Why do emails to .com domains send faster than other TLDs and what factors affect email sending speed?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Reddit states that throttling by ISPs and email providers is a key factor. They mention that large providers like Gmail and Yahoo may limit the number of emails accepted per connection or within a specific timeframe, especially from new or low-reputation senders.
Email marketer from HubSpot explains the factors that impact email deliverability. HubSpot emphasizes the importance of permission-based email marketing, clean email lists, and relevant content to improve deliverability. They suggest using double opt-in, segmenting lists, and personalizing emails to enhance engagement and avoid spam traps.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum suggests that the physical location of the sending server relative to the recipient's server can affect sending speed due to network latency. Closer proximity generally results in faster delivery.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares observations that sending emails to a list of only .com domains resulted in a significantly faster send rate compared to a list with other TLDs, suspecting that the exclusion of ~20k emails with other TLDs reduced the strain on their system due to deferrals.
Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests checking the per-MX distribution of the list and the distribution of domain names, prioritizing Gmail and Yahoo if they constitute a significant portion. Also, without knowing what tools are available, it's important to check if the delays are with specific domains. Mentions it goes beyond just .com tld.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that while TLDs themselves don't directly impact deliverability, the reputation of domains within a TLD can vary. Domains associated with spam or low-quality content may experience lower deliverability rates, regardless of the TLD.
Email marketer from Web Hosting Talk mentions that DNS lookup times can impact email sending speed, particularly for domains with slow or unreliable DNS servers. Optimizing DNS settings and using a reputable DNS provider can improve email delivery performance.
Email marketer from Mailchimp shares how engaging content improves your sender reputation. Mailchimp highlights that consistent engagement builds a positive sender reputation. Factors influencing delivery are authentication (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC), managing subscriber lists, and providing clear unsubscribe options.
Email marketer from SendPulse shares how to maintain a good sender reputation. SendPulse identifies factors such as sender reputation, email authentication, and content quality. They suggest using double opt-in, cleaning email lists regularly, and monitoring bounce rates to enhance deliverability.
Email marketer from Neil Patel Digital explains that factors such as sender reputation, email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and content quality significantly influence email deliverability. He highlights the importance of maintaining a clean email list and avoiding spam triggers to ensure emails reach the intended recipients.
Email marketer from Litmus explains that sender reputation, spam filters, and authentication protocols influence email deliverability. Litmus emphasizes the importance of monitoring email performance metrics and implementing best practices for email design and content to improve inbox placement.
What the experts say5Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) explains that throttling is a mechanism used by mailbox providers to control the rate at which they accept emails from a particular sender. Throttling can significantly slow down email delivery, especially for senders with low reputation or those sending to high-volume domains.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that DNS lookups for each domain add latency. Sending multiple messages in a session amortizes setup costs for domains with many recipients. Also suggests that Gmail and Yahoo respond and accept mail faster than smaller servers and to check for pruning addresses on DNS timeouts or connection failures.
Expert from Spamresource explains that sending volume impacts deliverability, stating that a sudden spike in email volume can trigger spam filters and slow down delivery. Gradual increases in volume, coupled with consistent sending patterns, help establish a positive sending reputation.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that seed testing is the practice of sending emails to a pre-defined list of email addresses (seeds) at various mailbox providers to measure deliverability rates. This provides insights into potential delivery issues and helps identify factors affecting email sending speed across different domains.
Expert from Spamresource explains that the reputation of the sending IP address significantly impacts email delivery speed. A poor IP reputation can lead to throttling or blocking by receiving mail servers, slowing down the sending process.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from SparkPost shares details regarding all things Email Deliverability. SparkPost outlines the key factors that impact email deliverability, including sender reputation, authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and engagement metrics. It emphasizes the importance of monitoring bounce rates, spam complaints, and sender score to maintain a healthy sending reputation.
Documentation from Microsoft Docs details how sender reputation impacts email delivery to Outlook.com. It advises on monitoring the Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) to identify and resolve issues affecting sender reputation, such as spam complaints and blocked IP addresses.
Documentation from RFC 5321 describes the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), which governs the transmission of email messages between servers. It outlines the communication process, including connection establishment, message transfer, and error handling, influencing overall delivery speed.
Documentation from Gmail Help outlines guidelines for sending bulk emails to Gmail users, emphasizing the need for authentication, consistent sending IPs, and managing subscription practices. It advises monitoring sender reputation via Postmaster Tools and adhering to best practices to avoid being flagged as spam.