What is email deliverability?

September 1, 2024

Email deliverability refers to the ability of an email to successfully reach the recipient’s inbox rather than being marked as spam, bounced back, or rejected by the email server. High email deliverability ensures that your emails are delivered to the intended recipients and are visible in their primary inbox rather than being filtered out or flagged as suspicious.

Factors Affecting Email Deliverability

  1. Sender Reputation:
    • The reputation of the sending IP address or domain plays a significant role in email deliverability. If the sender has a history of sending spam or low-quality emails, email servers may block or filter out the messages.
  2. Email Content:
    • The content of the email, including subject lines, links, and attachments, is scrutinized by spam filters. Emails that contain certain trigger words, excessive use of images, or suspicious links may be flagged as spam.
  3. Authentication Protocols:
    • Implementing proper email authentication protocols like SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) helps verify the legitimacy of the sender and improves deliverability.
  4. Recipient Engagement:
    • Email providers consider how recipients interact with your emails. High open rates, clicks, and low bounce rates indicate to email providers that your emails are wanted and legitimate, which improves deliverability.
  5. Mailing List Quality:
    • The quality and cleanliness of your email list are crucial. Sending emails to invalid or outdated addresses can lead to high bounce rates, which negatively impact deliverability. It’s essential to regularly clean and update your email list.
  6. Sender Consistency:
    • Consistency in sending practices, such as sending emails from the same IP address and using consistent “From” addresses, helps establish a positive sender reputation.
  7. Spam Complaints:
    • If recipients frequently mark your emails as spam, this will harm your sender reputation and reduce your overall deliverability.
  8. Compliance with Laws and Regulations:
    • Adhering to email marketing laws such as the CAN-SPAM Act (in the U.S.) or GDPR (in the EU) ensures that you have the proper permissions to email recipients and that your practices are transparent and compliant.

Improving Email Deliverability

  1. Authenticate Your Emails:
    • Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for your domain to verify that your emails are legitimate and to prevent email spoofing.
  2. Maintain a Clean Email List:
    • Regularly clean your mailing list to remove inactive or invalid email addresses. Use double opt-in methods to ensure that subscribers genuinely want to receive your emails.
  3. Monitor Sender Reputation:
    • Use tools and services to monitor the reputation of your sending IP addresses and domains. Address any issues that could negatively impact your reputation.
  4. Optimize Email Content:
    • Avoid using spammy language, excessive images, or misleading subject lines. Ensure that your content is relevant, valuable, and properly formatted.
  5. Segment Your Audience:
    • Segment your email list to send targeted messages to different groups of recipients based on their preferences or behavior. This can increase engagement and reduce the chances of your emails being marked as spam.
  6. Provide Clear Unsubscribe Options:
    • Make it easy for recipients to unsubscribe from your emails. A clear and easy-to-find unsubscribe link reduces the likelihood of spam complaints.
  7. Engage Your Audience:
    • Encourage recipients to interact with your emails by using clear calls to action, personalized content, and relevant offers. High engagement rates signal to email providers that your emails are welcome.
  8. Monitor Delivery Metrics:
    • Keep track of metrics like bounce rates, open rates, click-through rates, and spam complaints. Analyzing these metrics can help you identify and address deliverability issues.

Conclusion

Email deliverability is a critical aspect of email marketing and communication, ensuring that your messages reach the intended recipients and are not lost in spam filters or rejected by email servers. By focusing on sender reputation, content quality, and email authentication, you can significantly improve the chances of your emails being successfully delivered to the inbox.