These days, email etiquette, or Netiquette, is more important than ever. That’s because email is a preferred business tool that is used by 81% of companies for communication and marketing. And seeing as the second week of June is National Email Week, we thought it fitting to share best practices for email.

Why should we care about the way we compose email messages? Because the way you or your employees write and respond to emails can reflect positively or negatively on your business.

A shocking statistic is that 50% of emails are misinterpreted. Well, that’s just wasteful, isn’t it?

Perhaps, the influence of informal chat platforms and collaboration apps, have made us a little haphazard in our communication habits. This blog aims to rectify any bad email quirks you or your team may have picked up over the years, so every email you send or reply to can be successful.

RELATED: Email is not dying – it is Adapting and Becoming Smarter

KEY TAKEWAYS

• Email is still one of the most powerful business communication and marketing tools.
• How you write and send an email reflects on your professionalism.
• Small tweaks to your email habits can make a big difference in how your messages are received.
• Respect your recipient’s time by sending emails during reasonable working hours or using scheduling tools.
• Use a polite, professional tone. Avoid slang, all caps, and unnecessary humour.
• Always reread your email before sending it to catch grammar mistakes, unclear phrasing, or emotional overtones that could be misread.
• Using an email address linked to your business domain not only looks professional but also builds brand trust and recognition.
• Domains.co.za offers affordable Email Hosting with a FREE domain name*, making it easy for small businesses to start strong.

About National Email Week

National Email Week is celebrated every year in an attempt to make the ongoing advantages of this platform stand. Before social media and the various other platforms, email was everything. And while it is not the be-all and end-all anymore, it still plays an important role in business & personal communication, and marketing.

Email is an affordable, non-intrusive and trackable form of communication, that has an estimated whopping 4.48 billion users, which means there is a huge email-reading audience.

Email is still doing its thing; keeping people connected, engaged and helping companies communicate and convert into customers and sales.

What Is Email Etiquette?

Although every email user has a Spam and Junk folder that is able to filter some dodgy or spammy emails; there is nothing stopping anyone from sending an email, even a cold one, to any recipient if they have the email address. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing because it also means that potential customers can reach a business directly, individuals can connect freely and potential business opportunities can be unlocked. With all this freedom, there needs to be some rules and this is where email etiquette aka Netiquette comes in.

Email etiquette is a set of guidelines that help people use the platform more respectively and effectively. Composing and responding to an email shouldn’t just be a case of jotting down whatever you want to say exactly as you want to say it. To get optimum results, it is essential to package an email the right way. Rethink email and it will reward you!

Email Etiquette / Netiquette Checklist

The email you are composing or responding to has a responsibility towards the recipient.

Here are some best practices to help your emails, specifically business-related emails be clear, concise and effective:

1. Use a professional business domain and email signature

For business email, nothing says it better than an email from a custom business domain. It looks professional, builds brand awareness and signals trust. Don’t have a website yet? No problem. At Domains.co.za, you can look the part from the onset of your business by signing up for Email Hosting. It is affordable, and comes with a FREE* domain name.

Adding a professionally designed email signature with all your contact information can further enhance those important first impressions.

*Ts & Cs apply.

RELATED: What Email Hosting For Small Business Can Do For Your SME

2. Properly setup your email account

Make sure your email account is set up to reflect your name, surname and/or business name. Use standard fonts (like Arial or Calibri) in a readable size (11pt–12pt). Anything too fancy can make your email hard to read or feel less professional.

3. Know when to CC, BCC, Reply To All, Forward

The CC (carbon copy) field is for recipients who need to be informed but don’t need to take action. BCC (blind carbon copy) is great for protecting privacy when emailing a group. Avoid “Reply All” unless every recipient truly needs to see your response. Forwarding? Always remove unnecessary information and add context so the recipient understands why you’re sharing the email.

4. Write a relevant, short and descriptive Subject Line

Your subject line is the first thing people see, so make it count. Aim for clarity over cleverness. Something like “Meeting Agenda – Friday 9 June” is far more effective than “Quick Check-in”. It helps recipients prioritise and locate your email later.

5. Address the recipient with care

Start with a friendly and personalised greeting. “Hi Sarah” is perfectly acceptable in most professional contexts. It is important to double-check names and spelling. Avoid overly casual intros like “Hey” unless you’re on friendly terms, and be cautious with titles.

6. Structure the message strategically

Split the body of your email into an:

• Introduction – What’s the reason for the email?
• Main points – Provide detail, list tasks, or share necessary documents.
• Next steps – Specify any deadlines or action items.

End your email off with a polite closing line and sign off.

7. Use a professional tone

Emails are not WhatsApp messages. Keep your tone friendly but professional. Unless you have a long-standing relationship with the recipient, your tone alone carries a lot of weight. If you sound annoyed or rude, this will undoubtedly overshadow everything else you wanted to convey. Avoid sarcasm and dry humour as this can often be misread.

8. Use proper language and grammar (don’t use abbreviations or slang)

Avoid chat speak like “u”, “gr8” or “LOL” and any slang terminology. It’s distracting and can make your message seem lazy, careless and disrespectful. Proper grammar and full sentences show that you’ve taken the time to communicate clearly and respectfully.

9. Don’t use UPPERCASE – it can come across as “shouting”

Using all caps can feel aggressive to readers. It’s okay to emphasise a word or two using bold or italics, but avoid ‘shouting’ with all caps. If you need to make something stand out, use formatting or bullet points instead.

10. Stick to one form of emphasis

If you are including dates or other important information in your email, you can bold the date or change the colour to red but don’t go overboard. It can clutter your message and confuse the reader. Choose one form of emphasis per email section if necessary and use it sparingly.

11. Leave a good impression with your closing line and sign-off

Your closing line and sign-off matter. Phrases like “Thank you”, “Looking forward to hearing from you” or “Please don’t hesitate to contact me” can end things on a positive note. Follow this with a standard sign-off like “Kind regards” or “Sincerely” and your name.

12. Don’t attach large files and shorten links

Oversized attachments can clog inboxes or fail to deliver altogether. Rather use file-sharing platforms and paste the link into your message. For long URLs, use a link shortener to keep your email tidy and readable. If you are attaching files, mention this in the email and also double-check that you have attached them.

13. Respond within 24 hours to all emails

Even if you don’t have an answer yet, it’s good etiquette to reply and acknowledge receipt of an email. A simple “Thanks for your email, I’ll get back to you shortly” goes a long way in building trust and reliability.

14. Make use of Out Of The Office when you are away

Don’t leave people wondering why you are not responding. If you’re going to be unreachable, turn on your auto-responder. Let people know when you’ll be back and who they can contact in your absence. It keeps communication flowing even when you’re offline.

15. Keep to office hours or schedule messages

You might be an early bird or night owl, but your recipient might not be. Consider the time you send the email at with caution. Use the “schedule send” feature to deliver emails during working hours and respect people’s personal time.

16. Be cautious with formatting and colours

Avoid using bright colours, fancy fonts, or excessive formatting. Keep your email clean and professional to ensure readability and avoid distracting the recipient.

17. Less is more

People are visual beings, which is why emails that look like a wall of text might overwhelm. Added to this, the average person receives a total of 96 emails per day. So be mindful and keep things short and to the point. Use bullet points or short paragraphs to break up information. If a topic is complex, suggest a meeting or phone call instead. Respect your reader’s time.

18. Never send an email when you are angry or emotional

Take a breather. Draft the email and come back to it later if needed—but never hit send in the heat of the moment. Emotional emails can damage relationships and reputations.

19. Always proofread an email before sending

Typos and mistakes in spelling, grammar or names can look careless. Read through your message once or twice before hitting send. If it’s a high-stakes email, consider having someone else read it too.

20. Be cautious with auto-complete and autofill

Modern email platforms often auto-fill recipient names. Double-check you’re sending the email to the correct person before you hit send. We’ve all heard stories of emails meant for one Sarah being sent to another—and some of those mistakes may be costly.

Email remains to be one of the most effective platforms to use for business. Make sure the emails you and your employees send out hit the mark.

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Other Blogs Of Interest

• Email Phishing: How To Protect Yourself From A Scam
• Custom Email Addresses: Elevating Your Brand Identity Online
• Email Marketing: The affordable & effective platform your business can trust
• Email for Marketing — Why it is still a great tool for your business
• How To Create And Configure An Email Account With Domains.co.za

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