How can you deduce inbox placement metrics using per-ISP open rates and manage bot opens?
Summary
What email marketers say9Marketer opinions
Email marketer from EmailToolTester shares that using seed list testing provides a direct measure of inbox placement across various ISPs. By sending emails to these seed addresses and tracking where they land (inbox, spam, or missing), senders can gauge deliverability.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that tools like Google Postmaster Tools provide insights into domain and IP reputation, which correlate with inbox placement, especially for Gmail. Consistent monitoring alerts you to potential deliverability issues.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that they have some countermeasures in place, albeit old and weak, to combat bot traffic, but their customer traffic isn't as affected by bots.
Email marketer from Email Geeks (Parabola) explains that open rates can offer directional insights into inbox placement by segmenting the audience and comparing open rates across different ISPs.
Email marketer from Litmus shares that focusing on engagement metrics and sender reputation is key to improve inbox placement. They recommend actively cleaning email lists to remove inactive subscribers.
Email marketer from GlockApps explains that bot traffic can skew the data, they advise using bot detection mechanisms to identify and filter bot traffic. GlockApps also provide inbox placement testing
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that they don't use inbox placement metrics directly but instead deduces it from per-ISP open rates, which they find reliable enough despite potential inaccuracies.
Email marketer from Mailjet details that while open rates are not a direct measure of inbox placement, they provide indirect insights when tracked per ISP. Significant drops in open rates for specific ISPs can indicate deliverability issues.
Email marketer from StackOverflow suggests using javascript on the email to detect the user agent. This helps to filter out bot traffic and skewed results.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource answers that inboxing (successfully landing in the inbox) requires a multifaceted approach. It goes beyond just avoiding the spam folder and involves considering user engagement and brand reputation. Measurement techniques mentioned include seed lists, feedback loops, and monitoring blocklists.
Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) explains that relying solely on open rates to gauge inbox placement can be misleading due to image blocking, bot traffic, and privacy changes. She recommends using seed lists, feedback loops, and engaging with deliverability consultants for more accurate insights.
Expert from Email Geeks asks how bot opens are managed, highlighting a differing perspective from other ESPs.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from SendGrid explains that proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for improving deliverability and inbox placement. They state that authenticating your email domain helps ISPs verify the sender's legitimacy.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools answers that monitoring spam rates and sender reputation within the tool helps to indirectly infer inbox placement performance for Gmail users. High spam rates indicate deliverability problems.
Documentation from Microsoft SNDS says that monitoring IP reputation through the Sender Network Data Services (SNDS) can help identify deliverability issues, indirectly affecting inbox placement for Outlook and Hotmail users. It offers data on spam complaints and traffic volume.
Documentation from SparkPost shares that sender reputation, authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and engagement metrics (including open rates) are crucial for inbox placement. Monitoring these metrics can indirectly indicate inbox placement performance.
Documentation from ZeroBounce explains that bot traffic can skew the data, they advise using bot detection mechanisms to identify and filter bot traffic. ZeroBounce is primarily known for Email Validation