Summary
A Sender Score drop despite stable deliverability metrics can be attributed to various factors, including external influences like the behavior of other senders on shared IPs or changes in Validity's data and algorithms. Recipient complaints, spam traps triggered by inactive addresses, and a recent influx of subscribers can also lower the score. It's crucial to remember that Sender Score is just one metric and shouldn't be the sole indicator of deliverability. Since Sender Score doesn't incorporate data from Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook, maintaining good reputation with those providers is paramount. Effective list hygiene and monitoring multiple metrics are key.
Key findings
- External Influences: Sender Score can be affected by factors beyond your immediate control, such as the actions of other senders on shared IPs and changes in Validity's data sources or algorithms.
- Limited Scope: Sender Score is just one metric and doesn't reflect the complete deliverability picture, especially since it excludes data from major inbox providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook.
- Recipient Feedback: Recipient complaints and negative reactions to your mail can impact Sender Score.
- List Hygiene Importance: Inactive email addresses and poor list hygiene can trigger spam traps and lower Sender Score.
- Validity Data Considerations: Changes or inaccuracies in the data Validity uses can cause fluctuations in Sender Score.
Key considerations
- Monitor Holistically: Monitor Sender Score alongside other key deliverability metrics like inbox placement, engagement, bounce rates, and block rates.
- Prioritize List Hygiene: Maintain excellent list hygiene practices by removing inactive addresses and managing subscriptions effectively.
- Focus on Engagement: Improve email content and targeting to reduce recipient complaints and increase positive engagement.
- Assess Data Representativeness: Consider how well Validity's data reflects your specific sending volume and recipient base.
- Track Key KPIs: Focus on your normal Key Performance Indicators to ensure that Sender Score returns to normal after a temporary event.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
A Sender Score drop despite stable deliverability metrics can be attributed to factors beyond immediate sending practices. These include the behavior of other senders on shared IPs, changes in Validity's data or algorithms, and spam traps triggered by inactive addresses. Sender Score should be viewed as one metric among many, and isn't as reliable as inbox placement metrics. If other deliverability measures are normal and sender reputation is good in main inbox providers (Gmail, Yahoo etc), then a Sender Score drop may not be a major issue. Good list hygiene is also key to a good sender score.
Key opinions
- External Factors: Sender Score can be affected by the actions of other senders on shared IPs and changes in Validity's data sources or algorithms.
- Limited Scope: Sender Score is just one metric and may not reflect overall deliverability health, especially since it doesn't use Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook scores in its calculations.
- List Hygiene: Poor list hygiene and inactive email addresses can trigger spam traps affecting Sender Score.
- Temporary Fluctuation: A Sender Score drop can be temporary, especially after starting a new campaign that may result in higher bounce rates.
Key considerations
- Monitor Multiple Metrics: Don't rely solely on Sender Score; monitor inbox placement, engagement, bounce rates, and other deliverability metrics.
- Maintain List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive or problematic addresses.
- Evaluate Data Representativeness: Consider how well Validity's data reflects your specific sending volume and recipient base.
- Focus on Key KPIs: Focus on your normal Key Performance Indicators to ensure that Sender Score returns to normal after a temporary event.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reddit explains that a drop in Sender Score could be due to a neighbor on your shared IP sending spam, even if you haven't changed your sending habits.
28 Nov 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view
Email marketer from SparkyPost Blog shares that Sender Score is just one metric and shouldn't be the sole indicator of deliverability health. Focus on inbox placement, engagement, and other deliverability metrics provided by your ESP.
20 Sep 2023 - SparkyPost Blog
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
A drop in Sender Score despite stable deliverability metrics can stem from recipient complaints influencing Validity's data, changes in Validity's algorithms or data weighting, and spam traps triggered by inactive addresses. External factors and the representativeness of Validity's data are key considerations.
Key opinions
- Recipient Complaints: Recipient complaints shared with Validity can negatively impact Sender Score, indicating fundamental problems with mail content or targeting.
- Validity Data Changes: Changes in Validity's data sources, weighting, or algorithms can cause Sender Score fluctuations, regardless of sending practices.
- Spam Traps: Inactive addresses triggering spam traps can negatively affect Sender Score, highlighting the importance of list hygiene.
- External Factors Impact: Factors affecting your Sender Score can be outside of your control
Key considerations
- Data Representativeness: Assess how representative Validity's data is of your overall sending volume and recipient base.
- List Hygiene: Maintain excellent list hygiene practices to minimize spam trap hits.
- Content and Targeting: Review email content and targeting strategies to reduce recipient complaints and negative reactions.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise responds that the factors affecting your Sender Score can be outside of your control. For example, sender score takes into account spam traps, which may be triggered by inactive addresses on your email list. Therefore, it's important to actively clean your email list.
2 Oct 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks suggests that recipients at ISPs sharing complaint data with Validity are complaining. The recipients are reacting negatively to the mail, and the reputation metrics are starting to adjust to that fact, suggesting some fundamental problems.
12 Dec 2024 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
A Sender Score drop can occur even if other metrics appear stable due to the way Sender Score is calculated, which is based on a 30-day rolling average incorporating complaint rates, spam trap hits, and infrastructure setup. It is important to monitor Sender Score along with other metrics, and if a drop occurs without corresponding issues in other areas, it might indicate a temporary blip or a problem with Validity's data. Google Postmaster Tools does not share data with Validity, so a low Sender Score might not correlate with issues seen in Google's metrics, so focus on Google's metrics for assessing deliverability to Gmail users.
Key findings
- 30-Day Average: Sender Score is calculated based on a rolling 30-day average of sending reputation.
- Multiple Factors: Complaint rates, spam trap hits, and infrastructure setup all influence Sender Score.
- Limited Correlation: A low Sender Score might not correlate with Google Postmaster Tools data due to data sharing differences.
Key considerations
- Monitor Holistically: Monitor Sender Score alongside other metrics like block rates and bounce rates for a comprehensive view.
- Evaluate Data: If a Sender Score drop occurs without other issues, consider it might be a temporary blip or a problem with Validity's data.
- Focus on Relevant Metrics: Focus on Google's metrics when assessing deliverability specifically to Gmail users.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains that they do not directly share data with Validity (Sender Score), so a low Sender Score might not directly correlate with issues seen in Google Postmaster Tools. Focus on Google's metrics for assessing deliverability to Gmail users.
8 Mar 2023 - Google
Technical article
Documentation from Sendgrid Documentation recommends monitoring Sender Score alongside other metrics like block rates and bounce rates. A sudden drop in Sender Score, without corresponding issues in other areas, may indicate a temporary blip or a problem with Validity's data.
6 Jun 2024 - Sendgrid Documentation
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