Email deliverability and open rates are influenced by a multitude of factors, encompassing technical configurations, content practices, and sender reputation. HTML email size, while not directly impacting open rates due to ESP processing of conditional blocks, can affect deliverability due to longer loading times. Attaching files, especially PDFs, increases email size and can trigger spam filters. The choice of TLD has minimal impact if legitimate, although country-specific TLDs may enhance regional deliverability. Domain age and reputation significantly affect deliverability, with newer domains facing initial challenges. Sender reputation is crucial, impacted by sending volume, bounce rates, spam complaints, and engagement. Email authentication (DKIM, SPF, DMARC) is vital for verifying sender identity, and maintaining a clean IP reputation avoids blacklisting. HTML coding quality and the use of inline CSS also play a role, while optimizing email size for mobile users ensures better engagement. Analysing open rates by MX or recipient domain can help diagnose sending issues, and avoiding unsolicited or spammy attachments is essential for maintaining a positive sender reputation.
10 marketer opinions
Several factors influence email deliverability and open rates. Larger HTML email sizes can negatively impact deliverability due to longer loading times and potential recipient frustration. Poorly coded HTML and unsolicited attachments can also trigger spam filters, reducing deliverability. A positive sender reputation, built through consistent sending practices, low bounce rates, minimal spam complaints, and strong engagement, is crucial. Older domains with established sending histories often have better reputations. Using reputable TLDs, implementing email authentication methods, and maintaining a clean IP reputation further enhance deliverability. Additionally, tailoring email size for mobile users, using inline CSS, and considering country-specific TLDs can improve engagement and trust with recipients.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Quora emphasises that smaller email sizes are vital for mobile users. Large emails can take longer to load, leading to decreased engagement, especially for users with limited data or slow connections.
1 Mar 2023 - Quora
Marketer view
Email marketer from Neil Patel answers that older domains with established sending histories often have better reputations. Building a positive sending history takes time, which can improve deliverability rates compared to newer domains.
6 Feb 2022 - Neil Patel
7 expert opinions
Email deliverability and open rates are influenced by several interconnected factors. While HTML email size due to conditional blocks might not directly impact open rates as ESPs process them, attaching files, especially PDFs like shipping labels, can negatively affect deliverability by increasing email size and triggering spam filters. Domain age and reputation play a significant role, with newer domains facing initial challenges. Monitoring open rates by MX or recipient domain provides better diagnostic insights. Sending unsolicited or spammy attachments degrades sender reputation. Finally, the TLD's impact is considered negligible as long as it is legitimate, although local geoTLDs can be used for branding.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks shares that the TLD (e.g., .com, .de) should have a negligible effect on deliverability, assuming it's a legitimate TLD. While using a local geoTLD might have marketing benefits for branding, a .com is generally acceptable worldwide.
27 Jan 2025 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks responds that if open rates have dropped more significantly on Hotmail/Outlook and GMX, the reason could be the mail going to bulk. He then advises that there are many things that could have changed and image load rates on their own are not enough to action anything from.
18 Apr 2022 - Email Geeks
5 technical articles
Email deliverability is significantly affected by several technical aspects. Exceeding Gmail's attachment size limits can cause rejections or spam filtering. Using invalid or misconfigured TLDs leads to email rejection due to routing issues. Certain attachment types, like executables, trigger spam filters. Implementing DKIM, SPF, and DMARC improves deliverability by verifying sender identity and reducing spoofing. Maintaining a clean IP reputation is critical, as blacklisting by services like Spamhaus severely impacts deliverability.
Technical article
Documentation from Spamhaus explains maintaining a clean IP reputation is crucial for deliverability. Blacklisting on services like Spamhaus can severely impact deliverability, so it's important to monitor and address any issues promptly.
29 Jul 2021 - Spamhaus
Technical article
Documentation from RFC Editor specifies the technical standards for email, stating that the TLD (Top-Level Domain) should be valid and properly configured to ensure correct routing and deliverability. Invalid or misconfigured TLDs can lead to email rejection.
25 Jun 2021 - RFC Editor
Do different TLDs affect cold email deliverability?
Do images in emails affect deliverability?
Do PDF attachments negatively impact email deliverability and what are the best practices?
Does email size affect spam trap triggers?
Does the top level domain (TLD) affect email deliverability?
How can I improve email deliverability and open rates for a client with a bad domain reputation, especially with Gmail, and what strategies should I use for unengaged users?
How do URL shorteners and domain reputation impact email deliverability?
How does domain reputation affect email deliverability compared to IP reputation?
How does email file size and MIME types affect email deliverability?