How do ESPs manage internal vs client deliverability responsibilities?

Summary

ESPs manage internal and client deliverability responsibilities using a multi-faceted approach that includes dedicated teams or individuals, proactive monitoring, adherence to standards, the provision of tools and consultation, and a strong focus on reputation management. They ensure their own internal emails are delivered successfully while also providing clients with the necessary support and resources to optimize their campaigns. Key to this is maintaining a robust infrastructure, managing shared IP reputation carefully, and operating a responsive abuse desk. Following best practices, such as segmentation, authentication, and feedback loops, is essential. Moreover, ESPs leverage various tools, including those provided by Google, Microsoft, and SendGrid, to monitor performance and address deliverability issues.

Key findings

  • Dedicated Resources: Many ESPs allocate dedicated teams or personnel to handle both internal and client deliverability.
  • Proactive Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of IP addresses, domain reputation, bounce rates, and complaint rates is critical.
  • Standards Compliance: Adherence to SMTP standards and implementing authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is essential.
  • Tooling and Resources: ESPs provide tools and resources, including Google Postmaster Tools, Microsoft Sender Support, and SendGrid's monitoring tools, to clients and use them internally.
  • Consultation and Guidance: Offering consultation on best practices, such as list hygiene, segmentation, and content optimization, is common.
  • Feedback Loops: Establishing feedback loops with mailbox providers helps identify and address issues causing complaints.
  • Shared IP Management: Careful management of shared IP reputation is crucial to prevent negative impacts on client deliverability.
  • Abuse Desk: A well-functioning abuse desk is necessary for handling complaints and protecting sender reputation.
  • Testing and Optimization: Employing seed lists and email testing tools is vital for identifying potential spam triggers and optimizing email formats.
  • Segmentation: Effective list segmentation improves deliverability rates and allows for more targeted messaging.

Key considerations

  • Resource Allocation: ESPs must allocate adequate resources to both internal and client deliverability efforts.
  • Team Structure: Determine whether separate or combined teams are more effective for managing the differing needs.
  • Client Education: It is critical to educate clients about deliverability best practices and provide tools for effective management.
  • Proactive Approach: Taking a proactive stance in monitoring and resolving issues prevents negative outcomes for both internal and client email programs.
  • Reputation Management: Maintaining a positive sending reputation requires continuous effort and adherence to industry best practices.
  • Compliance: Ensuring full compliance with email regulations and standards is non-negotiable for sustaining good deliverability.
  • Tool Integration: Integrate the relevant tooling and resources for effective management.

What email marketers say
17Marketer opinions

ESPs manage internal and client deliverability through dedicated teams or individuals, utilizing various tools, best practices, and proactive monitoring. Internal deliverability focuses on the ESP's own email infrastructure, ensuring their messages reach recipients. Client deliverability involves providing resources, support, and consultation to help clients optimize their campaigns. Key strategies include monitoring reputation, implementing authentication protocols, using feedback loops, adhering to best practices (double opt-in, list hygiene, segmentation), and offering email testing tools. Larger ESPs often have separate teams for internal and client deliverability, while smaller ESPs may use a combined team. Managing shared IP reputation and maintaining a responsive abuse desk are critical for the success of both internal and client deliverability efforts.

Key opinions

  • Dedicated Teams: Many ESPs have dedicated teams or individuals responsible for both internal and client deliverability.
  • Monitoring: Proactive monitoring of IP addresses and domain reputation is crucial for both internal and client deliverability.
  • Authentication: Implementing strong authentication methods (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is essential to prevent spoofing and phishing.
  • Best Practices: Following email best practices (double opt-in, segmentation, list hygiene) improves deliverability for both ESPs and their clients.
  • Consultation: ESPs offer consultation services to clients on email authentication, list hygiene, content optimization, and sending frequency.
  • Feedback Loops: Setting up feedback loops (FBLs) with mailbox providers provides valuable data on spam complaints for both internal and client use.
  • IP Management: ESPs manage shared IP reputation carefully, as their internal mail streams directly affect client deliverability.
  • Abuse Desk: Maintaining a responsive abuse desk is critical for addressing complaints and protecting sender reputation.
  • Testing tools: ESPs use email testing tools to evaluate deliverability for internal and client templates.
  • Segmentation essential: Segmentation helps to improve key deliverability rates for internal lists, as well as ensuring clients have the correct toolset to segment.

Key considerations

  • Resource Allocation: ESPs need to allocate sufficient resources to both internal and client deliverability efforts to ensure success.
  • Team Structure: Determine whether separate or combined teams are most effective for managing internal and client deliverability.
  • Client Education: ESPs should educate clients on best practices and provide the necessary tools to manage their deliverability effectively.
  • Proactive Approach: Take a proactive approach to monitoring and addressing deliverability issues to prevent negative impacts on both internal and client email programs.
  • Compliance: Adhering to all relevant email regulations and standards is crucial for maintaining good deliverability.
  • Reputation management: Sending reputation needs to be managed. For their own mail, ESPs control the sending practices to create a good reputation. For clients, the job is to educate and help them succeed so that they, too, create good reputations
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares their bias is that a department/person should own deliverability across the board, taking responsibility for all mail streams. This doesn't mean they have to fix everything, but they own the responsibility.

November 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks agrees with Matt V and voices their opinion, especially during launches, and provides direction for internal teams to succeed. They emphasize the importance of carefully managing the domains used to avoid impacting the production ecosystem.

January 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that it depends on how the organization measures the deliverability group's success. If primarily revenue-generating, there is little room to support internal teams. Ideally, the organization acknowledges the resources invested in internal support and staffs accordingly.

February 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackOverflow explains that ESPs must implement strong authentication methods like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for both their internal emails and to encourage their clients to do the same. Proper authentication helps prevent spoofing and phishing, improving deliverability and protecting sender reputation.

August 2024 - StackOverflow
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks details that their deliverability team is responsible for monitoring the health of IP pools and domains, providing tech support/training, and handling abuse. They are also involved with internal campaigns, as they believe internal practices should align with what they advise customers.

February 2025 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that they have made themselves available for consultation to their MarCom/MarTech and Enterprise messaging teams, preferring to help them do things properly rather than cleaning up afterward.

October 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from MailerQ Blog shares that ESPs set up feedback loops (FBLs) with mailbox providers. These FBLs provide valuable data on spam complaints. Both the ESP's internal team and their clients can use this data to identify and address issues causing complaints, helping to improve deliverability.

November 2021 - MailerQ Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from SparkPost Blog shares that ESPs often provide deliverability consultation services to their clients. This includes advice on email authentication, list hygiene, content optimization, and sending frequency. Internally, similar strategies are followed to ensure their own mail streams are performing well.

June 2022 - SparkPost Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit explains that larger ESPs typically have separate teams handling internal and client deliverability. The internal team manages the ESP's infrastructure and reputation, while client-facing teams assist users with their specific deliverability challenges. Smaller ESPs may have a single team responsible for both.

May 2021 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from GMass Blog shares that ESPs use email testing tools to evaluate the deliverability of their templates. They can use these for their internal templates, and provide similar services to clients. These tools help to identify potential spam triggers and ensure emails are properly formatted for different email clients.

January 2025 - GMass Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus shares that both internal and client deliverability efforts should focus on following email best practices. This includes using double opt-in, segmenting lists, personalizing content, and regularly cleaning out inactive subscribers. For clients, ESPs provide guidance and tools to implement these practices.

October 2023 - Litmus
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that at their ESP, they've helped corporate teams with deliverability and reputation projects by upskilling them and helping them build processes and systems to manage it themselves. They monitor corporate domains for RBLs, and MarTech ensures internal teams send good emails, and they are always available for consulting.

January 2025 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from ReturnPath (now Validity) shares that ESPs need to manage their sending reputation. For their own mail, ESPs control the sending practices to create a good reputation. For clients, the job is to educate and help them succeed so that they, too, create good reputations.

February 2024 - Validity
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid explains that ESPs need to proactively monitor their IP address and domain reputation. This is crucial for internal deliverability and also affects the deliverability of all their clients. They also recommend using tools to check if their domains or IPs are on any blocklists.

October 2024 - Email on Acid Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet Blog explains that ESPs often have dedicated teams or individuals responsible for both internal and client deliverability. Internal deliverability focuses on ensuring the ESP's own emails (transactional, marketing) reach their intended recipients. Client deliverability involves providing tools, resources, and support to help clients achieve optimal deliverability for their campaigns.

January 2022 - Mailjet Blog
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that at their ESP, deliverability people are heavily relied upon for guidance and sanity checks for internal teams, but aren't as hands-on as they are with the product. They can spot issues and pass them on with a solution, but can't fix them directly like they do with the product.

July 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that it is essential to segment email lists in order to target audiences better. This helps to improve key deliverability rates for internal lists, as well as ensuring clients have the correct toolset to segment.

January 2024 - Email Marketing Forum

What the experts say
5Expert opinions

ESPs manage internal and client deliverability by monitoring reputation, working with IT, and maintaining policies. Shared IP reputation requires careful management to avoid impacting clients. A well-functioning abuse desk is critical for handling complaints and maintaining reputation. Seed lists are essential for testing deliverability, and monitoring domain health helps to see the deliverability impact.

Key opinions

  • Reputation Management: ESPs must identify and monitor reputation issues.
  • Shared IP Impact: Internal mail streams can affect the IP reputation of clients.
  • Abuse Desk: A responsive abuse desk handles complaints and protects clients.
  • Seed Lists: Seed lists are essential for testing deliverability.
  • Domain Health: Monitoring domain health impacts deliverability.

Key considerations

  • IT Collaboration: Work with IT to implement changes and policies.
  • IP Management Strategy: Implement strategies for carefully managing shared IP addresses.
  • Complaint Handling: Develop procedures for handling abuse complaints effectively.
  • Testing Methods: Establish reliable methods for testing internal and external deliverability using seed lists.
  • Monitoring Tools: Invest in tools to monitor domain health and reputation continuously.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that domain reputation is everything and it needs to be a key focus. By testing and monitoring domain health for their internal and external campaigns you can start to see the impact on the deliverability.

December 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from SpamResource explains that ESPs must have a well-functioning abuse desk. This desk handles complaints, investigates reports of spam, and takes action against spammers. A responsive abuse desk is critical for maintaining the ESP's reputation and protecting its clients.

August 2022 - SpamResource
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that to test email deliverability internally and to clients, a seed list strategy is essential. This enables the review of inbox placement to identify any deliverability rates.

May 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares their team helps identify and monitor reputation issues and works alongside the corporate IT team to make changes and set policies. If the issue is sent from their production networks, the IT team is in charge of fixing those issues.

April 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from SpamResource explains that ESPs must carefully manage shared IP reputation. Their internal mail streams can directly impact the reputation of IPs used by their clients. If the ESP's mail is poorly managed, it can negatively affect the deliverability of all clients using the same IPs.

October 2021 - SpamResource

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

ESPs manage internal and client deliverability through a combination of monitoring tools, adherence to standards, and leveraging support resources. They use tools to track metrics like bounce rates and complaint rates for both internal monitoring and client reporting. Adherence to SMTP standards ensures proper email transmission. Resources such as Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft sender support help identify and address deliverability issues affecting both the ESP and its clients.

Key findings

  • Monitoring Tools: SendGrid provides tools for monitoring deliverability metrics internally and for clients.
  • SMTP Standards: RFC standards dictate how email should be transmitted and handled, which ESPs must follow.
  • Google Postmaster Tools: Google Postmaster Tools allows monitoring of deliverability to Gmail users for ESPs and clients.
  • Microsoft Support: Microsoft offers sender support resources to improve deliverability to Outlook.com and Hotmail.

Key considerations

  • Tool Utilization: ESPs should effectively utilize monitoring tools to track deliverability metrics.
  • Standards Compliance: Adherence to SMTP standards is essential for ensuring compatibility and avoiding spam flags.
  • Resource Leverage: ESPs should leverage resources such as Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft sender support.
  • Issue Identification: These tools and resources help to identify and address deliverability issues impacting both the ESP and its clients.
Technical article

Documentation from RFC details that SMTP standards dictate how email should be transmitted and handled. ESPs must adhere to these standards for both their internal and client email sending to ensure compatibility and avoid being flagged as spam. This includes proper formatting, authentication, and error handling.

November 2024 - RFC Documentation
Technical article

Documentation from SendGrid Documentation details that it provides tools for monitoring deliverability metrics, such as bounce rates, complaint rates, and blocklist status. These tools are used both internally to manage the platform's overall deliverability and are offered to clients to monitor the performance of their individual email programs.

May 2024 - SendGrid Documentation
Technical article

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools allows senders (ESPs and their clients) to monitor their deliverability performance to Gmail users. By analyzing metrics like spam rate, IP reputation, and authentication status, ESPs can identify and address deliverability issues affecting both their internal and client email.

February 2023 - Google Postmaster Tools Documentation
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft details that they offer sender support resources and guidance to help ESPs and other senders improve their deliverability to Outlook.com and Hotmail users. ESPs can leverage this to enhance their own deliverability practices and provide better service to their clients.

December 2023 - Microsoft Documentation