What are average email deliverability rates across different mailbox providers?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum mentions that deliverability rates vary widely, with some senders achieving 90%+ and others struggling to reach 50%, depending on their practices and the recipient's mailbox provider.
Email marketer from Reddit user u/EmailMarketingPro responds that they use seed list testing to get an idea of deliverability across different mailbox providers (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook). However, he says the results are not always accurate but provide a general sense of performance.
Email marketer from EmailToolTester shares that email deliverability benchmarks are hard to come by and fluctuate a lot, but a good open rate can be a useful indicator. It mentions factors such as industry, audience, and the type of email all affect deliverability.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares a GlockApps infographic showing user test averages on inbox, spam, or missing emails. He suggests it could be useful for benchmarking seed list performance.
Email marketer from Email on Acid says that deliverability is affected by many factors but one main one is ensuring you are authenticating your emails correctly using SPF, DKIM, DMARC as it helps prove to mailbox providers you are who you say you are.
Email marketer from Sender Score explains that sender reputation, based on IP address and domain, significantly influences deliverability. A high sender score increases the likelihood of emails reaching the inbox, while a low score can result in emails being filtered as spam.
Email marketer from Litmus shares that email deliverability is a complex issue that depends on a variety of factors, including sender reputation, email content, and recipient engagement. They provide tools to test and improve deliverability, but do not provide specific numbers.
Email marketer from Validity shares their 2023 benchmark report where they mention that mailbox providers such as Gmail and Microsoft constantly change their filtering policies, keeping senders on their toes. They highlight that sender reputation, authentication, list quality and content are key factors to monitor and maintain in order to achieve optimal inbox placement.
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that by default you get a @amazonses.com 5321.From, and if you want a custom one you need to use the SES dashboard or CLI
Email marketer from Gmass shares that email deliverability is affected by many factors, including email authentication, list hygiene, and sender reputation. They recommend to keep your email list clean and to use a dedicated IP address.
Email marketer from MailerCheck responds that many factors affect email deliverability rates, including sender reputation, authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), list hygiene, and content quality, making it difficult to provide a single average.
What the experts say5Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, explains that one of the best ways to improve deliverability is to clean your email lists regularly. Removing unengaged subscribers and those who haven't given explicit consent can significantly boost your sender reputation and improve inbox placement.
Expert from Email Geeks shares results from SQL queries showing 5 domains using AWS for email, along with counts for G Suite, O365, and Proofpoint based on a current client's mailing list data, helping to understand challenging filters.
Expert from Email Geeks questions if the GlockApps chart refers to providers sending or receiving email, suggesting there seems to be a mix, making it difficult to interpret.
Expert from Spamresource.com explains that averages are hard to pin down, but focusing on metrics such as inbox placement rates and open rates across different providers is a better indicator of successful deliverability strategies. They suggest using tools and services to actively monitor these metrics.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that sender authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial, but sender reputation has a huge impact. Mailbox providers use reputation to determine whether to accept, reject, or filter email and good authentication builds a great reputation over time.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from SparkPost answers that several factors impact deliverability including sender authentication, engagement rates, and spam complaints. They also recommend implementing feedback loops to monitor and address deliverability issues.
Documentation from Microsoft shares that factors such as IP reputation, domain reputation, authentication, complaint rates, and content quality impact deliverability to Outlook and Hotmail addresses. They emphasize the importance of adhering to best practices to maintain a good sender reputation.
Documentation from RFC editor shares that the SMTP standards, defined in various RFC specifications, influence deliverability by dictating how email is transmitted and handled by servers. Compliance with these standards is crucial for ensuring emails are properly routed and delivered.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools shares that it provides data on spam rates, IP reputation, and domain reputation for senders. These metrics help senders monitor their deliverability to Gmail users and identify potential issues.