Is paying for IP certification worth it for email deliverability?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares his experience of using Validity, IAPP Surety Mail and CSA, noting that success varies depending on the sender's practices. He suggests defining objectives and needs before investing in certification.
Email marketer from StackOverflow shares their experience that IP certification can be beneficial if struggling with deliverability despite following best practices. They stress that its value lies in the data and feedback loops it provides.
Email marketer from Litmus discusses that IP certification can be considered if deliverability issues persist despite implementing best practices. However, they recommend thoroughly researching certification programs and understanding their requirements before investing.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that certification can bring useful discipline to larger organizations or be beneficial if a recipient base favors a specific certification program but ultimately isn't necessary for deliverability if best practices are followed.
Email marketer from ReturnPath, highlights that while IP certification can help with deliverability, it's not a substitute for maintaining a clean email list, sending relevant content, and following email marketing best practices. They emphasize the importance of building a strong sender reputation through consistent engagement and positive feedback loops.
Email marketer from EmailOnAcid suggests that IP certification can be valuable for senders struggling with deliverability or those targeting specific ISPs that favor certified senders. They caution that certification is not a substitute for fundamental deliverability practices and recommend focusing on building a strong sender reputation through engagement and authentication.
Email marketer from SparkPost highlights that IP certification programs can provide feedback loops and data insights, but their value depends on the sender's existing practices. They recommend evaluating whether the certification aligns with specific deliverability goals and complements other email marketing efforts.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that while IP certification can offer benefits like improved reputation and relationships with ISPs, it's not a guaranteed solution for deliverability issues. They suggest that focusing on best practices such as list hygiene, authentication, and engagement is often more effective and cost-efficient.
Email marketer from MailerQ suggests that investing in IP certification should only be considered after implementing all other deliverability best practices, such as proper authentication, list management, and content optimization. They emphasize the importance of monitoring deliverability metrics and making data-driven decisions.
Email marketer from Reddit suggests that IP certification is rarely worth the cost for most senders. They argue that focusing on list hygiene, authentication, and content quality will yield better results for deliverability.
Email marketer from GlockApps indicates that IP certification may offer some advantages, but its effectiveness depends on various factors, including sender reputation, email content, and recipient engagement. They recommend using deliverability monitoring tools to assess the impact of certification.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares his experience that applying basic best practices like COI, filtering, low complaint rates, setting expectations, and using a sunset policy is sufficient for deliverability without needing IP certification.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that IP certification might be useful for organizations with complex sending setups, but advises that focusing on authentication, list hygiene and consent are more important for good deliverability.
Expert from Spamresource explains that IP certification offers some benefits but emphasizes that a good sending reputation relies more on responsible list management, sending practices and engagement. Certification is not a solution for bad practices.
Expert from Email Geeks shares his personal opinion that paying for IP certification is not worth it.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from RFC explains the importance of email authentication standards such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for improving deliverability and preventing spoofing. They recommend implementing these standards to build trust with ISPs and enhance sender reputation, which is more important than IP certification.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools highlights the importance of sender reputation for email deliverability. They advise focusing on improving sending practices and adhering to Google's guidelines rather than relying solely on certifications, as Google prioritizes sender reputation based on engagement and user feedback.
Documentation from Microsoft explains IP reputation and its impact on deliverability. They advise focusing on improving sending practices and adhering to guidelines rather than relying solely on certifications.
Documentation from Validity explains that IP certification, specifically Sender Score Certification, offers benefits such as improved deliverability, access to feedback loops, and enhanced reputation with ISPs, it's stated that these benefits are contingent on meeting Validity's certification standards and maintaining good sending practices.