Summary
A diverse range of contest and event ideas have been suggested to enhance email deliverability knowledge and practices. These include technical challenges like setting up SPF records, configuring DMARC, implementing BIMI, diagnosing DNS issues, and performing IP warm-ups. Gamified learning is emphasized through quizzes, capture-the-flag events, and deliverability escape rooms. Focus is also placed on strategic approaches such as A/B testing subject lines, managing vendor compliance, improving sender reputation through email verification and engagement-based segmentation, and protecting domain reputation. Overall, the suggestions cover a wide spectrum of technical, strategic, and educational activities to improve email deliverability.
Key findings
- Comprehensive Approach: Deliverability improvement requires a multi-faceted approach that includes technical configurations, strategic planning, and continuous learning.
- Gamification Effectiveness: Gamified learning methods, such as escape rooms and capture-the-flag events, can effectively engage participants and improve knowledge retention.
- Authentication Importance: Proper email authentication (SPF, DMARC, BIMI) is critical for establishing sender legitimacy and improving inbox placement.
- Reputation Management: Maintaining a positive sender reputation through email verification, IP warm-up, and engagement-based segmentation is essential for long-term deliverability success.
- Vendor Compliance: Ensuring vendor compliance with email marketing best practices is vital for maintaining consistent deliverability performance.
Key considerations
- Technical Skill Level: The complexity of the events and contests should be tailored to the technical skill level of the participants.
- Resource Allocation: Adequate resources, including time, budget, and technical expertise, are necessary for planning and executing successful events.
- Engagement Strategies: Effective engagement strategies, such as prizes, recognition, and interactive activities, are crucial for maximizing participant involvement.
- Data Privacy: All activities must comply with applicable data privacy regulations and email marketing laws.
- Measurable Outcomes: Events and contests should have clearly defined, measurable outcomes to assess their effectiveness and impact on deliverability.
What email marketers say
12 marketer opinions
Various email marketing experts and resources suggest a range of contest and event ideas to enhance email deliverability knowledge and practices. These include practical challenges like DNS puzzles and reputation resets, gamified training with quizzes and challenges, capture-the-flag events focused on diagnosing and fixing deliverability issues, email design challenges, and workshops covering authentication, list hygiene, and other best practices. Competitions based on inbox placement rates, subject line A/B testing, and strategic domain management are also proposed, along with engagement-based segmentation events.
Key opinions
- Gamification: Gamifying deliverability training through quizzes, challenges, and competitions can increase engagement and knowledge retention.
- Practical Challenges: Practical exercises like DNS puzzles, reputation resets, and capture-the-flag events provide hands-on experience in troubleshooting and resolving deliverability issues.
- Knowledge Sharing: Workshops, webinars, and knowledge-sharing events facilitate the exchange of insights and best practices among email marketers.
- Design Focus: Email design challenges can highlight the importance of visually appealing, accessible, and deliverability-compliant email templates.
- Strategic Approaches: Contests focusing on inbox placement rates, A/B testing, and domain management can encourage the implementation of strategic deliverability practices.
Key considerations
- Target Audience: Consider the skill level and interests of the target audience when selecting or designing a contest or event.
- Learning Objectives: Clearly define the learning objectives for each contest or event to ensure participants gain valuable knowledge and skills.
- Engagement Metrics: Establish metrics for measuring participant engagement and success, such as knowledge gained, skills improved, and behavioral changes adopted.
- Resource Availability: Assess the availability of resources, such as expert speakers, training materials, and technical support, to ensure the smooth execution of the contest or event.
- Practical Application: Ensure that the knowledge and skills gained during the contest or event can be readily applied to real-world deliverability challenges.
Marketer view
Email marketer from EmailVendorSelection.com suggests gamifying deliverability training by incorporating quizzes and challenges related to sender authentication, list hygiene, and email design best practices.
10 Oct 2021 - EmailVendorSelection.com
Marketer view
Email marketer from Twilio SendGrid recommends a 'Engagement based segmentation' event for those focusing on deliverability.
5 Aug 2021 - Twilio SendGrid
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Experts from Word to the Wise Forums suggest two event ideas: gamifying vendor compliance and creating a deliverability escape room. Gamifying vendor compliance involves integrating compliance programs with employee incentives to improve vendor adherence to email marketing best practices, thus indirectly improving deliverability. The deliverability escape room would challenge participants to solve deliverability-related puzzles such as diagnosing spam filter triggers, authentication issues, and bounce messages.
Key opinions
- Vendor Compliance Gamification: Integrating compliance programs with employee incentives can indirectly improve email deliverability by ensuring vendor adherence to best practices.
- Deliverability Escape Room: A deliverability escape room can provide a hands-on, engaging way to learn about and troubleshoot deliverability challenges.
Key considerations
- Incentive Design: For gamifying vendor compliance, careful design of incentives is crucial to motivate employees and ensure effective vendor management.
- Puzzle Design: For a deliverability escape room, puzzles should be challenging but solvable, covering a range of relevant deliverability topics.
- Resource Requirements: Both event types require resources for planning, execution, and potentially, the creation of physical or digital escape room components.
- Integration with Compliance Programs: Vendor management gamification requires deep integration with existing compliance programs and vendor relationships.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise Forums shares the idea of gamifying compliance programs for vendor management by tying it to employee incentives and recognition, which indirectly impacts deliverability by ensuring vendor adherence to best practices.
19 Jul 2023 - Word to the Wise Forums
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise Forums recommends a deliverability escape room event that presents deliverability challenges as puzzles or roadblocks that participants must solve, such as diagnosing spam filter triggers, analyzing authentication issues, or deciphering bounce messages.
26 Feb 2022 - Word to the Wise Forums
What the documentation says
6 technical articles
Several documentation sources propose contest and event ideas centered around email authentication and deliverability best practices. These include an SPF record testing challenge, a DMARC configuration workshop, a BIMI setup race, an email verification best practice training, an IP warm-up challenge, and a spam trap avoidance game. These events aim to educate and engage participants in critical aspects of email deliverability, such as authentication, sender reputation, and list hygiene.
Key findings
- Authentication Focus: SPF, DMARC, and BIMI events highlight the importance of email authentication protocols for improving deliverability.
- Reputation Management: Email verification and IP warm-up challenges emphasize the significance of maintaining a good sender reputation.
- List Hygiene: Spam trap avoidance games underscore the need for clean and properly segmented email lists.
- Hands-on Learning: The proposed events provide hands-on opportunities to implement and test deliverability best practices.
Key considerations
- Technical Expertise: Some events, such as DMARC configuration and BIMI setup, may require a certain level of technical expertise from participants.
- Tooling and Resources: Ensure participants have access to the necessary tools and resources, such as SPF record checkers, DMARC analyzers, and email verification services.
- Practical Application: Emphasize the practical application of the knowledge and skills gained during these events to real-world email marketing campaigns.
- Compliance: Ensure that all proposed activities comply with applicable data privacy regulations and email marketing laws.
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft suggests hosting a DMARC configuration workshop, guiding participants through the steps of setting up and validating their DMARC policies. Focus on reporting and enforcement options.
21 Feb 2022 - Microsoft
Technical article
Documentation from RFC Editor suggests setting up a 'SPF record test' where participants create and test SPF records to ensure proper email authentication. Prizes awarded for correctly implemented SPF records.
2 Apr 2025 - RFC-Editor
Do email clicks improve inbox deliverability?
Do images in emails affect deliverability?
How can email deliverability be explained simply to non-technical audiences like legal professionals?
How can I improve content discoverability on my deliverability blog?
What are good B2B dedicated seedlist services for inbox placement tests?
What are some low-budget deliverability and reputation tracking tools?
