Learning Center

Higher Information Group news & insights from our subject matter experts in every solutions area.

5 Minutes to Read

Tips for Increasing Deliverability on Your Email Campaigns

By Higher Information Group on March 18, 2020 | Marketing Solutions

The most beautifully written and compelling email campaign in the world will perform miserably if it doesn’t land in your prospect’s inbox. And therein lies the challenge of marketers everywhere: how to ensure your messages make it through the gauntlet of spam filters and other blockers. In the email marketing game, it’s all about deliverability. In this post, we’ll look at ways you can increase your chances of having your email survive the journey from you to your—or your potential—customer.

How perilous a journey is it? According to Return Path, only one in five emails are delivered! To improve your odds, you must first understand that in email marketing as in business, reputation is everything. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in their effort to protect their customers from spam emails, rely on metrics to determine if you are a reputable sender or just a spam machine. So what can you do to maintain or improve your reputation as an email marketer?

Check out your Sender Score. The score is provided at no charge by Return Path. They rate the reputation of every outgoing mail server IP address based on examining records of mega-ISPs like Comcast. The Return Path formula considers the frequency that recipients unsubscribe or report spam and assigns a score between 0 and 100. Knowing your current score will give you a benchmark to measure against as you implement changes to your email sending process.

Stop using free email accounts. Say you’re using your free Gmail account to send out order confirmations, and you send out a lot. Email servers might begin to view this account as one belonging to a spammer, and your Sender Score could drop. Retire those freebie accounts and register a company domain and associated email address.

Authenticate your emails. Authentication gives ISPs a definitive way to determine if your email is legit and is passed through or if it looks like fraud or spam and is flagged. Implementing Sender Policy Framework (SPF), DKIM (Domain Key Identified Mail), and DMARC Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) settings are critical authentication tools. Talk to your IT department about adding these or you could look for an email solutions provider who can do this for you.

Improve your email list. The better the list, the fewer bounces—returned email from your recipient’s mail server—you’ll see, which contributes to a higher Sender Score. So does having engaged subscribers because they’re less likely to submit complaints about you. The double opt-in strategy creates engaged subscribers from the start. All you need to do is send a confirmation email after the initial sign up. You might get fewer people taking that final step, but those who do tend to be more receptive to your messages. Whether you use double opt-in or not, it’s always a good idea to periodically purge your list of inactive addresses.

Send on a regular schedule. Establishing a cadence and sticking with it enhances engagement with your subscribers and also puts a shine on your reputation. ISP gatekeepers see spikes in your sending schedule as a red flag. Hitting the sweet spot to find the right schedule may take some trial and error, but it is worth the effort. Not only will you see a lift in opens and clickthroughs, but also your consistent emailing schedule will improve your Sender Score.

Implementing the above tips will go a long way toward increasing the deliverability of your emails. As you know, getting your message to the recipient is a large part of the battle to win their business. While you can continue managing your email program yourself, you might want to consider HIG’s hosted email solution.

No More Wasted Marketing Spend!

Integrated marketing strategies that leverage branding, digital marketing & technology with creativity to achieve your objectives.

KEEP ON LEARNING

Recommended Reads

More Knowledge at Your Fingertips

Want to learn more about how you can leverage specific solutions for your business? Right this way!