What is Email Deliverability, and How to Improve It?

Maintain a Clean Email List

The foundation of good email deliverability is a clean and up-to-date email list. An email list filled with invalid, outdated, or disengaged email addresses can wreak havoc on your sender's reputation and cause your emails to be flagged as spam.

But what is sender’s reputation? It primarily refers to the reputation of the IP address or domain used to send emails. This reputation is crucial in determining whether emails from a particular sender will be delivered to recipients' inboxes, marked as spam, or blocked entirely.

Implement double opt-in into your email sign-up process. This ensures subscribers actively confirm their interest, reducing the risk of spam complaints. This process enhances deliverability, establishes trust with recipients, and results in a more engaged and responsive audience for your email campaigns.

Proper Email Infrastructure

A robust email infrastructure for optimal deliverability involves utilizing a dedicated IP pool, where a set of exclusive IP addresses is allocated to an organization. Warming up an IP, the gradual process of establishing a positive sender reputation for a new or underused IP, is crucial. This is ensured by initiating low-volume email campaigns and progressively increasing them over time. This process is vital for maintaining a positive sender reputation and enhancing the overall effectiveness of email communication.

Authenticate Your Domains

Domain authentication is a crucial aspect of email security and deliverability. It involves implementing protocols such as Sender Policy Framework (SPF), DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) to verify the legitimacy of email senders. SPF specifies which IP addresses are authorized to send emails on behalf of a domain, DKIM uses cryptographic signatures to authenticate the sender's domain, and DMARC adds a layer of protection by providing a policy framework for handling unauthenticated emails. Together, these authentication mechanisms help prevent email spoofing phishing attacks and enhance overall email deliverability

Use a Consistent "From" Address

Consistency breeds trust, and this applies to your email marketing efforts. By using a consistent "From" address, you help your recipients recognize your emails, which can boost open rates. A recognizable and trusted sender address contributes positively to your sender's reputation.

Segment Your Email List

One-size-fits-all email campaigns are a thing of the past. Today's email marketing success is built on segmentation. Segment your email list based on behavior, preferences, demographics, or location. By sending more targeted and relevant content to each segment, you're more likely to capture your audience's attention and increase engagement. ISPs notice higher engagement rates and reward you with better deliverability.

Create High-Quality Content

The quality of your email content matters immensely. Focus on crafting engaging and relevant content that subscribers look forward to receiving. Additionally, pay careful attention to your subject lines, ensuring they are compelling and free from triggers that might compromise their visibility in recipients' inboxes. A well-crafted subject line complements the quality of content, enhancing your email strategy. Avoid using spam-trigger words and phrases that might land your emails in the spam folder. While spam filters are becoming more sophisticated, there must be a substitute for genuinely valuable, non-spammy content.

Optimize for Mobile

Today, a substantial percentage of email opens occur on mobile devices. If your emails aren't mobile-responsive, you're already at a disadvantage. Mobile optimization isn't just about making your emails look good on a smaller screen; it's about ensuring they load quickly and function smoothly. ISPs consider factors like mobile responsiveness when determining deliverability.

Monitor Sending Patterns

Consistency is key when it comes to email marketing. Maintain a regular sending schedule to build trust with ISPs. Frequent or erratic changes in your email-sending patterns can raise red flags. Sudden spikes in email volume can be particularly suspicious, potentially triggering spam filters. A steady and predictable sending pattern is more likely to be perceived as legitimate.

Track Engagement Metrics

One of the most critical aspects of improving email deliverability is tracking and analyzing engagement metrics. Open, click-through, and unsubscribe rates are valuable data points that offer insights into how your recipients interact with your emails. Use this data to refine your email marketing strategy and content for better alignment with your audience's preferences.