7 Ways to Fix Email Deliverability Issues Fast

Email deliverability problems can cost you revenue and engagement. Here are 7 quick fixes to ensure your emails land in inboxes, not spam folders:

1. Fix Email Authentication: Set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify your emails and prevent spoofing.
2. Monitor Sender Reputation: Treat your sender reputation like a credit score - track metrics like bounce rates, spam complaints, and engagement.
3. Clean Your Email List: Remove invalid emails and inactive subscribers to improve engagement and reduce bounce rates.
4. Write Better Email Content: Avoid spammy words, test your email format, and maintain a clean design.
5. Fix Technical Issues: Use dedicated IPs, check DNS settings, and configure reverse DNS/MX records.
6. Test Before Sending: Use tools to test inbox placement, spam risks, and authentication before launching campaigns.
7. Control Sending Volume: Gradually increase email volume and maintain consistent sending patterns.

Why It Matters:

• 1 in 6 emails never reaches inboxes.
• Emails generate $36 for every $1 spent, but only if delivered.
• A strong delivery rate is 95% or higher.

By addressing these areas, you can boost your email performance and protect your reputation. Let’s dive into the details.

How to Boost Deliverability with Warmforge (Tutorial)

1. Fix Email Authentication Issues

Email authentication acts as your digital signature, confirming that your emails are legitimate. The three key methods - SPF, DKIM, and DMARC - work together to verify your identity as a sender. As Cloudflare explains: "SPF, DKIM, and DMARC help authenticate email senders by verifying that the emails came from the domain that they claim to be from. These three authentication methods are important for preventing spam, phishing attacks, and other email security risks".

With the FBI reporting Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams totaling $50 billion, email providers are tightening their authentication requirements. If your domain lacks properly configured SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, your emails could end up in spam folders - or not be delivered at all.

Here’s a quick breakdown of how each method safeguards your email deliverability:

Feature	SPF	DKIM	DMARC
Function	Specifies authorized sending servers	Adds a digital signature to each email	Sets rules for handling failed authentication
Purpose	Blocks email spoofing	Confirms email integrity and sender legitimacy	Protects against domain spoofing and phishing
Record Type	DNS TXT	DNS TXT	DNS TXT

To ensure everything is in order, review your DNS records and address any issues.

1.1 Check for Missing or Broken SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Records

Several tools can help identify authentication issues with your domain. MXToolbox offers free DNS lookup tools, check@dmarcly.com provides detailed reports for all three protocols, and Gmail’s "Show original" feature can display DMARC pass/fail status.

For a more comprehensive approach, try Warmforge's DNS health checks. This tool scans your domain for common authentication errors and provides actionable recommendations to fix them.

When reviewing SPF records, watch out for common mistakes like syntax errors, exceeding the 10 DNS lookup limit, or misusing wildcards. For DKIM, verify that your public key is correctly published under the appropriate selector. DMARC issues often arise when SPF or DKIM records fail to align with your domain, so double-check those alignments.

1.2 Set Up Authentication for Gmail and Outlook

Both Gmail and Outlook have become stricter about email authentication, making proper setup crucial for reaching these providers.

Gmail flags unauthenticated emails. According to research from DMARCLY, implementing a p=reject DMARC policy can improve email deliverability by 10% or more with Gmail and other major email services.

Similarly, Microsoft Office 365 now directs unauthenticated emails to spam folders by default, meaning your messages won’t even get a chance to reach the inbox if authentication fails.

For SPF setup, add a TXT record listing authorized servers. For example, Mission Inbox recommends this format: v=spf1 include:send.missioninbox.com -all. The -all directive tells receiving servers to reject emails from unauthorized sources, while ~all marks them as suspicious but still delivers them.

DKIM configuration involves generating a key pair through your email provider and publishing the public key in your DNS. Mission Inbox provides this example: selector1._domainkey.yourdomain.com. v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=YOURPUBLICKEY. This ensures your emails are verified as legitimate and untampered during transit.

For DMARC setup, start with a "none" policy (p=none) to monitor activity, then gradually shift to "quarantine" or "reject" as your configuration stabilizes. Remember, DMARC depends on SPF or DKIM passing and aligning with your domain.

If you’re using third-party email services, make sure they’re included in your SPF record and that DKIM is configured through their platform. Many deliverability problems stem from forgetting to authorize these services in your DNS settings.

Dean Canellos from Higher Logic highlights the broader importance: "Enabling email authentication isn't only an email best practice to help get your email delivered, but they are critical tools in helping to protect your brand's reputation by limiting the chances that an unauthorized sender can successfully use your domain without your consent or knowledge".

2. Repair and Monitor Sender Reputation

Once you've established solid authentication practices, the next step is to keep a close eye on your sender reputation. Think of your sender reputation as the "credit score" of your email activity - it’s what Internet Service Providers (ISPs) use to decide if your emails deserve a spot in the inbox or the dreaded spam folder. This score hinges on factors like your sending behavior, how subscribers interact with your emails, the cleanliness of your email list, and your authentication setup. A poor sender reputation can tank your deliverability, leaving your emails to languish in spam.

Here’s a sobering stat: only 58% of users check their spam folder daily, while 95% check their main inbox. A damaged reputation doesn't just hurt - it practically erases your chance of connecting with your audience.

2.1 Find What's Damaging Your Reputation

If your emails are underperforming, it’s time to dig into what’s dragging down your sender reputation. Spam complaints are one of the biggest culprits. Gmail and Yahoo, for instance, expect a spam complaint rate of less than 0.3% - that’s fewer than 3 complaints for every 1,000 emails sent.

Other threats include low engagement rates, high bounce rates from invalid addresses, and hitting spam traps - those sneaky fake addresses designed to catch sloppy sending practices. Your sending patterns also play a role. ISPs don’t like sudden spikes in email volume. For example, if you typically send 1,000 emails a day but suddenly blast out 50,000, that’s a red flag.

To get a clearer picture, check your email stats for signs like declining open rates, rising spam complaints, or an uptick in bounces. Tools like MXToolbox can help you check if your IP or domain is on a blocklist, while Sender Score gives you a snapshot of your reputation.

"Reputation isn't a grade, it's an ongoing assessment of your brand's respect for your mutual customers." - Alison Gootee, Compliance and Deliverability Enablement Principal at Braze

Once you’ve identified the problem areas, it’s time to take action.

2.2 Use Warmforge's AI Warm-Up Tool

If your sender reputation needs a reset, Warmforge's AI warm-up tool can help. This tool mimics genuine human email activity by sending unique, AI-generated emails, signaling to email providers that your mailbox is legitimate. It’s a practical way to repair your reputation while complementing any DNS or authentication setups you’ve already implemented.

Here’s how it works: Warmforge gradually increases your email sending volume while maintaining positive engagement signals. They recommend warming up your mailbox for 2-3 weeks before launching any big campaigns and keeping the warm-up process running in the background.

You can connect your Gmail or Outlook account to track your "heat score", aiming for a score between 85 and 100 before sending out campaigns. Warmforge also offers health checks to verify your DNS settings and scan for blacklists, ensuring your reputation stays intact.

What makes Warmforge appealing is its affordability. Pricing starts at $12 per mailbox per month, with bulk discounts bringing costs down to as little as $3 per mailbox per month. Plus, they offer one free warm-up slot for Google or Microsoft mailboxes so you can try it out before committing.

2.3 Track Reputation with Monitoring Tools

After repairing your reputation, the work doesn’t stop - ongoing monitoring is key. Tools like Google Postmaster Tools, Microsoft SNDS, and Sender Score can help you keep tabs on your reputation. Additionally, monitor blocklists through services like Spamhaus and Talos Intelligence.

Google Postmaster Tools provides insights into how Gmail views your email campaigns, while Microsoft SNDS offers similar data for Outlook and Hotmail users. Both are free and give you valuable feedback on your sending practices.

Make it a habit to check these tools weekly. Keep an eye on metrics like open rates and spam complaints, and sign up for feedback loops from mailbox providers to get notified when someone flags your emails as spam. You can also use seed email accounts - test addresses across various providers - to see how your emails perform in different inboxes.

3. Clean and Update Your Email List

Keeping your email list updated and clean is just as important as having strong authentication measures when it comes to ensuring your emails make it to the inbox. An outdated list not only wastes your time and resources but also fails to reach the people who genuinely want to hear from you. On average, about 30% of your email list can go stale in a year. Plus, with roughly 23% of email addresses changing annually and nearly 40% of senders admitting they rarely clean their lists, it’s no wonder email performance can take a hit.

Ignoring list hygiene comes at a price. Sending emails to invalid addresses leads to hard bounces, which can damage your sender reputation. Meanwhile, keeping inactive subscribers on your list lowers engagement rates, signaling to internet service providers (ISPs) that your emails may not be worth delivering.

Regularly cleaning your list can improve deliverability, reduce bounce rates, and help you reach the people who actually care about your content.

3.1 Remove Invalid and Dead Email Addresses

Invalid email addresses are a major threat to your deliverability. On average, about 15% of the emails on your list may be invalid. Sending to these addresses results in hard bounces, which occur when an email is sent to a non-existent address or an inactive domain. Each hard bounce sends a negative signal to email providers, potentially harming your reputation. To avoid this, remove invalid addresses from your list immediately.

Soft bounces, on the other hand, are caused by temporary issues like full inboxes or server problems. While these may resolve over time, repeated soft bounces across multiple campaigns should be treated like hard bounces and addressed accordingly.

To ensure your list stays clean, use email validation tools like ZeroBounce, NeverBounce, or EmailListVerify. These services check for proper formatting, domain validity, and whether the mailbox exists. While many email service providers (ESPs) offer built-in validation, dedicated tools often provide a more thorough check.

Here are a few steps to streamline this process:

• Use placement tests to identify delivery issues specific to certain providers.
• Confirm that your ESP automatically suppresses hard bounces, and enable this feature if it’s not already active.
• Set up validation at the point of entry. For example, implement double opt-in processes where users must confirm their subscription via email. This step helps filter out typos, fake addresses, and uninterested individuals.

Once invalid addresses are removed, it’s time to focus on inactive subscribers.

3.2 Remove Inactive Subscribers

Inactive subscribers may not seem like a big deal, but they can quietly harm your email performance. These are people who signed up but don’t engage - they don’t open, click, or interact with your emails. While the addresses are technically valid, ISPs see low engagement as a red flag, which can hurt your deliverability.

Start by defining what "inactive" means for your list. A common benchmark is subscribers who haven’t opened or clicked any email in the past 90 to 120 days. If you send emails frequently, you might use a shorter timeframe. For monthly newsletters, a six-month window might be more appropriate.

Pay special attention to “never-actives.” If someone hasn’t opened any of your first 10 emails or engaged within four months, they’re unlikely to start. Removing these subscribers can help protect your engagement rates.

Before cutting them loose, consider running a re-engagement campaign. Send a series of 2–3 emails specifically designed to win them back. If they still don’t respond, send a final warning email letting them know they’ll be removed unless they take action.

Retention is far more cost-effective than acquisition - it can cost up to five times more to acquire a new subscriber than to keep an existing one. Throughout this process, make it easy for people to unsubscribe. A clear, functional unsubscribe link in every email can prevent frustrated recipients from marking your messages as spam.

To make this process seamless, set up automated sunset policies. Most email platforms allow you to tag subscribers based on their engagement levels and automatically move them through re-engagement sequences before removing them. This way, your list stays clean without requiring constant manual effort.

4. Write Better Email Content to Avoid Spam Filters

Crafting effective email content is key to ensuring your messages land in inboxes rather than spam folders. Once you've optimized authentication and managed your sender reputation, refining your email content becomes the next crucial step. Did you know nearly 20% of emails get flagged by spam filters? Modern spam filters are smarter than ever, analyzing not just individual words but also the overall structure of your message, your reputation as a sender, and how recipients engage with your emails. As Yaroslav, a Deliverability Expert at Mailtrap, puts it:

"Spam filters nowadays are beginning to pay attention not just to specific spam words as might have been the case previously but also to the overall reputation of the sender and the engagement generated by email recipients."

Let’s dive into how you can avoid common pitfalls and fine-tune your email layout to improve deliverability.

4.1 Avoid Spam Trigger Words and Phrases

Spam trigger words are terms or phrases that email providers often associate with scams or gimmicks. These can include words linked to urgency, financial promises, or promotional offers. While using a few trigger words responsibly within a well-structured email is usually fine, overusing them - especially in the subject line - can raise red flags. Context is everything.

For instance, a verification email was being flagged because it included the phrase "suspicious activity" in the sentence, "If you notice suspicious activity, please contact our Support Team." Simply removing that phrase resolved the issue entirely.

Some common trigger words to watch out for include:

• Urgency phrases: "Act now", "Limited time"
• Financial terms: "Free money", "Cash bonus"
• Promotional language: "Amazing deal", "Incredible offer"

Also, keep in mind that violating the CAN-SPAM Act can lead to penalties of up to $16,000 per email. So, choosing your words carefully and staying compliant is not just smart - it’s essential.

4.2 Test Content with AI Spam Checkers

Before sending out your campaign, testing your email content is one of the best ways to catch potential issues. AI-based spam checkers, like Warmforge's built-in tool, can analyze your email for problematic words, formatting issues, broken links, and even emojis. Salesforge explains it well:

"A spam checker is a tool designed to analyze your email content, structure, and settings to ensure it complies with spam filter criteria used by email providers."

These tools don’t just look at words - they also evaluate text formatting, link functionality, and whether your images include alt tags. Regularly incorporating spam tests into your email workflow can improve open rates, click-through rates, and reply rates. For the best results, opt for tools that test across multiple email providers and simulate real-world spam filter algorithms. Advanced platforms even use multiple email addresses to provide more accurate spam scores.

4.3 Use Proper Email Formatting

A professionally formatted email not only looks polished but also helps avoid being flagged as spam. Email clients and spam filters are quick to spot poorly designed or overly flashy emails, which can signal phishing attempts. A simple, responsive layout with a balanced mix of text and images is your best bet.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Text-to-image ratio: Avoid overloading your email with images. A good balance improves readability and reduces spam risks.
• Alt text for images: Always include descriptive alt text. It boosts accessibility and helps spam filters evaluate your email.
• HTML quality: Clean, well-structured HTML is crucial. Poorly written code with unnecessary tags can trigger spam filters .
• Links: Don’t overdo it with links, especially shortened URLs, as they can look suspicious. Instead, embed links in relevant text or images and avoid excessive redirects.

Taking the time to review and refine your formatting ensures your email feels professional and trustworthy. Test how your content appears across different email clients to make sure it’s consistent and visually appealing. A well-formatted email not only gets delivered but also leaves a positive impression on your audience.

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5. Fix Technical Setup Problems

A reliable email infrastructure is the backbone of successful email deliverability. Even with great content and proper authentication, technical missteps can lead to delays, failed security checks, or emails landing in spam folders.

The upside? Most of these technical issues are fairly simple to resolve once you know where to focus. Let’s go over key technical settings to help you avoid misconfigurations that might hurt your deliverability.

5.1 Use Dedicated IPs for Better Control

For businesses sending a high volume of emails - typically over 150,000 per month - dedicated IPs can make a big difference. Unlike shared IPs, where your deliverability depends on the actions of other senders, a dedicated IP gives you full control over your sender reputation and reduces the risk of blacklisting.

To get started, purchase a dedicated IP through your Email Service Provider (ESP), authenticate your domain, and link the IP to your ESP. Then, begin the critical step of warming up the IP. This involves gradually increasing the email volume over several weeks to establish a solid reputation. For instance, HubSpot updated its process in April 2025, requiring users with dedicated IP add-ons to complete a 40-day warm-up before fully routing traffic through their dedicated IPs. However, accounts with transactional email add-ons can skip this step and use the IP immediately.

Once warmed up, monitoring is key. Keep an eye on deliverability metrics, open rates, bounce rates, and complaints to ensure your IP remains in good standing.

5.2 Check Reverse DNS and MX Records

Your Domain Name System (DNS) configuration plays a critical role in email deliverability. Without a valid reverse DNS (rDNS) setup, major mailbox providers may block emails from your servers. rDNS links your mail server's IP address to its hostname through a reverse lookup process (commonly appending "in-addr.arpa").

MX records, on the other hand, determine which servers handle emails for your domain. If these are misconfigured, your emails might not reach their destination at all.

To ensure your DNS setup is working correctly, confirm that your sending IP has a PTR record resolving to a valid hostname. This hostname should match your A and MX records, and your SMTP banner should align with these configurations.

You can verify your domain’s mail server setup using MX lookup tools. If you don’t have direct access to DNS settings, contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) to set up a PTR record for your IP address that points back to your domain.

For added assurance, regularly test your setup with tools like GlockApps to check key authentication records such as SPF, DKIM, DMARC, rDNS, and HELO-to-IP configurations. Conducting full DNS audits can help you catch and fix issues early. Keep in mind that SPF records are limited to 10 "include" statements, so review them for unnecessary complexity to avoid exceeding this limit.

6. Test Before Sending Campaigns

Testing your emails before hitting "send" is essential to catching potential issues early. With 70% of emails reportedly having at least one spam-related problem that could block them from inboxes, pre-send testing is a crucial step to protect your sender reputation and improve deliverability.

Pre-send testing tools help identify common issues like authentication errors, spam trigger words, formatting problems, and risks related to inbox placement. These tools provide instant feedback, allowing you to fine-tune your emails before launching.

"When I think about email deliverability, I'm really thinking about whether my email reaches my subscribers... Whether it's blocked because of my IP reputation, because an email client flagged me as spam, or because I have an outdated email address, I'm thinking about how to get my email message in front of my subscribers, in their inbox."
– Carin Slater, Manager of Lifecycle Email Marketing at Litmus

These tools also verify your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to ensure proper authentication, assess your sender reputation, and analyze your email content for elements that might trigger spam filters. Some even provide a deliverability score, predicting whether your email will make it to the inbox or get rejected. This testing phase works hand-in-hand with ongoing monitoring to keep your campaigns on track.

6.1 Run Placement Tests with Warmforge

Warmforge offers a practical way to test email deliverability across different Email Service Providers (ESPs) before launching a campaign. The tool sends test emails to various addresses hosted by major providers like Google and Outlook, giving you a clear view of where your emails are landing - in the inbox, spam folder, or not delivered at all.

These tests simulate real-world conditions, helping you spot potential issues early so you can adjust your email content, authentication settings, sending frequency, or domain reputation. Warmforge includes one free placement test per month with every plan, and unlimited testing is available for those who need it. Pricing starts at $12 per mailbox per month, with bulk discounts bringing costs down to as little as $3 per mailbox.

Here’s how to interpret your placement test results and take action:

• 95–100% inbox placement: Keep doing what you're doing. Regular monitoring and maintaining clean, engaged email lists will help you stay on track.
• 90–94% inbox placement: Tweak your content - try different subject lines or sender names - and gradually increase your sending volume.
• 70–89% inbox placement: Dive deeper with an audit. Fix authentication issues, check for blacklisting, and reduce excessive links, images, or caps in your emails.
• Below 70%: Pause campaigns to address serious issues. Clean your email lists and slowly warm up your IPs and domains to rebuild your reputation.

Using these insights, you can refine your email strategies and improve your overall deliverability.

6.2 Compare Different Testing Tools

Choosing the right testing tool depends on your specific needs and budget. Warmforge stands out by combining warm-up and placement testing in one platform, offering detailed insights and customization. Other tools may focus more on automated warm-up processes or provide deeper deliverability analytics, so it’s worth exploring your options.

Make sure your chosen tool covers major email platforms. As one user shared, "Warmforge gave me the most control and visibility. I liked having warm-up and outreach in one place, and it felt easier to track overall deliverability health across domains". For businesses new to email testing, consistent testing and adjustments are key to ensuring your emails land where they’re supposed to - right in the inbox.

7. Control Sending Volume and Frequency

Once you've laid the groundwork, managing how often and how much you send emails is crucial for maintaining deliverability. Sudden spikes in email volume can raise red flags with email providers. These abrupt changes often signal automated behavior or potential account compromise, which could lead to your emails being flagged as spam. Erratic or overly aggressive sending patterns might cause Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to treat your emails with suspicion.

Consistency is key. ISPs tend to favor senders who maintain steady and predictable email schedules. Carin Slater, Manager of Lifecycle Email Marketing at Litmus, explains:

"It's all about consistency. Spammers don't have a regular cadence. They just randomly send emails, and a lot of them, all at once. If I send 1,000 emails, but I only send them randomly, it doesn't look as good as 10,000 emails sent every month at the same time".

Successful brands often keep their complaint rates under 0.2% by sticking to regular sending patterns. Gradually increasing your email volume over time not only helps you avoid spam filters but also strengthens the trust you've built with email providers.

For scaling campaigns safely, consider using AI-driven tools to manage your sending volume.

7.1 Gradual Volume Increases with AI Tools

Warmforge offers AI-powered solutions to help you increase email volume without raising alarms. These tools mimic natural sending patterns and automatically remove emails that land in spam during the warm-up phase, signaling reliability to Email Service Providers (ESPs).

The best way to begin is by focusing on your most engaged subscribers - those who recently interacted with your emails - before gradually expanding to less active recipients. This approach ensures high engagement rates during the scaling process, reinforcing your sender reputation.

Here’s a proven warm-up schedule for large-scale campaigns:

Week	Volume (emails/day)	Hourly Batches	Target Recipients
Week 1	500–1,000	100–200 emails/hour	Most engaged (recent opt-ins, frequent openers)
Week 2	2,000–5,000	500 emails/hour	Most engaged
Week 3	10,000–15,000	1,000–2,000 emails/hour	Include less active recipients
Week 4	20,000–30,000	3,000–5,000 emails/hour	Closely monitor engagement rates
Week 5+	50,000–100,000	Monitor closely	Continue monitoring reputation

To avoid triggering spam filters, limit volume increases to no more than double the previous day’s total. This gradual approach allows you to monitor how each increase affects deliverability metrics.

Warmforge also advises keeping its warm-up tool active even after the initial setup phase. Maintaining consistent sending behavior helps avoid patterns that ISPs might associate with spam.

Once you've stabilized your volume increases, establish strict daily sending limits to ensure long-term deliverability.

7.2 Adhering to Safe Daily Sending Limits

Follow ESP guidelines and adjust your daily sending limits based on audience engagement levels. A well-structured throttling plan ensures your daily email limit grows naturally as part of the warm-up process.

For new domains or IP addresses, start with conservative limits. Below is an example of a throttling plan to reach a target of 52 emails per day over 60 days:

Day	Daily Limit
Day 1	1
Day 2	2
Day 3	4
Day 4	8
Day 5	16
Day 6	32
Day 7+	52

If you're planning for peak periods like Black Friday or the holiday season, start increasing your volume well in advance to avoid sudden spikes that might harm your deliverability.

Keep a close eye on deliverability metrics during these high-traffic times. If you notice negative trends, slow down your sending immediately.

A good email deliverability rate is at least 85%, though aiming for 98–99% is ideal. Warmforge provides affordable tools that make it easier for businesses to stick to best practices for warming up and scaling email campaigns.

Conclusion: Maintaining Long-Term Email Deliverability

Fixing deliverability issues is just the beginning. To achieve lasting success, you need to consistently monitor and maintain the strategies we've discussed. Tim Kauble, Senior Director of Deliverability & Compliance Operations at Salesforce, explains it best:

"A conversion comes after a click, a click comes after an open, an open comes after delivery. If you focus on optimizing for delivery, you inherently maximize your opportunities for ROI".

The email landscape is always changing. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) regularly update their filtering algorithms, and new challenges emerge frequently. This makes constant vigilance a must. To keep your deliverability rates high - ideally around 98-99% - you should stay on top of sender reputation, authentication protocols, and list hygiene.

Tools like Warmforge make managing long-term deliverability much easier. Their platform combines warm-up processes, monitoring, and placement tests into a single solution, saving you from the hassle of juggling multiple tools. With everything in one place, you can focus on the bigger picture.

Consistency is key. Small, steady improvements - like running monthly placement tests and maintaining clean email lists - help protect your deliverability over time. Warmforge even offers a free placement test per mailbox each month, making it easier to stay proactive.

The effort pays off. In 2022, 77% of marketers reported higher email engagement, and email marketing delivered an impressive ROI of $42 for every $1 spent. By prioritizing authentication, sender reputation, and consistent warm-up practices, you'll create a strong foundation for long-term email marketing success.

FAQs

How can I properly set up email authentication to improve deliverability?

To improve email authentication and ensure better deliverability, follow these key steps:

• SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Add an SPF record to your DNS settings. This record specifies which mail servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of your domain, helping prevent spoofing.
• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Generate a DKIM key pair. Publish the public key in your DNS, and configure your email server to use the private key for signing outgoing emails. This adds a layer of trust by verifying the authenticity of your messages.
• DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): Create a DMARC record in your DNS. This record tells receiving mail servers how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks, providing an additional safeguard against phishing and spoofing.

After setting these up, use email authentication testing tools to confirm everything is configured correctly. It's also a good idea to regularly review DMARC reports to identify and address potential issues. These measures can help keep your emails out of spam folders and ensure they reach your recipients' inboxes.

How can I fix and maintain a strong email sender reputation?

To keep your email sender reputation solid, the first step is to regularly clean your email list. This means removing invalid email addresses, inactive users, and those who no longer engage with your messages. Why? Because a cleaner list leads to fewer bounces and better engagement, ensuring your emails land in the inboxes of people who actually want them.

Another key practice is setting up email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These tools confirm your identity as a legitimate sender and protect against email spoofing. Not only does this build trust with email providers, but it also helps your emails avoid the spam folder. On top of that, keep your email volume consistent - sudden spikes can raise red flags and hurt your reputation.

Lastly, make sure every email includes a simple, clear way for recipients to unsubscribe. This reduces the risk of complaints and keeps your audience genuinely interested in what you’re sending. By sticking to these practices, you’ll strengthen your sender reputation and boost your chances of landing in the inbox.

What’s the best way to clean and manage my email list to avoid deliverability problems?

To keep your email list in top shape and ensure your messages land where they should, start by segmenting your audience based on how they interact with your emails. For instance, pinpoint subscribers who haven’t opened your emails in the last 90 days. Reach out to these inactive users with a re-engagement email asking if they’re still interested. If there’s no response, it’s better to remove them from your list to safeguard your sender reputation.

Make it a habit to clean your list by eliminating hard bounces and invalid email addresses. This way, your emails only go to recipients who are active and reachable. To further boost your domain’s credibility, set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication protocols. These tools help keep your emails out of spam folders and ensure they arrive in the intended inboxes.

A clean and engaged email list doesn’t just improve deliverability - it also leads to higher open rates and more clicks.

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