Summary
Despite cleaning an email list, deliverability issues persist due to a multitude of interconnected factors beyond basic list hygiene. These factors include the misconception that list cleaning is a complete solution perpetuated by marketing, the inherent issues within the list itself such as lack of genuine opt-in and poor engagement, poor sender and IP reputation, email authentication failures, irrelevant or low-quality content, inadequate list segmentation, the presence of missed spam traps, inconsistent sending volume, the use of purchased lists, email rendering problems, poor domain reputation, excessive sending frequency, and ineffective welcome emails. These technical and strategic aspects require careful consideration and optimization to ensure effective email delivery and prevent filtering by ISPs.
Key findings
- Misleading Marketing Claims: Verification companies oversimplify deliverability solutions, leading to a false belief that list cleaning is sufficient.
- List Quality Beyond Hygiene: Deliverability is heavily influenced by factors like recipient opt-in, engagement, and overall list quality, extending beyond just removing invalid addresses.
- Sender & IP Reputation Impacts: Poor sender and IP address reputations resulting from spam complaints and sending history can cause emails to be filtered.
- Authentication is Crucial: Lack of proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) causes ISPs to flag emails as spam.
- Content Relevance is Key: Irrelevant or low-quality content results in disengagement and spam complaints, harming deliverability.
- Segmentation Enhances Engagement: Poor list segmentation leads to irrelevant emails, reducing engagement and affecting deliverability.
- Spam Traps Persist: List cleaning services may miss spam traps, which severely damage sender reputation upon hitting them.
- Volume Consistency Matters: Inconsistent sending volume can make senders appear like spammers, impacting deliverability.
- Purchased Lists Harm Delivery: Purchased lists are problematic due to unengaged recipients, resulting in low engagement and deliverability issues.
- Rendering Issues Affect User Experience: Inconsistent rendering across clients damages user experience, increasing spam complaints.
- Domain Reputation Counts: Poor domain reputation negatively affects deliverability and requires regular monitoring and corrective action.
- Sending Frequency Affects Engagement: Sending too frequently causes users to mark emails as spam, even with prior consent.
- Welcome Emails Set the Tone: A poorly designed or absent welcome email leads to confusion, disengagement, and potential spam complaints.
- Engagement Impacts Deliverability: Lack of recipient engagement (opens, clicks) causes ISPs to filter messages, even with a clean list.
Key considerations
- Evaluate Verification Services: Critically assess the claims of list verification services and understand their limitations.
- Assess List Quality: Analyze list quality based on engagement and opt-in status, not solely hygiene.
- Monitor Reputation: Proactively manage and monitor sender and IP reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
- Implement Authentication Protocols: Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate emails and establish trust with ISPs.
- Tailor Content: Create relevant and high-quality content tailored to the specific interests of each audience segment.
- Segment Effectively: Implement effective list segmentation strategies based on demographics, behavior, and engagement.
- Monitor Spam Traps: Regularly monitor and remove spam traps from your list to protect sender reputation.
- Maintain Consistent Volume: Maintain a consistent sending volume and schedule to avoid triggering spam filters.
- Build Lists Organically: Prioritize building email lists organically through opt-in methods to ensure engagement.
- Test Rendering: Test email rendering across various email clients and devices to ensure optimal user experience.
- Monitor Domain Reputation: Regularly check domain reputation and take corrective actions if any issues are identified.
- Optimize Sending Frequency: Adjust sending frequency according to recipient engagement and preferences to minimize complaints.
- Optimize Welcome Emails: Craft a compelling welcome email to encourage initial engagement and set recipient expectations.
- Monitor Feedback Loops: Actively monitor feedback loops for spam complaints and promptly remove problematic subscribers to safeguard sender reputation.
What email marketers say
12 marketer opinions
Even after cleaning an email list, deliverability issues can persist due to several factors beyond just list hygiene. These include the quality and relevance of email content, sender reputation, email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), list segmentation, spam traps missed by cleaning services, inconsistent sending volume, using purchased lists, rendering issues across different email clients, domain reputation, sending frequency, and the quality of the welcome email. Addressing these aspects is crucial for improving email deliverability.
Key opinions
- Content Quality: Irrelevant or low-quality content leads to disengagement and increased spam complaints, negatively impacting deliverability.
- Sender Reputation: A poor sender reputation, influenced by spam complaints and sending history, can cause ISPs to filter emails.
- Authentication: Lack of proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) raises red flags with ISPs, potentially causing emails to be marked as spam.
- Segmentation: Poor list segmentation results in irrelevant emails, leading to disengagement and deliverability problems.
- Spam Traps: List cleaning services may miss spam traps, which severely damage sender reputation upon hitting them.
- Sending Volume: Inconsistent sending volume can make senders appear like spammers, impacting deliverability.
- Purchased Lists: Purchased lists contain unengaged recipients, leading to low engagement and deliverability issues.
- Email Rendering: Inconsistent email rendering across different email clients damages user experience, increasing the likelihood of spam complaints.
- Domain Reputation: Poor domain reputation negatively impacts deliverability, requiring monitoring and corrective action.
- Sending Frequency: Sending too frequently can lead to recipients marking emails as spam, even with prior consent.
- Welcome Email: A poor or non-existent welcome email can cause confusion and disengagement, leading to unsubscribes or spam complaints.
- List Quality: List quality is not only about list hygiene but also about opt-in and engagement of the recipients
- List validation limitations: List validation can't remove all spam traps or create permission where it doesn't exist
Key considerations
- Content Strategy: Ensure email content is relevant, valuable, and tailored to the specific interests of the audience segments.
- Sender Reputation Management: Actively monitor and manage sender reputation through consistent sending practices and prompt handling of complaints.
- Email Authentication Setup: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols to verify email identity and build trust with ISPs.
- List Segmentation Practices: Segment email lists based on demographics, behavior, and engagement levels to send targeted messages.
- Spam Trap Monitoring: Regularly monitor for spam traps and use reputable cleaning services for list maintenance.
- Consistent Sending Schedule: Maintain a consistent sending volume and schedule to build trust with ISPs and avoid triggering spam filters.
- Organic List Building: Focus on building email lists organically through opt-in methods rather than purchasing lists.
- Email Rendering Tests: Test email rendering across different email clients and devices to ensure optimal display and user experience.
- Domain Reputation Monitoring: Regularly check domain reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and take corrective actions for any issues.
- Sending Frequency Optimization: Adjust sending frequency based on recipient engagement and preferences to minimize spam complaints.
- Welcome Email Optimization: Craft a compelling welcome email to set expectations and encourage initial engagement.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Sendinblue explains that lacking proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) can cause deliverability issues. Even with a clean list, if your emails aren't authenticated, ISPs might flag them as spam. Implementing these protocols helps verify your identity and improve trust.
21 Jun 2022 - Sendinblue
Marketer view
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that even with a clean list, irrelevant or low-quality content can hurt deliverability. If your content doesn't resonate with your audience, they're less likely to engage, leading to increased spam complaints and decreased deliverability. Tailoring content to your audience's interests is key.
24 Apr 2022 - Neil Patel's Blog
What the experts say
5 expert opinions
Even after cleaning an email list, deliverability issues persist due to factors beyond basic list hygiene. The perception that list cleaning is a complete solution is misleading, as marketing from verification services implies. Deliverability problems often stem from the list itself (80%), especially after addressing common issues. These list-related issues extend beyond hygiene to understanding why recipients react negatively and adjusting strategies. Sender reputation, email authentication, content quality, and recipient engagement also crucially affect deliverability, making list cleaning just one component of a broader solution.
Key opinions
- Misleading Marketing: Verification companies market list cleaning as a complete deliverability solution, which is inaccurate.
- List Issues Predominate: A significant portion (80%) of deliverability problems originate from issues with the email list itself.
- Beyond Hygiene: List problems are not limited to hygiene but involve understanding recipient reactions and adjusting strategies accordingly.
- Holistic Deliverability: Deliverability depends on sender reputation, authentication, content quality, and engagement, not solely list hygiene.
- Engagement Matters: Lack of recipient engagement (opens, clicks) leads ISPs to filter messages, regardless of list cleanliness.
Key considerations
- Critical Evaluation: Critically evaluate the marketing claims of list verification services; cleaning is not a complete solution.
- Comprehensive List Analysis: Analyze email lists beyond basic hygiene, understanding why recipients are disengaged.
- Strategic Adjustment: Adjust email strategies based on insights into recipient reactions, tailoring content for better engagement.
- Multifaceted Approach: Adopt a multifaceted approach to deliverability, addressing sender reputation, authentication, content, and engagement.
- Engagement Focus: Prioritize improving recipient engagement (opens, clicks) to signal value to ISPs and avoid filtering.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks shares that in their experience, 80% of deliverability problems stem from issues with the email list itself, especially after other common issues have been addressed.
18 May 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks clarifies that list problems aren't just about hygiene; it's about understanding why recipients are reacting negatively and adjusting the strategy to better appeal to them.
23 Aug 2022 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Even after cleaning an email list, deliverability issues can persist due to factors such as poor sender and IP address reputation, low recipient engagement, and unmonitored feedback loops. Google's documentation highlights the importance of sender reputation, influenced by spam complaints, sending frequency, and authentication. Microsoft emphasizes IP address reputation, noting that a poor or new IP can lead to filtering. Mailchimp underscores recipient engagement, explaining that a lack of opens and clicks prompts ISPs to filter emails. SparkPost stresses the need to monitor feedback loops to identify and remove problematic subscribers and protect sender reputation. These elements must be addressed to ensure effective email delivery.
Key findings
- Sender Reputation: Poor sender reputation, influenced by spam complaints and sending frequency, can cause deliverability issues despite a clean list.
- IP Address Reputation: A poor or new IP address reputation can lead to emails being filtered, even with a clean email list.
- Recipient Engagement: Low recipient engagement (opens, clicks) prompts ISPs to filter emails, regardless of list hygiene.
- Feedback Loops: Unmonitored feedback loops can lead to unaddressed spam complaints and damaged sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Improve Sender Reputation: Maintain consistent email practices, adhere to authentication standards (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and minimize spam complaints.
- Warm-up IP Address: Gradually warm up new IP addresses and actively monitor IP address reputation.
- Increase Recipient Engagement: Focus on relevant content, audience segmentation, and encouraging opens and clicks.
- Monitor Feedback Loops: Actively monitor feedback loops for spam complaints and promptly remove problematic subscribers.
Technical article
Documentation from Mailchimp explains that recipient engagement (opens, clicks) heavily influences deliverability. A clean list doesn't guarantee engagement. If recipients aren't interacting with your emails, ISPs may start filtering them. Focusing on relevant content and audience segmentation can improve engagement.
9 Mar 2024 - Mailchimp
Technical article
Documentation from Google explains that even with a clean list, poor sender reputation can cause deliverability issues. Factors influencing reputation include spam complaints, sending frequency, and authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Improving sender reputation requires consistent email practices and adhering to authentication standards.
12 Jan 2022 - Google
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