The Ultimate Email Deliverability Guide.

Learn how you can impact your inbox placement, stop landing in spam and start getting your content in the hands of your prospects.

  • Why it Matters
  • Email Testing
  • Deliverability Stack

Boost Your Business with Stellar Email Deliverability: An Email Deliverability Guide for Cold Emailing

When it comes to generating cold business, few tools are as effective as email. For small to mid-sized B2B companies, email campaigns can open doors to new opportunities, forge relationships, and drive revenue. But here’s the catch: all those carefully crafted messages are worthless if they don’t reach the intended inbox. That’s where email deliverability comes in.

Email Deliverability Solutions

What is Email Deliverability?

Email deliverability is the ability to successfully deliver email messages to the recipient's inbox. It goes beyond just sending an email—it encompasses factors that determine whether your email will land in the inbox, skip to the spam folder, or get lost in the void. Key metrics include delivery rate, bounce rate, and inbox placement rate.

Why Email Deliverability Matters

For B2B companies, poor deliverability can mean wasted effort, missed connections, and diminished ROI on email marketing activities. Here’s why it should be a top priority:

  • Brand Reputation Continually landing in spam damages your brand’s credibility.
  • Engagement Emails that reach the inbox engage potential clients, sparking interest and interaction.
  • Efficiency More emails in the inbox translate to higher chances of conversion.

Factors Affecting Email Deliverability:

Here are the main components influencing the likelihood of your email being delivered successfully:

Sender Reputation

Your sender reputation is like a credit score for email—you need a high score to be trusted by ISPs (Internet Service Providers). Factors include complaint rates, bounce rates, and engagement levels.

Email Content

Crafting the right content is paramount. Avoid spammy language, excessive use of punctuation, and misleading subject lines. Personalization can also improve engagement and deliverability.

Email Authentication

Implement protocols like SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) to verify your emails are legitimate.

List Quality

High-quality, permission-based email lists are crucial. Regularly clean your list to remove inactive users and avoid buying lists which can lead to high bounce rates and spam complaints.

Engagement Metrics

ISPs monitor how recipients interact with their emails. Higher open rates and click-through rates indicate valuable content, aiding deliverability.

Best Practices for Improving Email Deliverability

  • Maintain a Clean List Use double opt-in for new subscribers to confirm interest and for cold leads, use strong email verification.
  • Segment Your Audience Tailor content to different segments of your audience. The better engagement, the better your deliverability.
  • Monitor Send Reputation Utilize tools like Sender Score to keep an eye on your reputation. Address any dips promptly by rectifying issues.
  • Optimize for Mobile Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly. Many readers check their emails on-the-go; poor mobile xp affect engagement.
  • Test and Analyze Regular A/B testing of subject lines, content and send times can provide insights into what works best for your audience.
  • Engage with Re-Engagement *For subscriber base* Specifically target inactive subscribers with re-engagement content to win them back.

Why Deliverability Matters Conclusion:

Email deliverability is more science than art, demanding constant vigilance and adaptability. By understanding its importance and implementing best practices, small to mid-sized B2B companies can ensure their messages make it to the inbox, paving the way for successful business generation from cold email outreach. Focus on these deliverability strategies, and watch your engagement—and your business—soar.

Incorporating Email Testing

Email Deliverability Services

Turbocharge Your Email Campaigns with Robust Testing

Testing is the unsung hero of effective email deliverability. It’s not just about sending emails and hoping for the best; it’s a science that turns effort into actionable insights. Here we dive into the three critical areas of testing: Reputation and Compliance, Delivery Performance, and Content Optimization. In this section of the Email Deliverability Guide, we'll cover all aspects of testing.

Reputation and Compliance

The backbone of successful email deliverability. Think of it as the health checkup your email campaigns can't afford to miss. Start with Blacklist Monitoring—it’s your early warning system. Routine checks with MXToolbox and EmailListVerify ensure you're not unknowingly sabotaging your efforts. Next, your Domain and IP Reputation are like your credit score for email; keep it high with insights from Sender Score and Google Postmaster Tools to unlock those inbox doors. And don’t forget Regulatory Compliance: navigating laws like CAN-SPAM, GDPR, and CASL isn't just about legality—it’s about trust. By implementing clear opt-ins, easy opt-outs, and respecting privacy, you build a solid foundation that supports your entire email strategy. In this section, we'll break down these vital components, ensuring your emails hit the mark every time.

Blacklist Monitoring

Blacklisting is one of the biggest threats to your email deliverability. Your IPs and domains can be blacklisted by ISPs if they perceive any missteps. Utilize tools like MXToolbox and EmailListVerify to routinely monitor your status. Immediate action to identify and rectify the issues causing blacklisting can save your reputation.

Domain and IP Reputation

Your domain and IP reputation are vital. Services such as Sender Score and Google Postmaster Tools can provide valuable insights. A high score usually correlates with high deliverability, so keep track and aim for steady improvements. Also, ensure you’re using dedicated IPs if your volume justifies it, reducing shared risk.

Regulatory Compliance

Stay on top of regulations such as CAN-SPAM, GDPR, and CASL. This isn’t just about avoiding fines—it’s about ensuring your emails are welcome in inboxes. Implement clear opt-in processes, provide easy opt-outs, and treat data privacy with the utmost respect. Ignoring these rules can result in penalties and irreversible damage to your sender reputation.

Delivery Performance

Your blueprint for ensuring your emails hit the inbox with precision. Start by tackling your Spam Score – tools like SpamAssassin are your pre-flight check, flagging potential issues with spammy language, poor HTML, or any other red flags. Keeping your spam score low is the first step towards better deliverability. Next, Inbox Placement Testing is your radar, revealing where your emails actually land: inbox, spam, or promotions. Services like Litmus and GlockApps provide the crucial insights needed to fine-tune your approach. If your emails are consistently dodging the inbox, it’s a signal to revisit your content, reputation, or compliance strategies. Finally, your Send Infrastructure Evaluation is the engine driving your email performance. Regularly assess your ESP, server settings, and DKIM/SPF configurations to ensure everything is calibrated for success. This section will guide you through optimizing these elements to maximize your email delivery rates.

Spam Score

Tools like SpamAssassin can help predict how spam filters will treat your emails. Run every campaign through such tools to identify and correct issues like spammy wording, poor HTML coding, and other red flags. Aim for a minimal spam score to increase your chances of inbox placement.

Inbox Placement Testing

Inbox placement tools like Litmus and GlockApps let you see where your emails are landing—inbox, spam, or promotions tab. Use these insights to tweak your strategy. For example, if a high percentage ends up in spam, it could indicate issues with your content, reputation, or compliance practices.

Send Infrastructure Evaluation

Inbox placement tools like Litmus and GlockApps let you see where your emails are landing—inbox, spam, or promotions tab. Use these insights to tweak your strategy. For example, if a high percentage ends up in spam, it could indicate issues with your content, reputation, or compliance practices.

Content Optimization

The magic ingredient that turns good emails into great ones. Start with Content Design & Analysis—craft emails that not only look stunning but also function flawlessly on any device. Tools like Hemingway and Grammarly will ensure your content is crystal clear and error-free. Study what grabs attention and gets clicks. Breakdown your most effective emails to uncover their secret sauce and replicate that success.

Then, dive into Content Testing. A/B testing is your playground—experiment with subject lines, copy, images, and call-to-action buttons. Use platforms like Mailchimp to streamline these tests. By analyzing the results, you'll pinpoint exactly what resonates with your audience, allowing you to fine-tune your approach for maximum impact. This section will show you how to master content optimization to keep your audience hooked and your engagement soaring.

Content Design & Analysis

Create visually appealing, mobile-responsive emails. Use tools like Hemingway and Grammarly to ensure your content is clear and error-free. Analyze which designs and messages capture attention and drive engagement. Dissect successful emails to replicate their winning features.

Content Testing

Conduct A/B testing to compare different versions of your emails. Test subject lines, email copy, images, call-to-action buttons, and more. Tools like Mailchimp’s A/B testing feature can make this process seamless. Analyze the results to discover what resonates best with your audience.

Testing Conclusion

Robust testing is not optional; it’s essential. From ensuring your reputation stays intact to fine-tuning your content for engagement, rigorous testing can dramatically boost your email deliverability. Dive into these testing strategies to make sure every email not only reaches the inbox but also drives the impact you’re aiming for. Your ROI—and your bottom line—will thank you.

Building a Deliverability Stack

Master Your Email Campaigns with a Robust Deliverability Stack

Email deliverability is the cornerstone of any successful outbound email campaign, whether cold drips or marketing subscriber lists. Equip yourself with a well-rounded deliverability stack to ensure that your emails consistently land in your recipients' inboxes. Here's everything you need to include: from authentication protocols to engagement tactics and warmup strategies.

Authentication Protocols

In this section, we'll dive into the essential authentication and security protocols that safeguard your emails and enhance deliverability. Configuring DNS records like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial to prevent spoofing, ensure your emails remain unaltered, and provide control and visibility over your email domain's usage. Additionally, implementing MTA-STS ensures secure email transmission by enforcing TLS encryption, which boosts your domain's trustworthiness. Using BIMI to display your brand’s logo in recipients' inboxes not only reinforces your brand’s identity but also improves engagement and trust. By mastering these protocols, you'll protect your emails from being flagged as spam or phishing, thereby maintaining your domain’s reputation and ensuring your messages reach their intended audience.

DNS Records

Sender Policy Framework (SPF), DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) are key DNS records you must configure.
  • Sender Policy Framework (SPF) SPF allows you to specify which mail servers are permitted to send email on behalf of your domain. It helps to prevent spoofing.
  • DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) DKIM adds an encrypted signature to your emails. Recipients’ servers use this signature to verify that the email has not been altered.
  • Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) DMARC works alongside SPF and DKIM to give you more control and visibility, providing reports on how your email domain is being used.

Mail Transfer Agent Strict Transport Security (MTA-STS)

Ensures secure email transmission by enforcing TLS encryption, enhancing delivery security, and boosting domain trustworthiness through DNS settings and policy file configuration.
  • What it is MTA-STS is a protocol that ensures emails are transferred using a secure connection.
  • What it does When an email is sent, MTA-STS forces the mail server to connect using TLS, ensuring secure transmission.
  • Implementing Configuring MTA-STS involves publishing a TXT record in your DNS settings and providing a policy file through HTTPS.
  • Deliverability impact MTA-STS can improve the reputation and trustworthiness of your domain, enhancing deliverability.

BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)

BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is a standard that displays your brand logo next to authenticated email messages in recipients' inboxes, enhancing brand recognition and trust
  • What it is BIMI lets you display your brand’s logo alongside your emails in the inbox.
  • What it does A validated trademarked logo is attached to your authenticated emails.
  • Implementing You need a validated logo in SVG format, stored at a specific web location and referenced in your DNS records.
  • Deliverability impact By visually reinforcing your brand, BIMI can enhance recipient trust and engagement, indirectly boosting deliverability.

Email Content & Engagement

This section explores strategies to enhance email deliverability through quality content and list management. Craft engaging email copy with honest subject lines, clear messages, and by avoiding spam triggers like excessive special characters and images without ALT text. Maintain high deliverability by cleaning your lists regularly to remove invalid addresses and using a double opt-in process to confirm recipient interest. Track key engagement metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates to gain insights into email performance. Use feedback loops from ISPs to manage spam complaints and adjust your lists by removing complainers to protect your sender reputation. We'll guide you on creating engaging content, managing lists, and leveraging metrics and feedback for optimal email deliverability.

Email Content

The quality of your email content can significantly impact your deliverability.
  • Craft compelling copy Ensure that your subject lines aren’t misleading and that your email bodies are clear, concise, and valuable to your recipients.
  • Avoid spam triggers Steer clear of spammy language and excessive use of special characters and images without ALT text.

List Management

Properly managing your recipient lists is essential for maintaining high deliverability metrics.
  • Clean your list regularly Remove invalid and inactive email addresses to reduce bounce rates.
  • (For Marketing) Double Opt-in A double opt-in process ensures recipients want to hear from you, increasing engagement and reducing spam complaints.
  • (For Cold Outbound) Email Verification Use a high degree of email verification when sourcing contacts - within contact tools, one-off tests and automated.

Engagement Metrics

Keeping an eye on engagement metrics helps you understand how your audience interacts with your emails.
  • Open Rates Measures the percentage of recipients who open your emails.
  • Click-Through Rates Tracks how often recipients click on links within your emails.
  • Bounce Rates & Spam Blocks The percentage of your emails that cannot be delivered and differentiates the reason.

Feedback Loops

Feedback loops help you understand and act on spam complaints. Actions can be automated through advanced configuration.
  • Sign up for FBLs (Feedback Loops) Many ISPs offer Feedback Loops (FBLs) which notify you when recipients mark your email as spam.
  • Adjust accordingly Use this information to remove complainers from your list to prevent further deterioration of your sender reputation.

IP and Email Warmup

Mastering IP and email warmup is crucial for ensuring your emails avoid spam folders. The right strategy, whether automated or manual, can significantly impact deliverability. Automated tools gradually increase email volume to simulate positive behavior, while manual warmup involves using seeded accounts for engagement but can be resource-intensive. It's important to distinguish between email warmup, focusing on sender reputation for a new address, and IP warmup, which builds a good reputation for a new sending IP. The process should be gradual, starting with small volumes and encouraging engagement to build positive metrics. Regular monitoring with tools like Google Postmaster, along with ISP feedback and monthly audits, ensures compliance and optimal performance. This guide will equip you with the necessary strategies and tools for effective email and IP warmup, enhancing your overall email deliverability.

Types of Warmup

The right warmup strategy for your IP and email can make or break your deliverability efforts.
  • Automated Warmup There are tools available that automate the process by gradually increasing the volume of email sent from a new IP or domain, ensuring engagement to simulate positive email behavior.
  • Manual Warmup This involves using groups of seeded email accounts and manually sending warmup emails to them. There are providers that license seed emails at different volumes.
  • Automated/Manual: Pros and Cons With an automated warmup tool, it's easier to control ramp up and consistent behavior, you also may have access to features that display human behavior like opens and starring. With manual, you have more control and potentially better seeds.
  • IP vs Email Warmup Email warmup focuses on establishing sender reputation for a new email address, while IP warmup establishes a good reputation for a new sending IP address. These can be warmed up exclusively or together.

Ramp up Gradually

Start by sending small volumes of email and incrementally increase the volume over time.
  • Human-like behavior Ensure your send timing mimics natural human interaction patterns, which can include varied sending times and balanced campaign frequency.
  • Engaged recipients Encourage opens, clicks, and replies during the warmup phase to build positive engagement metrics. This may not be possible depending on the warmup method chosen.

Monitoring

Regular monitoring is essential to gauge the effectiveness of your warmup.
  • Automated Warmup Use tools like Google Postmaster, Glockapps or other tools to track sender score, bounce rates, and spam complaints. Depending on the warmup method, you may have access to metrics within the warmup tool provider.
  • ISP Feedback Some ISPs provide direct feedback that can be crucial for making necessary adjustments. This feedback may additionally be configurable into FBLs depending on the ISP.
  • Regular Auditing In addition to ongoing monitoring, conduct deeper monthly audits to compare testing and warmup configuration to understand effectiveness. Warmup periods should be at least 30-days for a new IP (unless shared, we'll discuss that more later).

Utilizing Transaction Email Service Providers (TESP)

In this section we're going to talk about using Transactional Email Service Providers like Mailgun, Sendgrid and Amazon SES to boost deliverability, but first, let's give a description of TESPs, how they differentiate from the ESPs you're familiar with and why they're relevant to you in terms of filling the top of the funnel:

Understanding Email Service Providers (ESPs) in B2B Context

In the realm of B2B marketing, ensuring high email deliverability is crucial for generating leads and engaging with prospects effectively through drip campaigns and outbound marketing. To achieve this, it's important to understand the different types of Email Service Providers (ESPs) and how they serve specific business needs.

TESPs, BESPs, CESPs

Transactional Email Service Providers (TESPs) are specialized in sending automated, event-triggered emails such as order confirmations, password resets, and account notifications. These emails are crucial for maintaining real-time communication with your customers and ensuring a seamless user experience. For instance, a prompt confirmation email after a user signs up for a webinar can significantly improve their engagement and trust in your service.

On the other hand, Business Email Service Providers (BESPs) such as Google Workspace (Gmail for Business) and Microsoft Outlook focus on offering comprehensive solutions for everyday business communication and collaboration. These services provide custom email domains, shared calendars, and integrated office applications, making them ideal for internal team collaboration and general business correspondence.

Meanwhile, Consumer Email Service Providers (CESPs) like Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, and Outlook.com cater primarily to personal and social correspondence, managing emails like social media notifications and newsletters.

Why this Distinction Matters

When it comes to email deliverability, especially in B2B marketing, leveraging the right ESP can make a substantial difference. Here's a breakdown of why:

TESPs for Campaign-Specific Deliverability:

  • For drip campaigns and outbound marketing, TESPs like Mailgun, SendGrid, and Amazon SES are designed to handle bulk sending with high deliverability rates. They offer sophisticated analytics and testing tools to optimize your email campaigns and ensure that your marketing emails land in your prospects' inboxes rather than their spam folders.

BESPs for Consistent Communication:

    • BESPs ensure your business communications are reliable and professional. When corresponding with leads and clients through offers or follow-up emails, using a recognized business domain (e.g., yourcompany.com) provided by BESPs can improve credibility and trust.

 

Here's a table for clearer differentiation:

  • Type of ESP

  • Purpose

  • Examples

  • B2B Relevance

  • Transactional Email Service Providers (TESPs)

  • Transactional emails, event-triggered emails, ensuring deliverability on high volume

  • Mailgun, SendGrid, Amazon SES, Postmark, Sparkpost

  • Boosts deliverability of outbound emails and protects company domain.

  • Business Email Service Providers (BESPs)

  • Comprehensive business communication and collaboration solutions

  • Google Workspace (Gmail), Microsoft Outlook

  • Ensures reliable, professional communication with leads and clients.

  • Consumer Email Service Providers (CESPs)

  • Personal and social correspondence, newsletters

  • Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, Outlook.com

  • Less relevant for professional B2B communications but still significant for reaching wider audiences.

    • For outbound purposes, TESPs provide another layer for emailing, sending emails through another IP address using SMTP-Relay or API (we'll explain shortly). This means, you can protect your company IP address while also improving deliverability for outbound emailing, especially in cases of high volume.

    Now, let's jump back in to discussing how to leverage TESPs for Deliverability.

    Simple Tranfer Mail Protocol (SMTP) Relays

    Foreword:

    There are two ways you can send emails through TESPs: 1. SMTP Relay and 2. API. Today, we're going to focus on SMTP Relay only because for many reasons, it makes more sense in the case of outbound emailing for sales and marketing. We will be mentioning 'API' again, however this will have to do with other configurations, which we will explain.

    Now, what's an SMTP Relay?

    SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) Relay is a service that routes emails through a trusted third-party server to ensure they are delivered to the intended recipients. SMTP relays are crucial in email marketing campaigns as they help manage and streamline the process of sending bulk emails.

    Key Providers

    Mailgun

    Mailgun offers reliable SMTP relay services with features for tracking, inbound routing, and email validation to enhance deliverability. Additionally, it is known for a robust API and developer tools for downstream configurations.

    SendGrid

    Sendgrid provides a comprehensive SMTP relay service with robust metrics, deliverability optimization, and an intuitive user interface. They also have an API feature set, but we'd find the strength over Mailgun in Sendgrid's marketing features.

    Amazon SES

    Amazon SES offers a cost-effective SMTP relay service designed for high deliverability with flexible integration options. It includes many of the same features and while perhaps not as user-friendly, may provide the best value in terms of price point.

    SMTP Relay: Benefits to Deliverability

    • Boosts inbox placement By using established IP addresses, SMTP relays help in avoiding spam filters and blacklists.
    • Reputation Management They keep the sender's domain reputation intact by ensuring that emails are compliant with best practices.
    • Scalability SMTP relays can handle high volumes of email traffic without compromising on delivery speed or reliability.

    Shared and Dedicated IPs

    In the realm of Transactional Email Service Providers (TESPs), shared and dedicated IPs are two options for sending outbound sales and marketing emails. Shared IPs are cost-effective and easier to set up, making them accessible for smaller businesses. However, their reputation is influenced by multiple users, which can affect email deliverability and lead to issues such as throttling due to limited control over sending behaviors. Dedicated IPs, on the other hand, provide a unique reputation based solely on your email practices, leading to better deliverability and suitability for high-volume sending. They offer greater control over email behaviors but come with higher costs and require a warm-up period to build a positive sending reputation. Both Mailgun and Sendgrid, along with other ESPs, offer advanced API configurations to manage these aspects effectively.

    Here's a table breaking down pros and cons of using a Shared IP vs a Dedicated IP with a TESP.

  • Type of IP

  • Pros

  • Cons

  • Shared IP

  • Cost-effective: Shared IPs are generally cheaper as the costs are distributed among multiple users.
    Easy Setup: Less technical setup is required, making it accessible for smaller businesses.

  • Variable Reputation:g The reputation of a shared IP can be influenced by other users, which may impact your email deliverability.
    Limited Control: There is less control over the sending volume and email behaviors which may lead to throttling.

  • Dedicated IP

  • Unique Reputation: Your sending reputation is solely based on your practices, providing better deliverability.
    High Volume: Suitable for large-scale sending as there are no limitations imposed by other users.

  • Higher Cost: Dedicated IPs are more expensive due to exclusive use.
    Warm-Up Period: New dedicated IPs require a warm-up period to build a positive reputation.

    • API Optimization

    Some Transactional Email Service Providers (TESPs) offer APIs that significantly enhance email deliverability beyond sending. These APIs may include features like automated email verification to reduce bounce rates and improve mailing list quality, and IP rotation to prevent throttling and protect sender reputation. Additionally, they might manage bounces and complaints to maintain list cleanliness and avoid blacklisting. Beyond deliverability, these APIs often support advanced analytics, tracking, and customizable workflows, helping businesses monitor performance and refine email strategies. Overall, such API features offer versatile tools to streamline email operations and enhance deliverability.

    Email Verifcation

    Reduces Bounce Rates: Verifies email addresses before sending, ensuring higher deliverability.
    • Protects reputation Significant and repeated bounces can hurt your sender reputation.
    • What TESPs do APIs can be used to automate the verification process, ensuring only valid emails are added to the mailing list.

    IP Rotation

    Prevents Throttling: Rotating IP addresses reduces the chance of being throttled by mail servers and also balances volume.
    • Maintains reputation Distributes the sending volume across multiple IPs, protecting the reputation of each.
    • What TESPs do API configurations allow for automatic IP rotation, enhancing deliverability and maintaining a positive sender reputation.

    Handling Bounces & Complaints

    Improves List Quality: Automatically removing bounced email addresses keeps the mailing list clean.
    • Protects reputation Managing complaints helps in maintaining a good sender reputation and avoiding blacklists.
    • What TESPs do APIs are configured to handle bounces and complaints by removing invalid addresses and managing feedback loops.

    The End

    Mastering email deliverability requires a multi-faceted approach integrating secure authentication, compelling content, strategic engagement, and diligent warmup processes. By investing in and refining your deliverability stack, you ensure that your emails not only reach the inbox but also drive the desired outcomes, making your email campaigns more effective and profitable. Your holistic approach to deliverability will pave the way for sustained success in your outbound emailing efforts.

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