Summary
The consensus is that Mailchimp is a viable option for newsletter deliverability with a growing subscriber list, especially for beginners and smaller businesses, due to its user-friendliness and built-in features. However, success hinges on adhering to email marketing best practices. Maintaining list hygiene through regular cleaning, building a positive sender reputation, and complying with Mailchimp's guidelines are crucial for optimal deliverability. Technical aspects such as setting up DMARC, SPF, and DKIM are essential for authentication and improving sender reputation. Segmentation is also recommended for targeted and engaging content. As subscriber lists grow and marketing needs become more complex, some users may find Mailchimp's basic plans limiting and may require more advanced features offered by other ESPs. The choice of ESP is not the only determining factor; responsible sending practices are paramount.
Key findings
- Good Starting Point: Mailchimp is a good option for beginners due to its ease of use and built-in features.
- List Hygiene is Key: Maintaining a clean and well-managed list is crucial for deliverability.
- Authentication Matters: Setting up DMARC, SPF, and DKIM is important for sender authentication and reputation.
- Best Practices Essential: Adhering to Mailchimp's guidelines and email marketing best practices is critical for success.
- Segmentation Helps: Segmentation improves engagement and deliverability by targeting subscribers with relevant content.
- Sender Reputation: Sender reputation is paramount and relies on responsible sending habits.
- Volume: At low volumes of email sending mailchimp works well.
Key considerations
- Follow Mailchimp's Guidelines: Adhere to Mailchimp's specific requirements and policies.
- Clean Your List Regularly: Implement a process for regularly cleaning and removing inactive or unengaged subscribers.
- Build a Positive Reputation: Focus on building a strong sender reputation through responsible sending practices.
- Segment Your Audience: Use segmentation to target subscribers with relevant and engaging content.
- Monitor Performance: Track deliverability metrics and sender scores to identify and address any issues.
- Consider Advanced Features: Evaluate whether Mailchimp's basic plans meet your long-term marketing needs or if a more robust platform is required.
- 5321.From: Customization of the 5321.From is unnecessary.
- Email Volume: If a low email volume it will be fine.
What email marketers say
12 marketer opinions
Overall, Mailchimp is considered a good starting point for newsletter deliverability, especially for those with growing subscriber lists and smaller businesses. Its ease of use and built-in features make it a suitable option for beginners. However, maintaining good list hygiene, adhering to best practices, and monitoring deliverability are crucial for sustained success. As the subscriber list grows and marketing needs become more complex, advanced users may require more control and automation features offered by alternative platforms. Focusing on sender reputation, email authentication, and list management are key to ensuring optimal deliverability.
Key opinions
- Good starting point: Mailchimp's user-friendly interface and built-in features make it an accessible option for beginners with growing subscriber lists.
- List hygiene is essential: Maintaining good list hygiene through regular cleaning is crucial for deliverability as the subscriber list scales.
- Mailchimp Deliverability: Mailchimp's deliverability is decent if you adhere to their guidelines.
- Sender reputation: Sender reputation is paramount.
- DKIM: DKIM is fine for thousands of users.
Key considerations
- List management: Proactive list management and compliance with anti-spam policies are essential for maintaining a reputable sender reputation.
- Monitoring and best practices: Regular monitoring of deliverability metrics and adherence to email marketing best practices are necessary for sustained success.
- Advanced features: As the subscriber list grows and marketing needs evolve, consider whether Mailchimp's basic plans offer sufficient automation and control.
- 5321.From: 5321.From customization is overkill and unnecessary to get email authenticated and properly delivered.
- DMARC Enforcement: Monitoring removes the nervousness and builds confidence that flipping the switch is the right time to enforce DMARC.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Neil Patel's blog shares that Mailchimp's deliverability is reputable when users actively manage their subscriber lists and comply with its anti-spam policies, making it suitable for newsletters with growing audiences.
29 Oct 2021 - Neil Patel
Marketer view
Email marketer from WebsiteBuilderExpert responds that Mailchimp is a solid starting point for smaller businesses and newsletters, but may need to upgrade or switch platforms as the list scales significantly and marketing needs become more complex.
26 Mar 2022 - WebsiteBuilderExpert
What the experts say
4 expert opinions
Experts agree that Mailchimp can be a good choice for newsletter deliverability with a growing subscriber list, but success hinges on responsible sending practices. Acquiring addresses ethically and maintaining a clean list are crucial. Mailchimp itself is just one factor; sender reputation is paramount. Volume is also a factor with 40K emails per month being a very small amount. A responsible sender will achieve good deliverability, while poor practices will lead to challenges, regardless of the ESP.
Key opinions
- Responsible Practices Key: Mailchimp's effectiveness depends on adhering to best practices in list building and management.
- Sender Reputation Paramount: A strong sender reputation is more important than the choice of ESP.
- Ethical Acquisition: Doing the 'Right Thing' on address acquisition is essential for good deliverability.
- Email Volume: 40K emails a month is a very small amount.
Key considerations
- List Hygiene: Prioritize clean list management and proactive maintenance.
- Sender Reputation Building: Focus on building and maintaining a positive sender reputation.
- Ethical Practices: Adhere to permission-based list building and avoid questionable practices.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that 40K emails a month is a very small amount.
8 Jan 2025 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from SpamResource emphasizes that Mailchimp's deliverability largely depends on the user's adherence to best practices, including permission-based list building and proactive list management, particularly with a growing subscriber list. They state that a responsible sender will likely achieve good results, while a sender using questionable practices will face deliverability challenges regardless of the ESP.
7 Sep 2021 - SpamResource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Mailchimp's documentation stresses that following their deliverability best practices, including domain authentication, list hygiene, and setting up DMARC, SPF, and DKIM records, is crucial for maintaining good deliverability with a growing subscriber list. Segmentation is also recommended to improve engagement by sending relevant content to specific subscribers. Additionally, SparkPost's documentation emphasizes the importance of maintaining a good sender reputation and monitoring sender scores and engagement rates, especially as lists grow.
Key findings
- Best Practices are Key: Following Mailchimp's deliverability best practices is essential for good results.
- Segmentation Improves Engagement: Segmentation improves engagement and deliverability by sending relevant content.
- Authentication is Crucial: Setting up DMARC, SPF, and DKIM improves sender reputation and deliverability.
- Monitor Reputation: Maintaining a good sender reputation is crucial, and Mailchimp users should monitor sender scores.
Key considerations
- Implement Authentication: Ensure DMARC, SPF, and DKIM records are properly configured.
- Practice List Hygiene: Regularly clean and maintain your email list.
- Segment Your Audience: Utilize segmentation to target subscribers with relevant content.
- Monitor Performance: Regularly monitor sender scores and engagement rates.
Technical article
Documentation from Mailchimp emphasizes that setting up DMARC, SPF, and DKIM records helps improve your sender reputation and email deliverability as your subscriber list grows.
6 Oct 2021 - Mailchimp
Technical article
Documentation from Mailchimp explains that following Mailchimp's deliverability best practices, such as authenticating your domain and maintaining list hygiene, is essential for ensuring good deliverability with a growing subscriber list.
19 Jan 2024 - Mailchimp
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