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How can I improve email deliverability on a shared IP for marketing automation emails like abandoned carts?

Summary

Improving email deliverability on a shared IP for marketing automation emails like abandoned carts requires a comprehensive strategy. Key elements include ensuring proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), gradually warming up the IP address with increasing sending volumes, and actively managing your email list. List management involves using double opt-in, segmenting audiences based on engagement, removing inactive subscribers, and promptly handling unsubscribe requests. Focus on creating wanted email beyond abandoned carts by diversifying content and personalizing messages with dynamic content and compelling offers. Monitor sending reputation within your ESP (e.g., Klaviyo) and subscribe to feedback loops to address spam complaints. Design mobile-friendly emails and avoid aggressive messaging. Remember deliverability is impacted by the behavior of others on the shared IP and your own engagement metrics signal whether you're a source of wanted or unwanted emails.

Key findings

  • Email Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols is crucial for verifying sender identity and improving deliverability.
  • IP Warm-up: Gradually increasing sending volume helps establish a positive reputation with ISPs.
  • List Management: Practices like double opt-in, segmentation, and removing unengaged subscribers significantly improve deliverability.
  • Content Relevance: Sending engaging and personalized email beyond just abandoned carts helps establish a positive sender reputation.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Actively monitoring sending reputation, bounce rates, and spam complaints is essential for addressing deliverability issues.
  • Technical Setup: Using custom sending domains and link tracking (where possible) enhances control over your sending reputation.

Key considerations

  • Shared IP Environment: Deliverability can be affected by the sending practices of other users on the shared IP address.
  • Troubleshooting: Investigating deliverability issues with specific mailbox providers and understanding their specific requirements is important.
  • Email Content: Avoiding aggressive messaging, providing assistance instead of just demanding a purchase, and optimizing for mobile are critical.
  • New Sender Challenges: New senders may need to establish a reputation before achieving optimal deliverability, potentially requiring a warm-up period.
  • ESP Capabilities: Leveraging features within your Email Service Provider (ESP) such as Klaviyo's dashboard, can provide insights into deliverability performance.

What email marketers say

12 marketer opinions

To improve email deliverability on a shared IP for marketing automation emails like abandoned carts, several strategies are recommended. These include ensuring proper authentication (SPF, DKIM), gradually warming up the IP by increasing sending volume, segmenting email lists to target engaged users, and using double opt-in to confirm subscriptions. Optimizing email content with compelling visuals, clear calls-to-action, and personalized offers is also crucial. Monitoring sending reputation metrics, promptly addressing spam complaints, and maintaining list hygiene by removing inactive users can further enhance deliverability. Mobile-friendly design and personalized dynamic content are also recommended. Additionally, it's vital to avoid aggressive or pushy messaging and to test different sending times.

Key opinions

  • Authentication: Proper setup of SPF, DKIM, and custom sending domains is essential.
  • Warm-up: Gradually increase sending volume to establish a positive reputation.
  • Segmentation: Target engaged users with relevant content to improve deliverability rates.
  • Double Opt-in: Confirm subscribers' email addresses to reduce bounce rates.
  • Content Optimization: Use compelling visuals, clear CTAs, and personalized offers.
  • Mobile Friendliness: Ensure emails render correctly on all devices.
  • Monitoring: Track sending reputation metrics and address spam complaints.
  • List Hygiene: Remove inactive users to avoid spam traps.

Key considerations

  • Shared IP Impact: Understand that deliverability is influenced by other senders on the shared IP.
  • Troubleshooting: Investigate deliverability issues with specific mailbox providers.
  • Message Tone: Avoid aggressive or pushy messaging in abandoned cart emails.
  • Dynamic Content: Personalize messaging based on the items left in the cart.
  • IP monitoring: Use tools to keep a track of your IPs health

Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign suggests segmenting your list and sending abandoned cart emails only to those who have shown recent engagement to ensure relevance and improve deliverability rates.

25 Mar 2022 - ActiveCampaign

Marketer view

Email marketer from Shopify Community Forums advises making sure your abandoned cart email is not too aggressive or pushy; offer assistance and solutions rather than just demanding a purchase, and test different sending times.

27 Nov 2021 - Shopify Community Forums

What the experts say

7 expert opinions

Improving email deliverability on a shared IP, especially for abandoned cart emails, requires focusing on sending wanted email, authenticating your mail stream, and maintaining list hygiene. Experts recommend sending engaging content beyond abandoned carts to build a positive reputation. While a shared IP helps overcome initial legitimacy hurdles, your sending reputation is determined by recipient engagement. Authenticating with SPF and DKIM is crucial for ISPs to verify your identity. List quality is paramount; removing unengaged users and bounces improves deliverability. Throttling email sends and segmenting your audience ensure relevant messages reach those who want them. While IPv6 isn't mandatory, a valid authentication ensures mailbox providers track your mail stream reputation without relying solely on IP address.

Key opinions

  • Content Engagement: Sending wanted email beyond abandoned carts is crucial for building a positive reputation.
  • Authentication: Valid SPF and DKIM authentication helps ISPs verify your identity.
  • List Quality: Removing unengaged users and bounces improves sending reputation.
  • Audience Segmentation: Throttling and segmenting email sends ensures relevant messages reach the right audience.
  • Reputation tracking: Mailbox providers can track your mail stream reputation without relying on IP address if authentication is valid.

Key considerations

  • Email preference: Many find abandoned cart emails unappealing; diversify content to build engagement.
  • New Sender: New senders may face deliverability challenges due to limited reputation history.
  • Legitimacy vs. Wanted: Being a legitimate sender (not spam) is different from sending wanted email; focus on audience engagement.
  • IPv6 Support: While not mandatory, consider IPv6 support, though many don't support it.

Expert view

Expert from Spamresource explains that it is essential to authenticate your email with SPF and DKIM as this tells ISPs (internet service providers) that you are who you say you are, and your messages are more likely to make it to the inbox.

15 Aug 2021 - Spamresource

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks responds being on an ESP shared pool gets you over the bar of not looking like an intentional source of legitimate email if you are too small to maintain traffic on a dedicated IP; your mail is probably being delivered successfully, but being a source of legitimate mail isn’t the same as being a source of wanted email.

12 Jan 2022 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says

4 technical articles

Improving email deliverability on a shared IP requires a multi-faceted approach focused on authentication, list management, and reputation monitoring. Documentation from Google, SendGrid, Mailchimp, and SparkPost emphasizes the importance of email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and maintaining a clean sending list to mitigate the risks associated with shared IPs. Permission-based email marketing is crucial, requiring explicit consent from subscribers and prompt honoring of unsubscribe requests. Monitoring sending reputation metrics like bounce rates and spam complaints, along with subscribing to feedback loops to receive spam complaint reports, enables proactive identification and removal of problematic subscribers.

Key findings

  • Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for establishing sender legitimacy.
  • List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean sending list reduces bounce rates and spam complaints.
  • Permission Marketing: Obtaining explicit consent and honoring unsubscribe requests is crucial for maintaining a healthy sending reputation.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Closely monitoring sending reputation metrics and utilizing feedback loops allows for proactive identification and resolution of deliverability issues.

Key considerations

  • Shared IP Impact: Your sending reputation is affected by the behavior of other senders on the shared IP.
  • Proactive Action: Taking corrective actions based on reputation metrics is crucial for maintaining deliverability.
  • Compliance: Adhering to email marketing best practices is essential for mitigating risks associated with shared IPs.
  • FBLs: Subscribing to feedback loops will allow you to proactively remove complainers.

Technical article

Documentation from Mailchimp responds by reinforcing the importance of permission-based email marketing. Always obtain explicit consent from subscribers and honor unsubscribe requests promptly to maintain a healthy sending reputation.

21 Mar 2024 - Mailchimp

Technical article

Documentation from SendGrid answers states that senders on shared IP addresses are impacted by the behavior of other senders. Closely monitoring your own sending reputation metrics (e.g., bounce rates, spam complaints) and taking corrective actions is crucial for deliverability.

28 Aug 2021 - SendGrid

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