How to fix low open rates in Outlook due to spam filtering and sender reputation issues?
Summary
What email marketers say10Marketer opinions
Email marketer from HubSpot explains avoiding spam trigger words in your email content. Certain words and phrases are flagged by spam filters. Using a URL shortener can also harm your sender reputation. If you use a URL shortener, you can shorten a long URL in your email, but they’re commonly used in spam emails.
Email marketer from GMass shares using preview text to improve open rates. Make the email as appealing as possible and remove any elements that cause spam filters to flag your emails.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that new sending domains need to be slowly warmed up over time to build a reputation. Start by sending small volumes to engaged users and gradually increase the volume as the reputation grows.
Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests setting up SNDS (Smart Network Data Services) to gain insights into complaint rates and potential issues.
Email marketer from Email on Acid mentions that setting up feedback loops with ISPs allows you to receive notifications when recipients mark your emails as spam. This provides valuable information for identifying and addressing deliverability issues.
Email marketer from Litmus suggests regularly cleaning your email list to remove unengaged subscribers. Sending to inactive or invalid email addresses negatively impacts sender reputation and deliverability.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that if you are using SNDS to check Microsoft deliverability, make sure your complaint rate is < 0.1%. Monitor IP reputation and authentication status to see if anything stands out.
Email marketer from StackOverflow shares if you're sending a high volume of emails, using a dedicated IP address can help establish and maintain your sender reputation. A dedicated IP allows you to control your sending reputation independently of other senders.
Email marketer from Sendinblue shares that a gradual increase in sending volume while maintaining a consistent sending schedule and email content keeps the email service providers happy. In this case, your IP address will be considered a legitimate source, and your email will most likely land in your recipient’s inbox.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that consistently sending valuable and engaging content to your subscribers can improve your sender reputation over time. Also, ensure your email is not being marked as spam. Encourage recipients to add your email address to their address book.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks recommends implementing CAPTCHA and email verification on the signup form. They also suggest segmenting and suppressing inactive users on Microsoft domains to improve engagement. They provide a link to contact Microsoft, while noting that Microsoft can be difficult to work with regarding junk folder placement. They also mention that it's common for open rates to be lower on Microsoft domains due to stricter filtering.
Expert from Spamresource explains that using SPF, DKIM and DMARC greatly improves sender authentication and deliverability.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that sender IPs must be warmed slowly in order to ensure deliverability. IPs should be warmed up to a specific ISP before sending all mail through the IP.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from SparkPost explains that implementing email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for verifying your sending identity and improving deliverability. These protocols help prevent spoofing and phishing attacks, which can damage your sender reputation.
Documentation from RFC Editor describes adhering to SMTP standards and best practices. RFCs define the technical standards for email transmission and formatting. Following these standards ensures compatibility and improves deliverability.
Documentation from Microsoft shares that Outlook.com provides Postmaster Tools, which offer data about your sending reputation, complaint rates, and other metrics. Monitoring these tools can help identify and address deliverability issues specific to Outlook.com.