How to Improve Email Deliverability?

How to Improve Email Deliverability?

Improve email deliverability by setting up proper DNS authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), maintaining a clean email list, sending relevant content, monitoring sender reputation, warming up new IPs, and following email best practices. Regular monitoring and adjustments help maintain good deliverability over time.

Quick Answer

Improve email deliverability by setting up proper DNS authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), maintaining a clean email list, sending relevant content, monitoring sender reputation, warming up new IPs, and following email best practices. Regular monitoring and adjustments help maintain good deliverability over time.

Understanding How to Improve Deliverability

Improving email deliverability is an ongoing process that requires attention to technical setup, list management, content quality, and sending practices. While some improvements are immediate (like fixing authentication), others take time (like building reputation). This guide covers actionable steps you can take to improve your deliverability.

Step-by-Step: How to Improve Email Deliverability

Step 1: Set Up Email Authentication

Why it matters: Authentication is the foundation of deliverability. Without proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, receiving servers can't verify your emails are legitimate.

What to do:

1. Configure SPF Record

   • Add your email service provider to your SPF record
   • Example: v=spf1 include:servers.mcsv.net ~all (for Mailchimp)
   • Use MailMoxie's DNS Record Checker to verify your SPF record

2. Set Up DKIM

   • Get DKIM records from your email service provider
   • Add them to your DNS at the specified subdomain
   • Verify the records are correctly configured

3. Configure DMARC

   • Start with p=none to monitor without affecting delivery
   • Set up reporting to receive DMARC aggregate reports
   • Gradually move to stricter policies (p=quarantine or p=reject)

Expected results: Proper authentication can improve deliverability immediately and is essential for inbox placement.

Step 2: Clean Your Email List

Why it matters: Invalid addresses, inactive subscribers, and spam traps hurt deliverability and sender reputation.

What to do:

1. Remove Hard Bounces

   • Remove addresses that hard bounce (permanent failures)
   • Don't retry hard bounces—they'll never work

2. Handle Soft Bounces

   • Monitor soft bounces (temporary failures)
   • Remove addresses that soft bounce repeatedly

3. Remove Inactive Subscribers

   • Identify subscribers who haven't engaged in 6-12 months
   • Send a re-engagement campaign
   • Remove those who don't re-engage

4. Use Double Opt-In

   • Require subscribers to confirm their email address
   • This reduces invalid addresses and improves list quality

5. Handle Unsubscribes Immediately

   • Process unsubscribes within 24 hours
   • Never email unsubscribed addresses

Expected results: A clean list improves engagement rates, reduces bounces, and protects sender reputation.

Step 3: Improve Content Quality

Why it matters: Content that triggers spam filters or doesn't engage recipients hurts deliverability.

What to do:

1. Avoid Spam Trigger Words

   • Avoid words like "free," "guarantee," "act now," "limited time"
   • Use natural, conversational language

2. Balance Images and Text

   • Don't send image-only emails
   • Maintain a good text-to-image ratio (at least 60% text)

3. Use Proper HTML Structure

   • Use clean, well-formatted HTML
   • Test emails in multiple clients before sending

4. Write Relevant Subject Lines

   • Avoid all caps, excessive punctuation, or misleading claims
   • Write clear, honest subject lines that match content

5. Include Plain Text Versions

   • Always include both HTML and plain text versions
   • Some filters prefer plain text emails

Expected results: Better content improves engagement, reduces spam complaints, and signals quality to receiving servers.

Step 4: Monitor and Improve Engagement

Why it matters: High engagement (opens, clicks, replies) signals to receiving servers that recipients want your emails.

What to do:

1. Segment Your List

   • Send targeted content to specific segments
   • Relevance improves engagement

2. Send at Optimal Times

   • Test different send times to find when your audience is most engaged
   • Consider time zones for your audience

3. Personalize Content

   • Use recipient names and relevant content
   • Personalization improves engagement

4. Include Clear Calls-to-Action

   • Make it easy for recipients to take action
   • Clear CTAs improve click rates

5. Encourage Replies

   • Ask questions or invite feedback
   • Two-way engagement is highly valued

Expected results: Higher engagement improves sender reputation and inbox placement over time.

Step 5: Manage Sender Reputation

Why it matters: Sender reputation is a key factor in deliverability decisions. Good reputation improves inbox placement.

What to do:

1. Warm Up New IP Addresses

   • Start with small volumes (50-100 emails per day)
   • Gradually increase volume over 2-4 weeks
   • Monitor metrics closely during warm-up

2. Maintain Consistent Sending

   • Avoid sudden volume spikes
   • Maintain regular sending patterns

3. Monitor Reputation Scores

   • Use tools like Sender Score or Google Postmaster Tools
   • Track IP and domain reputation

4. Address Issues Quickly

   • If reputation drops, reduce volume and improve practices
   • Fix authentication, clean lists, improve content

Expected results: Good reputation takes time to build but significantly improves deliverability once established.

Step 6: Follow Email Best Practices

Why it matters: Following industry best practices helps maintain good deliverability and avoid common pitfalls.

What to do:

1. Honor Preferences

   • Respect frequency preferences
   • Allow subscribers to choose email types

2. Use Permission-Based Lists

   • Only email people who opted in
   • Never buy or rent email lists

3. Include Unsubscribe Links

   • Make unsubscribing easy and immediate
   • Include in every email (required by law in many regions)

4. Send Regular, Consistent Emails

   • Don't disappear for months then send suddenly
   • Maintain regular communication

5. Test Before Sending

   • Test emails in multiple clients
   • Check spam scores before sending

Expected results: Following best practices helps maintain good deliverability and avoid reputation damage.

Step 7: Monitor Deliverability Metrics

Why it matters: Regular monitoring helps identify issues early before they significantly impact deliverability.

What to do:

1. Track Key Metrics

   • Bounce rates (should be under 2%)
   • Open rates (industry average varies)
   • Click rates
   • Spam complaint rates (should be under 0.1%)

2. Review DMARC Reports

   • Check aggregate reports regularly
   • Look for authentication failures or spoofing

3. Use Deliverability Tools

   • Test inbox placement with tools like MailMoxie
   • Monitor sender reputation scores

4. Set Up Alerts

   • Get notified of sudden metric changes
   • Address issues quickly

Expected results: Early detection of issues allows for quick fixes before deliverability is significantly impacted.

Quick Wins for Immediate Improvement

Fix Authentication (Immediate Impact)

• Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records
• Verify records are correctly configured
• This can improve deliverability within hours

Remove Hard Bounces (Immediate Impact)

• Clean your list of invalid addresses
• Stop sending to addresses that hard bounce
• Reduces bounce rates immediately

Improve Subject Lines (Quick Impact)

• Write clear, honest subject lines
• Avoid spam trigger words
• Test different approaches

Long-Term Strategies

Build Reputation Gradually

• Start with small volumes
• Gradually increase over time
• Maintain consistency

Focus on Engagement

• Send relevant, valuable content
• Segment lists for better targeting
• Encourage two-way communication

Regular List Maintenance

• Clean lists quarterly
• Remove inactive subscribers
• Re-engage or remove disengaged subscribers

Common Questions

Q: How quickly can I improve email deliverability?

A: Some improvements are immediate (fixing authentication, removing hard bounces), while others take time (building reputation, improving engagement). Authentication fixes can show results within hours, but reputation building takes weeks or months.

Q: Do I need to set up all three authentication records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)?

A: Yes, all three work together. SPF authorizes sending servers, DKIM adds signatures, and DMARC enforces policies. Having all three provides the best protection and deliverability.

Q: What's the most important factor for deliverability?

A: Authentication is the foundation—without it, emails may be rejected. However, sender reputation, content quality, and engagement all play crucial roles. Focus on all factors for best results.

Q: Can I improve deliverability without cleaning my list?

A: It's possible but not recommended. Clean lists improve engagement, reduce bounces, and protect reputation. Regular list hygiene is essential for maintaining good deliverability.

Q: How do I know if my deliverability is improving?

A: Monitor metrics like bounce rates, open rates, click rates, spam complaints, and inbox placement rates. Improving trends indicate better deliverability. Use deliverability monitoring tools for detailed insights.

Q: What should I do if my deliverability suddenly drops?

A: Check for authentication issues, review recent sending patterns, check for spam complaints, reduce sending volume if needed, and address any issues quickly. Sudden drops often indicate a specific problem that needs fixing.

Q: Does email frequency affect deliverability?

A: Yes, sending too frequently can hurt engagement and lead to spam complaints. However, disappearing for months then sending suddenly can also hurt deliverability. Find a consistent frequency that works for your audience.

Q: Can I improve deliverability by changing email service providers?

A: Sometimes, but only if the new provider has better infrastructure or reputation. However, most deliverability issues are related to authentication, list quality, content, or sending practices—not the provider itself.

Q: How important is sender reputation?

A: Very important. Sender reputation is a key factor in deliverability decisions. Good reputation improves inbox placement, while poor reputation can lead to filtering or rejection. Building and maintaining reputation takes time and consistent good practices.

Q: Should I warm up a new IP address even if I have good practices?

A: Yes, even with good practices, new IP addresses need warm-up. Receiving servers don't have history for new IPs, so gradual volume increases help build reputation safely.

Key Takeaways

• Set up proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) as the foundation of good deliverability
• Clean your email list regularly to remove bounces, inactive subscribers, and spam traps
• Improve content quality by avoiding spam triggers, using proper formatting, and writing relevant content
• Focus on engagement through segmentation, personalization, and clear calls-to-action
• Build sender reputation gradually by warming up new IPs and maintaining consistent sending
• Follow email best practices including permission-based lists, honoring preferences, and including unsubscribe links
• Monitor deliverability metrics regularly to identify issues early
• Some improvements are immediate (authentication, list cleaning), while others take time (reputation building)
• Regular maintenance and adjustments help maintain good deliverability over time