Ever wondered why some emails seamlessly reach inboxes while others get lost in the dreaded spam folder? It’s not luck—it’s the result of a consistent, well-maintained email deliverability strategy. If you’re serious about staying connected with your audience and maximizing the impact of your email campaigns, maintaining long-term email deliverability health is non-negotiable.
Email deliverability isn’t just about sending emails; it’s about ensuring your messages land in the right place—your subscribers’ inboxes. From safeguarding your sender reputation to keeping your email lists squeaky clean, every step matters. Neglecting these practices could mean fewer opens, lower engagement, and missed business opportunities.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the essential steps you need to take to keep your email deliverability in top shape. You’ll learn how to build a strong foundation with authentication, optimize your content and sending practices, and use tools to monitor your performance. With these tips, you can protect your reputation, increase engagement, and ensure your emails consistently hit the inbox where they belong. Let’s dive in!
Build and Maintain a High-Quality Email List
Let’s talk about the backbone of email deliverability—your email list. A high-quality email list isn’t just about numbers; it’s about having engaged, active subscribers who actually want to hear from you. Here’s how you can build and maintain one.
Start with Double Opt-Ins
You know those pop-ups that ask people to confirm their subscription by clicking a link in their email? That’s a double opt-in, and it’s your best friend. It ensures that subscribers genuinely want your emails and prevents fake or mistyped addresses from sneaking onto your list.
Keep Your List Clean
Inactive or invalid email addresses are like dead weight—they hurt your sender reputation and increase bounce rates. Use tools like ZeroBounce or NeverBounce to scrub your list regularly. Trust me, a smaller, engaged list is way better than a large one filled with ghosts.
Say No to Purchased Lists
Buying email lists might seem like a shortcut, but it’s a trap. These lists often contain spam traps or outdated addresses, which can tank your reputation faster than you can say “unsubscribe.” Focus on growing your list organically through opt-ins and valuable lead magnets.
Taking these steps will help you create a list of subscribers who actually want to engage with your content—setting you up for long-term deliverability success
Authenticate Your Emails
Let’s talk about one of the most important steps to improve your email deliverability—authentication. Think of it as your email’s passport. Just like a passport proves your identity when you travel, email authentication tells Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that your messages are legitimate and safe to deliver.
Why Is Authentication Important?
Without proper authentication, ISPs may flag your emails as untrustworthy or even mark them as spam. It’s also a crucial line of defense against phishing attacks, where bad actors use your domain to send fake emails. Proper authentication builds trust with ISPs and gives your emails a better chance of landing in the inbox.
The Big Three: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC
These protocols might sound technical, but they’re easier to set up than you think:
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): This protocol tells ISPs which servers are authorized to send emails on your domain’s behalf.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): It adds a digital signature to your emails, proving they haven’t been tampered with.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): This ties SPF and DKIM together, giving you control over how unauthorized emails are handled.
How to Get Started
Use tools like DMARCian or MXToolbox to set up these protocols. Once they’re in place, monitor alignment to ensure everything is configured correctly.
Why It’s Worth It
When your emails are authenticated, ISPs trust them more. This reduces phishing risks, improves inbox placement, and keeps your sender reputation intact. It’s a small effort that pays off big in the long run.
Focus on Engaging Content and Audience Segmentation
Creating emails that your audience loves starts with understanding what they want. Let’s face it—no one wants to open an email that feels like spam or doesn’t speak to their needs. The secret? Relevant content and smart audience segmentation.
Create Relevant Content
Your subscribers are unique, so your emails should be too. Use the data you already have—like their preferences, past purchases, or browsing behavior—to craft messages that feel personal. For example, if a subscriber recently bought a yoga mat, you could send them tips on yoga routines or an offer for a matching water bottle.
Segment Your Audience
Grouping your audience into smaller, meaningful categories makes a huge difference. You can segment by demographics, behavior, or even purchase history. For example, separate active customers who regularly engage with your emails from those who haven’t opened one in months. This way, you can send tailored messages that resonate with each group.
Use Clear CTAs
Every email needs a purpose, and your call-to-action (CTA) is how you guide subscribers toward it. Be specific and actionable—something like “Claim Your 20% Off Today” works far better than a generic “Click Here.”
Avoid Spammy Content
Content is key, but how you present it matters just as much. Avoid spam trigger words like “Free” or “Act Now” that could send your email straight to the junk folder. Also, aim for a balanced text-to-image ratio (around 60:40) to keep your message visually appealing without triggering spam filters.
Monitor Key Metrics Regularly
Keeping an eye on your email metrics is like checking the dashboard of your car—it helps you spot problems before they turn into bigger issues. Let’s break down the key metrics you need to watch to keep your email deliverability on track.
Bounce Rates
Bounce rates show how many of your emails couldn’t reach their destination. High bounce rates can hurt your sender reputation, making ISPs wary of your emails. To keep things smooth, clean your email lists regularly. Remove inactive or invalid addresses using tools like ZeroBounce or NeverBounce. A good rule of thumb is to aim for a bounce rate of less than 2%.
Spam Complaint Rate
Spam complaints are a red flag. If too many people mark your emails as spam, ISPs might stop trusting you altogether. To avoid this, make sure every email has a clear and visible unsubscribe link. This makes it easy for people to opt out without flagging your email as spam. Keep your complaint rate below 0.1% to stay in ISPs’ good books.
Open and Click-Through Rates
These metrics measure how engaging your emails are. Low open rates? Try spicing up your subject lines and testing different send times. If your click-through rate is lagging, consider refining your calls-to-action and making your content more relevant to your audience.
Sender Reputation
Think of your sender reputation as your trust score with ISPs. Tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Sender Score can give you insights into how ISPs perceive your domain and IP. Monitoring this score regularly ensures you’re addressing issues before they escalate.
Optimize Email Sending Practices
Getting your email sending practices right can make all the difference in how well your emails perform. It’s not just about what you send, but also when and how you send it. Here’s how you can optimize your approach to keep your emails landing in inboxes.
Send at the Right Time
Timing is everything. Ever sent an email and barely got any opens? It could be because it landed when your audience wasn’t paying attention. Use your email platform’s analytics to study audience behavior. Are they more active in the mornings, afternoons, or evenings? Once you figure out the sweet spot, schedule your emails for those times to maximize engagement.
Warm-Up New Domains
If you’re starting with a new domain, take it slow. Sending a high volume of emails right away is a red flag for ISPs. Instead, start small—send a few emails to your most engaged users, then gradually increase the volume as your domain builds trust. Think of it as earning credibility one step at a time.
Maintain Consistent Volume
Sudden spikes in email volume can make ISPs suspicious, even if you’re a legitimate sender. Avoid this by keeping your sending volume steady. If you’re planning a big campaign, ramp up your volume gradually in the days leading up to it.
Leverage Tools for Ongoing Monitoring and Optimization
Google Postmaster Tools
This tool is essential for monitoring your domain reputation and spam rates. It provides insights into how ISPs like Gmail view your emails and alerts you to any red flags.
Microsoft SNDS (Smart Network Data Services)
If you’re sending to Outlook or Hotmail users, this tool is a must. It gives you visibility into how Microsoft perceives your IPs and offers data on spam complaints and email performance.
Yahoo Postmaster
Yahoo’s Postmaster tools help you monitor deliverability for their platform. It provides feedback on your sending behavior, so you can identify and resolve issues specific to Yahoo users.
MXToolbox
Need to check if your domain or IP is blacklisted? MXToolbox provides real-time data on blacklisting status and overall server health, helping you address issues before they escalate.
GlockApps
GlockApps shows exactly where your emails land—inbox, spam, or promotions. It also identifies spam trigger issues and gives you actionable insights to optimize your campaigns.
Validity
Validity tools like Everest are perfect for tracking email performance. They combine data from multiple ISPs and offer detailed insights to help you improve deliverability.
Conclusion
Maintaining long-term email deliverability health isn’t just a one-time task—it’s an ongoing commitment to best practices, smart strategies, and consistent monitoring. By focusing on the right steps, you can ensure your emails land where they belong—in your subscribers’ inboxes. Let’s quickly recap the essential points:
- Build a Quality Email List: Use double opt-ins, avoid purchased lists, and regularly clean your email database to reduce bounces and complaints.
- Authenticate Your Emails: Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to establish trust with ISPs and protect against phishing.
- Create Engaging Content: Personalize emails, segment your audience, and avoid spammy language to drive higher engagement.
- Monitor Key Metrics: Track bounce rates, spam complaints, and sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster and MXToolbox.
- Optimize Sending Practices: Send at the right time, warm up new domains, and maintain consistent email volume to avoid triggering spam filters.
Take Action Today: Start by auditing your current email practices and identifying areas for improvement. Use the tools and strategies outlined in this article to build a strong foundation for your email campaigns.