Summary
When SFMC indicates 'Delivered,' it means the email reached the recipient's mail server but may not have reached the inbox due to various filters, server policies, or deliverability issues. These factors include spam filters, corporate firewalls, internal routing rules, recipient server configurations (like Microsoft's discarding based on spam score), graymail filtering (directing to promotional tabs), and the recipient being on a suppression list. Delivery delays, sender reputation, content quality, and recipient engagement also influence inbox placement.
Key findings
- Delivery != Inboxing: 'Delivered' confirms email reached the server, not necessarily the inbox.
- Numerous Filters: Filters exist at the server level, corporate level, and user level.
- Infrastructure Specifics: Different email providers (e.g., Google, Microsoft) have different filtering policies.
- Reputation & Engagement: Sender reputation, content quality, and engagement influence deliverability.
- Deferred Status Issues: Deferred emails might initially show as delivered but later become undelivered.
- Suppression Lists Impact: Recipients on suppression lists will not receive emails, regardless of delivery status.
Key considerations
- Investigate Recipient Infrastructure: Understand how the recipient's email provider handles incoming mail.
- Examine Filters & Routing: Look for potential blocks at the corporate or user level.
- Manage Sender Reputation: Monitor and improve sender reputation for better deliverability.
- Content Optimization: Optimize content to avoid spam triggers.
- Check Suppression Lists: Ensure recipients are not mistakenly on suppression lists.
- Authentication: Ensure proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is set up.
- Monitor Delivery: Actively monitor deliverability rates and adjust strategy as needed.
What email marketers say
3 marketer opinions
When SFMC shows an email as 'Delivered' but it's not in the inbox, spam, or quarantine, it generally means the email reached the recipient's mail server, but was then filtered or blocked before reaching the intended recipient. Possible reasons include aggressive spam filters, corporate firewalls, internal routing rules, suppression lists within SFMC, or delays in delivery queues.
Key opinions
- Delivery vs. Inbox Placement: 'Delivered' in SFMC means the email reached the recipient's server, not necessarily the inbox.
- Filtering Issues: Emails can be caught by spam filters, corporate firewalls, or internal routing rules.
- Suppression Lists: The recipient's email address may be on a suppression list due to unsubscribes or complaints.
- Delivery Delays: Emails may be stuck in a delivery queue, causing a delay in reaching the inbox.
Key considerations
- Check Bounce Logs: Review bounce logs for any errors or issues with the recipient's server.
- Engage with IT: Contact the recipient's IT team to investigate potential firewall or routing issues.
- Sender Authentication: Ensure proper sender authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is in place to improve deliverability.
- Check Suppression Lists: Verify if the recipient's email address is on any suppression lists within SFMC.
- Monitor Delivery Time: Monitor delivery times to identify any potential delays in email delivery.
Marketer view
Email marketer from StackExchange discusses that there can be delays in delivering messages and the message may be stuck somewhere in the delivery queue.
4 Feb 2024 - StackExchange
Marketer view
Email marketer from EmailGeeksForum shares that 'Delivered' status in SFMC means the message reached the recipient's mail server, but could be caught in aggressive spam filters, corporate firewalls, or routing rules. The user suggests checking bounce logs, engaging with the recipient IT team, and ensuring proper sender authentication.
11 Nov 2024 - EmailGeeksForum
What the experts say
4 expert opinions
The 'Delivered' status in SFMC indicates successful transmission to the recipient's mail server, but not necessarily inbox placement. Subsequent filtering by the receiving server, user settings, or reputation factors determine final delivery. Different receiving infrastructures (e.g., Google vs. Microsoft) handle emails differently. 'Graymail' filtering can also direct emails to less prominent locations.
Key opinions
- Delivery Doesn't Equal Inboxing: 'Delivered' means the email reached the recipient's server, not necessarily the inbox.
- Infrastructure Matters: Receiving email infrastructure (Google, Microsoft, etc.) has different filtering policies.
- Multiple Filtering Layers: Emails can be filtered by the receiving server, user filters, and graymail handling.
- Reputation is Key: Sender reputation, content quality, and engagement affect inbox placement.
Key considerations
- Investigate Receiving Infrastructure: Understand how the recipient's email provider handles filtering.
- Check for Graymail Filtering: Determine if emails are being directed to 'Promotions' or similar tabs.
- Monitor Sender Reputation: Actively manage sender reputation to improve inbox placement.
- Content and Engagement: Ensure content is high-quality and encourages recipient engagement.
- Investigate Filters: If the exchange server is self-managed the IT team should investigate the filters.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that delivered in SFMC usually means delivered to the MTA for sending, not necessarily to the recipient domain. The message could be in queue, held in quarantine or for spam analysis, deleted by a filter, or sorted to a different folder.
1 Oct 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise (Jeanniey Walden) explains that simply achieving 'delivered' status does not guarantee inbox placement. Factors like sender reputation, content quality, and recipient engagement significantly influence whether an email reaches the inbox or is filtered into spam or other folders. She notes that active management of sender reputation is critical.
16 Sep 2021 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
SFMC's 'Delivered' status signifies that the email was successfully transmitted to the recipient's mail server, but it doesn't guarantee inbox placement. Factors influencing final delivery include spam filters, recipient server policies, deferred status expiring, and aggressive discarding of emails by Microsoft based on spam scores or Office365 tenant policies.
Key findings
- Delivery Confirmation, Not Inbox Guarantee: 'Delivered' in SFMC confirms server transmission, not inbox arrival.
- Spam Filter Influence: Spam filters and recipient server policies can prevent inbox placement post-delivery.
- Deferred Email Expiration: Deferred emails may initially show as delivered but become undelivered after the retry period.
- Aggressive Email Discarding: Microsoft might discard emails based on spam scores or Office365 tenant-specific rules.
Key considerations
- Monitor Delivery Rates Over Time: Observe if delivery rates drop after 72 hours, indicating issues with deferred emails.
- Review Server Policies: Examine recipient server policies to understand potential restrictions.
- Assess Spam Scoring: Evaluate email content and structure to minimize spam scoring and improve deliverability.
- Stay informed about Microsoft policies: Stay informed about changes to Microsoft spam filtering policies and Office365 tenant-level rules.
Technical article
Documentation from Sendgrid explains that when an email is deferred, SFMC shows a delivered status until the 72 hour retry period expires. So in some cases delivery rate can drop after 3 days as it becomes undelivered
15 Sep 2024 - Sendgrid
Technical article
Documentation from Salesforce Help explains that a 'Delivered' status in SFMC means the email was successfully handed off to the recipient's mail server, but not necessarily placed in the inbox. Issues such as spam filters or recipient server policies can prevent inbox placement.
28 Jan 2025 - Salesforce Help
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