Deliverability Dictionary

Improving email deliverability involves several factors, including proper email setup, adherence to email best practices, and managing spam filters. Most of all, one needs to understand the terms so that when stumbled upon, they are not overlooked thus causing a chain of unfortunate events to the account's deliverability. For that reason, here are 46 terms that I have gathered to keep you aware and ready.

1. Deliverability:

???The measure of an email's ability to reach the recipient's inbox successfully. Good deliverability ensures that emails avoid spam folders and reach the intended audience.

2. Inbox Provider:

???Companies like Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook that manage email correspondence. They decide whether an email lands in the inbox, spam folder, or gets blocked.

3. Email Service Provider (ESP):

???A platform that facilitates sending commercial and transactional emails. Examples include Klaviyo, Mailchimp, and SendGrid.

4. Sender Reputation:

??A metric that indicates how inbox providers view the trustworthiness of an email sender based on their sending practices and infrastructure.

5. Dedicated IP Address:

???An IP address exclusively used by one sender. It provides control over reputation but demands responsible sending practices.

6. Shared IP Address:

???An IP address used by multiple senders. Shared IPs are cost-effective but may be influenced by the reputation of other users.

7. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail):

???A cryptographic technology ensuring that the received email is identical to what was sent. DKIM defends against message modification during transit.

8. SPF (Sender Policy Framework):

???An authentication protocol preventing others from sending emails on behalf of your organization. SPF checks sender authenticity.

9. DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance):

???A protocol leveraging SPF and DKIM to determine the authenticity of an email. It guides servers on whether to accept or reject emails.

10. Bounce:

????When an email cannot be delivered. Hard bounces are permanent, often due to an invalid address, while soft bounces are temporary, caused by issues like a full inbox.

11. List Cleaning:

????The process of removing invalid or unengaged contacts from a subscriber list. List cleaning maintains good sending practices and deliverability.

12. Permission Pass:

????A one-time email sent to verify opt-in permission. Recipients confirming subscription remain subscribed, while others may be suppressed or removed.

13. List Bombing:

????A cyber-attack involving high-volume signups to email lists simultaneously, disrupting normal operations and potentially harming reputation.

14. Phishing:

????A cyber attack where a hacker attempts to fraudulently retrieve sensitive information by imitating a trusted entity through electronic communication.

15. Spam Trap:

????An email address or domain used to capture, collect, and monitor emails to identify senders not following best practices. Falling into a spam trap can impact sender reputation.

16. Blocklist (Blacklist):

????A list of items like IP addresses or domain names denied access due to spam-related issues. Being on a blocklist can severely impact email deliverability.

17. Allowlist (Whitelist):

??? A list of items allowed access, such as IP addresses or domain names. Being on an allowlist improves the chances of emails reaching the inbox.

18. Recycled Spam Trap:

????An email address that was used as a real address at some point, repurposed to identify senders not following best practices.

19. Pristine Spam Trap:

????A spam trap created with the intention of finding senders not following best practices. Emails to pristine spam traps are likely to harm sender reputation.

20. Ramping:

????A process of gradually increasing sending volume to establish a good sending reputation, especially critical when using a dedicated IP address.

21. Domain Reputation:

????A measure of how inbox providers view a sending domain's trustworthiness based on sending practices and infrastructure.

22. IP Reputation:

????A measure of how inbox providers view an IP address's trustworthiness as a sender, based on sending practices and infrastructure.

23. DDoS Attack (Distributed Denial-of-Service):

????An attack involving incoming traffic from various sources, making services unavailable. DDoS attacks can impact email infrastructure and deliverability.

24. BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification):

????A protocol allowing brands to authenticate the logo shown in inboxes based on sender's DNS settings. It enhances brand recognition and trust.

25. CAN-SPAM Act:

????A US law minimizing the sending of unwanted emails (spam). It establishes rules for commercial email and provides recipients the right to stop receiving emails.

26. CASL (Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation):

??Similar to the CAN-SPAM Act, CASL regulates the types of emails sent by commercial senders in Canada, aiming to protect consumers and businesses.

27. CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act):

????A California law governing how businesses handle the personal information of California residents. It aims to protect privacy in a digital marketplace.

28. Email Engagement:

????Refers to recipients opening and/or clicking the emails sent to them. Email engagement is a key factor considered by inbox providers for determining sender reputation.

29. Email Spoofing:

????A technique where a phisher modifies the email header to make it appear as if it was sent from someone else. SPF records help prevent email spoofing.

30. Header:

????The identifying information about an email, including the subject line, sender, recipient, date, etc. Headers are crucial for understanding and filtering emails.

31. Clipping:

????Occurs when an email is truncated by an inbox provider, often when it exceeds a certain size. Clipping can affect open rates as open events may not register.

32. MX Record (Mailer Exchange Record):

????Specifies the mail server responsible for accepting email messages on behalf of a domain. MX records are part of DNS settings.

33. TTL (Time To Live):

????The duration for which DNS records are considered valid without being queried again. It influences how quickly changes to DNS records take effect.

34. MBP (Mailbox Provider):

????Another term for inbox provider, it refers to services like Outlook, Gmail, etc., that manage email correspondence.

35. Click Tracking:

????The URL used for analytics collection within an email. Recipients can see the tracking domain when clicking links, crucial for measuring engagement.

36. Deferred:

????An email is deferred when the receiving inbox provider delays accepting the message. It doesn't necessarily mean non-delivery but can be due to various reasons.

37. MX Records:

????Mailer Exchange records specifying mail servers for a domain. MX records are crucial for email deliverability and are part of DNS settings.

38. Subdomain:

????An extension of a main domain, forming part of the sending domain in email communications.

39. Suppress:

????Marking a contact as suppressed means they can no longer be contacted, usually due to reasons like unsubscribing, marking as spam, or repeated bouncing.

40. TINS (This Is Not Spam):

????Refers to emails that recipients move from their spam folder by marking them as "this is not spam." It signals a desire to receive such emails.

41. TXT Record (Text Record):

????Holds free-form text of various types in DNS settings. Common uses include SPF, DK, DKIM, and DMARC records.

42. GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation):

????A European law protecting the privacy of EU citizens. It imposes regulations around personal data handling, impacting email communications.

43. Dedicated Sending Domain:

????Using a dedicated domain for sending emails instead of a shared domain supplied by the ESP. It enhances brand trust and recognition.

44. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol):

????The protocol used for sending and receiving emails. SMTP is essential for the transmission of emails over the internet.

45. Segmentation:

????The practice of dividing a subscriber list into smaller segments based on various criteria. Segmentation allows for targeted and personalized email campaigns.

46. Warming:

????The process of gradually increasing sending volume to establish a good sending reputation, especially critical when using a dedicated IP address.

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