Summary
Email monitoring tools assess how B2B filters judge email through a multi-faceted approach. The most common technique involves seed list testing, where test emails are sent to a network of real email addresses to monitor inbox placement (inbox, spam, or blocked). The monitoring tools analyse factors, such as spam scores, sender reputation, and blocklist status. Some providers directly buy the filtering products to test emails. The use of feedback loops helps to identify and remove users who mark emails as spam, and deliverability platforms use real-time data analysis and predictive tools. However, poor internal management of B2B filters remains a significant challenge, and there is generally low internal interest in communicating with senders unless recipients actively request the emails.
Key findings
- Seed List Dominance: Seed lists are the most widely used method for evaluating how B2B filters handle email, providing insights into deliverability.
- Comprehensive Analysis: Monitoring tools analyze spam scores, sender reputation, and blocklist status, helping to provide a complete picture of deliverability.
- Direct Testing: Some tools purchase B2B filtering products to assess email performance directly.
- Feedback Loop Importance: Feedback loops provide valuable information on how users react to emails, and thus how filters perceive them.
- Real-time Data Analysis: Real-time data analysis is used to predict how mailboxes will likely handle incoming messages.
- Management Challenges: Poor internal management of B2B filters is a significant hurdle for email deliverability.
- Low Internal Interest: There is less interest in communicating with senders internally unless recipients request it.
Key considerations
- Seed List Relevance: Ensure seed lists accurately represent the target audience and the variety of email providers used within the B2B environment.
- Data Interpretation: Understand the metrics and insights provided by monitoring tools, and use them to improve email strategy.
- Proactive Optimization: Take proactive steps based on the insights from monitoring tools to improve email content, authentication practices, and list hygiene.
- Addressing B2B Challenges: Recognize the limitations of B2B environments, including the potential for poorly managed filters and low internal interest in sender communication, and adjust strategies accordingly.
- Feedback Loop Implementation: Implement and monitor feedback loops to promptly respond to spam complaints and maintain list hygiene.
- Holistic Strategy: Develop a holistic email marketing strategy that addresses various factors beyond seed lists, including sender reputation, authentication, and content quality.
What email marketers say
14 marketer opinions
Email monitoring tools assess how B2B filters judge emails primarily through seed list testing. These tools send test emails to a network of real email addresses across different providers and analyze where those emails land (inbox, spam, or blocked). By observing inbox placement and analyzing factors like spam scores, sender reputation, and blocklist status, these tools provide insights into potential deliverability issues. Some monitoring tools even purchase B2B filtering products to analyze how their clients' emails perform. Feedback loops are also used to measure user reactions, while real-time data analysis helps predict how mailbox providers handle messages. A significant challenge lies in the often poor internal management of B2B filters themselves.
Key opinions
- Seed List Testing: Email monitoring tools heavily rely on seed lists (networks of real email addresses) to gauge how B2B filters treat incoming emails.
- Inbox Placement Analysis: The primary metric for judging email deliverability is where test emails land: inbox, spam folder, or blocked altogether.
- Spam Score Assessment: Tools check spam scores to identify problematic content or configurations triggering spam filters.
- Sender Reputation Monitoring: Maintaining a good sender reputation is critical, as it directly influences inbox placement.
- Blocklist Checks: Monitoring tools verify whether a sender's IP address or domain is present on any blocklists, which would severely impact deliverability.
- Real-time Data Analysis: Deliverability platforms use real-time data analysis to predict how mailboxes are likely to handle your messages.
- B2B Product testing: Some providers even pay for B2B filtering products to test deliverability.
Key considerations
- Seed List Accuracy: Ensure the seed lists used by monitoring tools are representative of your target audience and the email providers they use.
- Data Interpretation: Understand the meaning of spam scores, sender reputation metrics, and blocklist results provided by monitoring tools.
- B2B Filter Variance: Recognize that B2B filters can be highly customized and may vary significantly across organizations, making it challenging to achieve consistent inbox placement.
- Internal Filter Management: The biggest challenge with B2B filters is they are often poorly managed internally, so anticipate deliverability may not be consistent because of this.
- Proactive Remediation: Use the insights from monitoring tools to proactively address deliverability issues by improving email content, authentication practices, and list hygiene.
- Feedback Loop Implementation: If available, implement feedback loops to promptly address spam complaints and remove disengaged recipients from your mailing lists.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Mailtrap Blog explains that Inbox placement testing tools use seed lists—real email addresses—to assess email deliverability by monitoring where messages land (inbox, spam, or missing).
9 Dec 2024 - Mailtrap Blog
Marketer view
Email marketer from Talos Intelligence explains that monitor sender reputation to anticipate deliverability issues, deliverability platforms also use real-time data analysis to predict how mailboxes are likely to handle your messages.
1 Aug 2023 - Talos Intelligence
What the experts say
5 expert opinions
Email monitoring tools employ several methods to assess how B2B filters judge email. A common approach is using seed lists, where test emails are sent to dedicated email addresses, and their placement (inbox, spam, or blocked) is tracked to understand filter behavior. Some monitoring services even purchase the filtering products themselves to gain direct insights. Feedback loops (FBLs) also play a role, enabling senders to identify and remove users marking emails as spam, offering a measure of filter reactions. Notably, B2B environments often show less internal interest in sender communication unless recipients actively request the email.
Key opinions
- Seed List Tracking: Seed lists are a primary method; tracking email placement reveals how B2B filters handle the sender's email.
- Direct Filter Analysis: Some tools directly purchase filtering products to analyze their behavior.
- Feedback Loop Utilization: Feedback Loops provide data on spam complaints, offering insight into how filters are reacting.
- Internal Engagement Gap: B2B environments often lack internal sender communication unless recipients actively want the emails.
Key considerations
- Seed List Relevance: Ensure seed lists accurately represent the target B2B environment and its filters.
- FBL Implementation: Properly implement and monitor Feedback Loops to promptly address and mitigate spam complaints.
- Limited Sender Communication: Be mindful of the limited internal interest in sender communication within B2B settings and tailor strategies accordingly.
- Direct Filter Analysis: Ensure that if buying the product to test you are testing in a live envoironment, not just test and development.
Expert view
Expert from WordtotheWise shares that Feedback Loops (FBLs) are used by mailbox providers to allow senders to identify and remove users who mark their emails as spam. Monitoring tools can leverage FBL data to understand how B2B filters are reacting to emails and adjust sending practices accordingly.
9 Oct 2024 - WordtotheWise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains some monitoring tools buy the filtering product and stand up their own domains on it.
31 May 2024 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Email deliverability documentation describes how monitoring tools like SparkPost, Kickbox and SendGrid determine how B2B filters judge email, predominantly using seed list monitoring. These tools send test emails to a network of real email addresses and analyze where the emails land (inbox, spam, or blocked). This process simulates real-world delivery scenarios, enabling users to diagnose deliverability problems and anticipate issues. They also mimic and analyze mailbox provider algorithms, including user engagement metrics, to predict outcomes and improve email placement.
Key findings
- Seed List Monitoring: Seed lists are the primary method used to assess inbox placement and diagnose deliverability issues.
- Real-World Simulation: Deliverability tools simulate real-world delivery scenarios to evaluate how email providers handle incoming emails.
- Engagement Metrics: Mailbox providers use algorithms that factor in user engagement metrics to determine email placement.
- Proactive Issue Identification: Tools enable users to anticipate and address potential deliverability issues before they significantly impact campaigns.
Key considerations
- Seed List Quality: Ensure the seed lists used are representative of your target audience and reflect the diversity of email providers.
- Algorithm Complexity: Mailbox provider algorithms are constantly evolving; regular monitoring is crucial to adapt to changes.
- Holistic Approach: Consider factors beyond seed list results, such as sender reputation, authentication, and content quality, for comprehensive deliverability management.
- Actionable Insights: Use the data from monitoring tools to implement targeted improvements and optimize your email marketing strategy.
Technical article
Documentation from Kickbox states that deliverability tools often incorporate seed lists to simulate real-world delivery scenarios and evaluate how email providers handle incoming emails, which enables users to anticipate and address potential issues.
14 Sep 2024 - Kickbox
Technical article
Documentation from Mailjet details that mailbox providers use algorithms, including user engagement metrics, to determine email placement. Deliverability tools can mimic and analyze these factors, and use seed lists, to help predict outcomes.
27 Jan 2025 - Mailjet
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