How to troubleshoot email deliverability issues with Microsoft domains?
Summary
What email marketers say14Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks shares they have also experienced MSN problems and suggests reducing frequency and tightening engagement filters. Also they found that there was only an issue when using SES IPs (shared pool) but not when using dedicated IPs.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum says consider using a dedicated IP address for sending emails, especially if you send a high volume of emails. A dedicated IP allows you to build your own reputation, which can improve deliverability.
Email marketer from Quora explains setting up feedback loops with Microsoft allows you to receive notifications when recipients mark your emails as spam. This information can help you identify and address issues that are causing your emails to be flagged as spam.
Email marketer from SendGrid explains that Microsoft may throttle emails from senders with poor reputations. Monitor your sending volume and adjust if necessary to avoid being throttled.
Email marketer from Mailjet shares it's crucial to maintain a clean email list by removing inactive subscribers, hard bounces, and unsubscribes. Regularly cleaning your list helps improve your sender reputation.
Email marketer from Litmus recommends to avoid spam trigger words, excessive use of images, and broken HTML in your email content. Test your email content with spam filters before sending.
Email marketer from EmailOnAcid suggests checking your sending IP address against common blocklists. If your IP is listed, work to get it removed according to the blocklist's procedures.
Marketer from Email Geeks advises grabbing a sample of the addresses with the same bounce reason and retracing their steps (signup source, engagement, etc.) to identify commonalities like potential bot abuse or issues with lead gen companies. They note the bounce reason is specific to the address, not sender reputation, but sending to many such addresses could impact deliverability.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests determining if you can communicate with the affected domains via a different channel to debug the problem. If it's all opt-in, email them from your work account and ask them to confirm reception.
Email marketer from Reddit shares the importance of engagement metrics. Low engagement, such as low open rates and click-through rates, can negatively impact your reputation with Microsoft and lead to deliverability issues. Focus on sending emails to engaged users.
Email marketer from MailerQ shares that it's crucial to monitor your email deliverability metrics, such as bounce rates, complaint rates, and placement rates. Use these metrics to identify and address deliverability issues proactively.
Email marketer from StackOverflow emphasizes the importance of proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to improve deliverability with Microsoft. Ensure that your domain is properly configured to authenticate your emails.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that in their experience with Microsoft deliverability issues, the solution has always been to reduce the active segment until the reputation improves, then slowly expand it. They suggest focusing on actives from the last 15 days.
Email marketer from Microsoft Support recommends using sender reputation services like Sender Score or Talos to check your sending IP's reputation with Microsoft. A poor reputation can cause deliverability problems.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise explains the importance of maintaining a good sender reputation when sending to Microsoft domains. Monitor your IP and domain reputation using Microsoft's SNDS and JMRP, and take steps to address any issues that arise. Poor reputation is a primary cause of deliverability issues with Microsoft.
Expert from Spam Resource advises practicing diligent list management, including regularly removing invalid email addresses and promptly processing bounce messages. Microsoft considers list hygiene a critical factor in determining sender reputation.
Expert from Word to the Wise, explains that Microsoft uses a complex filtering system that considers various factors, including sender reputation, content, and user engagement. Understanding these factors and optimizing your email program accordingly is crucial for improving deliverability.
Expert from Spam Resource emphasizes the importance of implementing proper email authentication mechanisms, such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, to improve deliverability with Microsoft. Ensure that your domain is properly configured to authenticate your emails and prevent spoofing.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Microsoft advises to use the Sender Support portal to troubleshoot delivery issues and request delisting if your IP address has been blocked.
Documentation from Microsoft recommends enrolling in the JMRP. This program provides feedback on when your emails are marked as junk by recipients, allowing you to identify and address potential problems.
Documentation from RFC explains ensuring your email infrastructure adheres to SMTP standards, including correct HELO/EHLO configuration and proper handling of bounce messages, is crucial for deliverability.
Documentation from Microsoft explains that common issues are related to IP reputation, content, authentication, and list hygiene. It recommends reviewing these areas to identify the cause of deliverability problems.