Is the emailtooltester.com email deliverability test data reliable?
Summary
What email marketers say9Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Quora user John M shares that EmailToolTester can be a useful starting point, but emphasizes the need for personalized testing due to varying sender reputations and email content. They highlight that deliverability depends heavily on your specific email practices.
Email marketer from Litmus.com explains that email testing tools provide a snapshot of how your email renders and performs across different email clients and devices, but they can't guarantee perfect deliverability. Factors such as IP reputation, authentication, and subscriber engagement play a significant role.
Email marketer from Emailonacid.com shares that deliverability is influenced by numerous dynamic factors. Sender reputation, engagement metrics, and spam filter updates are all important. Using a single deliverability test is too static, instead use multiple sources over time.
Email marketer from StackExchange user Emily R. answers that Deliverability test sites are useful as a single data point but should not be the only means for determining success. Inbox placement, engagement metrics and complaint rates should also be used.
Email marketer from GlockApps.com recommends that you use various tools when testing your deliverability, which includes performing sender reputation checks, email authentication checks, and content analysis for spam triggers. GlockApps emphasizes that deliverability tests should be used for monitoring trends over time rather than for drawing definitive conclusions from a single test.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that the data used in the test is flawed and not indicative of actual deliverability due to using free ESP accounts, not adding seed addresses properly, using generic templates with abused 3rd party domains and the fact that seed addresses aren't representative of real world deliverability.
Email marketer from Reddit user jsmith explains that while the site provides a general overview, the results are not always accurate and should be taken with a grain of salt due to the constantly evolving nature of email deliverability.
Email marketer from Gmass.co shares that deliverability tests are valuable, but they should not be the only tool in your arsenal. Focus on building a positive sender reputation, maintaining clean email lists, and creating engaging content. Avoid relying solely on test results.
Email marketer from EmailVendorSelection.com explains that public deliverability tests often lack the nuance of real-world scenarios. IP reputation, list hygiene, and content quality are more important than a single test score.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise states that testing tools are flawed and generally unreliable, they recommend other testing methods for optimal deliverability
Expert from Spam Resource explains that results from any deliverability testing site should be verified with your own data using seeded testing. No single test can give you an accurate view of your email placement.
Expert from Email Geeks explains the mentioned article is SEO bait and the testing methodology is flawed due to small sample size of 4 plain text emails and 1 HTML email using seed accounts, which aren’t generally representative of delivery to real accounts.
Expert from Email Geeks explains the experiment is not well designed and therefore no conclusions can be drawn from it.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Mailchimp explains that various factors, including sender reputation, authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), list quality, and engagement metrics, affect deliverability. They emphasize the importance of maintaining a clean email list and adhering to best practices.
Documentation from SparkPost explains deliverability tests have inherent limitations because they can't fully replicate real-world conditions or adapt to ongoing changes in filtering algorithms. They recommend a multi-faceted approach, including feedback loops and inbox placement monitoring.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains sender reputation is a critical factor in determining email deliverability. Monitoring your reputation with Google is essential for identifying and addressing potential issues affecting your email deliverability.
Documentation from SendGrid explains that deliverability results can fluctuate significantly based on test parameters, like sending volume, email content and time of day, rendering single snapshot tests unreliable. SendGrid recommends consistent monitoring of sender reputation and engagement rates as more reliable metrics.