What are the best tools for monitoring and fixing email deliverability issues, considering budget constraints?
Summary
What email marketers say8Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that if budget isn't an issue, they'd go with eDataSource, but if budget is an issue, Inbox Monster.
Email marketer from G2 Crowd recommends Sendinblue as a cost-effective option for monitoring deliverability. They point out Sendinblue's features for managing email lists, segmenting audiences, and tracking email performance, emphasizing its value for businesses with budget constraints.
Email marketer from Reddit suggests using a combination of free tools, such as Google Postmaster Tools for domain reputation monitoring and a free SMTP server testing tool to check server configuration. They also recommend regularly cleaning email lists using a free email verification service to remove invalid or inactive addresses.
Email marketer from Litmus emphasizes the importance of previewing emails across different email clients and devices to identify rendering issues that could affect deliverability. They recommend using Litmus' email testing tools to ensure that your emails are displayed correctly and don't trigger spam filters due to formatting problems.
Email marketer from Wordstream recommends avoiding spam trigger words in your email subject lines and body content to improve deliverability. They provide a list of common spam trigger words to avoid and suggest using alternative language to convey your message without raising red flags.
Email marketer from EmailToolTester suggests leveraging free trials of email deliverability platforms to assess their features and determine if they meet your needs. They recommend taking advantage of trial periods to test deliverability monitoring tools and identify areas for improvement without committing to a paid subscription.
Email marketer from HubSpot advises segmenting your email lists and sending targeted content to improve engagement and deliverability. They recommend segmenting based on demographics, behavior, and interests to ensure recipients receive relevant information, reducing the likelihood of spam complaints.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog suggests using Mailchimp for basic deliverability monitoring, highlighting its built-in analytics for tracking bounce rates and engagement. He also recommends leveraging Mailchimp's segmentation features to target specific audiences, which can improve deliverability by sending relevant content.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource (Steve Linford) recommends regularly monitoring your domain and IP address on various blocklists (also known as blacklists) using tools like MultiRBL or MXToolbox. He emphasizes that being listed on a blocklist can significantly impact deliverability, and early detection allows for prompt action to resolve the issue.
Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) recommends focusing on building a strong sender reputation through consistent email practices, rather than solely relying on tools. She suggests starting with understanding your current sending practices, analyzing engagement metrics, and then strategically using tools to address any identified issues, particularly around authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and list hygiene.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that tools don't fix deliverability issues - good practices (and tough decisions) do.
Expert from Word to the Wise (Team) explains the critical role of setting up and monitoring feedback loops (FBLs) with major ISPs. They emphasize that FBLs provide direct insight into which recipients are marking your emails as spam, enabling you to promptly remove those addresses from your mailing list and prevent future deliverability problems.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from SparkPost explains the importance of monitoring bounce rates and feedback loops for maintaining good email deliverability. They provide guidance on interpreting bounce codes and setting up feedback loops with major ISPs to identify and address deliverability issues proactively.
Documentation from RFC-Editor provides technical specifications for Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records, explaining how they work to authenticate email senders and prevent spoofing. They outline the syntax and parameters for SPF records and explain how they can be used to improve email deliverability by verifying that emails are sent from authorized servers.
Documentation from DKIM.org offers detailed guidance on implementing DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) to digitally sign your emails. They provide information on generating cryptographic keys, configuring DNS records, and verifying DKIM signatures, helping you ensure the authenticity and integrity of your messages.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools describes how to use their platform to monitor your domain reputation and identify potential deliverability issues. They explain how to track metrics such as spam complaints, IP reputation, and authentication rates, providing insights into factors that may be affecting your email delivery.
Documentation from Mailchimp emphasizes the importance of authenticating your domain with SPF and DKIM records to improve email deliverability. They provide step-by-step instructions on how to set up these authentication methods and explain how they help verify that your emails are legitimate and not spam.