Summary
When a domain has a low reputation with Gmail, the expected open rates vary widely. Some sources suggest that you can still see open rates of 10% to 17% (before Apple MPP). However, others indicate that open rates can drop below 5% or even 0% if emails consistently land in the spam folder. It's generally agreed that a poor sender reputation significantly harms deliverability and results in a noticeable decline in open rates due to emails being filtered as spam or blocked altogether. High bounce rates further exacerbate this issue. Sender reputation can be impacted for up to a week after its been resolved.
Key findings
- Open Rate Range: Expected open rates range from 0% to 17% (before MPP), dependent on the severity of the reputation issue and spam filtering.
- Deliverability Impact: Poor sender reputation significantly harms email deliverability, leading to reduced open rates.
- Gmail Forgiveness: Gmail might be forgiving in some cases, allowing some emails to reach the inbox despite a low reputation.
- Spam Filtering: Low reputation increases the chances of emails being marked as spam or ending up in junk folders.
- Bounce Rate Indicator: High bounce rates are a clear indicator of deliverability problems contributing to low open rates.
- GPT Delay: There is a potential delay between changes in IP/domain reputation shown in GPT and what's reflected in reporting.
Key considerations
- Reputation Improvement: Focus on improving sender reputation through strategies such as authentication, consistent sending volume, and maintaining a clean email list.
- Proactive Changes: Use low reputation as a signal to implement positive changes and improve sender reputation before further performance declines.
- Deliverability Monitoring: Monitor deliverability metrics to identify and address any reputation issues promptly.
- Content Quality: Ensure high-quality content to prevent emails from being flagged as spam.
- Spam Placement: Monitor spam placement to identify and address deliverability issues.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
When a domain has a low reputation with Gmail, expected open rates vary significantly. Some sources suggest open rates can still be around 10-17%, while others indicate they may drop to below 5% or even 0% if emails consistently land in the spam folder. Low open rates generally signal deliverability issues, often stemming from a poor sender reputation. While Google may be forgiving in some cases, a declining reputation typically leads to a reduced portion of mail reaching the inbox over time. High bounce rates further exacerbate the problem.
Key opinions
- Open Rate Range: With low domain reputation, expected open rates can range from 0% to 17%, influenced by factors such as the severity of the reputation issue and filtering.
- Reputation Impact: Poor sender reputation directly correlates with decreased email deliverability, leading to reduced open rates.
- Gmail Forgiveness: Google might be more lenient than expected in certain cases, allowing a portion of emails to reach the inbox despite a low reputation.
- Bounce Rate Link: High bounce rates are a clear indicator of deliverability problems that contribute to low open rates.
- MPP Impact: MPP will impact open rates. As such before MPP you could expect ~17% UOR, post MPP open rates will vary wildly.
Key considerations
- Proactive Changes: Use low reputation as a signal to implement positive changes and improve sender reputation before further performance declines occur.
- Monitoring Deliverability: Continuously monitor deliverability metrics to identify and address any reputation issues promptly.
- Reputation Improvement: Focus on strategies to improve domain reputation, such as authentication, consistent sending volume, and maintaining a clean email list.
- GPT Delay: Be aware of a potential delay between changes in IP/domain reputation shown in GPT and what's reflected in reporting, allowing time for reputation data to be processed.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Litmus suggests monitoring deliverability metrics and addressing reputation issues to maintain healthy open rates. They suggest that if your reputation is low you will see a considerable reduction in open rates.
2 Mar 2023 - Litmus
Marketer view
Email marketer from Mailjet Blog explains that high bounce rates are a clear indicator of deliverability issues, which directly correlate with low open rates. The relationship means that when more emails bounce, fewer make it to the inbox, resulting in reduced visibility and lower engagement from recipients.
11 Jan 2025 - Mailjet Blog
What the experts say
1 expert opinions
According to an expert from Word to the Wise, a low sender reputation significantly hinders deliverability, leading to messages being filtered as spam or blocked entirely. Consequently, if emails consistently land in the spam folder, the expected open rate will be very low, if any.
Key opinions
- Reputation Importance: Sender reputation is crucial for email deliverability.
- Low Reputation Consequences: Low reputation leads to emails being marked as spam or blocked.
- Impact on Open Rates: Emails consistently going to spam result in very low or nonexistent open rates.
Key considerations
- Reputation Management: Prioritize sender reputation management to ensure emails reach the intended recipients.
- Spam Monitoring: Monitor spam placement to identify and address deliverability issues.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that sender reputation is critical for deliverability, and a low reputation means that messages are much more likely to be filtered as spam or blocked. The open rate, if any, will be very low if mail is going to spam.
1 Dec 2022 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
According to Google, SendGrid, and Microsoft documentation, a low sender reputation significantly impairs email deliverability. This results in emails being marked as spam, not delivered at all, or filtered into junk folders. Consequently, open rates are expected to be very low or nonexistent due to a smaller percentage of emails reaching recipients' inboxes.
Key findings
- Low Reputation Impact: Low sender reputation leads to emails being marked as spam or not delivered.
- Open Rate Decline: Poor sender reputation results in a noticeable decline in email open rates.
- Junk Folder Placement: Sender reputation influences whether emails end up in junk folders.
Key considerations
- Reputation Improvement: Improve sender reputation to enhance email deliverability and increase open rates.
- Content Quality: Ensure high-quality content to prevent emails from being flagged as spam.
- Deliverability Monitoring: Monitor deliverability metrics to identify and address reputation issues promptly.
Technical article
Documentation from SendGrid Documentation highlights how poor sender reputation significantly harms deliverability. This results in a noticeable decline in open rates, as a larger percentage of emails are diverted to spam folders, thereby preventing recipients from seeing and opening them.
26 Jan 2024 - SendGrid Documentation
Technical article
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help explains that low sender reputation can lead to emails being marked as spam or not delivered at all. Open rates will likely be very low or nonexistent, but it depends on how low the reputation is and other factors like content quality.
21 Jun 2024 - Google Postmaster Tools Help
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