Email deliverability. It’s really the first step to building a successful email program. You can’t really worry about optimizing your call-to-action or testing subject lines until you know your emails are reaching recipient inboxes.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro just looking to brush up on best practices or new to email marketing, these deliverability tips will help you send smarter, avoid spam traps, and get your emails in front of your audience.
- Build a Clean List (Without Using Shortcuts!)
First things first—building a clean email list could be considered the foundation of solid deliverability. Think of your list like a garden. You can’t grow one overnight. It takes time and effort. Focus on growing your list through adding subscribers. It may take time, but it’s well worth the investment.
- Authenticate Your Emails
Email authentication provides a way for you to prove that you are who you say you are. Setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC might sound a little technical (and they are), but it’s important for email deliverability. Without these protocols, your emails might look suspicious to internet service providers (ISPs), which can land you in the spam folder or have your emails not delivered at all. Certain inbox providers (Gmail and Yahoo! for starters) are now requiring these authentications from larger email senders. Luckily, most email service providers (ESPs) will guide you through the process, so don’t skip it!
- Watch Your Sender Reputation
Your sender reputation is a lot like your credit score. It reflects how trustworthy you are to the inbox provider when it comes to sending emails. If it’s healthy, things tend to go more smoothly. If it’s not, there’s a chance that your deliverability will suffer. Various ISPs use your sender reputation to determine if your emails are trustworthy and should be delivered. Things like high bounce rates, too many spam complaints, and even repeatedly sending to unengaged users can all damage your reputation.
So, make sure to actively monitor your sender score (various online tools can help). And remember, consistently sending high-quality, relevant content is one of the best ways to protect your reputation.
- Keep an Eye on Your Bounce Rates
Bounces happen—no big deal, right? Well, yes and no. A high bounce rate can be a red flag for ISPs, signaling that you’re not keeping your lists clean. Soft bounces (temporary issues, like a full inbox) aren’t as concerning as hard bounces (invalid or non-existent email addresses). Having a repeatedly high bounce rate (particularly with hard bounces) can damage your overall deliverability going forward. .
The fix? Remove hard bounces from your lists immediately, and watch for repeated soft bounces from the same addresses.
- Focus on Engagement
Engagement plays an important role in email deliverability over time. ISPs are paying attention to how your recipients interact with your emails—are they opening them, clicking through, or deleting them without opening? If too many recipients are ignoring your emails or, worse, marking them as spam, it can lead to ISPs delivering fewer of your emails.
To keep engagement high, make sure your content is relevant and tailored to your audience. Segmentation can help with this—send personalized, targeted messages that speak to your subscribers’ interests. And don’t be afraid to ask for feedback! If you’re not sure what your audience wants, a quick survey can go a long way in providing some insight.
- Avoid Spam Triggers
There are certain red flags that can send your emails straight to the spam folder. Overly promotional language, using ALL CAPS, excessive exclamation points!!!, and suspicious links are just a few. Avoid using these types of tactics and focus on writing clear, authentic copy that accurately reflects what you’re marketing.
- Use a Reputable ESP
Last but not least, make sure you’re working with a reputable email service provider (ESP). A good ESP can provide tools to help optimize your deliverability, from list hygiene to reporting on engagement metrics. Plus, they can guide you through the technical hurdles like authentication and provide feedback on your sending practices.
Summary
Recipients can’t respond to your emails if they never reach the inbox. Clean lists, authenticated emails, and a good sender reputation will all help get you there. Plus, remember that high engagement rates help, as well. If you’re sending relevant, valuable content, your subscribers will keep opening, and ISPs will take notice.
For more articles on email marketing, you can check out 5 Ways AI is Impacting Email Marketing, or explore our Blog Here for more content.