What is email deliverability and why it’s important?
Email deliverability is the ability of your emails to reach subscribers’ inboxes successfully. It’s crucial because even the most compelling email content is worthless if it never reaches its intended audience.
High deliverability rates ensure your messages are seen, read, and acted upon, directly impacting your email marketing ROI.
Email delivery vs. email deliverability
While often used interchangeably, these terms have distinct meanings:
- Email delivery:
The successful transmission of an email to the recipient’s server. - Email deliverability:
The successful placement of an email in the recipient’s inbox (not spam folder).
Factors Impacting Email Deliverability
IP address reputation
Your sending IP address’s reputation significantly influences deliverability.
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) track the history of emails sent from each IP, considering factors like spam complaints, bounce rates, and engagement metrics.
Sender reputation
Beyond the IP address, ISPs also evaluate the overall reputation of your sending domain.
This encompasses your entire email program, including content quality, sending practices, and subscriber engagement.
Email authentication
Proper authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) verify that emails are legitimately sent from your domain, reducing the likelihood of being marked as spam or phishing attempts.
List quality
A clean, engaged subscriber list is essential for good deliverability. Regular list hygiene, including removing inactive subscribers and hard bounces, helps maintain a positive sender reputation.
Content quality
Both the subject line and email content impact deliverability.
Avoid spam trigger words, maintain a good text-to-image ratio, and create relevant, engaging content that encourages opens and clicks.
Sending volume and consistency
Sudden spikes in sending volume or inconsistent sending patterns can raise red flags with ISPs. Maintain a consistent sending schedule and gradually increase volume when necessary.
Engagement metrics
ISPs consider how recipients interact with your emails. High open rates, click-through rates, and low spam complaints signal that your emails are wanted and valuable.
Infrastructure
Use a reputable Email Service Provider (ESP) with robust infrastructure and established relationships with major ISPs.
Strategies to Improve Email Deliverability
Implement proper authentication
Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to verify your sending domain and protect against email spoofing.
Maintain list hygiene
Regularly clean your list by removing inactive subscribers, hard bounces, and invalid email addresses. Implement a double opt-in process for new subscribers.
Personalize and segment
Use subscriber data to create targeted, relevant content that encourages engagement and reduces the likelihood of being marked as spam.
Monitor and improve sender reputation
Regularly check your sender score using tools like SenderScore.org or Google Postmaster Tools.
Address any issues promptly to maintain a positive reputation.
Optimize email content
Craft compelling subject lines, avoid spam trigger words, and maintain a good balance of text and images.
Include clear unsubscribe options in every email.
Implement engagement-based sending
Segment your list based on engagement levels and adjust sending frequency accordingly.
Consider re-engagement campaigns for inactive subscribers before removing them.
Warm up new IP addresses
When using a new IP address, gradually increase sending volume to establish a positive reputation with ISPs.
Monitor deliverability metrics
Regularly track key metrics like inbox placement rates, bounce rates, and spam complaint rates. Use this data to identify and address deliverability issues proactively.
Testing and Optimization for Email Deliverability
A/B testing
Continuously test elements like subject lines, sender names, and content to improve engagement rates and deliverability.
Inbox placement testing
Use tools like 250ok or Return Path to test how your emails appear in different email clients and identify potential deliverability issues.
Spam filter testing
Run your emails through spam checking tools to identify and fix potential triggers before sending to your entire list.
Engagement analysis
Regularly analyze subscriber engagement patterns to refine your segmentation and personalization strategies.
Tools and Resources for Email Deliverability
Email authentication tools
- SPF Record Generator
- DKIM Record Generator
- DMARC Analyzer
Deliverability monitoring
- Google Postmaster Tools
- Microsoft SNDS
- Return Path
Spam testing
- Mail-Tester
- Litmus Spam Testing
- GlockApps
Email verification services
- NeverBounce
- BriteVerify
- ZeroBounce
By implementing these strategies and utilizing the right tools, you can significantly improve your email deliverability rates, ensuring your messages reach the inbox and drive real business results.