Summary
When Braze emails are marked as 'delivered' but don't appear in the user's inbox, it signifies that the receiving server accepted the message, but various factors prevent it from reaching the intended destination. These factors encompass aggressive spam filtering by ISPs based on sender reputation, content, or engagement; recipient mail servers marking emails as spam or experiencing temporary unavailability; sender IP addresses being blacklisted; and absent or inadequate email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Additionally, user-level settings like auto-filtering or blocking, the ESP suppressing the email, or corporate firewalls could be at play. Ensuring optimal deliverability necessitates proper email authentication, proactive sender reputation management, consistent list hygiene practices, audience segmentation, the delivery of valuable content, and website being mobile-friendly. Engagement is critical, as is avoiding spam triggers. Troubleshooting involves checking spam folders, verifying sender settings, monitoring bounce/complaint rates, reviewing email logs, ensuring accurate MX records, warming IP addresses, processing feedback loops, and potentially contacting Braze support.
Key findings
- Delivery vs. Inbox Placement: The 'delivered' status indicates server acceptance, not guaranteed inbox delivery. Many factors can still prevent the email from reaching the inbox.
- Authentication: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is critical to establishing trust and avoiding spam filters.
- Sender Reputation: A strong sender reputation is essential. It's affected by engagement, complaints, bounces, and list quality.
- Engagement is Key: High engagement rates (opens, clicks) improve deliverability, while low engagement can trigger spam filters.
- List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean email list (removing inactive or invalid addresses) is crucial for deliverability.
- Spam Filtering: Aggressive spam filters often divert emails, even after server acceptance, based on various criteria.
Key considerations
- Check Spam/Quarantine Folders: Recipients should check their spam or quarantine folders, particularly in corporate environments.
- Verify Sender Settings: Recipients should ensure the sender isn't blocked and is in their address book.
- Review Email Content: Avoid using spam trigger words, excessive punctuation, and keep the content relevant.
- Monitor Deliverability Metrics: Regularly monitor bounce rates, complaint rates, and sender reputation.
- Implement Feedback Loops: Implement and monitor feedback loops to address complaints and improve deliverability.
- Check MX Records: Verify that your MX records are correctly configured.
- Contact Braze Support: If issues persist, contact Braze support to investigate potential platform-specific problems.
What email marketers say
13 marketer opinions
Braze emails may show as 'delivered' but not reach the inbox due to a variety of factors beyond initial server acceptance. These include aggressive spam filtering by ISPs based on sender reputation, content, or engagement; the recipient's server marking emails as spam or being temporarily unavailable; sender IP blacklisting; and lack of email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Other causes include corporate firewalls, user-defined rules, and suppression by the ESP. Improving deliverability involves proper authentication, maintaining a clean email list, monitoring sender reputation, segmenting audiences, providing valuable content, and ensuring mobile-friendliness. Engagement is a critical factor, as is avoiding spam trigger words and excessive punctuation.
Key opinions
- Spam Filtering: Aggressive spam filters are a primary reason for emails being diverted even after showing as 'delivered'.
- Authentication: Lack of proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) significantly impacts inbox placement.
- Sender Reputation: Poor sender reputation, often due to low engagement or spam complaints, leads to filtering.
- List Hygiene: Sending to unengaged or invalid email addresses negatively affects deliverability.
- Engagement Matters: High engagement (opens, clicks) improves deliverability, while low engagement hurts it.
Key considerations
- Check Quarantine/Spam: Recipients should check quarantine and spam folders, especially in corporate environments.
- Verify Sender Settings: Ensure the sender is not blocked and is added to the recipient's address book.
- Monitor Bounce/Complaint Rates: Keep bounce and complaint rates low by removing problematic addresses.
- Review Content: Avoid spam trigger words, excessive punctuation, and ensure content relevance.
- Contact Braze Support: If problems persist, contact Braze support to investigate delivery issues at the platform level.
Marketer view
Email marketer from HubSpot shares that improving email deliverability involves: building a clean email list, using a familiar sender name, segmenting your audience, setting expectations upfront, and providing value with your content. Monitoring your email performance and adjusting your strategy is key.
25 Aug 2024 - HubSpot
Marketer view
Email marketer from Litmus shares that to improve email deliverability rates, marketers need to: authenticate their emails, segment their lists, clean their email lists regularly, monitor their sender reputation, and provide value to their subscribers. Engagement is a key factor in determining deliverability.
4 Sep 2021 - Litmus
What the experts say
4 expert opinions
Even when Braze emails are marked as 'delivered,' they might not reach the inbox due to various factors. These include user-level settings like auto-filtering or blocking, issues related to sender reputation stemming from past complaints or poor list hygiene, and a lack of proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Inbox placement is heavily influenced by sender reputation, engagement, and the use of feedback loops to address complaints. Maintaining a clean and engaged email list is crucial to ensure successful delivery.
Key opinions
- User-Level Settings: User settings such as auto-filtering and blocking can prevent emails from reaching the inbox.
- Authentication is Key: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is critical for deliverability and inbox placement.
- Reputation Matters: Sender reputation and engagement are crucial factors determining inbox placement.
- List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean and engaged email list significantly improves deliverability.
- Feedback Loops: Feedback loops provide valuable insights into complaints and help improve sending practices.
Key considerations
- Check Address Book: Ensure the sender is in the recipient's address book and not listed as blocked.
- Implement Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve deliverability.
- Clean Email Lists: Regularly clean email lists to remove inactive or invalid addresses.
- Monitor Reputation: Monitor sender reputation and address any negative feedback promptly.
- Improve Engagement: Focus on providing valuable content to encourage engagement.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that even when an email is technically 'delivered' (accepted by the receiving server), inbox placement is determined by factors like sender reputation and engagement. Feedback loops help senders identify complaints and improve their practices, positively impacting inbox placement.
14 Apr 2025 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that maintaining good list hygiene is essential. Sending to inactive or invalid email addresses hurts sender reputation, leading to filtering even if initial 'delivery' is successful. Regular list cleaning improves deliverability and inbox placement.
16 Nov 2024 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Even when Braze emails show as 'delivered,' meaning the receiving server accepted the message, several factors can prevent them from reaching the user's inbox. These factors include spam filters, network issues, device settings, incorrect MX records, blocked sender IPs, and content triggering spam filters. Maintaining good deliverability requires proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), a gradual IP warm-up, sender reputation monitoring, email list segmentation, consistent sending practices, good email hygiene, and prompt processing of bounces and complaints.
Key findings
- Delivery vs. Inbox: 'Delivered' means server acceptance, not guaranteed inbox placement.
- Authentication Matters: Proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for deliverability.
- Sender Reputation: Sender reputation is a critical factor, impacted by bounces and complaints.
- List Hygiene: Good email hygiene is necessary for consistent deliverability.
- Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of sender reputation and email logs is essential.
Key considerations
- Check MX Records: Ensure MX records are correctly configured.
- Review Email Logs: Review email logs to identify points of failure in delivery.
- IP Warm-up: Gradually warm up IP addresses for new sending domains.
- Segment Lists: Segment email lists to improve engagement and relevance.
- Process Bounces/Complaints: Actively process bounces and complaints to maintain list quality.
Technical article
Documentation from Google explains that to troubleshoot email delivery issues, check the MX records are correct, the sender IP is not blocked, and that the email content does not trigger spam filters. Review email logs to determine where the email failed to deliver.
19 Jan 2025 - Google
Technical article
Documentation from Braze explains that 'delivered' means the message was accepted by the receiving server, not necessarily delivered to the device. Factors like spam filters, network issues, or device settings can prevent final delivery, even after the server accepts the message.
21 Dec 2021 - Braze
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