Did you know the the average email deliverability rate in 2024 is 83.1%? Email marketing is still one of the best ways to get in touch with people and get them to buy. However, the success of an email campaign depends heavily on its deliverability. Understanding and improving email deliverability is crucial for ensuring your messages reach your audience’s inboxes. In this blog, we’ll dive deep into email deliverability, the factors that influence it, and actionable steps you can take to improve it.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 6 email marketing design practices to follow in 2023
What is Email Deliverability?
Email delivery means an email message can reach the right person’s address.
It encompasses the entire process, from sending the email to placing it in the inbox rather than being filtered into the spam folder or bounced back.
Factors Influencing Email Deliverability
Several factors impact email deliverability, including technical settings, sender reputation, and content quality. Let’s take a closer look at each of these.
1. Technical Settings
a. Sender Authentication
Proper sender authentication is essential for proving to email service providers (ESPs) that your emails are legitimate. The main authentication protocols are:
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): SPF records allow you to figure out which mail services can send emails to your site. It reduces the likelihood of spoofing.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): DKIM adds a digital signature to your emails, verifying that the email content has not been altered in transit and confirming the sender’s identity.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): DMARC builds on SPF and DKIM, providing ESPs instructions on handling emails that fail authentication checks and offering reporting capabilities.
b. IP Address Reputation
The reputation of the IP address from which you send emails significantly affects deliverability. Using a dedicated IP address can give you more control over your sender reputation, but it requires maintaining a high volume of email traffic to keep the IP warm. Conversely, shared IP addresses spread the reputation across multiple users, which can be beneficial or detrimental depending on the behavior of other users.
c. Domain Reputation
Just like IP addresses, domains also have reputations. Ensure that your domain has a good sending history and avoid practices that could tarnish it, such as sending spam or phishing emails.
2. Sender Reputation
Sender reputation is a measure used by ESPs to determine the trustworthiness of an email sender. Various factors influence it:
a. Bounce Rate
A high bounce rate, which occurs when emails are sent to invalid addresses, can damage your sender’s reputation. Regularly clean your email list to remove invalid addresses and ensure that new subscribers are verified.
b. Spam Complaints
If recipients frequently mark your emails as spam, your sender’s reputation will suffer. Ensure your emails are relevant to your audience and make it easy for users to unsubscribe if they no longer wish to receive them.
c. Engagement Rates
High engagement rates (open rates, click-through rates, etc.) signal to ESPs that your recipients value your emails. Conversely, low engagement can negatively impact your deliverability. Segment your audience to send more personalized and relevant emails, improving engagement.
3. Content Quality
The text of your emails may additionally impact how well they get delivered:
a. Subject Lines
Avoid using spammy words or phrases in your subject lines, such as “Free,” “Guaranteed,” or “Act Now.” These can trigger spam filters.
b. Email Body
Ensure your email content is relevant and valuable to your audience. Avoid excessive use of images and links, which spam filters can flag. Also, balance the text-to-image ratio and include alt text for images.
c. HTML and Plain Text Versions
Your emails should come in both HTML and plain text formats. Some recipients’ email clients may not support HTML, and including a plain text version ensures they can still read your message.
How to Improve Email Deliverability
Improving email deliverability involves a combination of technical measures, best practices, and ongoing monitoring. Here are some actionable steps:
1. Set Up Proper Authentication
Ensure that your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured. These authentication methods help ESPs verify that your emails are legitimate and not spoofed.
2. Maintain a Clean Email List
Clean your email list regularly to remove invalid addresses and inactive subscribers. Use double opt-in methods to confirm new subscribers’ email addresses, reducing the risk of bounces and spam complaints.
3. Warm-Up Your IP Address
If you’re using a new dedicated IP address, gradually increase your email sending volume to build a positive sending reputation. This process, known as IP warming, helps ESPs recognize your IP as a trusted sender.
4. Monitor Your Sender Reputation
Monitor your sender reputation using email deliverability tools like Google’s Postmaster Tools or Sender Score. Address any issues, such as high bounce rates or spam complaints.
5. Segment Your Audience
Segment your email list based on demographics, behavior, and preferences to send more relevant and personalized emails. This can increase the number of people who open your emails and lower the chance that they will be marked as spam.
6. Create Engaging Content
Craft compelling subject lines and valuable content that resonate with your audience. Use a friendly voice and avoid spammy words. Test different subject lines and content formats to see what works best for your audience.
7. Optimize Send Times
Analyze your email performance data to determine the best times to send emails. Emailing when your audience engages with them can improve open and click-through rates.
8. Provide an Easy Unsubscribe Option
Make it simple for people to stop receiving your emails. This not only complies with regulations like GDPR and CAN-SPAM but also helps maintain a clean email list and reduces spam complaints.
9. Use a Reputable Email Service Provider
Choose an ESP with a good reputation and strong deliverability features. Reputable ESPs often have established relationships with major ISPs, which can help improve your email marketing deliverability.
10. Monitor Email Performance
Review your email performance metrics regularly, such as open rates, click-through rates, bounce rates, and spam complaints, which can be done using email deliverability tools. Use this data to refine your email strategy and improve future campaigns.
Conclusion
Deliverability of emails is a key part of any email marketing strategy that wants to succeed. By understanding the factors influencing deliverability and implementing best practices, you can ensure that your emails reach your audience’s inboxes and achieve your marketing goals. To improve your email marketing deliverability, regularly monitor your email performance, maintain a clean email list, and continuously create engaging content. With these strategies in place, you’ll be well on your way to maximizing the effectiveness of your email marketing efforts.
Continue reading iTMunch for the latest news and articles related to email marketing. Learn more about our email marketing services.
Feature Image Source: Photo by rawpixel.com on Freepik
Image 1 Source: Image by rawpixel.com
