The Shocking Challenges of Email Marketing Deliverability

Are you not getting the results you want from your email marketing campaigns? If so, you might have an email deliverability problem you’re unaware of. Unlike other aspects of email marketing which are easily tracked, such as opens, clicks, and bounces, an email deliverability problem can be insidious. Yet, it will damage your results nonetheless.

This page will explain deliverability, how it affects your digital marketing results, as well as the steps you can take in order to prevent or eliminate it.

Understanding Email Delivery and Its Importance

You created the perfect email with captivating copy, striking images, and a compelling call-to-action. You scheduled it for the most favorable time, sent it off, and… nothing. Nobody’s calling or clicking. Nobody’s even opening the email. Why?

According to ReturnPath research, one in five commercial emails does not reach the intended recipient's mailbox. Instead, it was likely caught by spam filters of the mailbox provider and sent to the recipient's spam box or banished in another way.

What Is the Difference Between Email Deliverability and Delivery?

You may have noticed that specialized apps or programs allow you to send emails. They also track your metrics and give you a delivery rate. Your delivery rate will be high unless you have any other issues or use bad lists. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that you have no delivery problems. Email delivery and deliverability are two different things.

• Delivery refers to whether the mailbox provider’s servers received the email. Your message was received by the servers at Gmail or Yahoo, Outlook, AOL, AOL, Outlook, AOL, or another inbox provider. It didn't bounce. This number will be referenced in your email reports. It will usually be represented as both a complete delivery number and a delivery percentage. If you send 100 emails, one bounces, and 99 emails are delivered, then your delivery rate is 99.
• Deliverability refers to whether the email actually reached the subscriber's mailbox. Instead of landing in the inbox, the email might be blocked, quarantined, or sent to a junk folder. This is not a figure that you will see. However, you can generally tell if it’s the problem based on your metrics and knowledge of your sending practices.

Signs of an Email Delivery Problem

If you don't see a deliverability problem, how do you know if there is one? Let's first look at some common signs.

• High Bounce Rate: Email platforms usually track the reason behind bounces, so it's important to search for that reason. If you send a message to a large number of people from an email list that was purchased (which is not recommended), it could bounce as the addresses weren't valid. It's not a deliverability problem. It is a delivery issue. However, if you’re sending to a list that you send to all the time and your bounce rate suddenly goes through the roof, you probably have a deliverability problem.
• Low Engagement: You might have a problem with deliverability if you don't get opens, clicks, or calls after sending a message, or if you suddenly see a drop in engagement.
• Spam Alerts: Sometimes, mailbox providers will send you a message if your email is declined and give a reason. This will happen more frequently if the recipient's email address is transferred to a corporate domain. You can also monitor your email to see if it is likely that spam filters are affecting your messages.
• Rule Breaking: In a second, I will go over the most common rules that businesses break. If you notice that you are breaking any of these rules, you either have a deliverability problem now or will likely have one in the future.

What Is a Good Email Delivery Rate?

Although delivery rates can vary depending on the industry, they should be at least 95 percent. You might have 100 percent delivery rates if you are very careful about how your email lists are maintained.

What Is a Good Bounce Rate?

Bounce rates can be a bit different as emails can bounce without your knowledge, even though your lists are maintained. Soft bounces, which indicate that a message didn't go through but may be received by the next message, are an example. Inactive or full mailboxes, downed servers, or improperly configured inboxes all are common reasons. For this reason, your bounce rate should generally be two percent or less per Campaign Monitor research.

What Is a Good Open Rate?

Open rates that are suitable for your industry range from 17 to 28 percent, per Campaign Monitor . A little more than 22 percent is acceptable if you work in technology. Professional service professionals should aim for just above 19 percent. The bar for financial service professionals is higher at 27 percent.

What Is a Good Click Rate?

Industry-specific click rates (also known as click-through rates, or CTRs) can vary. But, according to Campaign Monitor , they are typically between 2 and 5 percent.

Problems That Can Negatively Impact Your Email Deliverability

Now you understand what email deliverability is, how it impacts your email marketing results, and some common signs you may have a deliverability problem. Let’s review things that can cause a deliverability problem so that you can prevent them.

1. Bad Domain Reputation

Inbox providers monitor domains. Your domain may have a bad reputation if you have used your domain to spam others or bought domains that were associated with spammy activities. It is technically possible to repair a bad domain reputation, but it is extremely difficult. It is easier for businesses to start over with a new domain.

2. Bad IP Reputation or a Blacklisted IP Address

Similar to a domain, the sending IP address is tracked all the time. This means that you could have problems for the same reasons. Many email platforms may group businesses under one IP address or send messages from different IP addresses/blocks of IP addresses each time.

To find out if your IP is bad, you can use a tool called Sender Score . Like domain names, it's easier to change to a different IP than to fix a bad one. Your email platform will need to address this.

3. A High Bounce Rate

I spoke about email bounce rates already, but only as they pertained to signaling that you might have an email deliverability issue. The thing is, email inbox providers keep track of how many bounces senders have. It can look like you are sending spam to people who haven't asked. This is when you are considered a spammer.

4. Low Engagement Among Recipients

Engagement rates are just as important as bounce rates. Low engagement can indicate to the inbox provider that readers don't care about what you have to share, and your emails will start being sent to spam folders rather than inboxes.

To avoid problems, keep your mailing lists clean and only send to people that are engaged with your emails.

5. High Complaint Rate

Many email providers let users report spam emails directly from their email interface. If there are a lot of complaints, the inbox provider will inform you that you are spamming and will not deliver your messages.

To avoid problems, ensure you only send messages to people who are able to benefit from them. Also, make it easy for people to unsubscribe. Double-opt-in systems or sending only to clients are good options. It's a bad idea to buy lists.

6. Constantly Switching Between Different Email Service Providers

It’s not a big deal to occasionally change email service providers. ?Businesses constantly change to improve their pricing and get more features. Spammers often switch providers to hide their identities and activities from spammers. To avoid being flagged, stick to one provider.

7. An Abrupt Increase in the Number of Emails Sent

Inbox providers are alerted when they see an unusually high volume of emails from one domain or IP address. You might have been hacked or started to send messages to people who don't want your products or services.

Send slow and only send to the most engaged contacts. This will help you build trust with your inbox providers so that your messages continue to reach inboxes.

8. Sending Marketing Emails Without Custom Authentication

According to Google , one of the main reasons emails don't reach inboxes is a lack of authentication. Authentication is simply the ability of the recipient of your message to confirm that it was sent from you. To set this up, you will need to consult your domain provider and your email platform. There are three types of authentication.

• SPF Records: This record is used to stop spammers from sending messages that appear to have come from your domain.
• DKIM signing: The server that received the message can confirm the domain owner by signing the DKIM signature.
• DMARC Records: DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting & Conformance. This record is used to prevent spammers from spoofing domains.

9. Sending an Email From a Free Domain Email Address

Inbox providers always want proof that you are real. They can't tell if you are a business if you use a free email account, such as one from Yahoo!, Gmail, or AOL. They will flag you as a spammer if they receive a lot of mail from your address.

10. Spam - Unsolicited Content

Email providers used to rely on the content of your email to determine if it was spam. Emails containing words like "Subscribe," "Gift," “Sale,” and "Free" would be deemed spam immediately. Spam filters can now hear hundreds of words, but they also look for other signals.

While it's still a good idea to avoid using spammy words or phrases today, you need to be able to concentrate on the message. Make sure people know what you are offering and how they can take action.

11. Poor Image-to-Text Ratio

Digital marketers need images. However, too many images can make your messages appear spammy. Here's the 60/40 rule. Make sure at least 60% of your message is text and not more than 40% is images.

12. Using URL Shorteners

URL shorteners are used by spammers to disguise the destination of a link. They are useful for legitimate businesses when character count is an issue, like on social media. However, they don't work well in email. Instead, you can link to the text or a button. It is a good idea also to link to your domain whenever possible.

13. It Is Difficult to Unsubscribe

Inbox providers can potentially scan emails for unsubscribe options, but more importantly, your readers need them. If you don’t make it easy for people to unsubscribe or choose which emails they receive, they could report your messages as spam. The more spam reports an inbox provider receives, the more likely they are to classify all of your emails as spam.

Ask for Help With Your Email Delivery or Improving Your Email Marketing Results

Deliverability is only one technical component of email marketing, but there are many. Effective email marketing requires as much technical knowledge as it does marketing expertise. If you’re not getting the results you want from your digital marketing, or you think you may have a deliverability issue, contact me for a complimentary consultation .

You can also read this article on my website, Email Marketing Deliverability – The Shocking Challenges!

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