Mastering Email Deliverability: A Fresh Guide to Getting Your Emails Seen

Email marketing can be an amazing tool — but only if your emails actually land in inboxes. With inboxes getting more crowded and spam filters stricter, understanding email deliverability has never been more critical. This guide walks you through what’s changing, why it matters, and how to stay ahead.

In their insightful article, “Email deliverability: What you need to know“, published on MarTech, author Constantine von Hoffman explores the critical factors affecting email deliverability and provide actionable advice for marketers to improve their campaigns’ success. This serves as a valuable resource for understanding the nuances of ensuring that emails reach their intended audience, a topic central to the discussion in this blog.

Why Are Email Deliverability Rules Tightening?

The simple answer: spam. Providers like Google and Yahoo deal with billions of emails daily, and over half are estimated to be spam. To protect users and their inboxes, these platforms have introduced stricter rules for bulk email senders. These requirements aim to weed out spam while rewarding legitimate marketers who follow best practices.

Key Requirements for Bulk Email Senders

If you send thousands of emails daily, you need to pay attention to these core areas:

1. Authentication: Ensure your emails are trustworthy by implementing tools like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These protocols verify that your emails come from legitimate sources and haven’t been tampered with.

2. Spam Rates: Providers like Google expect spam rates below 0.1%. Exceed 0.3%, and you’ll likely face deliverability issues.

3. Unsubscribe Options: Make it easy for recipients to opt out with visible unsubscribe links and one-click options. Trying to hide these will only lead to frustration and spam reports.

The Cost of Poor Deliverability

Think email deliverability issues aren’t a big deal? Think again. For U.S. businesses, undelivered emails cost over $59 billion annually. Worse, recovering from deliverability problems is a slow process, much like rebuilding a damaged credit score.

Signs of Progress: Rising Success Rates

The good news? Email deliverability rates are on the rise, improving from 94% in 2020 to over 96% in 2023. Spam rates are dropping, bounce rates are lower, and industries like e-commerce are seeing significant improvements. However, gaps in deliverability strategies still exist for many senders.

Best Practices for Better Email Deliverability

1. Send Relevant Content: Only email those who’ve opted in and provide value in every message. The quickest way to get flagged as spam is by sending irrelevant or excessive emails.

2. Clean Your Lists: Regularly remove inactive subscribers and spam traps. Double opt-ins and contact verification tools can help maintain a healthy list.

3. Consistency Is Key: Avoid irregular email patterns. Send messages at predictable intervals and in consistent volumes to avoid looking suspicious to spam filters.

4. Monitor Sender Reputation: Keep tabs on your sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster and SenderScore.org. A poor reputation can send your emails straight to spam.

5. Leverage BIMI: Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) lets you add a verified logo to your emails, boosting credibility and trustworthiness.

6. Warm Up IP Addresses: Gradually increase email volume when using a new IP address. This “warming up” process builds a good reputation with providers.

When Sales Tools Hurt Deliverability

Tools like Salesloft or Outreach can impact deliverability if not used correctly. Over-reliance on templates or poor targeting can lead to spam reports, harming your sender reputation. Ensure sales teams follow best practices and personalize their outreach.

Words to Avoid in Emails

Certain words can trigger spam filters, especially those related to financial schemes or “free” offers. Use machine learning tools or consult spam word lists to steer clear of problematic terms.

Timing Matters

When you send emails can significantly affect open rates. Mid-morning on weekdays (especially Tuesdays and Thursdays) is often the sweet spot for engagement. Seasonal trends also matter — avoid summer and holiday lulls.

Bridging the Strategy Gaps

A recent survey highlighted major gaps in email deliverability strategies:

• Over 70% of email senders don’t use tools like Google Postmaster to monitor reputation.

• Nearly 40% rarely clean their email lists.

• Alarmingly, some still purchase email lists, a surefire way to hurt deliverability.

Adopting these best practices can set your email campaigns up for success. Remember, deliverability isn’t just about reaching inboxes; it’s about building trust and engaging your audience effectively.

Reference: 
https://martech.org/what-marketers-need-to-know-about-email-deliverability/