How do hyperlinks in the body of an email affect deliverability?

Key findings

• Quantity vs. Quality: The number of hyperlinks is generally less critical than the reputation of the domains they point to and their relevance. Many legitimate publishers use dozens of links without issue.
• Domain Reputation: Links leading to domains with poor reputations, or those associated with spam or malicious activity, are major red flags for spam filters, regardless of how few links are present.
• Engagement Factor: Hyperlinks are crucial for encouraging recipient engagement (e.g., clicks). Low click-through rates, even with few links, can negatively impact sender reputation over time.
• Link Types: URL shorteners and full, unformatted URLs can be problematic. It's generally better to use descriptive, hyperlinked text.
• Third-Party Links: Including links to third-party domains that have poor practices or are shared by other questionable senders can affect your own deliverability.

Key considerations

• Audit Link Destinations: Regularly check that all domains you link to are reputable and free from malware or spam associations. A single bad link can trigger blocklists.
• Optimize for Engagement: Design your emails to encourage clicks on relevant links. High engagement is a strong positive signal to inbox providers.
• Prioritize User Experience: Use descriptive anchor text for your hyperlinks instead of raw URLs or overly generic phrases. This improves readability and user trust.
• Avoid Shortened URLs: Wherever possible, avoid generic URL shorteners, as they are frequently used by spammers and can reduce trust.

Key opinions

• Engagement is Key: Marketers largely agree that links are vital for providing recipients with a way to interact with content beyond the email itself. Without them, engagement opportunities are severely limited.
• Quality Over Quantity: Many experienced marketers find that the quality of the linked domain and its relevance to the email's content are far more impactful than the absolute number of links. Publishers frequently include numerous links without issue.
• Context Matters: The impact of links can depend on their setup. Links that are all from a single brand or serve as clear terms and conditions are generally viewed differently than those from multiple, unrelated brands.
• Avoiding Links is Counterproductive: Blanket advice to avoid all hyperlinks, including text links or only using a single call-to-action, is often considered misguided and detrimental to campaign goals.

Key considerations

• Monitor Click Behavior: Low click rates on numerous links can be a negative signal. Focus on making links desirable and relevant to encourage interaction.
• Brand Consistency: Ensure your links align with your brand's established practices and sender reputation. Links to unfamiliar or off-brand domains can raise suspicion.
• Hyperlinked Text: Prefer using descriptive hyperlinked text over displaying full URLs. This enhances readability and can prevent emails from appearing spammy.
• Strategic Placement: Place links strategically within your email body to guide the user journey without overwhelming them, ensuring each link serves a clear purpose. See our guide on how to increase email click through rate.

Key opinions

• Reputation is Paramount: The reputation of the linked domain (and its IP address) is a primary determinant of whether an email is flagged as spam. Linking to compromised or low-reputation sites is highly detrimental.
• Content's Role: Content reputation, which includes all elements within the email like partner content and linked domains, significantly impacts deliverability outcomes. This aligns with overall domain reputation considerations.
• Avoid Obscuration: URL shorteners and full, raw URLs can be viewed suspiciously. Hyperlinking descriptive text is preferred for clarity and trust.
• Engagement Signals: Inbox providers analyze recipient interaction with links. High click rates on legitimate links send positive signals, while a lack of clicks on many links can raise concerns.

Key considerations

• Secure Links: Always use HTTPS for all linked content. This is a fundamental trust signal for recipients and mailbox providers alike.
• Transparent Tracking: While tracking links are common, ensure they are implemented in a way that doesn't trigger spam filters. Some tracking links or redirects can be problematic, as explored in how link redirects affect email reputation.
• Regular Link Audits: Consistently check that your links are active, not broken, and lead to relevant, non-malicious content. Broken or suspicious links can hurt your sender reputation.
• Balance Content and Calls to Action: Ensure that your email content provides enough value independently, with links serving as natural extensions rather than the sole purpose of the email. Over-reliance on links can be seen as manipulative.

Key findings

• Shortened URLs are Risky: Many documentation sources explicitly warn against using generic URL shorteners, as they are frequently abused by spammers to hide malicious links.
• Hyperlinked Text is Preferred: Official advice leans heavily towards hyperlinking descriptive text rather than displaying full URLs. This makes emails easier to read and less likely to trigger spam filters.
• HTTPS Standard: Secure links (HTTPS) are consistently recommended over HTTP, as they signify a secure connection and are a positive trust signal for both users and email providers.
• Spam Flag for Excessive Links: Some documentation indicates that a large volume of hyperlinked text can be considered a red flag, as it's a tactic often employed by spammers.

Key considerations

• Compliance with Provider Guidelines: Adhering to the specific link guidelines provided by major ESPs (like Gmail and Yahoo) is crucial for maintaining optimal deliverability.
• Clear Call-to-Action: Even with multiple links, ensuring a clear and prominent call-to-action (CTA) or primary link helps guide the recipient and indicates the email's purpose.
• Testing: Regularly test emails with different link structures and content to see how they perform across various email clients and providers. Tools like an email deliverability tester can be invaluable.
• Functional Unsubscribe Links: Ensure your unsubscribe link is always present, functional, and clearly visible, as it's a mandatory requirement and affects subscriber trust.