Why is my B2B cold email from Apollo.io going to spam, and how can I improve deliverability?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Lemlist recommends using personalization tokens (e.g., name, company) to make your emails more relevant and less generic. Also, avoid using spam trigger words like 'free,' 'guarantee,' or 'urgent.'
Marketer from Email Geeks responds to the deliverability issues by stating the sender is sending spam.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that a primary reason for emails landing in spam is a low sender reputation. Improving this involves consistent sending volume, authenticating your email (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and ensuring recipients are genuinely interested in your content.
Email marketer from Sendinblue recommends regularly cleaning your email list to remove inactive or invalid email addresses. Sending emails to non-existent addresses can harm your sender reputation.
Email marketer from GMass Blog suggests warming up your IP address and domain before sending cold emails. This means gradually increasing the volume of emails you send over time to establish a positive reputation with ISPs.
Email marketer from Woodpecker Blog recommends personalizing your email content to avoid triggering spam filters. Generic, mass-sent emails are more likely to be flagged as spam, so tailor your messages to each recipient.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that using Apollo.io's default settings without proper configuration can lead to deliverability issues. Configure SPF/DKIM for your domain and monitor your sender reputation in Google Postmaster Tools.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that the deliverability issues are likely due to complaint rates, as most spam filters rely on this. They also mention that inboxing cold email is generally difficult because filtering infrastructure is designed to prevent it.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum states that a common mistake is sending too many emails too quickly. Gradually increase your sending volume over several weeks to avoid being flagged as a spammer.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that business owners often face cold email problems due to a lack of understanding, not technical issues. They emphasize diversifying lead sources for a sustainable business.
Email marketer from Hunter.io Blog explains that to maintain a good sender reputation, segment your email list and only send relevant content to each segment. This reduces the likelihood of recipients marking your emails as spam.
Email marketer from Mailchimp recommends using a dedicated IP address for sending emails, especially if sending large volumes. This helps build a positive sender reputation, as your email activities aren't mixed with other senders' potential negative practices.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource explains that setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC helps prove that you are who you say you are. Mailbox providers are increasingly strict about authentication, and failing to properly authenticate your email is a surefire way to end up in the spam folder.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that getting off of blocklists is vital to improving deliverability. You must identify which blocklists you are on, address the underlying issues that caused the listing, and then follow the blocklist's specific removal process.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that one key to improving deliverability is understanding how mailbox providers use engagement data (opens, clicks, replies) to filter mail. Low engagement can lead to spam placement, so focus on sending relevant content to engaged subscribers.
Expert from Email Geeks shares they are getting more inquiries from people mentioning Apollo.io suggesting deliverability tightening up.
What the documentation says6Technical articles
Documentation from RFC explains that SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is an email authentication method designed to prevent spammers from sending messages on behalf of your domain. It specifies which mail servers are authorized to send email from your domain.
Documentation from Microsoft Postmaster explains that to avoid spam filters, ensure your sending servers are not on any blacklists. Regularly check your IP address and domain reputation using tools like Sender Score and remove yourself from blacklists if listed.
Documentation from SparkPost shares that DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is an email authentication method that uses a digital signature to verify the sender's identity. Properly configured DKIM ensures that the email has not been altered during transit and is genuinely from the stated sender.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help shares to authenticate your email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Ensure that your sending IP address has a valid reverse DNS record, keep complaint rates low, and follow Gmail's sender guidelines to avoid spam filters.
Documentation from DMARC.org responds that DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) builds upon SPF and DKIM to provide a policy for handling emails that fail authentication checks. It also provides reporting mechanisms to monitor email activity.
Documentation from GlockApps responds to regularly monitor your email deliverability using tools that analyze your placement in different inboxes (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook). This helps you identify and address deliverability issues proactively.