Summary
Email engagement metrics significantly impact inbox delivery and sender reputation. Mailbox providers (MBPs) analyze user actions to determine if recipients want the mail, applying filters based on engagement. Positive engagement (opens, clicks, forwards, read time) boosts deliverability, while negative engagement (spam complaints, deleting without reading, ignoring emails) harms it. Sender authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), list hygiene (removing inactive addresses), content quality (avoiding spam triggers), and consistent sending habits are essential. However, measurement factors vary across ISPs, and engagement recommendations are less relevant for B2B audiences. Feedback loops (FBLs) help manage spam complaints. Maintaining a clean IP, warming IPs gradually, and understanding that there are financial and psychological costs associated with sending to unengaged users are also important.
Key findings
- Engagement Signals: Positive engagement metrics like opens, clicks, forwards, and read time improve deliverability.
- Negative Engagement Hurts: Spam complaints, deleting without reading, and ignoring emails negatively impact sender reputation.
- Authentication is Critical: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential for sender authentication and building trust.
- List Hygiene is Key: Removing inactive or invalid email addresses improves deliverability and reduces costs.
- Content Matters: Avoiding spam trigger words and creating relevant, engaging content are crucial.
- ISPs Differ: Different ISPs use varying engagement metrics, so understanding your audience's ISPs is important.
- B2B is Different: Engagement recommendations are less relevant for B2B audiences due to different filtering methods.
- FBLs Are Important: Feedback Loops (FBLs) help identify and address spam complaints.
Key considerations
- Implement Authentication: Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate your email.
- Maintain List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive subscribers and invalid addresses.
- Segment Your List: Segment your audience based on engagement and relevance.
- Monitor Engagement Metrics: Track opens, clicks, spam complaints, and other metrics to assess deliverability.
- Warm Up IPs: Gradually warm up new IP addresses to establish a positive sending reputation.
- Review Postmaster Pages: Consult Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft postmaster pages for recommended best practices.
- Manage Spam Complaints: Actively monitor and address spam complaints through feedback loops (FBLs).
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
Email engagement metrics, such as opens, clicks, and conversions, are crucial indicators of email deliverability and sender reputation. High engagement signifies that recipients find content valuable, while low engagement or spam complaints can lead to deliverability issues. Building a clean email list through double opt-in, segmentation, and regular cleaning of inactive subscribers is essential. Personalization, a reputable email service provider, and consistent sending habits further contribute to a positive sender reputation. Technical aspects like proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), avoiding spam trigger words, and monitoring bounce rates are also key. User interaction, dedicated IP addresses, and warming up IPs gradually are effective strategies. Ultimately, maintaining list quality, relevant content, and positive engagement are critical to avoiding the spam folder and ensuring successful email delivery.
Key opinions
- Engagement Matters: High email engagement (opens, clicks, conversions) improves deliverability and sender reputation.
- List Hygiene is Key: Maintaining a clean email list by removing inactive or invalid addresses is crucial.
- Authentication is Essential: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is necessary to verify sender identity.
- Content Quality Impacts Delivery: Avoiding spam trigger words and creating relevant content improves inbox placement.
- Sender Reputation is Significant: Monitoring and managing sender reputation prevents blacklisting and spam filtering.
- Cost Considerations: Sending to unengaged users carries costs beyond server expenses, including damage to sender reputation and deliverability, as well as list hygiene time.
Key considerations
- Implement Double Opt-in: Use double opt-in to ensure subscribers genuinely want to receive emails.
- Segment Your Audience: Segment your audience based on engagement to send more relevant content.
- Personalize Your Emails: Personalize emails to increase engagement and relevance.
- Monitor and Address Spam Complaints: Actively monitor and address spam complaints to maintain a positive sender reputation.
- Warm Up Your IP: Gradually warm up your IP address when starting a new email program.
- Dedicated IP Benefits: Consider using a dedicated IP address for greater control over your sender reputation.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Litmus explains the quality of your email list, authentication setup, and most importantly, how recipients engage with your emails impact deliverability. Monitor metrics like opens, clicks, and spam complaints. High engagement contributes to a positive reputation, while low engagement or negative actions signal deliverability problems.
9 Apr 2022 - Litmus
Marketer view
Email marketer from Neil Patel explains that to improve deliverability, focus on building a clean email list by using double opt-in, segmenting your audience based on engagement, and regularly cleaning out inactive subscribers. Personalize your emails, use a reputable email service provider, and monitor your sender reputation to avoid being marked as spam.
11 Mar 2024 - Neil Patel
What the experts say
10 expert opinions
Email engagement metrics significantly influence inbox delivery and sender reputation, with various factors at play. Mailbox providers (MBPs) use complex metrics to determine user engagement and whether recipients want the mail. Positive engagement, such as opens, clicks, and forwards, boosts deliverability, while negative engagement, like deleting without reading or marking as spam, harms it. Different ISPs have different measurement factors, making it crucial to understand the specific ISPs involved. For B2B audiences, engagement metrics are less relevant compared to consumer-focused email programs. Reviewing Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft postmaster pages helps align sending practices with what mailbox providers consider desirable. Feedback loops (FBLs) are essential for identifying and addressing spam complaints promptly. Furthermore, what actions are considered positive or negative by mailbox providers are constantly changing.
Key opinions
- ISPs Vary: Different ISPs have different factors for measuring email engagement and determining delivery.
- Engagement Matters: Positive recipient engagement (opens, clicks, forwards) improves deliverability.
- Negative Engagement Harms: Negative engagement (deleting without reading, spam complaints) hurts sender reputation.
- B2B is Different: Recipient engagement recommendations are less relevant for B2B audiences.
- Postmaster Pages Provide Guidance: Mailbox provider (Yahoo, Google, Microsoft) postmaster pages offer insights into desired sending practices.
- Feedback Loops are Critical: Feedback loops help identify and address spam complaints to maintain sender reputation.
- Reply Action: A recipient replying to an email has a high impact on increasing the sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Identify Target ISPs: Understand the specific engagement factors used by the ISPs to which you are sending.
- Monitor Engagement: Track email engagement metrics to identify and address potential deliverability issues.
- Address Spam Complaints: Promptly remove users who mark emails as spam from your mailing list.
- Review Postmaster Guidelines: Regularly consult Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft postmaster pages for best practices.
- Data Driven Decisions: Removing in-active users from your email lists will help improve sender score, but make sure you base it on the data from your own client's data before applying as a general rule of thumb.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains negative engagement metrics are similar, but it depends on the history of the users behavior and the broader reputation of the mailstream. At its simplest, not reading an email doesn't mean much, but not reading any emails from a mailstream for six months means more. One user being disinterested in your emails doesn’t mean much. If most of the recipients at a mailbox provider ignore them then it’s greymail of little value to anyone.
13 Jul 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that recipient engagement is a significant factor; positive engagement (opens, clicks, forwards) helps, while negative engagement (deleting without reading, marking as spam) hurts sender reputation and deliverability.
27 Jul 2021 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Email deliverability and sender reputation are significantly influenced by various factors, primarily centered around sender authentication, list hygiene, content quality, and recipient engagement. Sending authenticated mail, maintaining a clean sending IP, and avoiding unwanted mail are crucial. Positive engagement signals, such as opens, clicks, forwards, and read time, demonstrate that users want your emails, while negative signals like spam complaints, deleting without reading, ignoring emails, and unsubscribes negatively impact sender reputation. Consistent sending volume and a low spam rate are essential for maintaining good standing. It's vital to prune unengaged subscribers and avoid spam traps to optimize deliverability.
Key findings
- Authentication is Key: Sender authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is critical for establishing trust.
- List Hygiene Matters: Maintaining a clean and engaged email list improves deliverability.
- Engagement Signals: Opens, clicks, forwards, and read time positively impact sender reputation.
- Negative Signals Hurt: Spam complaints, deleting without reading, and ignoring emails negatively affect deliverability.
- Consistency Helps: Consistent sending volume contributes to a positive sender reputation.
- Spam Rate Crucial: Maintaining a low spam rate is essential for avoiding deliverability issues.
Key considerations
- Implement Authentication: Ensure proper sender authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is configured.
- Prune Unengaged Subscribers: Regularly remove unengaged subscribers to improve list quality.
- Avoid Spam Traps: Implement strategies to avoid sending emails to spam traps.
- Monitor Engagement Metrics: Track engagement metrics to identify and address potential issues.
- Maintain Clean IP: Ensure a clean sending IP by following best practices and addressing negative feedback.
Technical article
Documentation from Validity details that recipient engagement data is a critical factor in deliverability. Opens, clicks, forwards, and even read time signal to mailbox providers that users want your emails. Conversely, deleting without reading, marking as spam, or ignoring your messages negatively impacts your sender reputation.
15 Nov 2022 - Validity
Technical article
Documentation from Google explains that several factors influence sender reputation, including sending authenticated mail, avoiding sending unwanted mail, maintaining a low spam rate, and keeping your sending IP in good standing. High spam rates and sending to invalid user accounts negatively impact sender reputation and delivery rates.
28 Dec 2024 - Google
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