What reputation monitoring tools are best for email deliverability freelancers?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that monitoring your domain reputation is key for email deliverability. It involves tracking sender score, IP reputation, and domain blacklisting to identify and address issues impacting email delivery.
Email marketer from Litmus recommends using a combination of tools, including feedback loops, blocklist monitoring, and authentication checks (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), to gain a comprehensive view of email deliverability performance.
Marketer from Email Geeks recommends Google Postmaster Tools (free), MXToolbox (cheap), SendForensics, and GlockApps for reputation monitoring.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that using a seed list is crucial for inbox placement testing. Send your email to a list of email addresses you control across different providers (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook) to see where your email lands.
Email marketer from StackOverflow recommends setting up feedback loops (FBLs) with major ISPs. This allows you to receive notifications when recipients mark your emails as spam, providing valuable insights for improving deliverability.
Email marketer from Validity (formerly ReturnPath) shares that maintaining a good sender reputation involves consistently sending valuable and engaging content to recipients who have opted in to receive emails, while also adhering to best practices for email authentication and list management.
Email marketer from Twilio SendGrid responds that properly configuring SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for establishing sender authentication and improving email deliverability, as it helps mailbox providers verify the legitimacy of your emails and prevent spoofing.
Marketer from Email Geeks recommends eData Inbox tracker, highlighting its support for various sending platforms, including SFMC via AppExchange.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that GlockApps offers inbox placement testing with seed lists.
Marketer from Email Geeks recommends Inbox Monster for inbox placement reporting, spam trap networks, and DMARC reporting, highlighting their flexible annual payment options suitable for freelancers.
Email marketer from EmailGeeks Forum suggests using blocklist monitoring services (like MXToolbox) to quickly identify if your IP or domain is listed on any major blocklists, which can significantly impact deliverability.
Email marketer from GlockApps shares that their platform offers inbox placement testing, which allows freelancers to see where emails land (inbox, spam, promotions) across various mailbox providers using seed lists, helping to identify deliverability issues.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks suggests that as a freelancer, the best tool is often the one the client is already using. Gaining access to their login allows for communication and analysis based on existing data.
Expert from Word to the Wise responds that authentication is important and if you are sending legitimate emails, then there's no reason not to authenticate properly.
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that a deliverability audit provides a high-level view into your program, focusing on reputation and authentication.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from SparkPost explains that they provide detailed deliverability metrics, including bounce rates, complaint rates, and engagement data, which can help freelancers identify and address deliverability issues for their clients.
Documentation from Microsoft SNDS (Smart Network Data Services) allows you to monitor the IP reputation of your sending servers, providing insights into complaint rates and potential deliverability issues for emails sent to Outlook.com, Hotmail, and other Microsoft email services.
Documentation from RFC Editor on DMARC explains that implementing DMARC and analyzing aggregate reports can help monitor domain abuse and identify deliverability issues by providing insights into SPF and DKIM alignment failures.
Documentation from IETF explains that SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records are used to specify which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain, helping to prevent email spoofing and improve deliverability.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains that it provides data on your sending reputation, spam rate, and feedback loops, allowing you to monitor and troubleshoot deliverability issues for emails sent to Gmail users.