Common Email Deliverability Issues and How to Fix Them

Businesses can benefit greatly from email marketing, but nothing is more frustrating than creating the ideal email and having it never get to the person you want it to. Issues with email deliverability can have a big effect on your marketing campaigns, resulting in lost opportunities and a worse return on investment. Achieving a high inbox placement rate requires an understanding of typical issues, such as spam filters and email bounce, and knowing how to fix them.

Understanding Email Deliverability Issues

Email deliverability issues occur when your emails fail to land in the recipient’s inbox. These issues arise due to a variety of factors such as poor sender reputation, incorrect email authentication, or content triggering spam filters. If left unaddressed, they can hinder your email marketing success.

Common Email Deliverability Issues and How to Fix Them

1. High Bounce Rates

Email bounce happens when an email fails to reach the recipient’s inbox. There are two types:

• Hard Bounce: A permanent failure due to an invalid or non-existent email address.

• Soft Bounce: A temporary failure caused by a full inbox or server issues.

Fix:

• Regularly clean your email list to remove invalid addresses.

• Use email verification tools before sending campaigns.

• Ensure proper email formatting and avoid sending too many large attachments.

2. Emails Getting Flagged by Spam Filters

Spam filters scan emails for suspicious content, blacklisted domains, or excessive promotional language.

Fix:

• Avoid spam-trigger words like “free,” “urgent,” or “guaranteed.”

• Personalize emails with the recipient’s name.

• Maintain a healthy text-to-image ratio (at least 60:40 text to image).

• Ensure your email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is set up correctly.

3. Poor Sender Reputation

Your sender reputation is a score assigned by ISPs based on how recipients interact with your emails. A low reputation results in more emails being blocked or flagged.

Fix:

• Send emails only to engaged subscribers.

• Avoid sudden spikes in email volume.

• Monitor your sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools or Sender Score.

4. Blacklisted IP Address

If your domain or IP address is blacklisted, your emails will be automatically blocked by ISPs.

Fix:

• Check if your IP is blacklisted using tools like MXToolBox.

• Avoid sending bulk emails to unverified lists.

• Follow best practices to prevent spam complaints and high bounce rates.

5. Low Engagement Rates

Emails with low open rates and click-through rates (CTR) signal to ISPs that your content isn’t relevant, impacting future deliverability.

Fix:

• Use personalized subject lines and compelling email content.

• Segment your audience based on their interests.

• Optimize email send times to when your audience is most active.

Best Practices to Improve Email Deliverability

1. Authenticate Your Emails

Proper authentication ensures your emails are verified and not spoofed.

• SPF (Sender Policy Framework) verifies that the sender is authorized.

• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) confirms the email is unaltered.

• DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) provides instructions to ISPs on how to handle emails that fail authentication.

2. Keep a Clean Email List

• Remove inactive subscribers to improve engagement rates.

• Use double opt-in to confirm subscribers want to receive emails.

3. Optimize Email Content

• Use engaging and relevant subject lines.

• Include a clear call-to-action (CTA).

• Avoid too many links or attachments.

4. Monitor Performance Metrics

Track metrics like open rates, bounce rates, and spam complaints. Regular analysis helps identify issues before they impact deliverability.

5. Follow Email Sending Best Practices

• Use a consistent sending schedule.

• Avoid sending too many emails in a short time.

• Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly.

Conclusion

In order to make sure that your marketing emails arrive in the inbox rather than being banned by spam filters or lost to email bounces, it is imperative that you address deliverability issues. Your email campaigns can be made more effective and your deliverability rates raised by following best practices, authenticating your emails, and routinely tracking performance indicators.

Frequently Asked Questions 

How can I check if my emails are landing in spam?

You can use tools like Mail Tester or GlockApps to analyze where your emails are landing and why.

How often should I clean my email list?

It’s recommended to clean your email list every 3-6 months to remove inactive or invalid email addresses.

What are common words that trigger spam filters?

Words like “earn money fast,” “free,” “risk-free,” and excessive use of capital letters or exclamation points can trigger spam filters.

Why are my emails bouncing even when I have a clean list?

Temporary issues like full inboxes or server problems can still cause email bounce even with a clean list. Monitor your bounce rates and retry sending later.

Can I improve email deliverability without technical knowledge?

Yes! Using reputable email marketing platforms, keeping a clean email list, and following basic best practices can improve deliverability even if you’re not technically inclined.