Summary
Improving email deliverability requires a multifaceted approach, including technical setup, list management, and content optimization. Experts and marketers highlight the importance of authenticating emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to establish sender reputation. Maintaining a clean and engaged email list, segmenting subscribers, and personalizing content are vital for reducing bounce rates and avoiding spam folders. Consistent sending practices, monitoring engagement metrics, and regularly testing deliverability are also recommended. Resources like 'The Email Ecosystem Explained', EmailRoadshow sessions, and upcoming training classes are suggested for further learning. Understanding spam filtering techniques and performing deliverability audits focusing on infrastructure, authentication, and list health are beneficial for identifying and resolving deliverability issues.
Key findings
- Email Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are crucial for verifying email sender identity and preventing spoofing, directly impacting sender reputation and deliverability.
- List Hygiene: Regular list cleaning, double opt-ins, and subscriber segmentation significantly reduce bounce rates and increase engagement.
- Content Relevance: Personalized and engaging content, devoid of spam trigger words, improves deliverability by signaling value to recipients and ISPs.
- Monitoring & Testing: Continuous monitoring of engagement metrics, bounce rates, and spam complaints, coupled with regular deliverability testing, allows for proactive identification and resolution of issues.
- Holistic Approach: Effective deliverability requires a blend of technical configuration (authentication), list management practices, and content optimization strategies.
- Training and Audits: While specific training resources are upcoming, understanding spam filtering and conducting deliverability audits are vital for diagnosing and improving email performance.
Key considerations
- Implement Authentication: Prioritize the correct setup and maintenance of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to improve sender reputation and ensure email legitimacy.
- Maintain List Health: Establish stringent list management practices, including regular cleaning, double opt-ins, and re-engagement campaigns for inactive subscribers.
- Optimize Content: Craft engaging, personalized content tailored to subscriber interests, avoiding spam trigger words and optimizing for various email clients.
- Monitor Key Metrics: Track key engagement metrics (open rates, click-through rates), bounce rates, and spam complaints to identify trends and areas for improvement.
- Conduct Deliverability Audits: Regularly conduct deliverability audits, focusing on infrastructure, authentication, and list health, to pinpoint and address potential weaknesses.
- Stay Updated: Stay informed about evolving email deliverability best practices and emerging training resources to continuously refine your email strategy.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
Several email marketing experts recommend focusing on sender reputation through authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), consistent sending practices, and regular list cleaning. Engagement metrics, bounce rates, and spam complaints should be monitored to identify deliverability issues. Further recommendations include list segmentation, content personalization, double opt-ins, and avoiding spam trigger words. Specific training resources mentioned include 'The Email Ecosystem Explained' and EmailRoadshow sessions. Tools like GlockApps are suggested for testing deliverability and identifying spam triggers.
Key opinions
- Sender Reputation: Maintaining a positive sender reputation is crucial for email deliverability. Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), consistent sending, and avoiding spam traps are key.
- List Management: Regularly cleaning email lists, using double opt-ins, and segmenting lists are important for reducing bounce rates and improving engagement.
- Content Quality: Personalized and relevant content, along with avoiding spam trigger words, helps improve deliverability.
- Monitoring: Tracking bounce rates, engagement metrics, and spam complaints provides insights into deliverability issues.
- Testing: Using deliverability testing tools can help identify and resolve problems before sending campaigns.
Key considerations
- Authentication: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are properly configured to authenticate your emails and improve sender reputation.
- List Hygiene: Implement a process for regularly cleaning your email list to remove inactive and invalid addresses.
- Content Optimization: Review email content for potential spam triggers and optimize for relevance and personalization.
- Engagement Tracking: Monitor key engagement metrics to identify and address any deliverability issues early on.
- Ongoing Testing: Regularly test your email deliverability to ensure that your emails are reaching the inbox.
Marketer view
Email marketer from HubSpot Blog explains that to improve email deliverability rates, segment your email list, personalize your email content, and remove inactive subscribers from your list.
10 Aug 2024 - HubSpot Blog
Marketer view
Email marketer from ZeroBounce Blog explains that reducing bounce rates requires regularly cleaning your email list to remove invalid or inactive email addresses, using double opt-in, and monitoring your bounce rate to identify and address any issues.
31 Dec 2022 - ZeroBounce Blog
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Experts recommend focusing on understanding spam filtering techniques, sender reputation, infrastructure, authentication, and list health to improve email deliverability. A deliverability training class is expected to launch in September, while deliverability audits are suggested to identify issues.
Key opinions
- Upcoming Training: A deliverability training class is anticipated to launch in September.
- Spam Filtering Knowledge: Understanding spam filtering techniques is crucial for improving deliverability.
- Sender Reputation: Maintaining a good sender reputation is essential for email delivery.
- Deliverability Audits: Deliverability audits can help identify issues in infrastructure, authentication, and list health.
Key considerations
- Training Availability: Keep an eye out for the deliverability training class launching in September.
- Resource Focus: Focus on resources related to spam filtering techniques and sender reputation.
- Audit Implementation: Consider conducting deliverability audits to identify and fix issues.
- Holistic Approach: Address infrastructure, authentication, and list health for comprehensive deliverability improvements.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks shares that she is expecting to launch a deliverability training class in September and she has the framework ready with just a little polishing to do.
4 Dec 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that deliverability audits can help find issues, and they recommend focusing on areas such as infrastructure, authentication and list health.
23 Aug 2022 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Technical documentation emphasizes the importance of email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to prevent emails from being blocked and to verify the sender's domain. Maintaining a consistent IP address, using TLS connections, and following best practices for email content and list management are also crucial for ensuring email delivery to services like Gmail and Microsoft. These protocols help to prevent spammers from forging email addresses and ensure that messages are indeed sent by the domains they claim to be from.
Key findings
- Email Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential for verifying email sender identity and preventing spoofing.
- Consistent IP Address: Using a consistent IP address for sending emails improves deliverability, especially to Gmail users.
- TLS Connection: Transmitting email using a TLS connection enhances security and helps prevent emails from being blocked.
- Best Practices: Following best practices for email content and list management is crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Protocol Implementation: Ensure proper setup and configuration of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for your domain.
- Infrastructure: Maintain a stable and consistent IP address for your email sending infrastructure.
- Security: Always use TLS connections for transmitting email to protect against eavesdropping and tampering.
- Content and List Management: Adhere to best practices for creating email content and managing your email lists to avoid spam filters.
Technical article
Documentation from Gmail Help explains that to prevent emails to Gmail users from being blocked, use a consistent IP address to send mail, keep accurate records in your SPF records, and use a TLS connection for transmitting email.
29 Jul 2022 - Gmail Help
Technical article
Documentation from DMARC.org explains that DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is an email authentication protocol that allows senders to indicate that their emails are protected by SPF and DKIM, and tells receivers what to do if authentication fails, such as reject the message.
9 Jan 2023 - DMARC.org
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