Email Deliverability: Getting Your Messages Into Inboxes

The Hidden Challenge of Email Marketing

You can craft the perfect email marketing campaign, but if it lands in spam folders, it's worthless. Deliverability is the foundation of email success.

What Is Email Deliverability?

Deliverability measures whether your emails reach recipients' inboxes versus spam folders or being blocked entirely.

Key Metrics

Delivery rate – Emails accepted by receiving servers
Inbox placement rate – Emails reaching inbox (not spam)
Bounce rate – Emails rejected
Spam complaint rate – Recipients marking as spam

Factors Affecting Deliverability

Sender Reputation

Email providers track your sending history:

IP address reputation
Domain reputation
Historical engagement rates
Complaint history
Bounce rates

Authentication

Technical standards that verify legitimacy:

SPF – Sender Policy Framework
DKIM – DomainKeys Identified Mail
DMARC – Domain-based Message Authentication

Content Quality

What triggers spam filters:

Excessive capitalisation
Spam trigger words
Too many images vs text
Broken HTML
Misleading subject lines

List Quality Matters

Clean Lists Improve Deliverability

Remove invalid addresses
Handle bounces promptly
Process unsubscribes immediately
Remove inactive subscribers

Quality business data starts with verified, accurate contacts.

List Hygiene Best Practices

Regular validation checks
Re-engagement campaigns for inactive contacts
Sunset policies for non-responders
Double opt-in where appropriate

Sending Best Practices

Warm Up New IPs/Domains

Gradually increase sending volume:

Start with engaged subscribers
Slowly increase daily volume
Monitor metrics closely
Build positive reputation

Consistent Sending Patterns

Regular sending schedule
Avoid sudden volume spikes
Maintain consistent from address

Engagement Focus

Send to people who want your emails:

Segment by engagement
Personalise content
Provide value in every email
Easy unsubscribe process

Technical Setup

Essential Configuration

Proper SPF records
DKIM signing enabled
DMARC policy set
Valid reverse DNS
Dedicated sending IP (for high volume)

Monitoring Tools

Google Postmaster Tools
Microsoft SNDS
Deliverability testing services
Blacklist monitoring

B2B Specific Considerations

Corporate Email Filters

Business email servers often have stricter filtering:

More aggressive spam detection
Content scanning
Attachment restrictions
Link checking

Building Trust

Professional sender name
Clear company identification
Relevant, valuable content
Consistent branding

Recovering from Deliverability Issues

Diagnosis

Check blacklist status
Review bounce codes
Analyse engagement trends
Audit authentication setup

Recovery Steps

Clean your list thoroughly
Reduce sending volume
Focus on engaged subscribers
Gradually rebuild reputation

Professional Email Services

XL Marketing's email broadcasting services include deliverability management. Combined with telemarketing and lead generation, we ensure your messages reach their targets.