Summary
Google algorithm updates heavily influence email deliverability for B2C senders. Core strategies involve prioritizing user engagement, proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), maintaining clean and segmented email lists, and consistent sending volume. Dedicated IPs are beneficial primarily for high-volume senders who can manage warm-up and reputation, while shared IPs are generally better for smaller senders. Monitoring sender reputation, using dedicated sending domains, and analyzing deliverability metrics are also crucial for sustained success.
Key findings
- Engagement is Paramount: Gmail's filters prioritize user engagement (opens, clicks, replies). Positive engagement boosts deliverability, while negative engagement (spam complaints) harms it. Rotate out disengaged users regularly.
- Authentication is Essential: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication are critical for proving sender identity and preventing spoofing. Failure to authenticate properly will significantly harm deliverability.
- Clean Lists are a Must: Regularly clean email lists to remove invalid or inactive addresses. This reduces bounce rates, avoids spam traps, and improves overall deliverability.
- Dedicated IPs: High Volume Only: Dedicated IPs require high sending volumes to establish and maintain a positive reputation. Small senders are generally better off on shared IPs.
- Warm-up is Crucial for Dedicated IPs: Transitioning to a dedicated IP necessitates a gradual warm-up process to build a positive sending reputation. Skipping this step will lead to poor deliverability.
- Consistent Volume is Important: Maintain consistent sending volume and frequency to establish a positive sender reputation. Avoid drastic changes that can trigger spam filters.
- Domain Reputation Matters: Use dedicated subdomains for marketing emails to protect the main domain reputation and enable better deliverability management.
Key considerations
- Segment Your Audience: Segment your audience for more targeted and personalized messaging, improving engagement and deliverability.
- Monitor Reputation: Regularly monitor sender reputation using tools like SNDS and take immediate action to address any issues.
- Analyze Deliverability: Use deliverability analysis tools to monitor inbox placement, spam folder placement, and authentication results.
- Optimize Content: Prioritize relevant and valuable content to enhance user experience and avoid being flagged as spam. Focus on providing value to your subscribers.
- Align Domains: Ensure alignment between the Envelope From, DKIM d=, and visible From domains for better filter accuracy and improved deliverability.
What email marketers say
10 marketer opinions
Google algorithm updates significantly impact email deliverability, especially for B2C senders. Key strategies to improve deliverability involve focusing on user engagement, maintaining clean email lists, segmenting audiences, and personalizing messages. Dedicated IPs are beneficial for high-volume senders but require careful management and warm-up. Consistent sending volume, a good sender reputation, and the use of dedicated sending domains are also crucial. Regular deliverability analysis is recommended to monitor inbox placement and authentication.
Key opinions
- Engagement Matters: Google heavily relies on user engagement (opens, clicks) for filtering emails. Positive engagement improves deliverability, while negative engagement (spam reports) harms it.
- List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean email list by removing inactive or invalid addresses reduces bounce rates and avoids spam traps, significantly improving deliverability.
- Dedicated IP Trade-offs: Dedicated IPs offer control over reputation but require high sending volumes, careful management, and a proper warm-up process. Small senders are often better off using shared IPs.
- Content Relevance: Google's updates prioritize user experience, so sending relevant and valuable content is critical to avoid spam filters.
- Domain Reputation: Maintaining a consistent sending domain reputation by using dedicated subdomains for marketing emails helps isolate and protect the main domain reputation.
Key considerations
- Audience Segmentation: Segment your audience to send more targeted and personalized messages, which can improve engagement rates and deliverability.
- Volume Consistency: Maintain a consistent sending volume and frequency to establish a positive sender reputation and avoid triggering spam filters due to sudden changes.
- Reputation Monitoring: Regularly monitor your sender reputation and take immediate action to address any issues that may arise, such as high bounce rates or spam complaints.
- Deliverability Analysis: Utilize deliverability analysis tools to monitor inbox placement, spam folder placement, and authentication to identify and address potential deliverability problems.
- IP Warm-up: If opting for a dedicated IP, ensure a proper IP warm-up process is followed to gradually build a positive sending reputation with mailbox providers.
Marketer view
Email marketer from ZeroBounce says regularly cleaning your email list to remove invalid or inactive email addresses is a crucial step to improve deliverability. This reduces bounce rates and avoids spam traps.
26 Mar 2023 - ZeroBounce
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that Google heavily relies on engagement for filtering, both overall and per individual account. He recommends rotating out non-engaged users. While content, links, and images matter, engagement is crucial for senders. Moving to a dedicated IP might only provide a temporary boost. Your sender reputation depends on the last email sent.
12 Mar 2025 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
4 expert opinions
Experts agree that Google's ever-changing algorithms prioritize fighting spam, making email engagement crucial for B2C senders. Dedicated IPs aren't always the answer, especially without proper warm-up. Small-volume senders typically benefit more from shared IPs due to reputation requirements. Proper setup of sending domains, including Envelope From, DKIM, and DMARC alignment, enhances filter accuracy.
Key opinions
- Engagement is Key: Gmail prioritizes user engagement, making it a primary factor in deliverability. Focus on relevant content to improve open and click-through rates.
- IP Warm-up is Essential: Transitioning to a dedicated IP requires a gradual warm-up process to build a positive reputation. Without it, deliverability can suffer.
- Shared IPs are Often Better for Small Senders: Small-volume senders typically achieve better deliverability on shared IPs due to the reputation requirements and maintenance expertise needed for dedicated IPs.
- Domain Setup Matters: Properly configuring sending domains (Envelope From, DKIM, DMARC) and aligning them improves email authentication and deliverability.
Key considerations
- Engagement Monitoring: Continuously monitor engagement metrics (opens, clicks, spam complaints) and adjust sending strategies accordingly.
- IP Warm-up Strategy: If using a dedicated IP, develop a comprehensive warm-up strategy that gradually increases sending volume while monitoring deliverability.
- Evaluate IP Needs: Carefully evaluate sending volume and technical expertise before deciding between shared and dedicated IPs. Shared IPs can be more effective for small senders.
- Authenticate Email: Ensure proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is in place to improve deliverability and prevent spoofing.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise answers that small volume senders are almost always better off on a shared IP range due to the reputation requirements and the expertise required to properly maintain a dedicated IP address. Having a clean list and being a good sender are key to using a shared IP.
19 Jan 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that proper IP warm-up is essential when transitioning to a dedicated IP, especially for B2C senders. A gradual increase in sending volume and careful monitoring of engagement metrics are crucial to establishing a positive IP reputation with mailbox providers like Gmail.
13 Jul 2024 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
6 technical articles
Email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is paramount for deliverability, as highlighted by various documentation sources. Maintaining a low spam rate and consistent sending volume contribute to a positive sender reputation. Monitoring reputation through services like Microsoft's SNDS is essential. SPF prevents email spoofing, DKIM ensures message integrity, and DMARC builds upon these to provide a policy framework and reporting.
Key findings
- Authentication is Mandatory: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential for authenticating email and proving sender identity, improving deliverability to major email providers.
- Low Spam Rate is Crucial: Keeping the spam rate below 0.1% is critical for maintaining a positive sender reputation and avoiding spam filters.
- Consistent Volume Helps: Consistent sending volume contributes to a positive sender reputation. Avoid sudden spikes or drops in email volume.
- Monitoring Reputation is Key: Services like Microsoft's SNDS help monitor sender reputation and identify potential deliverability issues.
Key considerations
- Implement SPF, DKIM, DMARC: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC correctly to ensure email authentication and improve deliverability.
- Monitor Spam Complaints: Actively monitor and address spam complaints to maintain a low spam rate and avoid being blacklisted.
- Track Sending Volume: Monitor sending volume and adjust sending strategies to maintain consistency and avoid triggering spam filters.
- Participate in Feedback Loops: Participate in feedback loops with email providers to receive information about spam complaints and improve email practices.
Technical article
Documentation from RFC explains how SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records can be used to prevent email spoofing by specifying which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain.
28 Jul 2023 - RFC
Technical article
Documentation from Mailchimp explains the importance of email authentication using SPF and DKIM. Authenticating your email helps to prove that you are who you say you are, which can improve your deliverability rates.
29 Jun 2023 - Mailchimp
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