How to Improve Email Deliverability

Ensuring high email deliverability is essential for maximizing the effectiveness of your email campaigns. When using mySMTP, implementing the right strategies can help ensure your emails reach inboxes instead of spam folders. Here are key strategies to improve your email deliverability:

1. Authenticate Your Emails

Proper authentication helps prevent your emails from being marked as spam. Implement the following authentication methods when using mySMTP:

• SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Authorize mySMTP’s mail servers to send emails on your behalf.
• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Digitally sign your emails using mySMTP's record to verify authenticity and build trust with ISPs.
• DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): Set policies for handling unauthorized emails and monitor reports via mySMTP's DMARC monitoring features.

2. Use a Dedicated IP Address

If you send a high volume of emails, consider using a dedicated IP address through mySMTP to maintain a strong sender reputation. This prevents your email reputation from being affected by other senders sharing an IP.

3. Warm Up Your IP

Gradually increase your sending volume over time to build a positive reputation with ISPs. mySMTP provides guidance on IP warm-up strategies and recommended sending limits.

4. Maintain a Clean Email List

Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive, invalid, or non-engaging recipients. mySMTP offers email verification tools to help ensure your list remains clean and effective. Use double opt-in features provided by mySMTP's MailWizz to confirm subscriber intent.

5. Monitor Blacklists and Reputation

Check your sending domain and IP against blacklists (e.g., Spamhaus, Barracuda) using mySMTP’s monitoring tools. Additionally, track your sender reputation with Google Postmaster Tools and mySMTP analytics.

6. Optimize Email Content

• Avoid spam-triggering words (e.g., "free money," "guarantee").
• Use a proper text-to-image ratio to enhance readability.
• Ensure emails are mobile-friendly and properly formatted to comply with mySMTP’s recommended best practices.

7. Set Up Feedback Loops (FBLs)

Register for feedback loops with major ISPs through mySMTP’s FBL integration to monitor complaints. Remove recipients who mark your emails as spam to maintain a positive sender reputation.

8. Monitor Bounce Rates with mySMTP Analytics

High bounce rates can harm your sender reputation. mySMTP helps classify and handle bounces appropriately:

• Hard Bounces: Remove permanently undeliverable addresses.
• Soft Bounces: Retry sending later, but use mySMTP’s analytics to identify and remove addresses that repeatedly bounce.

By implementing these best practices with mySMTP, you can enhance your email deliverability, ensuring that your messages reach inboxes effectively.

The Importance of DNS Setup for Email Authentication

DNS (Domain Name System) plays a crucial role in email authentication, ensuring that your emails are trusted, secure, and successfully delivered. Without a proper DNS setup, your emails may be flagged as spam, rejected, or even exploited by attackers.

Here’s why DNS configuration is essential for email authentication:

DNS as the Foundation of Email Authentication

Email authentication methods—SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and BIMI—all rely on DNS TXT records to verify your email-sending identity. These records help email providers identify legitimate senders and block malicious attempts (e.g., phishing and spoofing attacks).

Understanding IP Reputation in Shared and Dedicated IPs

IP reputation is a critical factor in email deliverability, directly influencing whether emails land in the inbox, spam folder, or get blocked entirely. Whether using a shared or dedicated IP, understanding how IP reputation is built and maintained is essential for successful email campaigns. This guide provides a deep dive into IP reputation, the pros and cons of shared and dedicated IPs, and best practices to ensure optimal deliverability.

What is IP Reputation?

IP reputation refers to the credibility of an IP address as assessed by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and spam filters. A positive reputation leads to high deliverability, while a poor reputation results in emails being flagged as spam or rejected. Reputation is based on factors such as sending history, spam complaints, and engagement rates.

Key indicators of IP reputation include:

• Sender Score: A numerical rating (0-100) indicating the trustworthiness of an IP address.
• Blacklist Status: IPs listed on blacklists (e.g., Spamhaus, Barracuda) face deliverability issues.
• Spam Complaints: High complaint rates negatively impact reputation.
• Bounce Rate: Frequent hard bounces suggest poor list quality and damage reputation.
• Engagement Levels: Higher open and click-through rates improve IP credibility.

Shared vs. Dedicated IPs

Shared IPs

• Used by multiple senders, meaning the reputation is influenced by all users of the IP.
• Ideal for businesses with low or inconsistent email volumes.
• Benefits from an established reputation, especially for new senders.
• Managed by mySMTP to ensure compliance with email best practices and prevent abuse.
• More cost-effective, as multiple businesses share the infrastructure.
• Risks: Can be affected by other senders' bad practices, leading to reputation fluctuations.

Dedicated IPs

• Exclusively used by a single sender, meaning reputation is built solely on their sending behavior.
• Best for businesses with high email volumes (e.g., 100,000+ emails per month) and consistent sending patterns.
• Requires proper warm-up strategies to establish a positive reputation before sending large volumes.
• Provides greater control over deliverability, sender identity, and branding.
• Risks: A poor sending strategy (e.g., sudden spikes, high bounce rates) can quickly damage reputation, making recovery difficult.

When to Use a Shared or Dedicated IP

Use a Shared IP if:

• You send fewer than 100,000 emails per month.
• Your sending volume is inconsistent (e.g., seasonal campaigns).
• You are a small business or new sender looking for a trusted sending environment.
• You prefer a cost-effective option without the need for IP warm-up and reputation management.

Use a Dedicated IP if:

• You send high volumes of emails consistently.
• You want full control over your sender reputation.
• You need better brand recognition with custom authentication settings (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
• You are in a regulated industry (e.g., finance, healthcare) and require stricter security and compliance.

How to Maintain a Strong IP Reputation

To ensure a positive IP reputation and maximize email deliverability, follow these best practices:

• Authenticate Emails: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve credibility.
• Warm Up Dedicated IPs: Gradually increase sending volume to build ISP trust.
• Monitor Performance: Regularly check sender scores, blacklist status, and engagement metrics.
• Maintain List Hygiene: Remove invalid addresses and inactive subscribers to reduce bounce rates.
• Follow Compliance Guidelines: Adhere to GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and other regulations to avoid complaints.
• Engage with Recipients: Send relevant, high-quality content to encourage positive engagement.
• Use a Reputable ESP: mySMTP actively monitors shared and dedicated IPs to ensure high deliverability rates.

IP reputation is a key factor in email success. Shared IPs offer reliability and affordability for smaller senders, while dedicated IPs provide control and branding benefits for high-volume senders. Regardless of the IP type, maintaining best practices ensures a strong reputation and improved inbox placement. mySMTP helps businesses navigate these choices, providing expert management and monitoring for optimal email performance.

mySMTP Blacklist Monitoring and Delisting

Overview

Blacklist monitoring is essential for ensuring high email deliverability. If an IP address or domain associated with mySMTP is blacklisted, outgoing emails may be marked as spam or rejected. Regularly monitoring and delisting from blacklists helps maintain a good sender reputation.

Checking IP Reputation

To check if an IP address or domain is blacklisted, you can use the following tools:

1. MultiRBL (https://multirbl.valli.org/)

• Checks multiple real-time blacklists (RBLs) at once.
• Provides details on why an IP/domain is blacklisted.

2. MXToolbox (https://mxtoolbox.com/blacklists.aspx)

• Offers a blacklist lookup and detailed reputation analysis.
• Includes monitoring alerts for proactive blacklist checks.

3. Spamhaus (https://check.spamhaus.org/)

• Checks IPs against the Spamhaus Block List (SBL), Exploits Block List (XBL), and Policy Block List (PBL).
• Provides reasons and removal instructions if listed.

4. Talos Intelligence (https://talosintelligence.com/)

• Maintains IP reputation scores based on global email activity.
• Identifies if an IP is flagged as suspicious or malicious.

5. Barracuda Reputation System (https://www.barracudacentral.org/lookups)

• Checks if an IP is listed on Barracuda’s blacklist, which affects spam filters globally.

Steps for Delisting

If an IP is found on a blacklist, follow these steps:

1. Identify the Cause
   • Review recent email activity to determine if spam-like behavior occurred.
   • Check if compromised credentials, high bounce rates, or spam complaints contributed to the listing.
2. Follow Removal Procedures
   • Each blacklist provider has a specific removal process, usually involving submitting a request via their website.
   • Some blacklists automatically remove IPs after a period of good behavior.
3. Implement Preventive Measures
   • Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records correctly.
   • Regularly monitor email sending patterns.
   • Use dedicated IPs for bulk email sending.
   • Ensure mailing lists are clean and opt-in based.
4. Monitor and Test
   • Use monitoring services to receive alerts when an IP is blacklisted.
   • Test email delivery to ensure messages are reaching inboxes and not spam folders.

Additional Resources

• Google Postmaster Tools (https://postmaster.google.com/) – Provides sender reputation insights for Gmail.
• Microsoft SNDS (https://postmaster.live.com/) – Helps monitor IP reputation with Microsoft email services.
• mySMTP Support – If issues persist, contact mySMTP support for assistance with delisting and reputation management.

Conclusion

Regular blacklist monitoring and proactive management of IP reputation are crucial for maintaining high deliverability rates. By using the right tools and following best practices, mySMTP users can ensure optimal email performance and avoid disruptions caused by blacklisting.

Handling Bounces and Complaints

Understanding Bounces

Bounces occur when an email fails to be delivered to the recipient. mySMTP categorizes bounces into two main types:

Hard Bounces

A hard bounce indicates a permanent delivery failure. Common reasons include:

• The recipient’s email address does not exist
• The domain of the recipient is incorrect
• The recipient’s email server has blocked delivery

Hard bounces should be removed from mailing lists immediately to maintain sender reputation and avoid deliverability issues.

Soft Bounces

A soft bounce is a temporary delivery failure, typically due to:

• The recipient's mailbox being full
• The recipient's mail server being temporarily down
• The email message being too large

Soft bounces can be retried a few times before being treated as a hard bounce if delivery remains unsuccessful.

Managing Suppression Lists

A suppression list helps prevent emails from being sent to addresses that have previously bounced, complained, or unsubscribed. mySMTP maintains suppression lists to improve email deliverability and compliance.

Automatic Suppression

mySMTP's MailWizz adds email addresses to the suppression list when:

• A hard bounce occurs
• A recipient submits a complaint (via feedback loops with email providers)
• A recipient unsubscribes

Manual Suppression

Users can manually add email addresses to the suppression list to prevent sending unwanted emails.

Handling Complaints

When a recipient marks an email as spam, it is considered a complaint. mySMTP integrates with feedback loops (FBLs) from major email providers to detect complaints.

Reducing Complaints

To minimize complaints:

• Ensure recipients have explicitly opted in to receive emails
• Use a recognizable sender name and email address
• Provide a clear and easy-to-use unsubscribe link
• Avoid excessive or irrelevant emails

Monitoring and Best Practices

Regularly monitor bounce and complaint reports within mySMTP’s dashboard to maintain a high sender reputation. Follow best practices:

• Clean email lists periodically to remove inactive or invalid addresses
• Segment email lists to send targeted and relevant content
• Use authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve email deliverability

By proactively managing bounces and complaints, users can maximize the effectiveness of their email campaigns while maintaining a strong sender reputation.