Ensure Your Emails Reach the Inbox with These Proven Tips

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Hi, and welcome back to another edition of eCommerce Alchemy - your one-stop destination for everything related to ecommerce growth.

Like many of you, I've experienced the frustration of crafting what I thought was the perfect email, only to wonder if it ever made it to the intended recipient. It's a common challenge we face as email marketers. In this edition of our newsletter, we're diving deep into the critical topic of email deliverability.

We'll explore the intricacies of email deliverability, from understanding the process to overcoming common obstacles that hinder email reach. Learn actionable tips and proven strategies to boost your email's visibility and engagement in Klaviyo.

Discover why some emails end up in spam folders, how to clean and segment your email list effectively, and craft compelling subject lines for higher open rates. Let's ensure your emails not only get sent but also get seen and engaged with by your audience.

What's Email Deliverability, Anyway?

It's all about making sure your emails actually reach your audience. Good deliverability means your emails are hitting the primary inbox, where they're more likely to be seen and opened. Plus, engagement like opens, clicks, and forwards play a big role in keeping your deliverability in top shape.

The Email Deliverability Process

Ever wondered what happens after you hit send on an email? Let's take a quick look!

Suppressed Emails: If someone unsubscribes or takes back their consent, your email won't reach them. It's like they've left the party early.

Bounced Emails: Some emails bounce back, usually because the address is wrong or the inbox is full.

Caught by Spam Filters: Your email might end up in spam if it looks suspicious or if people haven't been engaging with your emails.

Low Open Rates: If folks aren't opening your emails, ESPs might stop delivering them altogether.

Understanding these issues can help ensure your emails reach the right inbox!

Why Do Klaviyo Emails Sometimes Go to Spam?

Different Metrics: Email providers have their own ways of deciding what's spam and what's not. It's like they have their own rulebook.

Votes Matter: Think of it like this: When people open, click, or interact with your emails, it's like giving them a thumbs-up. But if they ignore or mark them as spam, it's a big thumbs-down.

List Quality: If your email list is outdated or filled with fake or outdated addresses, or if you're sending to folks who didn't sign up, it's asking for trouble. That's a quick way to end up in spam.

Spammy Content: Using too many "buy now" phrases or over-the-top sales pitches can raise red flags for email filters.

Technical Issues: Sometimes, it's not your fault. Shared IP addresses or email authentication problems (DKIM, SPF & DMARC) can mess with your emails' chances of reaching the inbox.

Now, how can you check if your emails are going to spam?

Inbox Placement Testing Tools: These tools are like your email's personal trainer. They analyse your email and give it a score based on how spammy it seems. They also tell you how many emails reached inbox and spam folders across various types of mailboxes.

Email Campaign Reports: Keep an eye on your email campaign reports in Klaviyo or similar platforms. They'll tell you how many emails got delivered, opened, clicked, and unfortunately, marked as spam.

Sudden Open Rate Drop: If you see a sudden drop in your open rates, it could mean your emails are hiding out in spam folders.

Here’s the 5 step method to make sure your emails keep on reaching the inbox:

Step 1: Clean Your List Regularly

Let's kick things off by sprucing up your subscriber list. Weed out those who haven't engaged with your emails in the last 90-180 days. Also, regularly sweep away invalid email addresses (about 2% expire monthly) to dodge those pesky bounces. This signals to email providers that your content holds value.

How to Clean Your Email List in Klaviyo

• Spot and Remove Bad Emails: Find and remove hard bounces, invalid, and outdated email addresses.

• Set Up Automatic Suppression: Automatically remove addresses with lots of soft bounces to keep your list clean.

• Identify Unengaged Subscribers: Decide who's not interacting with your emails and consider removing them.

• Make Unsubscribing Easy: Keep it simple for subscribers to opt out if they want.

Step 2: Pause Low Engagement Flows

If your emails are already landing in spam folder, let's hit pause on those low-engagement flows, like cross-selling or customer winback, for a moment.

Instead, focus your efforts on the flows that are truly sparking engagement like welcome flow, abandoned checkout flow and thank you flow.

This will ensure that your emails are getting higher engagement and sends a positive signal to inbox providers that you are not a spammer.

Step 3: Focus on Subject Lines & Email Content

Now, it's time to get creative with your subject lines! Craft ones that are relevant, eye-catching, and personalised. Even a simple touch like using the recipient's name or mentioning their purchase history can make a big difference. Don't forget to experiment with different subject lines to find out which ones drive the best open rates.

Check these tips for better subject lines and deliverability:

• Keep it short, but meaningful.

• Avoid spam trigger words.

• Focus on providing value rather than using tricks.

• Use clear instructions or actionable phrases.

• Highlight any videos or dynamic content.

• Personalise to build a rapport with subscribers.

For email body:

• Avoid spam trigger words.

• Keep the call-to-action above the fold

• Don’t use too many links in the email

• Maintain a 60/40 text-to-image ratio when creating your email content

• Don’t use very heavy images (this also impacts your CTR)

• Personalize your emails

• Include a clear unsubscribe button & a physical address

Step 4: Segment Out Low Deliverability Providers

Next up, let's identify those email providers with lower open and click-through rates.

Create separate segments for subscribers using these providers, and tweak your strategies accordingly to tailor their experience. For these email providers, you can just email to highly engaged segment to improve the engagement rates and your deliverability.

Step 5: Regular monitoring of email authentication protocols

It’s a good deliverability practice to regularly monitor email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, and DMARC), IP address and domain blocklists to ensure a good sender reputation.

DMARC, DKIM, and SPF are three email authentication methods. Together, they help prevent spammers, phishers, and other unauthorized parties from sending emails on behalf of a domain* they do not own.

DKIM and SPF can be compared to a business license or a doctor's medical degree displayed on the wall of an office — they help demonstrate legitimacy.

Meanwhile, DMARC tells mail servers what to do when DKIM or SPF fail, whether that is marking the failing emails as "spam," delivering the emails anyway, or dropping the emails altogether.

Domains that have not set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC correctly may find that their emails get quarantined as spam, or are not delivered to their recipients. They are also in danger of having spammers impersonate them.

Bonus Step: Dedicated Sending Domain

If you're still grappling with spam issues, it might be worth considering a new dedicated sending domain. While it does involve some technical know-how and a gradual warming-up process, it could be just the ticket to improve your email deliverability.

Easy Ways to Monitor Your Email Deliverability

Ensuring your emails hit the mark is crucial. Here's a quick guide on how to keep tabs on it:

Metrics to Monitor:

• Open Rates: Keep an eye on who's opening your emails to gauge engagement levels.

• Click Rates: Measure clicks to understand what interests your audience.

• Bounce Rates: Maintain a clean list by monitoring undelivered emails.

• Spam Complaint Rates: Protect your sender reputation by watching for spam reports.

• Unsubscribe Rates: Track opt-outs to tailor your content effectively.

Good Metrics to Aim For:

• Unique Open Rates

• Unique Click Rates

• Bounce Rates

• Spam Complaint Rates

• Unsubscribe Rates

Klaviyo sets proficiency and excellence benchmarks for the following metrics. If your numbers lag behind these standards, use them as a starting point for improvement.

How to Check Email Deliverability in Klaviyo:

Campaign Reporting: Klaviyo's Campaign Trend Report lets you see how your emails are performing - from bounces to clicks to opens.

Benchmarking: Compare your stats to what Klaviyo says is average. It helps you see how you're doing against the rest of the pack.

Campaign Table: Check out Klaviyo's campaign table for a breakdown of your performance and some tips on how to do even better.

As we wrap up this newsletter on email deliverability, remember: every email is a chance to connect. Use the strategies shared here to reach the right inboxes and boost engagement.

Let's prioritize clean lists, compelling subject lines, and personalized content for success. Stay tuned for more insights in our next edition!