Summary
A comprehensive approach to email deliverability involves utilizing various tools and methods to monitor spam rates and proactively address potential issues. Experts and marketers recommend leveraging Google Postmaster Tools (including its API for custom reporting), Microsoft SNDS/JMRP, and third-party deliverability analytics tools like those from SparkPost and MailChannels. Monitoring sender reputation, engagement metrics (opens, clicks, unsubscribes), bounce rates, and feedback loops (FBLs) is essential. Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is critical, and DMARC reports should be regularly analyzed to identify authentication problems. Inbox placement monitoring tools and email testing services (e.g., Litmus Spam Testing, Mail-Tester, GlockApps) can help identify spam triggers and rendering issues before sending. Finally, maintaining a clean email list through email validation services is crucial for reducing bounce rates and improving deliverability.
Key findings
- Google Postmaster Tools & API: Provides key insights into spam rates, domain reputation, and allows for custom reporting.
- Microsoft SNDS/JMRP: Offers data on IP reputation and user-reported spam complaints.
- Deliverability Analytics Tools: Services like SparkPost and MailChannels offer tools to track KPIs like inbox placement and provide detailed analytics.
- Sender Reputation Monitoring: Maintaining a positive sender reputation is critical for deliverability.
- Engagement Metrics Analysis: Tracking opens, clicks, and unsubscribes helps identify potential issues early on.
- Feedback Loops (FBLs): Essential for identifying and addressing spam complaints directly from recipients.
- Email Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC): Proper authentication is crucial for preventing spoofing and ensuring email legitimacy.
- DMARC Report Analysis: Regularly reviewing DMARC reports helps identify and address authentication problems.
- Email Testing Tools: Tools like Litmus and Mail-Tester help identify potential spam triggers before sending.
- Inbox Placement Monitoring: Tools for inbox placement testing reveal how emails are handled by various ISPs.
- Email List Validation: Maintaining a clean email list reduces bounce rates and improves sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Proactive and Consistent Monitoring: Regularly monitor key metrics and utilize the available tools to identify and address deliverability issues proactively.
- Accurate Data Analysis: When possible, calculate spam rates from raw data, as ESP provided rates may be inaccurate.
- Implement Comprehensive Authentication: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are properly configured and maintained.
- Prioritize List Hygiene: Regularly validate and clean email lists to remove invalid or inactive addresses.
- Employ a Multi-Faceted Approach: Use a combination of tools, metrics, and best practices for a holistic view of deliverability performance.
- Responsive Issue Resolution: Promptly address any identified issues, such as high bounce rates or spam complaints, to prevent further deliverability problems.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
Email marketers recommend a multi-faceted approach to monitoring spam rates and proactively identifying deliverability issues. Key strategies include monitoring sender reputation, analyzing bounce rates, tracking engagement metrics (opens and clicks), utilizing feedback loops (FBLs), and regularly checking blocklists. Additionally, email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial, as is using email testing tools to preview email rendering and identify potential spam triggers before sending. Regularly using Google Postmaster Tools, monitoring DMARC reports and maintaining a clean email list via validation are also highly recommended.
Key opinions
- Sender Reputation: Monitoring sender reputation is essential for understanding how ISPs view your email sending practices.
- Engagement Metrics: Tracking opens, clicks, unsubscribe rates, and spam complaints provides insights into how recipients are interacting with your emails.
- Bounce Rates: Analyzing bounce rates helps identify issues with email list quality and potential sending configuration problems.
- Authentication: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for verifying email legitimacy and preventing spoofing.
- Testing Tools: Using email testing tools helps identify potential spam triggers and rendering issues before sending emails to your entire list.
- Google Postmaster Tools: Regularly checking Google Postmaster Tools provides insights into spam rates and domain reputation, enabling proactive issue identification.
- Email validation: Maintaining a clean email list through validation tools helps to lower bounce rates and improve deliverability.
Key considerations
- Proactive Monitoring: Implement continuous monitoring of key deliverability metrics and tools to identify issues early.
- Email Authentication: Ensure that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are properly configured to authenticate your emails.
- List Hygiene: Regularly clean and validate your email list to remove invalid or inactive addresses.
- Testing: Test emails across multiple email clients and devices to ensure proper rendering and identify spam triggers before sending.
- Feedback Loops: Set up feedback loops to receive notifications when users mark your emails as spam.
- Sender Reputation: Actively monitor and maintain a positive sender reputation to improve deliverability rates.
Marketer view
Email marketer from GlockApps says using GlockApps' deliverability testing tool enables you to monitor inbox placement across different email providers and identify potential deliverability issues. It was suggested that regularly testing your emails before sending them to your entire list helps proactively avoid problems.
30 Nov 2023 - GlockApps
Marketer view
Email marketer from Mailjet shares that monitoring your sender reputation, analyzing bounce rates, tracking engagement metrics (opens, clicks), and using feedback loops (FBLs) are essential for proactively identifying deliverability problems. They advise regularly checking blocklists and using tools like GlockApps to test deliverability.
22 Aug 2024 - Mailjet
What the experts say
6 expert opinions
Experts emphasize a range of tools and methods to monitor spam rates and proactively identify deliverability issues. Google Postmaster API can be used to build custom reports and analyze raw data for accurate spam rate calculation. Inbox placement monitoring tools are crucial for understanding how emails are handled by different ISPs. Setting up feedback loops (FBLs) is essential for monitoring spam complaints, while DMARC reports help identify authentication issues. Additionally, monitoring per-domain engagement metrics (opens, clicks, unsubscribes) can provide early warnings of deliverability problems.
Key opinions
- Google Postmaster API: Offers customizable reporting and raw data access for more accurate spam rate analysis.
- Inbox Placement Monitoring: Provides insights into how different ISPs handle your email campaigns.
- Feedback Loops (FBLs): Essential for tracking spam complaints and removing problematic recipients.
- DMARC Reports: Help identify authentication issues and potential spoofing attempts.
- Engagement Metrics: Monitoring per-domain engagement provides early warnings of deliverability issues (e.g., Microsoft blocks).
Key considerations
- Data Accuracy: Consider calculating spam rates from raw data, as ESP provided rates may be inaccurate.
- Proactive Monitoring: Regularly monitor inbox placement, engagement, and authentication reports to catch deliverability issues early.
- Feedback Loop Implementation: Prioritize setting up and actively managing feedback loops to respond to spam complaints effectively.
- Authentication Review: Regularly review DMARC reports and adjust SPF/DKIM configurations to ensure proper authentication.
- Holistic Approach: Employ a combination of tools and metrics for a comprehensive view of deliverability performance.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise details that monitoring DMARC reports helps to identify authentication issues and potential spoofing attempts. Analyzing these reports enables you to adjust your SPF and DKIM configurations, ensuring that your emails are properly authenticated and preventing unauthorized use of your domain.
19 Jun 2021 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that it's better to pull raw numbers and calculate spam rates, as many ESPs have inaccurate rate calculations due to limited FBL data. Using the Google API might provide the best data.
24 Nov 2021 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Email deliverability can be monitored and improved using several tools and methods. Google's Postmaster Tools provides insights into spam rate, domain reputation, and feedback loop data. Microsoft's SNDS and JMRP offer data on IP reputation and user spam complaints. SparkPost's Deliverability Analytics tracks KPIs like inbox placement. DMARC reporting aids in identifying authentication issues, and MailChannels offers tools for reputation monitoring and blocklist management. Authentication helps ensure emails are verified correctly.
Key findings
- Google Postmaster Tools: Provides insights into spam rate, domain reputation, and feedback loop data.
- Microsoft SNDS/JMRP: Offers data on IP reputation and user spam complaints.
- SparkPost Deliverability Analytics: Tracks KPIs like inbox placement and spam folder placement.
- DMARC Reporting: Helps identify authentication issues and potential spoofing attempts.
- MailChannels Tools: Offers reputation monitoring, blocklist management, and deliverability analytics.
Key considerations
- Proactive Monitoring: Utilize available tools to proactively identify and address deliverability issues.
- Authentication: Ensure proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to verify emails.
- Data Analysis: Analyze data from various sources to gain a comprehensive understanding of deliverability performance.
- Actionable Insights: Use insights from monitoring tools to make informed decisions and improve sending practices.
Technical article
Documentation from MailChannels explains that they provide tools and services to monitor and improve email deliverability, including reputation monitoring, blocklist management, and deliverability analytics. They recommend using these tools to proactively identify and resolve any issues that could affect email delivery.
5 Dec 2021 - MailChannels
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft explains that using the Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) and the Junk Email Reporting Program (JMRP) can help monitor deliverability issues. SNDS provides data about your IP address reputation and complaint rates, while JMRP allows you to receive reports when users mark your emails as junk.
14 Jun 2023 - Microsoft
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