9 ways to improve email deliverability

Email deliverability is crucial for any business or individual relying on email for communication, marketing, or sales. However, ensuring that your emails reach the intended recipient’s inbox can be challenging. In this guide, we’ll explore nine actionable ways to improve email deliverability, helping you maintain a good sender reputation and increase the chances of your messages being read.

1. Authenticate your emails

Email authentication is a vital step to improve deliverability. By setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for your domain, you’re allowing email providers to verify your identity, reducing the likelihood of your messages being flagged as spam or phishing attempts.

2. Keep a clean email list

Regularly updating and cleaning your email list can significantly improve your deliverability rates. Remove hard bounces, which are undeliverable addresses, and be mindful of soft bounces. It’s also essential to give recipients the option to unsubscribe easily and honour those requests promptly.

3. Use a reputable email service provider (ESP)

Using a reputable email service provider, like EmailOctopus, ensures that your emails are sent through reliable servers with a good sender reputation. ESPs also provide features like email templates, analytics, and reporting, helping you optimise your email campaigns and improve deliverability.

4. Craft compelling subject lines

A captivating and relevant subject line increases the chances of your email being opened. Be concise, avoid using all caps, and steer clear of spam trigger words. Personalising the subject line can also improve open rates and deliverability.

5. Optimise your email content

To improve deliverability, ensure that your email content is relevant, well-structured, and easy to read. Avoid using excessive links, images, or attachments, as they may trigger spam filters. Using a plain text version alongside an HTML version can also improve the chances of your email reaching the recipient’s inbox.

6. Monitor & optimise your sending frequency

Sending too many emails can harm your sender reputation and result in recipients marking your messages as spam. Analyse your open and click-through rates to find the optimal sending frequency, ensuring that you’re not overwhelming your audience.

7. Segment your email lists

Segmenting your email list allows you to send targeted content that is relevant to each subscriber. This approach helps improve engagement, which in turn increases deliverability rates. You can segment your list based on factors such as location, interests, or purchase history.

8. Test and monitor your email campaigns

Regularly testing your email campaigns using A/B testing can help you optimise your subject lines, content, and sending times for better results. Monitoring your campaign performance can also provide insights into potential deliverability issues, allowing you to address them proactively.

9. Maintain a good sender reputation

A good sender reputation is crucial for email deliverability. Keep your complaint rates low, avoid spam traps, and use a dedicated IP address if you send a high volume of emails. Monitoring your sender score, a metric provided by some ESPs, can help you gauge your reputation and make necessary improvements.

Final notes

Improving email deliverability is an ongoing process that requires attention to detail and continuous optimisation. By implementing the strategies outlined in this post, you’ll be well on your way to ensuring that your emails reach the right inboxes and engage your audience effectively. Happy emailing!