Summary
B2B cold emails from Apollo.io are often flagged as spam due to a combination of low sender reputation, high complaint rates, lack of email authentication, sending practices resembling spam, and deliverability tightening. Experts recommend warming up IPs/domains, implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, personalizing content, segmenting lists, cleaning inactive addresses, monitoring sender reputation and deliverability, understanding engagement data, and removing domains from blocklists to improve deliverability.
Key findings
- Sender Reputation: A low sender reputation is a primary reason for emails landing in spam. Building a positive reputation involves consistent sending volume and genuine recipient interest.
- Complaint Rates: High complaint rates significantly impact deliverability. Spam filters rely heavily on complaint rates.
- Email Authentication: Lack of proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) leads to difficulty in verifying the sender's identity and increased spam placement.
- Engagement Data: Mailbox providers use engagement data (opens, clicks, replies) to filter mail. Low engagement can lead to spam placement.
- Sending Volume: Sending too many emails too quickly, especially from a new IP or domain, can trigger spam filters.
- Blacklist Status: Being on blocklists negatively impacts deliverability. Removal requires identifying the lists, addressing issues, and following removal processes.
- Deliverability Tightening: There are increasing reports of deliverability tightening for services like Apollo.io.
Key considerations
- Warming Up IP/Domain: Gradually increase sending volume to establish a positive sender reputation with ISPs.
- Email Authentication Implementation: Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate emails and prove sender identity.
- List Segmentation and Cleaning: Segment email lists and send relevant content to improve engagement; remove inactive addresses to avoid harming sender reputation.
- Content Personalization: Personalize email content using tokens; avoid spam trigger words.
- Monitoring Sender Reputation and Deliverability: Use tools to monitor sender reputation (Google Postmaster Tools) and email deliverability (GlockApps) to identify and address issues.
- Blocklist Removal: Identify and remove domains from blocklists; address underlying issues.
- Comply with Sender Guidelines: Adhere to sender guidelines by major mailbox providers (Gmail, Microsoft)
- Reverse DNS record: Ensure that your sending IP address has a valid reverse DNS record pointing back to your domain.
What email marketers say
12 marketer opinions
B2B cold emails from Apollo.io often land in spam due to a combination of factors, including poor sender reputation, high complaint rates, sending spam-like content, and inadequate email authentication. To improve deliverability, experts recommend warming up your IP/domain, authenticating your emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, personalizing content, segmenting email lists, cleaning inactive addresses, gradually increasing sending volume, and diversifying lead sources.
Key opinions
- Sender Reputation: A low sender reputation is a primary cause of emails going to spam. This can be improved through consistent sending practices and positive engagement.
- Complaint Rates: High complaint rates significantly impact deliverability, as spam filters heavily rely on them to filter emails.
- Email Authentication: Lack of proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) makes it difficult for mailbox providers to verify the sender's identity, leading to spam placement.
- Content Personalization: Generic, non-personalized content is more likely to be flagged as spam. Personalizing emails increases relevance and reduces the chances of being marked as spam.
- Sending Volume: Sending emails too quickly, especially from a new IP or domain, can trigger spam filters. Warming up the IP/domain is crucial.
- Lead Source: Relying solely on cold email lists can be detrimental. Diversifying lead sources ensures a more sustainable and less spam-prone approach.
Key considerations
- Warming Up IP/Domain: Before sending large volumes, gradually increase your sending volume to build a positive sender reputation with ISPs.
- Email Authentication Setup: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate your emails and prove your sender identity to mailbox providers.
- List Segmentation: Segment your email list and send relevant content to each segment to improve engagement and reduce spam complaints.
- Content Personalization: Personalize your email content using tokens like name and company, and avoid spam trigger words to increase relevance and avoid spam filters.
- Regular List Cleaning: Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive or invalid addresses to maintain a good sender reputation.
- Monitor Sender Reputation: Monitor your sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools to identify and address deliverability issues proactively.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Lemlist recommends using personalization tokens (e.g., name, company) to make your emails more relevant and less generic. Also, avoid using spam trigger words like 'free,' 'guarantee,' or 'urgent.'
4 Oct 2021 - Lemlist
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks responds to the deliverability issues by stating the sender is sending spam.
8 May 2024 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
4 expert opinions
Experts suggest that increasing inquiries regarding Apollo.io indicate a tightening of deliverability standards. Key factors influencing spam placement include engagement data, blocklist status, and email authentication. Improving deliverability involves optimizing for engagement, removing your domain from blocklists, and implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
Key opinions
- Deliverability Tightening: Increased inquiries regarding Apollo.io suggest a tightening of deliverability standards by mailbox providers.
- Engagement Data: Mailbox providers use engagement data (opens, clicks, replies) to filter mail. Low engagement can lead to spam placement.
- Blocklist Status: Being on blocklists negatively impacts deliverability. Removal requires identifying the blocklists, addressing the underlying issues, and following the removal process.
- Email Authentication: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is critical. Failing to authenticate your email significantly increases the likelihood of being sent to the spam folder.
Key considerations
- Optimize for Engagement: Focus on sending relevant content to engaged subscribers to improve engagement data (opens, clicks, replies).
- Blocklist Removal: Identify and remove your domain from any blocklists. Address the issues that caused the listing and follow the blocklist's removal process.
- Implement Email Authentication: Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate your emails and prove your sender identity to mailbox providers.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC helps prove that you are who you say you are. Mailbox providers are increasingly strict about authentication, and failing to properly authenticate your email is a surefire way to end up in the spam folder.
27 Jul 2022 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that getting off of blocklists is vital to improving deliverability. You must identify which blocklists you are on, address the underlying issues that caused the listing, and then follow the blocklist's specific removal process.
24 Dec 2021 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
6 technical articles
Technical documentation emphasizes the importance of email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) for deliverability. Maintaining a clean IP address (valid reverse DNS, not on blacklists), keeping complaint rates low, adhering to sender guidelines, and proactively monitoring deliverability are also crucial.
Key findings
- Email Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC): Properly configured SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential for verifying sender identity and preventing spoofing. DMARC provides a policy for handling emails that fail authentication.
- IP Address Reputation: A clean IP address with a valid reverse DNS record is necessary. Blacklisted IPs will likely result in spam placement.
- Complaint Rates: Maintaining low complaint rates is critical for avoiding spam filters.
- Sender Guidelines: Adhering to the specific sender guidelines of mailbox providers like Gmail and Microsoft is important.
- Deliverability Monitoring: Regularly monitoring email deliverability using tools that analyze inbox placement helps identify and address issues proactively.
Key considerations
- Implement SPF, DKIM, DMARC: Configure SPF to specify authorized mail servers, DKIM for digital signatures, and DMARC to manage authentication failures.
- Monitor IP Reputation: Regularly check your IP address and domain reputation using tools like Sender Score and address any blacklistings.
- Comply with Sender Guidelines: Understand and adhere to the specific sender guidelines provided by major mailbox providers like Gmail and Microsoft.
- Proactive Monitoring: Use deliverability monitoring tools to analyze inbox placement and identify issues early.
- Reverse DNS Record: Ensure that your sending IP address has a valid reverse DNS record pointing back to your domain.
Technical article
Documentation from RFC explains that SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is an email authentication method designed to prevent spammers from sending messages on behalf of your domain. It specifies which mail servers are authorized to send email from your domain.
18 Aug 2023 - RFC
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft Postmaster explains that to avoid spam filters, ensure your sending servers are not on any blacklists. Regularly check your IP address and domain reputation using tools like Sender Score and remove yourself from blacklists if listed.
25 Sep 2024 - Microsoft Postmaster
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