Mastering Email Deliverability: Let Your Emails Soar!

Email marketing can be a real gem for businesses, but ensuring your messages land in the right inboxes can sometimes feel like finding a needle in a haystack. In this article, we'll unravel the secrets of email deliverability and provide actionable tips to help your emails shine brighter than a disco ball.

Understanding Email Event Logging?

To gain insights into email deliverability, it is crucial to understand the various event logs associated with email transmission. These logs include:

• Sent: Logged when an email is sent from your servers, regardless of delivery.
• Delivered: Logged when an email is accepted by the recipient's mail server (not necessarily bypassing spam filters).
• Hard Bounced: Indicates permanent delivery failures, occasionally caused by spam blocking.
• Soft Bounced: Logged when server responses are unclear, a mailbox is full, or general server issues occur. This does not disqualify recipients from future mailings.

So, what factors influence Email Deliverability?

Email Sender Reputation. Sender reputation refers to the credibility and trustworthiness perceived by Internet service providers and email clients. It is influenced by factors such as email engagement metrics, email authentication protocols, and previous email-sending behaviour.

Email Authentication. Implementing proper email authentication protocols adds an extra layer of credibility and helps establish trust with recipients. Three key authentication protocols make this happen:

• SPF (Sender Policy Framework): A list of authorized senders for your domain. Like an exclusive guest list for your email party. Note that for some clients, SPF can be tricky. See Sanford Whitman's great blog post about SPF on Marketo.?
• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): A digital signature that proves your email hasn't been tampered with during delivery. It's like a seal of authenticity.
• DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): The dynamic duo of SPF and DKIM working together to authenticate your emails.?

List Management. Maintaining a high-quality and clean email list is vital for deliverability. This involves employing proper opt-in and opt-out processes, regular list hygiene, and segmenting based on engagement levels.

Email Sending Practices. Adopting email marketing best practices is essential for improving deliverability. Consider the frequency, timing, and volume of emails you send. Sending relevant content and steering clear of spam-triggering words is like adding a sprinkle of magic to your emails. Don’t forget to include a visible unsubscribe link to honour recipients' preferences.

ISP Filtering and Blacklisting. Internet service providers (ISPs) have filtering algorithms and practices to identify and prevent spam. Non-compliance with these practices can lead to blacklisting. Stay informed about the guidelines and best practices of ISPs to avoid delivery issues.

Email Interactions: Clicks and Answers. While open rates face challenges due to bot opens, email clicks remain an authentic interaction gauge. They unveil content effectiveness and audience interest. Additionally, email responses hold significance as they reflect genuine recipient engagement, contributing to sender reputation and overall email deliverability improvement. Equally crucial are spam complaints, warranting immediate attention.

Don't fret if your email's deliverability is initially low. Marketo's got your back with a re-attempted delivery protocol. An exponential backoff algorithm gradually increases the time intervals between retry attempts (e.g., first retry in 5 minutes, second in 10 minutes, and so on). But remember, if your email's still playing hide-and-seek after 24-36 hours, it's time to call it quits and let it go.

Looking to enhance your email deliverability? Take your emails to new heights with these expert tips that will help increase your chances of reaching the inbox:

• Prioritize double opt-in: Establish a robust foundation by connecting with a voluntarily subscribed and confirmed audience. This reduces spam risks and cultivates higher engagement levels.
• Make unsubscribing simple: Respect inbox choices by offering visible, hassle-free unsubscribe options, enhancing both deliverability and recipient respect.
• Maintain a real reply-to email address and promptly answer emails sent to this contact point. This practice fosters genuine interactions and reinforces your commitment to timely communication.
• Target engaged audiences: Invest efforts in an active, responsive audience, periodically refining your email list to ensure precision in reach.
• Craft captivating subject lines: Enthrall with subject lines that evoke curiosity and value, striking a balance between intrigue and authenticity.
• Maintain a balanced text-to-image ratio: Ensure optimal deliverability by harmonizing images with substantial text content, preventing spam triggers. Use images only to illustrate your message.
• Maintain high-quality data by removing bounces and reacting to spam complaints: This approach fortifies your email campaigns and enhances their effectiveness.
• Embrace email analytics: Harness engagement metrics like deliverability, open, and click-through rates to glean insights and refine strategies.

Achieving high email deliverability rates requires a combination of best practices, adherence to authentication protocols, and continuous monitoring of email engagement metrics. Remember, delivering the right message to the right audience at the right time is the key to success in the digital landscape.

Happy emailing!