Email is everywhere these days. That may sound like an exaggeration, but it’s based in facts. Research indicates an average of 269 billion emails were sent every day in 2017. That number is only going to rise as more and more people get access to the necessary devices.
That’s why email security is more important than ever. We are in a post-GDPR world where privacy and security concerns are top of mind, and will likely remain so. Additionally, as more emails get sent, the likelihood of people sending emails with sensitive content rises.
No matter what industry you work in, learning how to send a secure email will be crucial to your future success. As of now, a mere 25% of consumers believe companies handle their information responsibly. You don’t want to give them a reason to stop trusting your organization.
These email security best practices will help. Start applying them now to avoid the kind of data breaches that erode customer trust.
Include a Double Opt-In for Added Email Security
Another way to confirm that everyone signing up for your email list is actually real involves adding an extra step to the opt-in process. This email security tip is relatively easy to implement, too.
Prompts that ask users to sign up for an email newsletter often simply ask for their name and email address to add their information to the list. However, the double opt-in process requires users to confirm they’ve received an initial confirmation email before the process is totally complete.
Knowing how to make email secure often involves knowing the people to whom you are sending emails aren’t actually bots. Asking users to complete one more step when signing up for your email list helps you confirm this.
Avoid Email Security Threats by Using Encryption Tools
Email platforms sometimes allow users to send encrypted emails. For instance, if you use Google Chrome and Gmail, the SafeGmail Chrome extension encrypts messages for free. They can be sent to an addressed associated with any email provider, so the recipient does not have to use Gmail to receive an encrypted message. Investigate whether your email platform offers a similar tool, and be sure to take advantage of it if so to boost your email security.
Use Verification Tools to Send Secure Email
Making sure the addresses you send emails to are valid is one of the most important email security best practices, and one that people shouldn’t overlook.
This email security tip is particularly worth keeping in mind if you often send emails to large amounts of people at once. By using an email verification tool to check the addresses on your list before sending messages, you can determine whether your subscribers are who they say they are, or whether some of the addresses are invalid, associated with bots, or otherwise represent email security threats.
Again, trends make it clear it’s more important than ever to know how to send a secure email. Luckily, you don’t need sophisticated technical knowledge to keep your emails secure and avoid these email security threats. These simple steps will help you avoid breaches and maintain customer trust.