Summary
A good deliverability guide for email marketers encompasses several key aspects to ensure emails reach the intended recipients' inboxes. It starts with establishing a strong sender reputation through proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), as well as focusing on building an engaged and clean email list. This involves actively managing bounces, removing inactive subscribers, and utilizing feedback loops to address spam complaints. Additionally, maintaining content quality and relevance, personalizing messages, optimizing email design, and avoiding spam trigger words are crucial. Continuously monitoring sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and implementing strategies such as warming up IP addresses and segmenting email lists are also emphasized.
Key findings
- Authentication is Key: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is paramount for verifying sender identity and improving deliverability.
- List Hygiene Matters: Maintaining a clean and engaged email list by removing inactive subscribers, managing bounces, and avoiding spam traps is essential.
- Engagement Drives Deliverability: High engagement rates (opens, clicks) signal positive sender reputation and improve deliverability.
- Content Quality is Crucial: Personalized, relevant, and engaging content avoids spam filters and resonates with recipients.
- Monitoring is Essential: Regularly monitor sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools to identify and address potential issues.
Key considerations
- Implement Authentication: Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to authenticate your email sending sources.
- Clean Your List Regularly: Implement a process for regularly removing inactive subscribers, bounces, and spam traps from your email list.
- Personalize Your Content: Tailor your email content to the interests and preferences of your subscribers to increase engagement.
- Optimize Email Design: Design your emails to be mobile-friendly, visually appealing, and free of code errors.
- Monitor Sender Reputation: Use Google Postmaster Tools and other monitoring tools to track your sender reputation and identify any issues that need addressing.
- Warming Up IPs: Gradually increase email volume when using new IP addresses to establish sender reputation.
- Segmentation: Segment your email list to send targeted emails that are more relevant to subscribers.
- Feedback Loops: Set up and monitor feedback loops to identify and remove subscribers who report spam.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
Email deliverability is influenced by numerous factors. A good deliverability guide for email marketers emphasizes building a strong sender reputation through authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), engaging content, and proper list management. Key strategies include warming up IP addresses, segmenting email lists, regularly cleaning subscriber lists, personalizing content, optimizing email design, and monitoring sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools. Avoiding spam filters is crucial, which involves using reputable ESPs, avoiding spam trigger words, and providing easy unsubscribe options.
Key opinions
- Sender Reputation: A strong sender reputation is crucial for email deliverability. Regularly monitor and maintain it.
- Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for verifying sender identity.
- Engagement: High engagement rates (opens, clicks) positively impact deliverability. Low engagement can hurt your sender reputation.
- List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive subscribers, bounces, and spam traps.
- Content Quality: Personalized and relevant content improves engagement and deliverability.
- Avoiding Spam Filters: Avoiding spam trigger words and using a reputable ESP helps bypass spam filters.
Key considerations
- IP Warm-up: Gradually increase email volume to establish a good sender reputation with ISPs.
- Segmentation: Segment your email list to send targeted emails and improve engagement.
- Email Design: Optimize email design for deliverability by using responsive layouts and optimized images.
- Monitoring: Regularly monitor your sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
- Unsubscribe Process: Provide an easy and clear unsubscribe process to avoid spam complaints.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares a deliverability guide for novice to intermediate email deliverability.
25 Aug 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Litmus emphasizes that engagement is a critical factor for deliverability. They recommend A/B testing subject lines and content to improve open and click-through rates.
10 Sep 2023 - Litmus
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Experts agree that maintaining good email deliverability involves focusing on three key areas: proper email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to establish sender identity; maintaining a clean and engaged email list by removing inactive subscribers and managing bounces; and actively monitoring sender reputation through tools like Google Postmaster Tools to identify and address deliverability issues.
Key opinions
- Authentication: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for establishing sender identity and improving deliverability.
- List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean and engaged email list is vital for optimal deliverability.
- Sender Reputation Monitoring: Actively monitoring sender reputation helps identify and address deliverability issues promptly.
Key considerations
- Implement Authentication: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are properly configured to authenticate your email sending sources.
- Regular List Cleaning: Regularly remove inactive subscribers and manage bounces to maintain a healthy email list.
- Utilize Monitoring Tools: Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools to continuously monitor your sender reputation and identify potential issues.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise, Steve Jones, advises email marketers to actively monitor their sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools to identify and address any deliverability issues promptly. Consistent monitoring can help maintain a positive sender reputation and improve email placement.
30 Jan 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, emphasizes the importance of maintaining a clean and engaged email list for optimal deliverability. Regularly removing inactive subscribers and managing bounces are key to ensuring emails reach the intended recipients and avoiding spam traps.
4 Jul 2023 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Good email deliverability guides for email marketers emphasize the importance of authentication (specifically DMARC), list management, spam compliance, and monitoring sender reputation. Resources like Google Workspace, Microsoft Sender Support, and DMARC.org provide guidelines and tools for implementing these practices. Feedback loops are also crucial for identifying and removing problematic subscribers based on spam complaints. Understanding technical specifications like SPF records, as detailed in RFC documentation, is essential for proper configuration.
Key findings
- Authentication: DMARC is increasingly required for bulk senders to ensure proper email authentication.
- Monitoring: Sender Support portals and Google Postmaster Tools help monitor and troubleshoot deliverability issues.
- Feedback Loops: Feedback loops (FBLs) are essential for identifying and removing problematic subscribers who mark emails as spam.
- Technical Specifications: Understanding technical specifications like SPF records is crucial for proper configuration.
- List Management: Proper list management and spam compliance are necessary for ensuring deliverability.
Key considerations
- Implement DMARC: Ensure DMARC is properly set up, especially if sending bulk emails.
- Monitor Sender Reputation: Regularly check sender reputation using available tools to identify and address potential issues.
- Configure SPF: Accurately configure SPF records to authenticate email sending sources.
- Utilize Feedback Loops: Set up and monitor feedback loops to identify and remove subscribers who report spam.
Technical article
Documentation from DMARC.org guides email marketers through the implementation of DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) to protect their domains from email spoofing and phishing attacks.
10 Jul 2022 - DMARC.org
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft explains how to use the Sender Support portal to monitor your sender reputation and troubleshoot deliverability issues with Outlook.com.
17 Oct 2022 - Microsoft
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