What is a good deliverability guide for email marketers?

Summary

A good deliverability guide for email marketers encompasses several key aspects to ensure emails reach the intended recipients' inboxes. It starts with establishing a strong sender reputation through proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), as well as focusing on building an engaged and clean email list. This involves actively managing bounces, removing inactive subscribers, and utilizing feedback loops to address spam complaints. Additionally, maintaining content quality and relevance, personalizing messages, optimizing email design, and avoiding spam trigger words are crucial. Continuously monitoring sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and implementing strategies such as warming up IP addresses and segmenting email lists are also emphasized.

Key findings

  • Authentication is Key: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is paramount for verifying sender identity and improving deliverability.
  • List Hygiene Matters: Maintaining a clean and engaged email list by removing inactive subscribers, managing bounces, and avoiding spam traps is essential.
  • Engagement Drives Deliverability: High engagement rates (opens, clicks) signal positive sender reputation and improve deliverability.
  • Content Quality is Crucial: Personalized, relevant, and engaging content avoids spam filters and resonates with recipients.
  • Monitoring is Essential: Regularly monitor sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools to identify and address potential issues.

Key considerations

  • Implement Authentication: Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to authenticate your email sending sources.
  • Clean Your List Regularly: Implement a process for regularly removing inactive subscribers, bounces, and spam traps from your email list.
  • Personalize Your Content: Tailor your email content to the interests and preferences of your subscribers to increase engagement.
  • Optimize Email Design: Design your emails to be mobile-friendly, visually appealing, and free of code errors.
  • Monitor Sender Reputation: Use Google Postmaster Tools and other monitoring tools to track your sender reputation and identify any issues that need addressing.
  • Warming Up IPs: Gradually increase email volume when using new IP addresses to establish sender reputation.
  • Segmentation: Segment your email list to send targeted emails that are more relevant to subscribers.
  • Feedback Loops: Set up and monitor feedback loops to identify and remove subscribers who report spam.

What email marketers say
11Marketer opinions

Email deliverability is influenced by numerous factors. A good deliverability guide for email marketers emphasizes building a strong sender reputation through authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), engaging content, and proper list management. Key strategies include warming up IP addresses, segmenting email lists, regularly cleaning subscriber lists, personalizing content, optimizing email design, and monitoring sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools. Avoiding spam filters is crucial, which involves using reputable ESPs, avoiding spam trigger words, and providing easy unsubscribe options.

Key opinions

  • Sender Reputation: A strong sender reputation is crucial for email deliverability. Regularly monitor and maintain it.
  • Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for verifying sender identity.
  • Engagement: High engagement rates (opens, clicks) positively impact deliverability. Low engagement can hurt your sender reputation.
  • List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive subscribers, bounces, and spam traps.
  • Content Quality: Personalized and relevant content improves engagement and deliverability.
  • Avoiding Spam Filters: Avoiding spam trigger words and using a reputable ESP helps bypass spam filters.

Key considerations

  • IP Warm-up: Gradually increase email volume to establish a good sender reputation with ISPs.
  • Segmentation: Segment your email list to send targeted emails and improve engagement.
  • Email Design: Optimize email design for deliverability by using responsive layouts and optimized images.
  • Monitoring: Regularly monitor your sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
  • Unsubscribe Process: Provide an easy and clear unsubscribe process to avoid spam complaints.
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks shares a deliverability guide for novice to intermediate email deliverability.

October 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus emphasizes that engagement is a critical factor for deliverability. They recommend A/B testing subject lines and content to improve open and click-through rates.

July 2024 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Sendinblue shares strategies for improving email deliverability, such as warming up your IP address, segmenting your email list, and regularly cleaning your subscriber list.

July 2021 - Sendinblue
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email on Acid explains how email design impacts deliverability. Optimizing images, using responsive design, and avoiding code errors can help improve inbox placement.

October 2024 - Email on Acid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Campaign Monitor emphasizes the importance of email list segmentation to send targeted emails, which can lead to higher engagement and better deliverability rates.

July 2022 - Campaign Monitor
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum recommends starting with small batches of emails and gradually increasing the volume over several weeks to establish a good sender reputation with ISPs.

November 2021 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel advises personalizing email content to improve engagement and deliverability. This includes using the subscriber's name, referencing past purchases, and tailoring content to their interests.

August 2021 - Neil Patel
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet explains that key factors impacting deliverability include sender reputation, authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), engagement, and content quality.

September 2021 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from HubSpot details methods for avoiding spam filters, including using a reputable email service provider, avoiding spam trigger words, and providing an easy unsubscribe process.

February 2024 - HubSpot
Marketer view

Email marketer from AWeber recommends regularly cleaning your email list to remove inactive subscribers, bounce addresses, and spam traps, which can significantly improve deliverability rates.

November 2022 - AWeber
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit user u/EmailExpert advises focusing on building a clean email list, personalizing your messages, and monitoring your sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.

September 2023 - Reddit

What the experts say
3Expert opinions

Experts agree that maintaining good email deliverability involves focusing on three key areas: proper email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to establish sender identity; maintaining a clean and engaged email list by removing inactive subscribers and managing bounces; and actively monitoring sender reputation through tools like Google Postmaster Tools to identify and address deliverability issues.

Key opinions

  • Authentication: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for establishing sender identity and improving deliverability.
  • List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean and engaged email list is vital for optimal deliverability.
  • Sender Reputation Monitoring: Actively monitoring sender reputation helps identify and address deliverability issues promptly.

Key considerations

  • Implement Authentication: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are properly configured to authenticate your email sending sources.
  • Regular List Cleaning: Regularly remove inactive subscribers and manage bounces to maintain a healthy email list.
  • Utilize Monitoring Tools: Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools to continuously monitor your sender reputation and identify potential issues.
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise, Steve Jones, advises email marketers to actively monitor their sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools to identify and address any deliverability issues promptly. Consistent monitoring can help maintain a positive sender reputation and improve email placement.

May 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, emphasizes the importance of maintaining a clean and engaged email list for optimal deliverability. Regularly removing inactive subscribers and managing bounces are key to ensuring emails reach the intended recipients and avoiding spam traps.

June 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise, Dennis Dayman, explains that proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for establishing sender identity and improving email deliverability by reducing the likelihood of emails being marked as spam.

January 2023 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
5Technical articles

Good email deliverability guides for email marketers emphasize the importance of authentication (specifically DMARC), list management, spam compliance, and monitoring sender reputation. Resources like Google Workspace, Microsoft Sender Support, and DMARC.org provide guidelines and tools for implementing these practices. Feedback loops are also crucial for identifying and removing problematic subscribers based on spam complaints. Understanding technical specifications like SPF records, as detailed in RFC documentation, is essential for proper configuration.

Key findings

  • Authentication: DMARC is increasingly required for bulk senders to ensure proper email authentication.
  • Monitoring: Sender Support portals and Google Postmaster Tools help monitor and troubleshoot deliverability issues.
  • Feedback Loops: Feedback loops (FBLs) are essential for identifying and removing problematic subscribers who mark emails as spam.
  • Technical Specifications: Understanding technical specifications like SPF records is crucial for proper configuration.
  • List Management: Proper list management and spam compliance are necessary for ensuring deliverability.

Key considerations

  • Implement DMARC: Ensure DMARC is properly set up, especially if sending bulk emails.
  • Monitor Sender Reputation: Regularly check sender reputation using available tools to identify and address potential issues.
  • Configure SPF: Accurately configure SPF records to authenticate email sending sources.
  • Utilize Feedback Loops: Set up and monitor feedback loops to identify and remove subscribers who report spam.
Technical article

Documentation from DMARC.org guides email marketers through the implementation of DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) to protect their domains from email spoofing and phishing attacks.

June 2022 - DMARC.org
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft explains how to use the Sender Support portal to monitor your sender reputation and troubleshoot deliverability issues with Outlook.com.

November 2021 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from RFC details the technical specifications for SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records, helping email marketers correctly configure SPF to authenticate their email sending sources.

October 2022 - RFC
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace outlines guidelines for bulk email senders to ensure proper deliverability, including authentication, list management, and spam compliance. They also now require DMARC to be set up for bulk senders.

June 2023 - Google Workspace
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost explains the importance of feedback loops (FBLs) for monitoring spam complaints and removing problematic subscribers from your email list to maintain a healthy sender reputation.

August 2024 - SparkPost