Email Deliverability Best Practices | What Is A Good Deliverability Rate For Email?

Let’s face it, getting your emails into the inbox is crucial, especially if you’re relying on email marketing to grow your business. It’s no longer enough to simply hit “send” and hope for the best. Today, email deliverability is a real challenge, and it’s a skill you need to master if you want to succeed. So, let’s dive into some best practices to ensure your emails make it to the inbox, not the spam folder.

Sender Reputation: Building Trust with ISPs

Think of your sender reputation as your email credibility. It’s the score ISPs (Internet Service Providers) like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook give you based on how your emails are received by people. The better your reputation, the higher the chances your emails land in the inbox.

Here’s how to build a strong sender reputation:

Keep your email lists clean. Nobody wants spam, and ISPs definitely don’t like it either. Remove inactive subscribers and bounces regularly to maintain a healthy list.
Avoid buying email lists. Those lists are often filled with fake addresses, leading to high bounce rates, hurting your sender reputation.
Use a dedicated IP address. Sharing an IP address with other senders can get you into trouble if one of them has a bad reputation. Consider getting a dedicated IP if you send a large volume of emails.
Monitor your email metrics. Keep an eye on your open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates. These metrics give you valuable insights into how your emails are performing and help you identify potential issues.

Content is King: Writing Engaging Emails that People Want to Read

Your emails need to be interesting and relevant to your audience. If they’re just plain boring or spammy, they’ll be ignored.

Here’s how to create engaging content:

Personalize your emails. Use the recipient’s name and tailor your message to their specific interests.
Write clear and concise subject lines. Your subject line is the first impression you make, so make it count. Keep it short, sweet, and relevant.
Use a clean and mobile-friendly design. Your emails should look good on all devices, including smartphones and tablets.
Provide value to your readers. Don’t just try to sell them something. Offer helpful information, tips, or resources that they’ll find valuable.

Email Authentication: Proving Your Identity

Imagine walking into a bank without showing any ID. You wouldn’t get very far, would you? Email authentication works the same way. It verifies your identity to ISPs and helps prevent spammers from impersonating you.

Here are the key authentication protocols to implement:

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) This record tells ISPs which servers are authorized to send emails on your behalf.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) This digital signature confirms that your emails haven’t been tampered with during transit.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) This policy helps you protect your domain from email spoofing and phishing attacks.

Monitoring and Reporting: Keeping Tabs on Your Email Performance

Don’t just send emails and hope for the best. Keep an eye on your performance with these tips:

Use an email marketing platform. These platforms provide detailed reports and analytics to track your email performance and identify areas for improvement.
Monitor your bounce rates. High bounce rates can indicate a problem with your email list or deliverability. Investigate the reasons for bounces and take steps to fix the problem.
Track your open rates. Open rates give you a sense of how engaging your subject lines are and whether your emails are being opened.
Analyze click-through rates. Click-through rates tell you whether people are clicking on the links in your emails. This information can help you optimize your content and calls to action.

Troubleshooting: Addressing Deliverability Issues

Sometimes, even with the best practices in place, you might experience deliverability issues. Here are some common problems and how to fix them:

High bounce rates. If you see a lot of bounces, check your email list for errors, inactive subscribers, and typos.
Spam complaints. If you get a lot of spam complaints, review your email content and make sure it’s not too promotional or sales-y. Also, make sure you’re providing a clear unsubscribe option.
Blacklists. If your IP address gets blacklisted, it means you’re sending too much spam or your emails are being flagged as malicious. Contact the blacklist provider and explain the situation to get removed.
Deliverability testing tools. Tools like Mail-tester.com and Email on Acid can help you test your email deliverability and identify potential issues before you send to your entire list.

FAQs

Q: What is email deliverability?
A: Email deliverability is the ability of your emails to reach the intended recipient’s inbox, rather than being filtered as spam or blocked altogether.

Q: How do I know if my emails are being delivered?
A: You can track your email performance using tools like Google Analytics, your email marketing platform, or dedicated deliverability testing tools.

Q: What are some common causes of poor email deliverability?
A: Poor email deliverability can result from various factors, including a bad sender reputation, poor email content, lack of email authentication, blacklisting, and spam complaints.

Q: What can I do to improve my email deliverability?
A: Implement the best practices discussed in this article, including cleaning your email list, using a dedicated IP address, monitoring your metrics, and implementing authentication protocols.

Q: How can I avoid getting blacklisted?
A: Maintain a clean email list, avoid sending spam, and implement email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.

Q: What are some helpful resources for email deliverability?
A: There are many online resources available, including articles, blogs, webinars, and forums. Some notable websites include Return Path, Mailchimp, and SendGrid.

Q: What is the role of email authentication in deliverability?
A: Email authentication helps verify your identity and protect your domain from spoofing and phishing attacks, improving your credibility in the eyes of ISPs.

Q: How can I improve my open rates?
A: Write engaging subject lines that pique your readers’ interest, personalize your emails, and focus on providing value to your audience.

Q: What are some tips for writing engaging email content?
A: Use a clear and concise writing style, incorporate visuals like images and videos, provide valuable information, and use a conversational tone.

Q: What is the importance of email list hygiene?
A: A clean and healthy email list is essential for good deliverability. Removing inactive subscribers, bounced emails, and spam traps helps maintain your sender reputation and ensures your emails reach the right people.

Q: Can I use free email services for marketing?
A: While free email services like Gmail and Yahoo Mail may be suitable for personal use, they are not ideal for email marketing due to limited features and restrictions on sending volume. Consider using a dedicated email marketing platform for better results.

Q: How often should I send emails?
A: The frequency of your emails depends on your industry, audience, and content. Experiment with different sending schedules and analyze your data to find the optimal frequency for your business.

Q: What is the difference between an email service provider and an email marketing platform?
A: An email service provider (ESP) is a platform that allows you to send emails, while an email marketing platform offers more features like automation, analytics, and segmentation, making it ideal for marketing campaigns.

Q: How can I track my email deliverability?
A: Use email marketing platforms, deliverability testing tools, and analyze your bounce rates, open rates, and click-through rates to monitor your deliverability.

Q: What should I do if my emails are landing in spam folders?
A: Review your email content, check for spam triggers, implement email authentication protocols, and contact the ISP or blacklist provider to resolve the issue.

Q: Is there a way to guarantee my emails will be delivered?
A: While there is no 100% guarantee, implementing the best practices outlined in this guide can significantly improve your email deliverability and increase the chances of your emails landing in the inbox.