Summary
The overwhelming consensus from experts, marketers, and documentation is that email replies generally improve deliverability and sender reputation. Mailbox providers track replies and other positive interactions as signals that subscribers find the content valuable and are actively engaging with the emails. This positive engagement contributes to a better sender reputation, which, in turn, helps emails land in the inbox rather than the spam folder. However, high-volume senders need to be mindful of managing a large influx of replies and ensure that customer service can handle them, or appropriate auto-responses are in place. The practice of forcing replies, particularly in cold email, is viewed with skepticism. Overall, a holistic approach focusing on genuine engagement and providing value to subscribers is key.
Key findings
- Positive Engagement Signal: Replies are a strong positive engagement signal for mailbox providers.
- Improved Sender Reputation: Replies positively contribute to a better sender reputation.
- Enhanced Deliverability: Better sender reputation leads to improved email deliverability and inbox placement.
- Tracked by Email Clients: Email tools and mail clients track replies as a form of engagement.
- User Action: Ensuring emails have a clear user action to increase engagement and interaction.
Key considerations
- Volume Management: High-volume senders must manage the influx of replies to avoid overwhelming customer service.
- Genuine Engagement: Focus on fostering genuine engagement and providing value to encourage replies naturally.
- Forced Replies Caution: Avoid tactics that force replies, especially in cold email, as they can be counterproductive.
- Holistic Approach: Consider replies as part of a broader strategy for improving engagement and sender reputation.
- A/B Testing: Using A/B testing for different engagement techniques and analyzing how those techniques positively impact deliverability.
What email marketers say
8 marketer opinions
The consensus among email marketers is that email replies generally improve deliverability and sender reputation. Replies signal positive engagement to mailbox providers, indicating that subscribers find the content valuable and want to receive it. This positive signal contributes to a better sender reputation, which in turn helps emails land in the inbox rather than the spam folder. However, high-volume senders need to manage replies effectively, ensuring customer service can handle the influx or setting up appropriate auto-responses. Testing different approaches to encourage replies is also recommended.
Key opinions
- Positive Signal: Replies are a positive engagement signal to mailbox providers.
- Improved Reputation: Replies contribute to a better sender reputation.
- Increased Deliverability: Improved sender reputation leads to increased deliverability.
- High Engagement: Consistently engaging content positively impacts deliverability.
- Spam Filters: More responses to emails will get you out of the spam filter.
Key considerations
- Reply Management: High-volume senders need a strategy to manage incoming replies.
- Customer Experience: Ensure customers receive a response, either manually or automatically.
- A/B Testing: Test different strategies to encourage replies that resonate with your audience.
- Provide Value: Personalizing emails, sending to engaged recipients, and providing value is important.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that engagement metrics like replies are critical for deliverability. High engagement signals to mailbox providers that users want to receive your emails, improving your sender reputation.
6 Jan 2023 - Neil Patel's Blog
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that if you are a high volume sender and you do get a ton of replies, then your customer service department will be buried with extra work. on the other hand, if the replies are going to an unmonitored inbox then you should ask yourself if this is a positive experience for the customer knowing that nobody from your company will respond (or look) at the customer's reply.
4 May 2022 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
7 expert opinions
Experts generally agree that email replies positively influence deliverability and sender reputation. Mailbox providers track replies as a form of engagement, and positive interactions (including replies) impact reputation. While replies are beneficial, the practice of forcing replies, common in cold email, is often viewed negatively. Managing a high volume of replies can also present challenges, especially for large senders.
Key opinions
- Reply Tracking: Email tools and mail clients track replies.
- Positive Interactions: Positive interactions, including replies, improve sender reputation.
- Impact on Deliverability: Improved sender reputation increases email deliverability.
- Cold Email Exception: Forcing replies in cold email is a questionable practice.
- Engagement matters: Engagement matters to your sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Scale: Managing replies at scale can be problematic for high-volume senders.
- Forced Replies: The ethics and effectiveness of forcing replies should be carefully considered.
- User actions: Ensure your emails solicit user action and make it easy for the user to take that action.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that managing replies at scale can be problematic. Sending millions of emails a day can result in a high volume of replies that need to be managed.
4 Jul 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that engagement is very important. Replies can improve reputation with mailbox providers, especially if combined with other positive user actions.
14 Mar 2025 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
Email deliverability documentation from Google, Microsoft and SparkPost indicate that user engagement, including email replies, has a positive impact on sender reputation and inbox placement. Google explicitly states that replies are a factor in Gmail's filtering decisions. Microsoft highlights engagement as a key indicator of sender reputation, and SparkPost confirms that ISPs monitor engagement metrics like replies to determine inbox placement.
Key findings
- User Interaction: User interaction, including replies, influences Gmail filtering.
- Engagement Importance: Engagement is a key indicator of sender reputation for Microsoft.
- ISP Monitoring: ISPs monitor engagement metrics like replies.
- Improved inbox placement: User interaction improves inbox placement.
Key considerations
- Holistic Approach: Focus on overall engagement, not just replies, for optimal results.
- Avoid Spam Complaints: Maintain a clean sending reputation by avoiding spam complaints.
- Value Proposition: Provide value to encourage user engagement and positive interactions.
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost explains that engagement metrics like replies, forwards, and saves indicate interest and value, which helps with inbox placement and deliverability. They highlight that ISPs monitor these signals.
10 Apr 2025 - SparkPost
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft emphasizes that sender reputation is crucial for deliverability to Outlook.com and Hotmail. While they don't explicitly mention replies, they highlight that engagement and avoiding spam complaints are key indicators of a good sender reputation.
22 May 2025 - Microsoft Sender Support
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