Get your emails into inboxes, not spam folders.
You’ve crafted the perfect email. The subject line pops, the content is engaging, and your CTA is designed to drive clicks.
But then… crickets.
Open rates tank. Click-through rates flatline. And you start wondering if your list suddenly lost interest.
Here’s the hard truth: It’s not your content—it’s your email deliverability.
If your emails aren’t landing in inboxes, nothing else matters.
Email deliverability determines whether your emails actually reach recipients—or get trapped in spam folders, buried in promotions tabs, or blocked altogether. And when deliverability tanks, it’s not just one campaign that suffers—it’s your entire email strategy.
But here’s the good news: you can control deliverability.
When you understand how email providers assess and filter emails—and follow best practices—you can maximize inbox placement, protect your sender reputation, and keep your list engaged.
Let’s break down exactly how to ensure full email deliverability and get your emails where they belong. Enhance your email marketing with a creative touch. Use an image generator to craft custom visuals that can boost engagement in your email campaigns.
Why email deliverability matters (more than you think)
Deliverability isn’t just about avoiding spam filters. It’s about trust.
Inbox providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo analyze every email you send to decide:
- Is this sender trustworthy?
- Does this content provide value?
- Should this go to the inbox, promotions tab, or spam?
If your emails consistently land in spam, it damages your sender reputation—and even subscribers who want to hear from you may never see your emails again.
Here’s what’s at stake:
✅ Higher open and click-through rates
✅ Better customer relationships and engagement
✅ Stronger ROI on your email marketing efforts
When you prioritize deliverability, you protect your ability to communicate, nurture, and convert leads. Ignore it, and you’re left shouting into the void.
The three pillars of email deliverability
Email deliverability boils down to three critical factors:
1. Sender reputation
Your reputation as a sender is like a credit score for email. A strong reputation signals to inbox providers that your emails are legitimate, safe, and wanted.
✅ Low spam complaints
✅ Consistently high engagement
✅ Low bounce rates
When your reputation is solid, inbox providers are more likely to trust and deliver your emails.
2. Authentication protocols
Email providers use authentication protocols to verify that emails are coming from who they claim to be. Without these protocols in place, your emails are more likely to be flagged as spam or rejected entirely.
The three must-haves:
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Verifies that your sending server is authorized to send on behalf of your domain.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Adds a digital signature that proves the email hasn’t been altered during transit.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance): Tells email providers how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks.
Without these protocols, you’re flying blind—and risking your reputation.
3. List quality and engagement
A clean, engaged list keeps your emails relevant and welcome in subscriber inboxes.
✅ Low bounce rates
✅ High open and click-through rates
✅ Minimal spam complaints
But a list full of inactive, unresponsive, or fake addresses drags down deliverability—fast.
When you maintain list hygiene and focus on engagement over volume, inbox providers reward you with better placement.
Step 1: Authenticate your domain (no exceptions)
If you do nothing else, authenticate your domain.
Email authentication protocols prove to inbox providers that your emails are legitimate—and drastically reduce the risk of landing in spam.
Here’s how to set it up:
✅ SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
SPF verifies that your sending server is authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain.
How to set it up:
- Access your domain’s DNS settings.
- Add a TXT record with your SPF information.
- Specify which IP addresses or servers are authorized to send email on your behalf.
Example SPF record:
makefile
CopyEdit
v=spf1 include:mailgun.org include:smtp.yourdomain.com -all
✅ DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
DKIM adds a digital signature to your email headers that proves the email hasn’t been tampered with in transit.
How to set it up:
- Generate DKIM keys using your email provider.
- Add a TXT record with the public key to your domain’s DNS settings.
- Enable DKIM signing through your email platform.
When properly configured, DKIM prevents spoofing and phishing attacks that can hurt your reputation.
✅ DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance)
DMARC gives instructions to inbox providers on how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks.
How to set it up:
- Create a DMARC policy that specifies how to handle failed emails.
- Add a TXT record to your domain’s DNS.
Example DMARC record:
ini
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v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:reports@yourdomain.com
A “reject” policy protects your domain from spoofing—but be cautious. Start with a “none” policy while you monitor reports and gradually move to a stricter policy.
Step 2: Clean your list and maintain hygiene
A bloated, disengaged email list is deliverability poison.
Email providers track how recipients engage with your messages. When they see low opens, high bounces, and spam complaints, they start filtering your emails out.
Here’s how to keep your list clean and your reputation intact:
✅ Remove inactive subscribers
Subscribers who haven’t engaged in 6–12 months are dragging down your performance.
Run a re-engagement campaign to win them back—then remove the ones who stay silent.
✅ Purge invalid and bounced addresses
Hard bounces (invalid addresses) and soft bounces (temporary issues) should be cleaned regularly.
Using email lookup tools can help you quickly identify and remove invalid or fake addresses from your list, ensuring you keep it clean and boost deliverability.
If an address bounces multiple times, remove it immediately.
✅ Avoid purchased or rented lists
Buying email lists may seem like a shortcut, but it’s a one-way ticket to the spam folder.
Purchased lists often contain:
- Invalid addresses that bounce immediately
- Spam traps that damage your reputation
- Uninterested recipients who report your emails
Stick to organic, permission-based list growth—it’s the only way to build trust and maintain deliverability.
Step 3: Send relevant, high-quality content
Relevance is king in email marketing.
When subscribers open, read, and engage with your emails, inbox providers see your content as valuable and wanted.
Here’s how to boost engagement and protect your reputation:
✅ Segment your list based on behavior
Send personalized content based on:
- Purchase history
- Website activity
- Email engagement
The more relevant the content, the higher the engagement—and the better your deliverability.
✅ Avoid spammy subject lines and content
Spam filters look for:
- Excessive capitalization
- Overuse of exclamation points!!!!
- Words like “free,” “guaranteed,” or “urgent”
Test your emails using a spam checker before hitting send to avoid common triggers.
✅ Use a recognizable sender name and email address
People are more likely to open emails when they recognize the sender.
Use:
- A real person’s name + company (“John from XYZ Company”)
- A branded email address (not @gmail.com or @yahoo.com)
Trustworthy sender details increase open rates and reduce spam complaints.
Step 4: Monitor engagement and track deliverability metrics
Deliverability isn’t set-it-and-forget-it.
To ensure consistent inbox placement, you need to monitor your performance and adjust accordingly.
Here’s what to track:
✅ Open and click rates: Are people engaging with your content?
✅ Bounce rates: High bounce rates = bad list hygiene.
✅ Spam complaints: Too many complaints can damage your reputation.
✅ Inbox placement rates: Use inbox placement testing tools (like GlockApps or Litmus) to see where your emails land.
Regularly reviewing these metrics helps you spot problems early—before they escalate.
Step 5: Warm up your IP (if you’re switching providers)
If you’re moving to a new email provider or sending from a new IP address, don’t start blasting emails to your entire list.
You need to warm up your IP gradually to build a positive reputation with inbox providers. You can use dedicated email warm up tools or a global sales automation platform for it.
How to warm up an IP:
- Start with small, highly engaged segments. Send to your most active subscribers first.
- Gradually increase sending volume over 2–4 weeks. Build trust incrementally.
- Monitor bounce rates and complaints. If rates spike, slow down and reassess.
Rushing the process triggers spam filters—so take your time.
Step 6: Encourage engagement and reduce complaints
Engagement tells inbox providers that your emails are valuable.
The more people open, click, and reply, the better your inbox placement.
Here’s how to keep engagement high:
✅ Ask for replies. Encourage subscribers to respond, which boosts sender reputation.
✅ Offer easy opt-outs. A clear, visible unsubscribe link reduces spam complaints.
✅ Send a welcome email. Set expectations and prime new subscribers to engage.
✅ Re-engage inactive subscribers. Run periodic win-back campaigns to rekindle interest.
✅ Send referral emails to recent buyers. Use tools like ReferralCandy to automate post-purchase referral invites—these highly relevant emails often get high open and click rates, signaling strong engagement to inbox providers.
What happens when you get deliverability right?
When your deliverability is optimized and consistent:
✅ Your emails land in inboxes, not spam folders
✅ Your engagement rates soar
✅ Your sender reputation stays strong
✅ Your email marketing ROI improves dramatically
Better deliverability = better results. Period.
Final thoughts: Deliverability is a long game
Ensuring full email deliverability isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process.
When you:
- Authenticate your domain
- Keep your list clean and engaged
- Monitor your reputation and metrics
You build trust with inbox providers—and your audience.
And that’s how you make sure your emails aren’t just sent.
They’re seen.
