Email marketing is only effective if your messages reliably reach the inbox. Learn how the right deliverability tools can optimize your campaigns for higher placement and engagement.
Why Email Deliverability Matters
For any business using email as a communication channel, having emails reliably delivered to the inbox is critically important. Poor email deliverability leads to lost messages, damaged sender reputation, and reduced engagement. Investing in improving email deliverability pays major dividends across key metrics. Here’s why it should be a top priority:
Boosts Open and Click-Through Rates
Emails that get diverted to spam folders or blocked entirely never have a chance at being opened or clicked. Even if subscribers want to hear from you, they’ll never see your message.
By ensuring emails arrive in the primary inbox, you give your content prime real estate for getting opened. Industry averages for open rates are around 20-25%, but deliverability improvements can push that closer to 50%.
Deliverability also directly impacts click-through rates. Call-to-action links and offers in the spam folder don’t attract any interest. With your email sitting front and center in the inbox, recipients will be much more likely to click through and convert.
Avoids Spam Folders and Blacklists
Lacking proper email authentication or having content flagged as spam are two common ways emails get relegated to secondary spam folders. Bulk messages also often get sent to these folders by default.
Spam complaints and bounced emails can also lead to blacklisting by major email providers. This severely restricts who you can email, tanking deliverability.
Using email verification and spam testing tools can identify these issues proactively. List cleaning removes risky addresses. Optimized content avoids spam triggers. All of this helps route your email directly to the primary inbox.
Ensures Customers Get Your Messages
At the end of the day, the sole purpose of emailing your audience is to get important information to them. Order confirmations, shipping notifications, password resets, special offers – none of these do any good in the spam folder.
Deliverability is the key metric that determines whether or not your customers actually receive and engage with the emails you send. No other channel has this direct delivery risk.
Without confidence that your emails are reaching people, you end up doubling up efforts. Wasting time making phone calls to confirm orders already made or resending critical notifications that were blocked.
Making deliverability monitoring and optimization a habit ensures customers get your emails reliably. Avoiding frustration from missed messages and creating seamless experiences.
Real-World Examples of the Deliverability Impact
Looking at real-world examples helps quantify just how significantly deliverability improvements impact email performance:
- Company A sends 100,000 emails with an open rate of 20%. Getting placed in spam folders suppresses their open rate to 10% instead. That’s 10,000 fewer emails opened, decimating engagement.
- Company B has a click-through rate of 2% normally. But spam filtering causes it to drop to 1.5%. Across 200,000 emails, that’s a loss of 1,000 clicks and potential conversions.
- Company C gets blacklisted by MSN and Yahoo. These services account for 10% of their subscriber base. Now 100,000 subscribers instantly stop receiving their emails entirely.
- Company D cleans up their list and establishes proper authentication. Open rates climb from 25% to 40%. That 15% gain translates into 15,000 more opens from a subscriber base of 100,000.
The more emails you send, the bigger the impact deliverability has. Segmenting large lists and personalizing content maximizes effectiveness. But none of that matters if emails never make it to inboxes.
Deliverability Protection Is Always On
Here’s an interesting comparison…
Think of improving deliverability as like installing virus protection on your computer.
- It runs quietly in the background to identify potential threats.
- It scans content and attachments to avoid risks.
- It updates regularly as new threats emerge.
- And it keeps you secure at all times without constant attention.
You set up your deliverability protections, and they go to work maximizing inbox placement and protecting your sending reputation around the clock. An always-on insurance policy for your email effectiveness.
Prioritizing Deliverability Pays Off Over Time
In a perfect world, you would only have to set up your email system once. But deliverability is an dynamic, ongoing process. As your business grows and sending volume increases, new deliverability factors emerge. Your tools and approach will need to scale in sophistication.
But that effort pays continuous dividends. Ensuring your emails reliably reach customers and drive engagement over the long-term. No other channel faces the same inbox uncertainty as email. Deliverability is the single biggest lever you have for boosting email effectiveness. Keep it high on your priority list to keep your messages and your business thriving.
Key Email Deliverability Metrics to Monitor
Deliverability tools are only useful if you know which metrics to watch. Having the right tracking gives you actionable data to improve over time. Here are the core email deliverability KPIs to monitor and how to gather them.
Bounce Rates
Bounce rate is the percentage of emails that fail to be delivered. It’s one of the most fundamental deliverability metrics.
Hard bounces occur when an email address is invalid or doesn’t exist. Soft bounces are temporary failures that warrant a retry. Both should be tracked separately.
Ideally, aim for bounce rates under 2%. Anything over 5% merits inspection to remove invalid addresses. Hard bounce rates creeping above 1% indicate your list needs cleaning.
High bounce rates damage sender reputation with ISPs. They also inflate cost per conversion metrics, since you pay to send emails that have no chance of engaging.
Closely monitor bounce rates for sudden spikes that may signal deliverability issues. Barring list problems, identifying and resolving the root cause is critical.
Spam Complaints
Spam complaints result when a recipient marks your email as spam. Each complaint slightly dings your sender reputation.
Aim to keep complaints below 0.1% of messages sent. More than 0.3% puts your sending domain at risk for blocking. A sharp rise in complaints can jeopardize your entire email program.
Analyze complained about emails to understand why. Spammy content or subject lines, suspicious links, and bulk sending all provoke complaints. Eliminate these issues and keep a close eye on complaint numbers.
Unsubscribe Rates
An unsubscribe rate is the percentage of email subscribers who opt-out of your list over a given time period.
Higher unsubscribe rates signal your content isn’t resonating. Segmenting subscribers and targeting messages generates fewer opt-outs.
Unexpected spikes in unsubscribes can indicate your email hit the spam folder. Review subject lines and sender info for anything that may have triggered filters.
Ideally, keep unsubscribe rates under 0.2%. Anything over 2% merits a deeper look at content and segmentation strategy.
Email Placement Tests
Email placement testing reveals exactly where your emails end up – inbox, spam, promotions, etc. This metric is harder to quantify but provides qualitative insights.
Test across major ISPs like Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo and regional providers. Check personal and corporate accounts. Use valid subscriber addresses and new test accounts.
Compare placement before and after making deliverability changes. Or gauge the impact of content changes. There are services that automate testing at scale.
Monitoring Methods
Robust analytics and reporting in your ESP provide the data for most of these metrics. But consider supplementing with third-party monitoring and testing tools for a complete view.
Using Email Service Provider Tools
All email service providers include analytics on bounces, spam complaints, unsubscribes, blocked content, placement rates, and more.
- Review reports regularly for trends. Monthly provides a snapshot. Weekly or daily lets you stay on top of issues.
- Export data to excel for additional processing and segmentation if needed.
- Set up email or in-platform alerts when metrics exceed defined thresholds indicating problems.
- Compare domain and IP level reports to pinpoint potential weak links.
The metrics and tools differ across ESPs. But all provide the baseline tracking you need to monitor deliverability.
Third-Party Deliverability Monitoring Services
For expanded insights beyond your core ESP reporting, third-party monitoring services can fill gaps:
- Aggregated inbox placement testing across major ISPs. Providers like Mail-tester, Inbox Inspector and Grabity offer automated, large-scale testing.
- Blocklist monitoring to check if your IPs or domains appear on spam blacklists. Services like MxToolbox centralize monitoring.
- External bounce and complaint tracking separate from your ESP data. Useful for validation. Apps like 250ok provide this.
- Mailbox provider graphing shows traffic and engagement by provider. Litmus, 250ok and others offer nice visual versions.
- Link click-through tracking beyond opens and clicks shows if links drive actions. Graphing links with Pixel Perfect is an example.
- Advanced analytics often outpaces default platform reporting. Ramp up insights with a service like Mailshake.
The downside is added cost. Evaluate if more visibility is worth the spend or if ESP data meets your needs.
Key Takeaways for Tracking Deliverability KPIs
- Act quickly when metrics deteriorate – don’t wait for reporting. Deliverability dips fast.
- Target an overall aggregate bounce rate under 2%. Investigate any single campaign above 5%.
- Keep spam complaints minimal – under 0.1% if possible. Over 0.3% is danger territory.
- Lower unsubscribe rates indicate happier subscribers. Shoot for under 0.2% as a goal.
- Check inbox placement across ISPs. Test regularly when send volume or content changes.
Proactively monitoring deliverability KPIs identifies issues early. Allowing you to course correct before performance takes a major hit. But tracking alone isn’t enough. You need a plan for acting on the data…
Must-Have Features in Deliverability Tools
Deliverability software comes in many forms. From standalone tools to email service provider suites. With an array of capabilities that can be confusing to unpack.
These core features provide the foundation for optimizing and monitoring deliverability:
Real-Time Analytics and Alerting
Immediate visibility into email performance is essential for staying ahead of deliverability dips. Slow reporting loses the chance to course correct quickly.
Deliverability tools should provide:
- Live dashboards with key metrics like send volume, bounces, spam complaints etc.
- Graphical views of trends over days, weeks, and months.
- Real-time alerts when metrics cross defined thresholds.
- Segmentation by domain, IP, campaign, and other dimensions.
- API access to data for building custom analytics.
The combination of instant insights, historical trends, and trigger-based alerts gives you deliverability awareness at a glance. Enabling fast reaction to any issues.
Spam Testing
Examining your emails against spam filters is important for optimizing content and authentication. Testing capabilities to look for include:
Content Checks
Scans of email content identify problematic phrases, spam trigger words, suspicious links, and embedded HTML issues.
Advanced tools like Mail-Tester perform deep content analysis with specific guideline-based scoring. Identifying specific areas for improvement in copy, links, and HTML.
Spam Filter Testing
Submitting emails to major spam filters like SpamAssassin identifies handling issues before sending campaigns. See if messages are flagged as spam and at what threshold.
Understanding exactly how spam filters classify your emails based on content allows fine tuning. Avoid automatic sending directly to spam.
Spam Score Grades
The aggregate spam score for an email provides an overall grade on a scale like 1 to 10.
Quickly quantify if content fixes are improving the spam rating and by how much. Target a score of 8 or better for reliable inbox placement.
List Cleaning
Email list management tools help identify and eliminate risky or invalid addresses hurting deliverability. Must-have capabilities:
Syntax Validation
Checks that email addresses are properly formatted with a username and domain. Prevents malformed addresses from bouncing.
Disposable and Role Email Detection
Identifies temporary and alias emails like mailinator.com that skew bounce rates and engagement. Also finds generic role emails like info@ or sales@.
Bounce and Complaint Removal
Automatically scrubs addresses generating hard bounces and spam complaints from previous sends. Critical for sender reputation.
Email Authentication Setup
Full authentication with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC improves deliverability and protects from spoofing. Look for tools providing:
- Domain authentication recommendations and support articles.
- Tools to generate authentication records with proper formatting.
- DNS record checking to validate correct setup and propagation.
- Warnings if authentication records are misconfigured or missing.
Proper authentication signals reputable sending and builds trust with ISPs. Resulting in higher inbox placement.
Email Warmup Tools
Warming up new domains or IPs slowly builds sender reputation. Warmup features help:
- Gradually increase sending limits and volume in safe increments.
- Automatically throttle send rates based on engagement and inbox placement.
- Provide guidance on optimal warmup pacing specific to the inbox provider.
- Give priority to domains and IPs with no prior volume history.
Following controlled warmup procedures demonstrates responsible sending and has long term deliverability benefits.
Spam Testing Capabilities In Depth
Spam filtering is one of the biggest inbox placement hurdles. Optimizing content to avoid filters requires robust testing capabilities:
Detailed Content Analysis
Advanced spam checks don’t just provide an overall score. They break down how each element of the message impacts the spam rating:
- Subject Line: Short, personalized, and not excessive caps or special characters.
- Sender Domain and Address: Has reputation, proper SPF/DKIM, not disposable.
- Content: No spammy terms, natural language, quality links to trusted domains.
- HTML and Images: Proper formatting, hosted on reputable servers, include alt text.
With detailed analysis, you can pinpoint exactly what parts of your message raise flags so each can be addressed and improved.
Catch-All and Role Account Testing
Running tests from disposable and role email addresses reveals differing treatment. Spam filters aggressively block messages from some senders.
Testing across email types confirms which are trusted by filters vs more likely to be marked spam. Then optimize content accordingly.
Regional and International Checks
Spam policies vary across inbox providers and geographic regions. Send identical emails to test accounts with Gmail, Outlook, GMX and others.
This highlights any major differences in spam handling. You can then adjust language, content, and links in each market as needed.
Comparison Testing
The best way to quantify changes is by comparing before and after spam test results. When making improvements, run the same test and check if scores increased and flags were removed.
Testing allows optimization in small, measurable increments. Don’t assume changes help until verified with a spam check.
List Cleaning Features In Depth
Maintaining pristine lists is an ongoing effort as subscriber data changes rapidly. Cleaning tools need advanced capabilities:
Multi-Phase Syntax Checks
- Basic validation: Confirms full email structure – [email protected]
- RFC compliance: Adheres to official address format standards.
- DNS validation: Domain exists and resolves to proper MX records.
- SMTP connection: Able to fully connect to mail exchange server.
Doing multi-phase checks thoroughly vets the sendability of addresses. Going beyond surface level formatting.
Catch-All Detection
Catch-all accounts forward any email sent to a domain to a single mailbox. They skew engagement metrics and CAN-SPAM compliance.
Tools like ZeroBounce and MailerGenie identify catch-all patterns through advanced heuristics. Preventing abuse.
Real-Time Validation APIs
Cleaning at list upload only goes so far. The best way to maintain list hygiene is by validating in real time at signup.
APIs allow seamless integration with subscription forms to screen addresses as they’re collected. Keeping lists clean.
List Segmentation
For large lists, separate filters help categorize addresses for action:
- Newly Invalid: Recently bounced, newly disposable, new complaints
- Unengaged: No opens, dormant long-term
- Engaged: Active opens, clicks, recent purchases
- Review: Unknown status, risky, needs follow up
Proper segmentation allows efficiently targeting cleanup efforts where they have the most impact.
The ideal list cleaning toolset combines automation for ongoing hygiene with robust segmentation and reporting to focus efforts. Preventing deliverability deterioration over time.
Tips for Improving Deliverability With These Tools
Getting set up with deliverability tools is the first step. But you’ll need some best practices to get the most value from them. Here are expert tips to improve deliverability with the help of these services.
Gradually Increase Sending Volume
When starting deliverability tools with a new domain, take the time to ramp up gradually. Aggressive early sending is risky. Tools with warmup capabilities automate safe increments, but some general guidelines include:
- Week 1: Send to no more than 1,000 subscribed contacts per domain. Send 2-3 times max.
- Week 2: Increase to 5,000 subscribed contacts per domain if engagement is high. Send 3-5 times max.
- Week 3: Double to 10,000 subscribed contacts if you’ve seen no complaints or drops in placement rates week over week.
Continue ramping volume by 10-20% weekly as long as metrics stay strong. Proper pacing allows your domain to build a solid reputation.
Customize Deliverability Efforts Based on Your Metrics
Develop benchmarks for your key metrics as a baseline:
- Overall bounce rate goal (2% is good)
- Acceptable complaint rate (0.1% or less)
- Typical unsubscribe rate (under 2%)
- Average spam test score (8/10 minimum)
As the benchmarks are exceeded consistently, focus your efforts accordingly:
- High bounces: List cleaning and aggressive pruning of bad addresses
- Spam complaints: Text analysis and content optimization
- Unsubscribes: Evaluate interest segmentation and messaging
- Low spam test scores: Improve subject lines, sender domain, and HTML
Let your weakest metric drive your priority for deliverability work. Then reassess and shift focus once it improves.
Combine Deliverability Tools as Needed
Using deliverability features within your core email service provider may be sufficient for many needs. But as volume grows, consider adding:
- Deeper list cleaning with a dedicated service like ZeroBounce or MailerGenie.
- More aggressive warmup by incrementally ramping up new IPs with a tool like Mailgun or SendGrid.
- Enhanced analytics and reporting by importing ESP data into a platform like Mailshake.
- Ongoing spam testing and optimization with a solution like Mail-Tester.
Blending the strengths of multiple affordable tools can take your deliverability capabilities up a notch without breaking the bank. Identify gaps in your ESP capabilities and fill them with specialized services.
Start With a Deliverability Audit
Before jumping into improvements, baseline where you are starting from:
Assess Current Reputation and Metrics
- Review reports from your ESP for initial benchmarks.
- Check blacklists for IP or domain listings using a monitoring tool.
- Do an inbox placement test across major ISPs to see spam folder percentages.
- Run existing emails through a spam analysis tool and note problem areas.
Identify Problem Areas
Look at the audit data for the biggest issues:
- Do scores show aggressive spam filtering in certain regions?
- Are hard bounce rates high from invalid addresses?
- Are complaints coming from specific subscriber segments?
Zero in on one or two priority issues for your optimization focus.
Establish Metrics-Driven Goals
Set specific, measurable goals based on your audit findings:
- Reduce Gmail placement in spam folder from 30% to under 20% in one month.
- Cut invalid addresses causing 5% hard bounce rate in half within 3 months.
- Limit unsubscribe complaints from current 1.5% to under 0.5% in 6 months.
Approach ongoing deliverability improvements with purpose, driven by data.
Monitor Regularly and Adjust Accordingly
Don’t “set and forget” your deliverability tools. Consistent optimization is key:
Schedule Reports for Proactive Analysis
Designate time at least weekly to review reports. More frequent for sending milestones:
- New subscription growth or major list uploads.
- Significant spikes in volume like campaigns or events.
- Template, content type, or creative swaps.
Flag any statistically significant changes early, before impacts compound.
Fine-Tune Sending Patterns and Content Over Time
As you learn more about subscriber behavior, adjust your approach:
- Lower click areas may need different calls to action.
- Certain segments engage better on off-hours or weekends.
- Holiday-themed subject lines fall flat for some customers.
Let ongoing response shape creative, lists, timing, and frequency.
Leverage Automation to Maintain List Hygiene
Don’t let lists decay. Set up ongoing rules:
- Remove hard bounces or complaints in real-time.
- Flag dormant subscribers for re-engagement or removal monthly.
- Load new lists directly into a verification workflow before use.
Your goal is to intervene less by having your tools work 24/7/365.
Consistent Optimization Mindset Is Key
Like most marketing initiatives, a “set it and forget it” approach won’t sustain deliverability in the long run. Threats like new spam filters, blacklist changes, and shifting subscriber behavior require continual adaptation.
But don’t let that intimidate you. The right tools make ongoing optimization manageable. And the benefits dramatically improve your email effectiveness, engagement, and sender reputation over time.
The Right Email Deliverability Approach for Your Business
With all the available tools and services, identifying the best deliverability solution for your specific needs can be challenging. Here are some frameworks to help select the right approach based on your business characteristics and email program.
Consider Email Volume and Growth
Current and projected send volume impacts the deliverability tools needed:
Under 50,000 emails/month
Startup or small company with minimal growth. Can likely rely on deliverability features included with most standard ESP plans like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or MailerLite.
50,000 – 500,000 emails/month
Mid-size organization with steady growth. Time to graduate to more robust options like SendGrid, Mailgun, or SocketLabs. Low-cost add-ons like 250ok for analytics fills gaps.
Over 500,000 emails/month
Enterprise-level email volume. Look to fully managed services like SparkPost or Amazon SES with dedicated IPs and advisors. Critical to get deliverability right at scale.
Volume dictates complexity. Match tools to current needs, but ensure there’s headroom to support growth.
Evaluate Available Resources and Budget
Deliverability capabilities require both financial investment and staff commitment:
Limited budget
Can still get great DIY tools like Mailshake, SendPulse, and MailerLite. But may lack more advanced features or consultative support. Perfect for early stage testing and basics.
Moderate budget
Opens mid-tier self-service options like Mailgun, Elastic Email, and Pepipost with robust analytics and segmentation. Can also engage specialists for help optimizing.
Enterprise budget
Top-tier solutions like SendGrid, SparkPost, and Amazon SES become affordable. Can also bring in managed service providers like 250ok, Validity, and ReturnPath.
Don’t over or underestimate the investment required. Be realistic about resources so deliverability gets its due.
Factor in Technical Expertise
Available skill sets also determine what solutions fit best:
Little to no technical expertise
Aim for intuitive services with strong onboarding like MailerLite, Omnisend, and RocketSeed. Minimize hands-on configuration requirements.
Moderate technical acumen
Self-service tools like SendinBlue, Mailgun, and Postmark work with the help of how-to content. Can set up and tweak as needed.
Advanced technical skills
Leverage the ultimate flexibility of providers like SendGrid, SparkPost, and Amazon SES. Handle complex configurations and customization in-house.
It’s fine to stretch skills with the help of docs and support. But don’t underestimate the technical demands of sophisticated deliverability tools.
When Self-Service Tools Are Ideal
DIY deliverability solutions empower small teams to take charge of their own optimization.
Good for Small Teams Getting Started
Easy onboarding and intuitive interfaces make self-service tools accessible for non-experts. Deliverability guidance helps you learn as you go.
Offer Essential Features at Low Cost
Affordable plans provide spam testing, list cleaning, and other core capabilities. You get more value for your limited budget.
Limited Customization and Support
But self-service means less hand holding. You may sacrifice advanced optimizations, custom features, and consulting services.
If you value independence and control, don’t mind learning on the fly, and watching costs – self-service checks the boxes.
When To Engage Managed Services
For more complex needs with little margin for error, leveraging managed services makes sense.
Helpful for Large, Complex Programs
Specialized providers design advanced tools specific to your deliverability pain points and requirements.
Provide Hands-On Expertise
No need to learn the ins and outs. Consultants take the lead tailoring solutions and monitoring for you.
More Costly but Highly Customized
Expect premium pricing but deliverability success is almost guaranteed thanks to custom solutions.
If budget accommodates and deliverability is high stakes, managed services provide white glove solutions.
The Ideal Hybrid Approach
Blending self-service tools with managed solutions offers a balance of independence and expertise.
Self-Service for Testing and Basics
Cover core deliverability capabilities cost effectively in-house through DIY providers.
Add Managed Services as Needed
Engage specialists for enhanced support optimizing high value campaigns or conquering specific challenges.
The hybrid model gives you more control over spending while accessing consulting services when top-tier expertise becomes critical.
Find the Right Fit for Your Needs and Goals
Assessing your specific business environment makes choosing a deliverability approach much easier:
- Consider current volume and where you’ll be in 12-24 months.
- Define must-have features based on available budget.
- Gauge the level of technical competence you have in house.
- Determine if any mission critical initiatives require managed services.
With criteria matched to solutions, you can confidently select tools positioned to take your deliverability to the next level.
Key Takeaways on Email Deliverability Tools
Optimizing your email deliverability is crucial for reaching customers’ inboxes and driving engagement with your messages. Here are the key lessons:
- Monitor key metrics like bounce rates, spam complaints, and unsubscribes to catch deliverability drops quickly.
- Invest in essential features like real-time alerts, list cleaning, and spam testing to stay ahead of issues.
- Gradually ramp up email volume when starting new domains or IP addresses to build reputation.
- Tailor your tools and approach over time based on the specific needs and growth of your business.
- Consider a balanced mix of self-service and managed solutions to control costs but get expert help when required.
- Maintaining great deliverability is an ongoing endeavor requiring vigilance, adaptation, and proper tools.
With the right email deliverability tools and practices, you can confidently grow your email marketing and automation efforts, engage more customers, and build sustainable sender reputation. Deliverability may not be glamorous, but it’s one of the best returns on investment any email program can make.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main benefits of email deliverability tools?
Deliverability tools help you analyze and optimize your email program for higher inbox placement. This leads to more email opens, clicks, and conversions. These tools also protect your sender reputation and avoid issues like blacklisting.
What key metrics should you monitor for deliverability?
Focus on bounce rates, spam complaints, unsubscribe rates, and inbox placement over time. Use email service provider reporting and add monitoring tools for more visibility. Set alerts on key thresholds.
What essential features should you look for?
Prioritize real-time analytics, list cleaning, spam testing, authentication setup, warmup tools, and segmentation. Having the core capabilities gives you the visibility and control needed.
How can you get started improving deliverability?
Do an initial reputation audit and spam test. Set benchmarks for metrics. Start ramping up volume gradually as you optimize using tools. Take an incremental measured approach.
When are self-service tools the best choice?
DIY tools work well if you have a limited budget, only basic technical skills, and don’t require advanced customization. They empower small teams.
When should you upgrade to managed services?
If email volume is large, deliverability absolutely critical, and budget allows, managed services are worth the investment. You’ll get highly customized solutions.
What’s the ideal deliverability solution mix?
Balance DIY tools for basic capabilities with managed services for high-touch consulting on large campaigns or complex issues. This hybrid approach maximizes budget.