What Is Email Deliverability and Why Does It Matter?

Kristen Wyatt on January 27, 2025

Whether we’re talking to friends or running a business, email is a huge part of how we communicate. For companies, the value of email lies in its ability to reach customers. But this only works if the emails make it to their inboxes. Email deliverability is about making sure your emails don’t get blocked or sent to the spam folder. If your goal is to connect with people, understanding how deliverability works is key.

Here’s why this matters: When you send an email, you want the person to actually see it. If it ends up blocked or stuck in a spam folder, your message doesn’t get through. Good deliverability means your emails are more likely to land where they’re supposed to (which is in the intended recipient’s inbox) so more people can read them.

If your emails keep hitting spam folders, people (and email providers) might start seeing you as untrustworthy. This can result in a nasty reputation issue. But when you send emails that people actually want, you build trust and a good reputation. That makes it more likely your emails will get treated like the real deal.

Email marketing can be super effective, when it works. But if your emails don’t reach the people they’re meant for, they’re not doing much good. Making sure your emails get delivered means more people see them, engage with them, and take action.

And don’t forget, you have to play by the rules! For example, you have to make sure people actually agreed to get your emails. Ignoring rules like this hurts your deliverability. But it could get you into some real trouble, even legally. Sending emails the right way keeps you out of hot water and it helps your messages reach their audience.

Deliverability is influenced by a few main factors, starting with your reputation as a sender. Email providers keep tabs on how you’ve handled past emails – things like bounces, spam reports, and low engagement. If your track record isn’t great, it can hurt your chances of reaching your email’s intended destination. On the other hand, a solid history makes it more likely your emails will get through to the inbox.

Authorization is another big piece of the puzzle. Tools like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC help verify to email providers that you are a legitimate sender and that you’re not pretending to be someone else. Without proper authentication, your emails are more likely to get blocked or flagged.

The content in your email also matters. Misleading subject lines, too many links, overly large images, or anything that seems spammy can raise red flags. Keeping your emails simple, clear, and relevant makes them less likely to run into issues.

Your contact list plays a role too. Outdated or fake email addresses can drag down deliverability. Regularly cleaning up your active sending list and only emailing people who actually want to hear from you helps keep things on track.

Finally, how you send emails is very important. Blasting out too many too quickly or at irregular times can look suspicious. A steady, reasonable sending schedule indicates to email providers that you’re not a spammer.

How to Do It Better

  1. Watch Your Results: Keep an eye on how your emails perform. If something isn’t working, adjust your approach.
  2. Set Up Authentication: Use tools like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC so email providers know you’re a legitimate sender.
  3. Write Clearly: Avoid anything that might look suspicious to spam filters. Make your emails straightforward and relevant.
  4. Know Your Audience: Group your contacts based on what they’re interested in, so you can send emails they care about.
  5. Clean Up Your List: Remove inactive or fake email addresses to avoid bounces and complaints.
  6. Test and Adjust: Try different subject lines or formats to see what works best and keep improving.

Email deliverability comes down to making sure your messages actually reach the people you’re trying to connect with. By sticking to straightforward, honest practices and staying tuned into what works, you can ensure your campaigns hit the mark and make a real and positive impact.

The Importance of Mobile Optimization for Deliverability

Kristen Wyatt on June 12, 2024

It is 2024 and most people are checking their emails from their mobile devices. A mobile device is defined as a piece of portable electronic equipment that has internet connection capabilities.  It’s important to realize that those ‘mobile devices’ aren’t always just smartphones. People are consuming and sending email from tablets, smart watches, and even game consoles now! Due to this shift, it is more important than ever to optimize your email campaigns. In this blog, we’ll look at how mobile devices affect email deliverability and we will share some practical tips for making sure your emails engage mobile users.

Over 70% of email opens are estimated to occur from mobile devices. This trend underscores the need to make sure emails are mobile-friendly. A good mobile design not only enhances the user experience, but also boosts metrics like open rates and click-through rates. When email is optimized for mobile, users are more likely to engage with the content, leading to higher conversion rates and a stronger return on investment (ROI) for your email marketing efforts.

Even though mobile email usage is widespread, optimizing email for mobile is not always the easiest task. Design elements that look great from a desktop might not work on smaller screens. Plus, slow loading times and formatting issues can hurt email deliverability on mobile devices. These problems can frustrate users, causing them to delete your emails or unsubscribe from your mailing list altogether. Therefore, it is very important to address these issues on a proactive basis.

To tackle these challenges and to improve email deliverability for mobile users, try these tips:

  • Use a responsive design: Create emails that adjust smoothly to different screen sizes and orientations. A responsive design helps to make sure your email looks great whether it’s viewed on a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. This adaptability enhances the overall user experience and makes your email more accessible to a broader audience.
  • Simplify content: Keep your content short and easy to scan, perfect for shorter attention spans on mobile devices. Use concise headlines, bullet points, and clear paragraphs to convey your message quickly and effectively. This approach caters to mobile users and improves readability for everyone.
  • Provide a clear call-to-action (CTA): Make sure CTAs are easy to tap on mobile screens to drive user engagement. Use large, well-placed buttons that stand out and are easy to interact with. A clear CTA can significantly increase the chances of users taking the desired action, like making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.
  • Test across devices: Test your campaigns on various mobile devices and email clients to ensure they perform consistently. This step is crucial for identifying and fixing any issues that might arise on different platforms. Regular testing helps maintain a high standard of quality and ensures that your emails deliver a seamless experience to all recipients.

Boost your email campaigns by taking advantage of mobile-specific features:

  • Utilize pre-header text: Use pre-header text effectively to add context and encourage recipients to open your mail. The preheader text, which appears alongside the subject line for many email clients, can be a powerful tool for enticing users to open your email. Make sure it complements your subject line and provides additional incentive for recipients to engage with your content.
  • Optimize for touch: Design buttons, images, and links to be touch-friendly to improve the user experience on touchscreens. Touch-friendly designs ensure that users can easily interact with your email, making it more likely that they will click through to your website or landing page.
  • Incorporate mobile-specific features: Include features like click-to-call or interactive elements to enhance user engagement. Click-to-call buttons allow users to call your business directly from the email, which can be especially useful for customer service or sales inquiries. Interactive elements, such as carousels or sliders, can make your emails more engaging and visually appealing.
  • Track mobile-specific metrics (like open rates and click-through rates) to evaluate your email campaigns’ success. Use analytics tools to understand user behavior and preferences. You can use this data to improve future mobile email campaigns. Email on Acid and Inbox Monster are two platforms that can be utilized in order to confirm your campaign optimizations. These tools offer insights into how your emails perform across different devices and can help you identify areas for improvement.

That said, it is obvious that mobile optimization is a must for email marketers. By understanding the impact of mobile devices on email deliverability and by following the tips in this blog post, you can ensure that your email campaigns resonate with mobile users. This ultimately leads to better engagement and deliverability.

Exploring the Benefits of Bounce Management

Kristen Wyatt on October 11, 2023

Email is an essential part of our lives, both business and personal. It’s a fast, convenient way to share information and conduct business. However, anyone who regularly sends emails (for marketing purposes or everyday correspondence) is likely to encounter email bounces at some point. In this blog, we will dive into all things email bounce-related: what they are, why they happen, how to manage, and ultimately prevent them.

What Are Email Bounces?

Email bounces occur when an email that you’ve sent can’t be delivered to the recipient’s inbox and is returned to the sender’s email server. This can happen for several reasons. But generally, reasons fall into two main categories: soft bounces and hard bounces.

Soft bounces are temporary issues that prevent the email from being delivered. Common reasons include a full recipient’s mailbox, a temporary server issue, or email throttling. These bounces often resolve themselves and the email may be delivered later. Hard bounces are permanent issues that prevent email delivery. These typically result from invalid/non-existent email addresses or blocking issues. When hard bounces occur, your mail won’t be delivered to the recipient.

Why Do Email Bounces Happen?

Understanding the cause of an email bounce is important for effective email management.

Here are some common reasons why bounces occur:

  • Invalid or Non-Existent Email Addresses: Sending mail to an address that doesn’t exist or has been deactivated will result in a hard bounce.
  • Full Mailboxes: If a recipient’s mailbox is overloaded, new emails will not be delivered. This will result in a soft bounce.
  • Server Issues: Temporary problems with the recipient’s email server or your email server can cause soft bounces.
  • Spam Filters: Aggressive filters may block your email, preventing it from reaching the recipient’s inbox.
  • Blacklisted Senders: If your domain or sending IP address is on a blacklist due to spam complaints or suspicious activity, your emails may bounce (common spam filter examples: Proofpoint, Mimecast, Barracuda).

Managing Email Bounces

Dealing with email bounces effectively is a must to maintain a healthy marketing campaign and reliable communication.

Here are some tips for managing email bounces:

  • Regularly Clean Your Email List: Remove invalid and inactive email addresses from your mailing list on a scheduled basis to reduce the number of hard bounces received.
  • Monitor Your Sending Reputation: Keep an eye on your domain and IP reputation to avoid being blacklisted. Follow best email practices (you can find more information on best practices here) to maintain a good sender reputation.
  • Use Double Opt-In: Implement a double opt-in process for your subscribers. Doing this ensures that addresses are valid and interested in receiving your mail.
  • Segment Your Email List: Group your subscribers based on their engagement, interests, and behavior. Send targeted content to specific segments in smaller batches to reduce the likelihood of bounces.
  • Respect Unsubscribe Requests: Honor unsubscribe Requests promptly to avoid sending unwanted mail and causing frustration (this will help to lower spam complaints).

Preventing Email Bounces

It can feel like an overwhelming task to completely eliminate bounces, but you can proactively reduce your bounce totals by putting these strategies in place. First, consider validating email addresses before adding them to your mailing list. Second, keep an eye on your bounce rates and address any spikes that exceed acceptable levels. The “best practice goal” is to keep your combined (soft and hard) bounce percentage under a total of 3%. Sending content that actively engages recipients is another key step to invite recipients to open and interact with mail which lowers the risk of being marked as spam. And last, but not least – opting for a reputable ESP (Email Service Provider) can be really beneficial. Talk to your ESP representative about accessing your bounce log details to manage bounces and maintain a positive sender reputation.

Bounces can feel like an unavoidable part of email communication. But with proper management, you can minimize their impact and maintain a healthy reputation. Remember to regularly clean your email lists, monitor your sending reputation, and follow best practices to ensure your campaigns reach their intended recipients. Doing so will enhance your email communication and achieve better overall results.

How To Land Into Gmail’s Inbox

Kristen Wyatt on July 31, 2023

Landing in Gmail’s primary inbox can be pivotal for email marketers and anyone sending important emails. Gmail’s inbox sorting algorithm automatically categorizes incoming emails into different tabs: 

  • Primary: Personal emails and messages from other categories where the tab isn’t turned on.
  • Social: Notifications and updates from social platforms.
  • Promotions: Promotional mail and other offers from email marketing and similar campaigns.
  • Updates: Transactional emails such as receipts and shipping notifications.
  • Forums: Mailing lists and groups.

To increase the likelihood of your emails landing in the Primary tab, follow these best practices:

Use a recognizable “From” name: Ensure your sender name is clear and recognizable. This helps recipients know who you are and why they are receiving your mail. Avoid using spammy or misleading names.

Use sub-domains: Create subdomains for each type of mail that you send (marketing, updates, transactional mail, etc). This will keep your top domain’s reputation safe. It also allows you a more detailed view of open/click tracking.  

Authenticate your domain: Implement Sender Policy Framework (SPF), DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) protocols to improve your email’s credibility and reduce the chances of being marked as spam.

Use a reputable email service provider: Use a reliable and well-known email service provider that actively manages its reputation to ensure high deliverability rates.

Send relevant and engaging content: Create valuable, personalized, and engaging content that recipients are more likely to interact with. Avoid using spammy language or excessive promotional material.

Avoid spam trigger words: Refrain from using common spam trigger words in your subject linked and email content, such as 

  • Free 
  • Discount
  • Limited time
  • Satisfaction guaranteed
  • No obligation 

Limit the use of attachments and large images: Emails with large attachments or image-heavy content might be considered suspicious and end up in the Promotions tab.

Avoid excessive use of links: Too many links inside your email can make it look spammy. Use links sparingly and make sure they point to reputable websites.

Maintain a clean email list: Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive or unengaged subscribers. Sending emails to unresponsive addresses may increase the chances of your emails being marked as spam.

Encourage recipients to move your emails: Include a call-to-action in your emails, asking recipients to move your emails to the Primary tab if they find them there. For example, ask them to drag and drop your email from the Promotions tab to the Primary tab.

Request adding your email address to contacts: Encourage subscribers to add your sending address to their contacts list. This action signals Gmail that the user considers your email as important.

Monitor and adjust your email strategy: Pay attention to your email open rates, click-through rates, and spam reports. Consider utilizing Google Postmaster Tools to gain more detailed insight into how Google views your sending domain(s). Adjust your email strategy based on the data to improve engagement and reduce spam complaints.

Remember, getting into the Primary inbox is not entirely within your control. Gmail’s algorithms are dynamic and always subject to updates. However, following these best practices should help improve your chances of landing there. Also, make sure that you comply with Gmail’s guidelines and policies to maintain a positive sender reputation.

IP Warming: What You Need To Know

Kristen Wyatt on July 7, 2023

IP Warming is the process of systematically adding email volume to a new IP address at a gradual pace in order to establish a positive sending reputation with Mailbox Providers. Sending activity from a new IP address can seem suspicious. Depending on the size of your sending list, warming can take an average of four to eight weeks. Warming could also take longer if providers do not perceive your mail is “wanted” by recipients. Some providers limit senders to specific thresholds until a stable reputation is established. 

Inbox Rev recommends starting off with your best-performing campaigns. You should focus on warming your most engaged subscribers while adding older segments as you progress. Older components should be added in bundles of 15% of your existing volume. The goal is to send to subscribers who are least likely to complain or bounce. This will include those who opted-in most recently and are consistently opening your mail and clicking. During your warmup phase, the more consistent you are with volume, frequency, complaints, and bounce levels, the faster you will establish a positive sending reputation.

An example of an IP warming outline would look something like this: During the first two weeks, send campaigns to your MOST ACTIVE subscribers – those who have opened/clicked in the past thirty days. During the next two weeks, extend to the subscribers who opened/clicked in the past sixty days. Follow this pattern until you have incorporated your entire sending list. During the first six weeks, DO NOT send to subscribers who have not opened or clicked in the last ninety days. 

Furthermore, once you begin warming your IP, you can expect some bulking and blocking to occur. Bulking at Yahoo!, AOL, and Gmail typically clear up after a few campaigns are sent with positive metrics. Delays at AOL, Comcast, and Microsoft (“421” Bounces) will typically retry for seventy-two hours. These delays are normal and will diminish as your reputation develops. However, if they are timing out in large quantities, you should back down your volumes to that provider by tightening up your engagement metrics. 

Possible blocking can also occur if your list isn’t engaged enough. Segment carefully and tighten up engagement. It is important to monitor your metrics and adjust the plan accordingly. Remember that engagement and consistency are key to a successful IP warm-up. If you are still unsure of the next steps or would like expert guidance during this process, contact Inbox Rev for assistance.