Does my email tool truly affect deliverability if my sending practices are good?

While your sending behavior and list quality are paramount, your email tool still affects deliverability through its IP reputation, technical infrastructure, and internal compliance policies. A tool with a poor overall reputation or inadequate authentication setup can hinder your efforts, even if you follow best practices.

Should I choose an email tool that offers shared or dedicated IPs?

For lower-volume senders , shared IPs are typically sufficient and benefit from the collective reputation management of the ESP. High-volume senders with consistent sending patterns often benefit from dedicated IPs, as they offer more control over sender reputation, provided they warm up the IP correctly and maintain good practices.

What technical features should I look for in an email tool to ensure good deliverability?

Look for tools that make it easy to set up SPF , DKIM , and DMARC , automatically handle hard bounces, provide spam testing features, and offer transparent reporting on your sender reputation and campaign performance. Tools with strict anti-spam policies also contribute positively to overall deliverability.

Does my past sending history or reputation transfer when I switch email tools?

Yes, sender history matters. If you switch to a new email tool, you'll need to establish a new sending reputation on their IPs, which typically involves a warming-up period . Your historical performance (opens, clicks, complaints) with previous tools does not directly transfer, but good sending habits remain beneficial.

How does my email tool affect my email deliverability? - Sender reputation - Email deliverability - Knowledge base

When considering the factors that influence email deliverability, the tools you use to send your emails often come into question. It is a common misconception that simply choosing a well-known email service provider (ESP) guarantees inbox placement. While the tool itself plays a role, its impact is intertwined with various other elements, including its infrastructure, internal policies, and how you, as the sender, utilize it.

In reality, your sending practices, the quality of your email list, and the content of your messages often have a more direct and significant impact on whether your emails land in the inbox or the spam folder. However, the underlying technology and reputation of your chosen email tool can certainly amplify or hinder your efforts.

Let's explore the specific ways your email tool can influence your deliverability and what you should look for to optimize your email program.

The role of IP reputation and shared pools

One of the primary ways an email tool affects deliverability is through its management of IP addresses and the associated sender reputation. Email service providers maintain large pools of IP addresses from which their clients send emails. This IP reputation is crucial because mailbox providers (like Gmail or Outlook) use it as a key indicator of trustworthiness. If the IPs shared by your ESP are frequently used by spammers, your emails, regardless of your good practices, might suffer.

Most ESPs offer shared IP pools, where many clients send emails from the same set of IP addresses. This is cost-effective and suitable for most senders, especially those with lower sending volumes. However, your deliverability on a shared IP is somewhat dependent on the sending habits of other users on that same IP. If a few bad apples on a shared IP engage in spammy behavior, it can negatively affect the reputation of the entire pool, potentially leading to your emails being directed to the spam folder or even blocked.

For high-volume senders, dedicated IPs are often recommended. A dedicated IP means you are the sole sender using that IP address, giving you complete control over its reputation. While this offers more stability, it also means you are entirely responsible for building and maintaining a positive sender reputation from scratch. This takes time and consistent good sending practices. You can learn more about improving your email reputation.

Shared IPs

Cost-effective: Ideal for lower sending volumes and budget-conscious senders.
Managed reputation: ESPs typically warm up and monitor these IPs.
Risk of contamination: Deliverability can be affected by other users' poor sending practices.
Less control: You have less direct influence over the IP's reputation.

Dedicated IPs

Full control: Your deliverability depends solely on your sending habits.
Higher cost: More expensive and generally reserved for high-volume senders.
Warming period: Requires a gradual increase in sending volume to build reputation.
Suitable for: Businesses with consistent high-volume sending.

Technical infrastructure and authentication

Beyond IP reputation, an email tool's technical infrastructure and its handling of email authentication protocols significantly impact deliverability. A robust ESP ensures that your emails are properly authenticated, which is a critical signal of legitimacy to mailbox providers. This includes correctly configuring SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for your sending domain.

Some email tools make this setup process straightforward, providing clear instructions or even automating parts of it. Others might require more manual configuration, increasing the risk of errors that could negatively affect your deliverability. For instance, using a free email domain like

Gmail.com or

Yahoo.com in your From address when sending marketing emails through an ESP can lead to rejections due to DMARC policies. A good email tool will guide you toward using your own custom domain for sending to ensure proper authentication and better deliverability.

Best practices for email authentication

Use a custom domain: Always send from an email address on your own domain, not a free email service like AOL.
Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC: These protocols verify your sender identity and protect against spoofing. Many ESPs help with this, or you can use a free DMARC record generator.
Monitor authentication reports: Regularly check your DMARC reports to identify any authentication failures.

Example DMARC RecordDNS

v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc_reports@yourdomain.com; ruf=mailto:dmarc_forensic@yourdomain.com; fo=1;

Beyond the initial setup, a good email tool continuously monitors its sending infrastructure for blocklist (or blacklist) listings and takes prompt action to delist IPs if they end up on a common blacklist. They also manage bounces and complaints, which are critical feedback loops from mailbox providers.

Some ESPs proactively suppress problematic addresses to protect their sender reputation, which in turn helps your deliverability. This management of sending practices directly impacts their overall reputation, benefiting all users. Without robust internal practices, even a technically sound tool can struggle with consistent inbox placement. Regular monitoring of blocklists, such as with blocklist monitoring, is essential regardless of your tool choice.

The design and features of your email tool can also indirectly affect deliverability. Features that encourage good sending habits (e.g., list cleaning tools, A/B testing for engagement, segmenting by engagement) can lead to better outcomes. Conversely, tools that make it easy to send to unengaged subscribers or use problematic content may inadvertently hurt your reputation.

Even the quality and size of your email HTML template can play a subtle role, as overly complex or large code can sometimes trigger spam filters. While tools don't directly write your content, their features and design influence your choices.

Internal practices and compliance of the email tool

In the ongoing battle against spam, email tools play a critical role through their internal policies and compliance measures. Reputable ESPs maintain strict acceptable use policies to prevent malicious senders from abusing their platform. This protects the collective sender reputation of all their clients.

For instance, an ESP might actively monitor for spam complaints, bounce rates, and engagement metrics across its entire user base. If a client consistently exhibits poor sending behavior, the ESP might suspend or terminate their account to protect its shared IP reputation. This proactive approach by your email tool can make a significant difference in your long-term deliverability, even if it means some initial limitations on your sending.

Tools also differ in how they handle email list hygiene. Some ESPs automatically remove hard bounces, while others might offer integrated list validation services or warn you about sending to unengaged subscribers. The more your tool helps you maintain a clean and engaged list, the better your deliverability will be, as engagement is a crucial factor for inbox placement.

Furthermore, the quality of a tool's spam filtering and pre-delivery checks can vary. Advanced ESPs often employ sophisticated algorithms to scan outgoing emails for potential spam triggers, helping you identify and rectify issues before your campaign goes out. This built-in vigilance can prevent your emails from ever hitting a blocklist or being classified as spam by mailbox providers. For deeper insights into blocklists, refer to an in-depth guide to email blocklists.

Factor	Impact of ESP Features
Authentication Setup	Automated SPF/DKIM/DMARC configuration vs. manual DNS entry.
Bounce Management	Automatic removal of hard bounces to protect sender reputation.
Complaint Feedback Loops	Enrollment in FBLs to quickly identify and remove complainers.
List Hygiene Tools	Built-in validation or integrations to clean lists.
Content Scanning	Pre-send spam checks to flag problematic content.

Views from the trenches

Best practices

Always prioritize building a strong sender reputation on your new platform.

Maintain a clean email list regardless of the tool, focusing on engagement.

Actively use features your ESP provides for authentication and compliance.

Common pitfalls

Assuming all ESPs offer the same deliverability performance out of the box.

Neglecting the need to warm up a new IP or domain with a new ESP.

Not monitoring your sender reputation and blocklist status regularly.

Expert tips

Leverage your ESP's documentation and support for best practices.

Understand your tool's IP infrastructure (shared vs. dedicated).

Keep an eye on bounce and complaint rates reported by your ESP.

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks says that the quality of your email list has a greater impact on deliverability than the email tool itself, assuming the tool is reputable.

2023-01-15 - Email Geeks

Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks says there are always slight differences between tools due to IP reputation and other traffic they send out, but this impact is less significant than it used to be.

2023-02-20 - Email Geeks

Optimizing your email deliverability

Ultimately, your email tool is an enabler. A high-quality ESP provides the infrastructure and features necessary to achieve excellent deliverability, but it doesn't guarantee it. Your sending habits, such as maintaining a clean list, sending relevant content, and ensuring proper authentication, remain the most critical factors. An ESP can provide the best possible foundation, but it's up to you to build a strong reputation upon it.

Choosing a reputable email tool that aligns with your sending volume and practices is important. Ensure it supports essential authentication protocols like DMARC, offers transparent insights into your sending reputation, and helps you manage bounces and complaints effectively. By combining a good email tool with sound email marketing practices, you can significantly improve your chances of consistently landing in the inbox.