What data sources contribute to Sender Score and how reliable is it for deliverability?

Email marketer from Reddit.com explains, in a Reddit thread about email deliverability, one user, u/EmailExpert, stated that Sender Score is one data point among many and to not rely on it entirely because its algorithm is opaque, and it may not reflect the reality of inbox placement across all ISPs.

Email marketer from Mailjet.com shares that improving sender reputation, which affects Sender Score, involves consistently sending valuable content, segmenting email lists, regularly cleaning email lists to remove inactive subscribers, and monitoring engagement metrics. They stated this demonstrates to ISPs that the sender is responsible and trustworthy.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum in an email marketing discussion, user EmailGuru explained that Sender Score is just one of many metrics and should not be the only metric relied upon and that he uses it as a 'quick health check' for IP reputation but always uses other sources to build a complete view.

Email marketer from EmailAcademy.com shares that Sender Score is not the be-all and end-all of deliverability and highlights that while it provides insight, relying solely on it is not recommended. Sender Score gives some indication of your sending reputation but that it is not the only factor.

Email marketer from CampaignMonitor.com explains that the main factors affecting deliverability are authentication, sender reputation, engagement, and content. And that while Sender Score could be a small part of that it's very much the 'tip of the iceberg' and authentication and engagement are far more important.

Email marketer from EmailToolTester.com explains that regularly monitoring Sender Score allows you to proactively identify potential deliverability issues and address them before they significantly impact email performance and indicates that this monitoring provides an early warning system.

Email marketer from GlockApps.com shares that Sender Score can be useful for identifying potential deliverability issues, such as sudden drops in reputation, and indicates that this drop can prompt further investigation into sending practices, list hygiene, and content quality. However, it should be used in conjunction with other deliverability metrics.

Email marketer from MailMonitor.com explains that factors influencing Sender Score include spam complaints, external blacklists, sending volume, and the quality of email content. They emphasize the importance of consistent and legitimate email marketing practices for maintaining a healthy Sender Score.

Marketer from Email Geeks shares their experience from a meeting about 10 years ago where ReturnPath indicated that SenderScore data primarily came from US cable mailbox providers, not AOL/Yahoo or Gmail. They were unsure whether Hotmail was included.

Email marketer from Litmus.com shares that building a good sender reputation and achieving high deliverability, which can indirectly influence Sender Score over time, involves sending relevant and personalized content, using proper email authentication, maintaining clean email lists, and monitoring engagement metrics to improve future campaigns.

Marketer from Email Geeks states there are no freemail data sources in Sender Score, it uses cable ISPs, some trap providers, and some smaller email hosting companies. They say Sender Score can be useful to troubleshoot root cause issues but the score is unreliable.

Expert from Email Geeks recommends using Gmail postmaster tools to see what Gmail thinks of your IP reputation, emphasizing that reputation is receiver-specific.

Expert from Spam Resource responds that Sender Score relies on data from various ISPs and feedback loops, but its overall utility is limited. They add that it's best seen as one data point among many and might not accurately reflect deliverability across all mailbox providers. They also claim that the data they use is often incomplete and outdated.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that while Sender Score can provide a general sense of your IP's reputation, it is just one metric and should not be the only metric used. They say that it's influence is declining as mailbox providers rely more on engagement and authentication.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that SenderScore is a proprietary number that does not really reflect anything about your sending IP and advises not to bother caring about it. They state that we don't know who contributes data to it but assumes that the folks who used ReturnPath's data contributed data back to them, potentially including Microsoft and some cable companies. Mentions that AOL may have contributed data at one point, but it's unclear if that survived mergers. They also state that they stopped including SenderScore in deliverability analysis around 2013/2014 because it wasn't a useful data point.

Expert from Email Geeks states that IP reputation acts as a minimum threshold for mail acceptance. After that, content, link, and domain reputation influence message delivery location.

Documentation from SparkPost.com explains that sender reputation, which influences Sender Score, is affected by factors such as spam complaints, bounce rates, engagement metrics, and authentication practices (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). It highlights the importance of monitoring and addressing these factors to maintain a positive reputation.

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools states that Gmail's view of your IP reputation directly impacts deliverability to Gmail users, and that this is independent of any Sender Score. Highlighting that consistent low spam rates and good sending practices improve your IP reputation and inbox placement.

Documentation from Validity.com explains that the Validity Provider Network captures reputation metrics for Sender Score, powered by mailbox providers, spam filtering companies, spam trap networks, and includes over 100 million mailboxes and millions of unique IP addresses. It partners with cable/phone/network providers but specifies that Gmail, Microsoft, Apple, and Yahoo don't contribute directly.

Documentation from SendGrid.com explains that factors impacting deliverability, and indirectly Sender Score, include sender authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), engagement rates, spam complaints, and sending volume. It emphasizes the importance of building a positive sender reputation through responsible email marketing practices.