Why is my email opening rate close to zero on a specific IP pool?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from EmailonAcid.com responds that near-zero open rates could be a result of broken open tracking. Images, which trigger tracking, might be blocked by default by email clients or firewalls. It is also possible there is a problem with the tracking pixel. Test email clients to diagnose tracking issues.
Email marketer from Stackoverflow says to always test emails with multiple email accounts (gmail, hotmail, yahoo, etc) to see if they're landing in spam. They also indicate you need to do this to determine inbox placement.
Email marketer from Mailgun.com explains that a low IP reputation can significantly impact open rates, even leading to near-zero engagement. Factors like spam complaints, blacklisting, and sudden sending volume increases can negatively affect IP reputation. Maintaining a good sending reputation through consistent sending practices and monitoring feedback loops is crucial.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests checking with the provider for issues with the event collector. Mentions that even with spam problems, some activity is usually seen. Also says to check when opens/clicks stopped if any were recorded, or if they are sprinkled throughout.
Email marketer from HubSpot.com explains that a low sender reputation can severely impact email deliverability, leading to emails being filtered as spam or blocked entirely. Maintaining a positive sender reputation requires consistent sending practices, proper authentication, and actively managing your email list to remove unengaged subscribers.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests checking with the ESP to see if the emails are stuck in a queue if all metrics are near zero.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that a new IP address needs to be warmed up properly. Sending large volumes of email from a new IP without gradually increasing the volume can trigger spam filters and damage your reputation, leading to zero or very low opens. Begin with a small volume and gradually increase it over time.
Email marketer from Litmus.com suggests that if there are any issues with email lists this could be affecting the results. If purchased, or if you are emailing invalid addresses and getting bounces this will affect deliverability of emails.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that their ESP might be throttling the number of emails that they're sending from the IP pool, leading to a slow send rate and low open rates.
Marketer from Email Geeks indicates that one reason for emails not being delivered is that they may be queued up and not sent by the email service provider (ESP).
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that if only one metric (opening rate) has dropped, it might be a reporting issue with the software or that the open-tracking is broken. Also says that if an IP was block-listed on a public RBL, there would be an increase in bounces.
Email marketer from SendGrid.com shares that several factors influence deliverability, leading to low open rates. These include poor list hygiene (sending to inactive or invalid addresses), lack of authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and sending content that triggers spam filters. Regularly cleaning email lists and implementing proper authentication protocols is recommended.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource shares that if you're seeing very low or zero engagement rates, particularly after changing something (like an IP pool), it's crucial to investigate the underlying cause. Suggests checking deliverability using seed lists or similar methods to ensure emails are actually reaching the inbox.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that when transitioning to a new IP pool, it's common to experience deliverability challenges initially. This is because the new IPs lack a sending reputation. Gradually warming up the IP addresses by slowly increasing the sending volume is crucial to build a positive reputation with mailbox providers. Also check DNS settings and make sure to review authentication.
Expert from Email Geeks indicates that if the issue is across all ISPs, it could be a tracking error. Advises using inbox tracking to determine if it's a deliverability problem and to test tracking by sending a test email and loading a pixel.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from DMARC.org explains that implementing DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) policies allows email senders to protect their domain from unauthorized use, such as spoofing and phishing attacks. DMARC helps ensure that only legitimate emails are delivered, improving overall email security and deliverability, which prevents emails getting caught as spam.
Documentation from Google explains that sender reputation is crucial for Gmail deliverability. A low reputation means emails are more likely to be marked as spam or blocked, resulting in zero opens. Monitoring your reputation in Google Postmaster Tools and adhering to Google's sender guidelines is essential.
Documentation from RFC explains that lack of a proper reverse DNS (PTR) record for your sending IP can negatively affect deliverability. Many email servers use reverse DNS to verify the legitimacy of the sender. Without it, emails might be treated with suspicion and filtered or blocked, resulting in zero opens.
Documentation from IETF explains that implementing SPF records allows senders to define which IP addresses are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. If the sending IP is not listed in the SPF record, emails are more likely to be rejected or marked as spam, leading to zero open rates.
Documentation from Microsoft answers that Microsoft implements sending limits and throttling to protect its users from spam. If you exceed these limits from your IP pool, your emails might be delayed or blocked, leading to very low open rates. Staying within established sending limits and following best practices is important.