Over the past couple of decades, email has become an integral part of our lives, with an astonishing 333.2 billion flying back and forth across the globe daily. We rely on our inboxes to keep us connected and informed, but regardless of how careful you might be with your email address, unsolicited spam emails still sneak their way into your inbox. With almost half of all emails sent being spam, you can follow the tips below to keep your inbox spam-free without missing out on important emails.  

Strategies to manage spam emails 

Use filters 

Most email clients have built-in filtering tools that allow you to automatically sort incoming email into different folders based on specific criteria. For example, you can create a filter to automatically transfer emails from certain senders or with specific subject lines to your spam folder. 

Block senders 

If you’re constantly receiving spam emails from a specific sender, you can block the sender to prevent their emails from appearing in your inbox. Most email clients have a "block sender" option you can use. 

Mark emails as spam 

If an email ends up in your inbox but should be in your spam folder, you can mark it as spam. This helps your email client's spam filter learn to automatically sort similar emails into the spam folder in the future. 

Use anti-spam software 

There are several third-party anti-spam software programs available to help you block unwanted emails. These programs, which can be integrated with your email client, use advanced algorithms to identify and block spam emails. 

Email clients are pretty good at keeping spam at bay, but sometimes mistakes are made. Occasionally, important emails are flagged as suspicious and end up in the spam folder. Sifting through thousands of spam emails in the hope of finding an email that was flagged incorrectly can be frustrating or even impossible – which is why you’ll save a lot of time down the line by periodically checking your spam folder.  

Why check your spam folder? 

False positives 

Sometimes legitimate emails get mistakenly marked as spam and end up in your spam folder. Checking your spam folder regularly can help you catch these emails and move them back to your inbox. 

Important notifications 

Some notifications, such as account updates, password resets, and bills, can also end up in your spam folder. Checking your spam folder can ensure you don't miss anything important. 

Missed opportunities 

Spam filters aren't perfect and sometimes important emails such as a job offer, or business proposal, can end up in your spam folder.   

Subscriptions 

If you’ve subscribed to a newsletter or any other services, they may also end up in the spam folder. Checking your spam folder can help you keep track of these subscriptions and ensure you don't miss anything you may have wanted or needed to read. 

Legitimate messages from unknown senders 

Sometimes, the emails from unknown senders can contain important information that you need to act on. Checking your spam folder can help you identify these messages and take appropriate action. 

Get Your Emails On A Device From Vodacom

Need a device to receive your emails on? Visit the Vodacom online shop to get great deals on the latest smart devices including laptops, tablets and smartphones.