Summary
A variety of resources and strategies exist for email deliverability and reputation validation, ranging from pay-per-test tools to free services and documentation. GlockApps offers pay-as-you-go testing. Free tools like SenderScore, Deliveryindex and Mail-Tester provide basic insights. Manual testing using seed lists is an option. Mailosaur can automate deliverability checks. MXToolbox offers diagnostic tools. Platforms like Sendgrid, Email on Acid, SparkPost, and Litmus provide features that aid deliverability. Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial. List management, content quality, sender reputation, and IP warmup are important factors. Google and Microsoft provide best practices for avoiding blocks.
Key findings
- Pay-Per-Test Options: GlockApps provides pay-as-you-go deliverability testing.
- Free Diagnostic Tools: SenderScore, Deliveryindex, and Mail-Tester offer free insights.
- DIY Testing Strategies: Seed lists and manual analysis can be a cost-effective alternative.
- Automation: Mailosaur provides automated testing via APIs.
- Diagnostic Tools: MXToolbox offers blacklist and DNS checks for diagnostics.
- Platform Features: Sendgrid, Email on Acid, SparkPost and Litmus provide deliverability features.
- Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential for email authentication.
- Holistic Approach: Deliverability relies on managing list quality, content, and sender reputation.
- IP Warmup: New IP addresses require careful warmup.
- Provider Guidelines: Google and Microsoft provide best practices for deliverability.
Key considerations
- Budget vs. Features: Balance the cost of paid tools with the insights gained.
- Technical Expertise: Manual testing and diagnostic tools require technical expertise.
- Ongoing Monitoring: Deliverability requires continuous monitoring and adjustment.
- Long-Term Strategy: Build and maintain a positive sender reputation over time.
- Holistic Approach: Take into account various factors, like IP warming, and authentication, for long-term delieverability
What email marketers say
13 marketer opinions
Various tools and strategies exist for assessing and improving email deliverability and reputation. GlockApps offers pay-as-you-go plans for deliverability testing. Free tools like SenderScore and Deliveryindex provide directional knowledge. Mail-Tester offers a free service with paid options. Building a custom seed list for manual analysis is another approach. Platforms like Email on Acid, SparkPost and Litmus offer features that help improve email delivery rates. Ensuring proper DKIM, SPF, and DMARC setup is critical, as is maintaining a clean email list and sender reputation.
Key opinions
- GlockApps Pay-Per-Test: GlockApps offers pay-as-you-go deliverability tests, suitable for occasional testing needs.
- Free Tools: SenderScore, Deliveryindex, and Mail-Tester provide free insights into deliverability.
- DIY Testing: Creating a seed list and manually tracking inbox placement can be a cost-effective alternative.
- Authentication is Crucial: Correct DKIM, SPF, and DMARC configuration is essential for email authentication and deliverability.
- Platforms with deliverability features: Email on Acid, SparkPost and Litmus all offer features to improve deliverability.
Key considerations
- Budget: Consider the budget when choosing between paid tools and free alternatives.
- Testing Frequency: If testing is infrequent, pay-as-you-go options may be more economical.
- Technical Expertise: Manual testing requires technical knowledge to set up and analyze seed lists.
- Sender Reputation: Proactively manage sender reputation through authentication, list hygiene, and engagement monitoring.
- Integration with existing platform: The deliverability tool should integrate seamlessly with the existing email marketing platform to provide a full testing cycle.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email on Acid explains that pre-send testing tools like theirs are crucial for ensuring deliverability by checking rendering, accessibility, and deliverability factors. They offer various subscription plans that allow a certain number of tests per month, but does not directly do 'pay per test'.
30 Mar 2023 - Email On Acid
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks provides a link to Senderscore.org as a free tool for gaining directional knowledge about deliverability.
20 Dec 2023 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
Email deliverability is significantly influenced by sender reputation, proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and the quality of email content. Monitoring these factors and using feedback loops are crucial for improving sender reputation. For new IP addresses, a gradual IP warmup process involving increasing email volume and monitoring engagement is important to establish a positive reputation.
Key opinions
- Key Deliverability Factors: Sender reputation, email authentication, and content quality are critical for deliverability.
- IP Warmup: Gradual IP warmup is essential for new IP addresses to establish a positive sender reputation.
- Monitoring and Feedback: Continuous monitoring of deliverability metrics and utilizing feedback loops are crucial for improvement.
Key considerations
- Holistic Approach: Address all aspects of deliverability, including technical setup, content, and reputation management.
- New IP Strategy: Implement a carefully planned IP warmup strategy for new sending IPs.
- Ongoing Maintenance: Regularly monitor deliverability metrics and adapt strategies based on performance.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains the importance of IP Warmup for improving your reputation with new IP addresses. She recommends the need to gradually increase email volume, while monitoring engagement to ensure that your IP is being delivered to the inbox.
11 Sep 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Spamresource.com explains that factors such as sender reputation, email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and content quality significantly impact email deliverability. They recommend monitoring these elements and using feedback loops to improve sender reputation.
29 Oct 2023 - Spamresource.com
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Email deliverability can be approached through several documented methods. Mailosaur offers automated testing using temporary email addresses and APIs. MXToolbox provides diagnostics including blacklist checks and DNS analysis, with more features in a subscription. Sendgrid highlights the importance of using dedicated IPs. Google emphasizes authentication, volume, and list management. Microsoft considers sender reputation, content, and authentication to determine email legitimacy, and notes that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols are important.
Key findings
- Mailosaur Automation: Mailosaur enables automated deliverability testing via temporary addresses and APIs.
- MXToolbox Diagnostics: MXToolbox provides tools for diagnosing deliverability issues, including blacklist and DNS checks.
- Sendgrid Dedicated IPs: Sendgrid offers dedicated IPs to help build sender reputation.
- Google's Best Practices: Google recommends authentication, controlled sending volume, and list management to prevent blocking.
- Microsoft's Multifactor Analysis: Microsoft assesses deliverability based on reputation, content, and authentication.
Key considerations
- Testing Approach: Choose an automated testing tool like Mailosaur or manual diagnostics like MXToolbox.
- Reputation Building: Consider dedicated IPs with Sendgrid and other methods to build a strong sender reputation.
- Platform Requirements: Adhere to deliverability best practices recommended by major email providers like Google and Microsoft.
- Cost of Advanced Features: Assess the need for paid services, such as dedicated IPs or advanced deliverability analytics.
Technical article
Documentation from MXToolbox.com explains that MXToolbox offers tools for diagnosing email deliverability issues, including blacklist checks, DNS record analysis, and SMTP diagnostics. While most basic tools are free, they provide comprehensive monitoring and alerting services on a subscription basis.
20 Oct 2023 - MXToolbox.com
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft specifies that it uses multiple factors to determine whether incoming email is legitimate, including the sender's reputation, content of the message, and authentication. This also includes setting up SPF, DKIM and DMARC to improve email deliverability
10 Nov 2024 - Microsoft
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