Email Deliverability Checklist
If you're trying to make it with email deliverability, it's super important that your emails actually make it to your recipient's inbox. But let's be real, building up a good sender's reputation can be a pain in the neck and take a lot more time than you'd expect.
Luckily, there are some warm-up tools out there that can help you speed up the process and get your inbox game strong.
If you want to make sure your emails are getting delivered, we've got you covered. In the following article, we'll walk you through each step of the email deliverability checklist so you can get your messages into the right hands without any hassle.
Luckily, there are some warm-up tools out there that can help you speed up the process and get your inbox game strong.
If you want to make sure your emails are getting delivered, we've got you covered. In the following article, we'll walk you through each step of the email deliverability checklist so you can get your messages into the right hands without any hassle.
Step 1: Set Up Proper Authentication
SPF
A first step in the right direction to optimize cold email deliverability is to ensure that SPF authentication methods are used. Sender Policy Framework (SPF) allows domain owners to specify a list of IP addresses and domains permitted to send emails on behalf of that domain.
Correct SPF configuration allows email recipients to trust that illegitimate messages will be sent to quarantine or reject status, thus allowing legitimate messages to be delivered as intended.
Correct SPF configuration allows email recipients to trust that illegitimate messages will be sent to quarantine or reject status, thus allowing legitimate messages to be delivered as intended.
DKIM
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) works with SPF to confirm that the sender is responsible for the content by including a signature in every outgoing email.
Prospects and subscribers are more trusting when they see your business digitally signs its emails, enhancing your company's reputation.
The more your emails are checked and successfully verified, the higher your cold emails will be rated.
Prospects and subscribers are more trusting when they see your business digitally signs its emails, enhancing your company's reputation.
The more your emails are checked and successfully verified, the higher your cold emails will be rated.
DMARC
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) provides information about the message to recipients so that senders can understand what recipients see.
It allows you to view and decode the data sent from recipients to see what customers see when your company's emails are delivered to their inboxes.
The use of DMARC is a crucial part of improving sender reputation implementation. You can deter email abuse like spam, phishing, and spoofing the best if you use all three approaches: DMARC, SPF, and DKMI.
It allows you to view and decode the data sent from recipients to see what customers see when your company's emails are delivered to their inboxes.
The use of DMARC is a crucial part of improving sender reputation implementation. You can deter email abuse like spam, phishing, and spoofing the best if you use all three approaches: DMARC, SPF, and DKMI.
Step 2: Build Up Sender Reputation
It's important to establish a good sender reputation before adopting a new domain or IP address, and email warm-up is the commonly used procedure to achieve this.
To begin, send emails to "warm" contacts like friends, family, and co-workers, and check if they read, respond, or mark them as important if they land in the spam folder.
Typically, this process takes two to three weeks, but you can speed it up considerably with the right email warm-up tool. Using a warm-up tool can also improve the effectiveness of your email campaigns and help you avoid getting flagged as spam.
Email warm-up tools can automate this process, send emails to gradually larger groups of recipients, and monitor the progress.
Once you've finished the fundamental warm-up with an email warm-up tool, you should proceed cautiously when sending cold emails, email marketing, and newsletters.
To begin, send emails to "warm" contacts like friends, family, and co-workers, and check if they read, respond, or mark them as important if they land in the spam folder.
Typically, this process takes two to three weeks, but you can speed it up considerably with the right email warm-up tool. Using a warm-up tool can also improve the effectiveness of your email campaigns and help you avoid getting flagged as spam.
Email warm-up tools can automate this process, send emails to gradually larger groups of recipients, and monitor the progress.
Once you've finished the fundamental warm-up with an email warm-up tool, you should proceed cautiously when sending cold emails, email marketing, and newsletters.
Step 3: Start Small & Expand Gradually
If your domain is brand new, you can't immediately send hundreds of emails daily. The quickest road to the spam folder is through this.
The best way to improve your cold email deliverability is to send emails to a small group of people at a time.
The idea and goal behind email warmup are fairly straightforward.
During your first week, you send a small number of emails per day, and over the course of a month, you progressively increase that quantity.
If the bounce rate stays under 5% and your reply rate is above 7%, you're on the safe side, and going higher with the number of sent emails should be no problem for you.
Check out our blog about how many cold emails to send per day for in-depth information.
The best way to improve your cold email deliverability is to send emails to a small group of people at a time.
The idea and goal behind email warmup are fairly straightforward.
During your first week, you send a small number of emails per day, and over the course of a month, you progressively increase that quantity.
- Week 1: 10-15 daily emails
- Week 2: 20-25 daily emails
- Week 3: 25-35 daily emails
- Week 4: 35-50 daily email
If the bounce rate stays under 5% and your reply rate is above 7%, you're on the safe side, and going higher with the number of sent emails should be no problem for you.
Check out our blog about how many cold emails to send per day for in-depth information.
Step 4: High Engagement = Strong Deliverability
When it comes to email outreach, whether it's cold emailing, email marketing, or sending out a newsletter, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is trying to sell to your recipients right away.
Instead, focus on building a relationship with your reader by starting a conversation and providing value. You can do this by sharing relevant and useful information or insights, addressing pain points or challenges your reader might be facing, or offering helpful resources or tools.
It's also important to personalize your emails by researching your recipients and tailoring your messaging to their specific interests, needs, or preferences. This can help increase engagement and response rates, and improve your sender reputation over time.
By taking a more thoughtful and strategic approach to email outreach, you can not only avoid coming across as spammy or salesy, but also build trust and credibility with your audience, and ultimately drive better results for your business.
Instead, focus on building a relationship with your reader by starting a conversation and providing value. You can do this by sharing relevant and useful information or insights, addressing pain points or challenges your reader might be facing, or offering helpful resources or tools.
It's also important to personalize your emails by researching your recipients and tailoring your messaging to their specific interests, needs, or preferences. This can help increase engagement and response rates, and improve your sender reputation over time.
By taking a more thoughtful and strategic approach to email outreach, you can not only avoid coming across as spammy or salesy, but also build trust and credibility with your audience, and ultimately drive better results for your business.
Step 5: Offer an Unsubscribe Button
It's a common misconception that unsubscribes are bad for your email outreach.
However, there is no evidence to suggest that unsubscribe rates have a negative impact on deliverability. In fact, increasing subscriber engagement and periodically purging your email list can be beneficial.
It's better for someone to unsubscribe from your list than to mark your email as spam, which can significantly harm your deliverability.
To maintain high open and reply rates, it's important to send targeted email campaigns to prospects who match your customer profile. And to comply with anti-spam regulations, be sure to include an unsubscribe link at the bottom of your emails.
However, there is no evidence to suggest that unsubscribe rates have a negative impact on deliverability. In fact, increasing subscriber engagement and periodically purging your email list can be beneficial.
It's better for someone to unsubscribe from your list than to mark your email as spam, which can significantly harm your deliverability.
To maintain high open and reply rates, it's important to send targeted email campaigns to prospects who match your customer profile. And to comply with anti-spam regulations, be sure to include an unsubscribe link at the bottom of your emails.
Step 6: Avoid Using Spam Trigger Words
Spam trigger words are phrases that email providers flag as fraudulent and malicious, and they can be found not only in the subject line but also in the body of your email.
These words and phrases typically overpromise a positive outcome with the goal of getting sensitive information from the recipient. Examples include "limited time only," "last chance," "don't miss out," and "free gift."
While these phrases may seem harmless, the truth is that they can hurt your email's delivery rates and even cause it to be marked as spam. To avoid this, it's important to steer clear of these trigger words not only in your subject line but also in the body of your email copy.
Instead, focus on creating personalized and engaging content that resonates with your audience. This will not only help you avoid spam filters but also improve your open and click-through rates, ultimately leading to a more successful email campaign.
These words and phrases typically overpromise a positive outcome with the goal of getting sensitive information from the recipient. Examples include "limited time only," "last chance," "don't miss out," and "free gift."
While these phrases may seem harmless, the truth is that they can hurt your email's delivery rates and even cause it to be marked as spam. To avoid this, it's important to steer clear of these trigger words not only in your subject line but also in the body of your email copy.
Instead, focus on creating personalized and engaging content that resonates with your audience. This will not only help you avoid spam filters but also improve your open and click-through rates, ultimately leading to a more successful email campaign.
Step 7: Use an Email Warm Up Tool for Better Deliverability
Sending emails is simple, whether they are cold emails, email marketing, or newsletters.
However, ensuring that your emails reach your recipients' inboxes can be challenging. This is where a deliverability solution, such as an email warm-up tool like Unfiltered, can be a priceless aid in achieving better outcomes and peace of mind.
With Unfiltered, you can improve your sender reputation and automate the email warm-up process, making it faster and more effective.
By using Unfiltered, you can be confident that your emails will make it to your recipients' inboxes and not end up in spam folders or be blocked by email providers.
However, ensuring that your emails reach your recipients' inboxes can be challenging. This is where a deliverability solution, such as an email warm-up tool like Unfiltered, can be a priceless aid in achieving better outcomes and peace of mind.
With Unfiltered, you can improve your sender reputation and automate the email warm-up process, making it faster and more effective.
By using Unfiltered, you can be confident that your emails will make it to your recipients' inboxes and not end up in spam folders or be blocked by email providers.
Conclusion
Reaching out to potential customers through email, whether a cold email, email marketing, or newsletters, can be a rough duty. After all, you're trying to capture their attention and convince them to engage with your content.
Improving your email deliverability is critical in ensuring your emails reach your intended audience.
This process takes time, but a tool like Unfiltered can help prepare all your email domains for outreach, whether for cold emailing, email marketing, or newsletters.
Improving your email deliverability is critical in ensuring your emails reach your intended audience.
This process takes time, but a tool like Unfiltered can help prepare all your email domains for outreach, whether for cold emailing, email marketing, or newsletters.
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