HTML fallback for non-supporting clients. Experts and documentation emphasize the importance of strong email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), maintaining a good sender reputation through responsible sending practices (list hygiene, content quality, engagement), and thoroughly testing emails across different clients and devices. Ultimately, deliverability depends more on these fundamental factors than the mere presence of AMP code.
Key findings
- AMP Indirect Impact: While not a direct cause, poorly implemented AMP can indirectly lead to spam issues.
- HTML Fallback Crucial: A well-optimized HTML fallback ensures a good experience for clients not supporting AMP.
- Authentication Is Key: Strong email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is paramount for deliverability.
- Reputation Matters: A positive sender reputation, built on engagement and responsible practices, is critical.
- Content Quality Counts: Avoiding spam triggers and providing valuable content improves deliverability.
Key considerations
- Validate AMP Code: Ensure AMP code is valid and adheres to specifications.
- Optimize HTML Fallback: Invest in a well-designed HTML fallback for clients without AMP support.
- Implement Authentication: Set up and maintain SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for your sending domain.
- Maintain List Hygiene: Regularly remove unengaged subscribers from your email list.
- Avoid Spam Triggers: Carefully review your email content for elements that might trigger spam filters.
- Test Across Clients: Thoroughly test your emails in different email clients and devices before sending.
What email marketers say
12 marketer opinions
While AMP code itself is unlikely to directly cause spam placement, especially in email clients that don't fully support it like Outlook and Hotmail, several factors related to AMP implementation can indirectly affect deliverability. These include poorly implemented AMP code, reliance on external resources, failure to provide a well-optimized HTML fallback, and increased email complexity leading to mistakes. Furthermore, standard deliverability best practices such as email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), maintaining a clean and engaged email list, avoiding spam triggers in content, and thoroughly testing emails across different clients are crucial for preventing spam filtering, regardless of AMP usage. Sender reputation and recipient engagement also play a significant role in deliverability.
Key opinions
- Direct Impact Unlikely: AMP code itself doesn't directly cause spam placement, particularly in clients that don't fully support it.
- Indirect Impact Possible: Poorly implemented AMP, reliance on external resources, and complex code can indirectly increase spam likelihood.
- Importance of Fallback: A well-optimized HTML fallback is essential to provide a good user experience for clients not supporting AMP.
- Authentication is Key: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) remains crucial for deliverability.
- Engagement Matters: Recipient engagement (opens, clicks, replies) significantly impacts deliverability.
Key considerations
- Validate AMP: Ensure AMP code is validated to prevent rendering issues and potential spam flags.
- Optimize HTML Fallback: Create a robust and well-optimized HTML fallback for email clients that don't support AMP.
- Sender Reputation: Monitor and maintain a positive sender reputation through responsible sending practices.
- List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list by removing unengaged subscribers.
- Content Quality: Avoid spam triggers in your email content, such as excessive punctuation or misleading subject lines.
- Email Testing: Thoroughly test your emails across different email clients and devices to ensure proper rendering and deliverability.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Litmus responds that adding AMP code might increase the complexity of your email, thus increasing the chances of making a mistake that could flag spam filters. For example, including too many scripts, failing to provide a proper HTML fallback, or using outdated or deprecated AMP components may negatively affect your deliverability.
27 Nov 2024 - Litmus
Marketer view
Email marketer from HubSpot answers that while they do not directly address AMP, they provide a list of common spam triggers to avoid in your emails, such as using excessive exclamation points, spammy words, or misleading subject lines. Avoiding these triggers can help improve your deliverability, regardless of whether you are using AMP or not.
2 Apr 2022 - HubSpot
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Experts emphasize that while AMP code itself might not directly trigger spam filters, the overall email content, structure, and links significantly influence spam placement. Additionally, a strong sender reputation is crucial for email deliverability, and a poor reputation due to factors like sending to unengaged users or high complaint rates can cause emails to be filtered as spam, irrespective of the presence of AMP.
Key opinions
- Content Matters: Overall email content, structure, and links play a significant role in spam filtering.
- Reputation is Key: A strong sender reputation is crucial for email deliverability.
- AMP Indirect Impact: AMP code itself might not directly trigger spam filters, but associated content issues can.
Key considerations
- Review Content: Carefully review email content, structure, and links to avoid elements commonly found in spam.
- Monitor Reputation: Actively monitor and maintain a good sender reputation by adhering to best practices.
- Engagement is Important: Focus on sending to engaged users and reducing complaint rates to improve sender reputation.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that your sending reputation is crucial for email deliverability. Even if AMP code itself doesn't cause spam placement, a poor sender reputation due to other factors (e.g., sending to unengaged users, high complaint rates) can lead to emails being filtered as spam, regardless of their content.
4 Aug 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that while specific code snippets like AMP might not directly trigger spam filters, the overall content, structure, and links within an email play a significant role. Including elements that are commonly found in spam emails can increase the likelihood of being filtered, regardless of whether AMP is present.
6 Aug 2022 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Documentation suggests that while invalid AMP might not directly cause spam filtering, it can degrade user experience and indirectly affect deliverability. Microsoft emphasizes well-formatted HTML emails due to limited AMP support, while the IETF and M3AAWG highlight the importance of email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), sender reputation, list hygiene, and content quality for overall deliverability, regardless of AMP usage.
Key findings
- Validation Matters: AMP emails must adhere to validation rules for correct rendering.
- Authentication is Crucial: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is critical for establishing sender reputation and improving deliverability.
- Best Practices Apply: General recommendations for responsible sending practices apply to all email campaigns, including those with or without AMP.
- Limited AMP Support: Microsoft (Outlook/Hotmail) has limited support for AMP emails, emphasizing well-formatted HTML.
Key considerations
- Validate AMP Code: Ensure AMP code is validated to avoid rendering issues and deliverability problems.
- Implement Authentication: Properly implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve sender reputation.
- Follow Best Practices: Adhere to best practices for email sending, including list hygiene and content quality.
- Prioritize HTML: For Outlook and Hotmail, prioritize well-formatted HTML emails due to limited AMP support.
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft outlines supported email technologies. Given that Microsoft (Outlook/Hotmail) has limited support for AMP emails, the documentation emphasizes focusing on well-formatted HTML emails for the best rendering experience. The documentation doesn't discuss AMP-specific spam filters, but stresses the importance of email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) for deliverability.
1 Oct 2021 - Microsoft Documentation
Technical article
Documentation from AMP.dev explains that AMP emails must adhere to specific validation rules. Failing to validate can cause the email to not render correctly. While the documentation doesn't explicitly state that invalid AMP will cause spam filtering, it does mention that failing validation degrades the user experience, which may indirectly affect deliverability.
24 May 2022 - AMP.dev
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