What are the best inbox placement testing tools?
Summary
What email marketers say15Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that inbox testing can provide incomplete intelligence into actual on-the-ground performance and that seed list test results are just 'food for thought' as they don't factor in the 'second filter', which is how your own subscribers are engaging with your email historically. He finds them helpful to see how a global/general filter treats your email.
Email marketer from Litmus Blog emphasizes that Litmus offers email testing and tracking features to monitor inbox placement, including identifying spam filter triggers and rendering issues across different email clients.
Email marketer from ReturnPath recommends ReturnPath certification (now part of Validity) and their deliverability services as a means to improve inbox placement, emphasizing the importance of good sender reputation and compliance with best practices.
Marketer from Email Geeks advises using an in-house seed list instead of external tools after implementing AI, because inbox placement hinges on users' past interactions. Focus on maintaining a strong IP reputation and DKIM, and rely on postmaster tools for optimal results.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares they moved from GlockApps to Everest/Validity but notes it is a much more costly solution.
Email marketer from EmailToolTester recommends GlockApps as a tool that helps reveal whether your emails end up in the spam folder. It offers detailed reports showing deliverability rates for various email providers, assisting users in fine-tuning their email marketing strategies.
Email marketer from Validity Website promotes Everest as their solution for inbox placement, claiming it provides insights into deliverability issues, reputation monitoring, and competitive intelligence.
Email marketer from Reddit suggests using a combination of free tools like mail-tester.com for immediate feedback and paid services like GlockApps for more comprehensive inbox placement analysis across different providers. User emphasizes the importance of monitoring sender reputation along with testing.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests Everest by Validity as an inbox placement testing tool.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests considering MailMonitor as an inbox placement testing tool.
Email marketer from GlockApps Blog highlights GlockApps as an inbox placement testing tool, mentioning it sends test emails to a seed list and provides reports on where the emails land, including spam folders.
Email marketer from ZeroBounce Blog states that ZeroBounce provides tools to validate email lists, which indirectly helps with inbox placement by reducing bounce rates and improving sender reputation. Maintaining a clean list is the first step toward successful inboxing.
Email marketer from Mailtrap Blog promotes Mailtrap Email API and Sending Infrastructure as offering insights into deliverability and placement by analyzing server health, providing real-time statistics, and allowing for testing within a safe environment before sending to real users.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum suggests using a combination of GlockApps and manual checks by sending emails to personal accounts on different providers to confirm placement, as a cost-effective method for smaller businesses.
Email marketer from MailMonitor Website presents MailMonitor as a tool that identifies deliverability problems by analyzing placement in different inboxes, providing data-driven insights to improve email performance.
What the experts say2Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) shares the caveat about using seedlists in that they don't fully mimic real users. Recommending combining seed list testing with real user engagement data to get a better picture of deliverability.
Expert from Spamresource explains that consistently monitoring blocklist status, using a dedicated IP address, and engaging with feedback loops from ISPs are all critical components for identifying and addressing deliverability issues that can impact inbox placement. They stress the importance of a proactive approach to maintain a positive sender reputation.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from SparkPost Resources recommends using seed list testing in conjunction with feedback loops and authentication protocols to ensure high inbox placement rates, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring and adjustments.
Documentation from SendGrid Docs outlines the importance of inbox placement testing and suggests tools like GlockApps and Litmus for assessing deliverability rates and identifying potential issues.
Documentation from Mailjet Help Center mentions using seed lists as a method to test inbox placement, explaining that sending test emails to various email providers allows senders to check where their emails are being delivered.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools suggests monitoring sender reputation using their provided dashboard, which can help diagnose deliverability issues that impact inbox placement for Gmail users. Highlighting importance of following Gmail's sender guidelines.