Taking the Complexity Out of Deliverability

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Email deliverability certainly can be an extremely complex topic. However in reality it boils down to 1 very simple question: How do you overcome the obstacles that prevent your emails from getting to a recipients inbox? In order to try to simplify it a bit, here are the three main obstacles that need to be overcome for successful email delivery:

Obstacle 1: Filtering

Email marketing has experienced a recent shift from global filtering to subscriber-level filtering in the recent years. Global filtering revolves around counting complaints and messages sent to spam traps and then affects your inbox placement rate, whereas subscriber level filtering is an extra set of metrics that determines what get delivered to user’s inboxes.

Although subscriber level filtering helps users weed out the unwanted emails from the wanted, it posses a challenge for email marketers trying to enhance their deliverability.

Since subscriber level filtering takes a more sophisticated approach based on the interactions of specific senders and individuals, it also makes it harder for email marketers to diagnose what exactly is causing their deliverability problems. It would require getting SMTP data by domain.

Tailoring your email subject lines and content so that users re-engage by hitting “not spam” is the best remedy for improving your inbox placement rates. Performing email tests and measuring results will lead you to understanding your recipient consumer interests and improving conversion rates. 

Obstacle 2: Negative Subscriber Actions

Monitor your blacklists carefully, and note the number of complaints and messages sent to spam traps. Look closely at read rates calculated from IMAP flags, because that is the same method of filtering that email providers use. This is different from open rates.

Grouping subscribers and tailoring your marketing strategy for each group accordingly, in addition to removing inactive subscribers, is a great way to minimize the risk of being blacklisted.

Additionally, providing your subscriber’s with the ability to customize their subscription to receive only certain types of emails will also greatly drive your customers and enhance your deliverability.

It’s a win-win situation when subscribers are getting the emails they care about.  It will instill a level of trust and commitment in your subscribers and also strengthen your brand’s reputation. More subscribers open their emails when it’s a sender they know and trust.

Obstacle 3: Email Laws and Standards

Understanding the laws in place that can decrease deliverability like the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 for example, and strictly adhering to those standards is absolutely vital for email deliverability success.  

Educate your employees on these laws and also on the practices that violate them such as spoofing, phishing, and other malware attacks that could potentially contain malware and hurt your brand’s reputation. While it may not be intentional, legitimate email can be confused for spam because it looks or feels like it.

And finally, make sure your privacy statement is easy to find along with the option to unsubscribe. Nothing helps your deliverability more than gaining the loyalty of subscribers and making them feel in control. A happy recipient is the best tool to ensure your emails are being delivered.

Jonathon Mahon is a content marketer, writer and designer based in Boston. He writes for various digital publications and blogs specializing in the cloud, email automation, software, and technology.​