can-spam rules: 4 ways to make sure you’re compliant
Even if you aren’t a “spammer,” if you send out email newsletters or other marketing that’s delivered by email, you should make sure you’re CAN-SPAM compliant according to federal legislation. Each individual violation of the regulation is subject to fines of $16,000. Fortunately it’s fairly easy to ensure your email marketing is okay. Your mailings are CAN-SPAM compliant if:
1. Your subject line isn’t misleading, and advertisements are clearly labeled as such.
2. Your email headers, sender email address and other identifying information isn’t tampered with in order to conceal your identity.
3. The body of your email contains a valid physical address of the sender (not a PO Box).
4. Your email includes an opt-out feature and you honor all opt-out requests within 10 business days of receipt.
If you meet these requirements, generally speaking, your email will be compliant. If you’re not sure, there are free and paid services available to test your email for compliance. One such service is SpamFighter.
