Understanding Email Deliverability: How You Can Test and Improve It for Your Business

Email marketing remains a powerful channel for reaching your audience, but the success of your campaigns hinges on one key factor: email deliverability. If recipients never see your emails, all the effort you put into crafting them is wasted.

This guide will help you understand email deliverability, how to measure it, and actionable steps you can take to improve it for better customer engagement and higher conversions.

What is Email Deliverability?

Email deliverability is the ability of your emails to successfully reach the inbox of intended recipients. It's more than just sending an email; it’s about ensuring your messages avoid spam filters and do not bounce back.

Factors that influence email deliverability include:

• Sender Reputation: A strong sender reputation indicates that you are a trustworthy sender.

• Email Authentication Protocols: These help validate your identity as an email sender.

• Content Quality: Engaging and relevant content matters to recipients and spam filters alike.

  
  

When you understand your email deliverability, it enables you to fine-tune your strategy, which can result in improved returns on your marketing investment.

Why is Email Deliverability Important?

Email deliverability is essential for several reasons:

1. Customer Engagement: Emails that successfully land in the inbox have higher chances of being opened and read. According to ReturnPath, 20% of emails fail to reach the recipient's inbox.

   
   

2. Brand Reputation: High deliverability rates protect your reputation as a sender. Emails that end up in spam can harm your credibility, making future communication difficult.

   
   

3. Improved ROI: Successful deliveries lead to more conversions. A study found that well-delivered emails can yield an ROI of $42 for every dollar spent on email marketing.

   
   

4. List Quality Assessment: Monitoring deliverability can help you understand the overall quality of your email list. An uptick in bouncebacks could indicate the need for a list cleanup.

   
   
   
   

How to Test Email Deliverability

To enhance your email deliverability, you first need to evaluate how your current system is performing. Here are simple yet effective ways to test your email deliverability:

1. Use Deliverability Testing Tools

Leverage tools that can provide insights into your email performance:

• Mail-Tester: This free tool evaluates your email setup and provides a score, helping you identify configuration issues.

• GlockApps: It tests how your email performs across multiple providers, giving you a complete picture.

  
  

• SendForensics: Offers an extensive report on your sender score and points out deliverability concerns.

  
  

Using these tools can spotlight areas for immediate improvement, helping ensure your emails land where they should.

2. Monitor Bounce Rates

Bounces occur when emails cannot be delivered, differentiating between:

• Hard Bounces: Permanent failures due to invalid email addresses.

• Soft Bounces: Temporary issues like a full inbox.

  
  

Aim for a bounce rate of below 2%. A high bounce rate suggests a need for auditing your email list to remove invalid addresses.

3. Check Spam Complaints

Spam complaints directly affect your deliverability. If recipients frequently label your emails as spam, future messages may also land in the spam folder. To avoid this, the spam rate should be lower than 0.08%. Taking steps to provide valuable content can help lower your complaint rate. Always include an easy-to-find unsubscribe link to respect user preferences.

4. Analyze Engagement Metrics

Engagement metrics like open rates and click-through rates are indicators of how well your emails are doing. For example, a typical open rate of 20% is considered a good benchmark. Low engagement can suggest your emails aren't reaching the inbox or your content isn't resonating.

Strategies to Improve Email Deliverability

Now that you understand how to assess your email deliverability, here are practical steps to improve it:

1. Maintain a Clean Email List

An organized email list enhances deliverability. Regularly clean your list by removing inactive or invalid email addresses. Implementing a double opt-in process during registration can also ensure subscribers genuinely want to receive your messages.

2. Authenticate Your Emails

Utilize authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These help establish trust with email providers by verifying your identity:

• SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Confirms that your server is authorized to send emails for your domain.

• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Adds a digital signature to your emails, validating their origin.

  
  

• DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): Instructs email providers on how to handle unauthorized messages.

  
  

Properly configuring these protocols can significantly enhance your email reputation and deliverability.

3. Optimize Email Content

The way you craft your emails affects both engagement and deliverability. Follow these tips:

• Avoid Spammy Language: Steer clear of phrases like "free" or "money-back guarantee" that might trigger spam filters.

  
  

• Craft Clear Subject Lines: Ensure that your subject lines are relevant and not misleading.

  
  

• Personalize Content: Tailor emails to specific audience segments by using names or personalized recommendations.

  
  
  
  

4. Monitor Sender Reputation

Your sender reputation influences your deliverability. Focus on key performance indicators like engagement rates and complaint rates. A good sender score should generally be above 90. Keep track of your reputation and adjust practices as needed.

5. Segment Your Audience

Targeted email segments lead to more relevant content, enhancing engagement. According to studies, segmented campaigns can see an increase in open rates by up to 14%.

Final Thoughts

Email deliverability is a crucial aspect of effective email marketing. By actively testing your deliverability and implementing improvements, you can increase the chances of reaching your audience.

Focus on maintaining a clean list, using authentication methods, and creating engaging content. With careful monitoring and adjustments, you can enhance your email deliverability, foster better customer relationships, and drive your business's success.