Email Sending Reputation and Deliverability

Email sending reputation and deliverability are important for Account Engagement and our customers. Deliverability describes how likely it is that your message is delivered to a recipient’s inbox. Email sending reputation describes how respected your IP address is by a receiving email server. A good email sending reputation helps ensure the best possible deliverability rates.

The first step to ensuring good deliverability is setting up email authentication. The next step is building and maintaining a good sending reputation. To maintain your sending reputation, follow our permission-based marketing policy, keep your lists up to date, manage your bounce rates, and stay off blocklists.

• Email Reputation and Deliverability Glossary
  Become familiar with these important email reputation and deliverability terms.
• Authenticating Account Engagement Emails
  To help you achieve good email deliverability, Account Engagement requires that you verify ownership for each sending domain. Sender Policy Framework (SPF) authentication is configured for you by default. We recommend that you also set up these additional authentication methods: DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) and Domain-Based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC).
• Add and Verify a Domain for Email Sending
  To send emails in Account Engagement, you must add at least one verified sending domain. A domain is verified by a validation key that you add to your DNS records.
• Implement DKIM Authentication for Account Engagement Email
  To improve your email deliverability, set up DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) as an additional form of email authentication. Work with your IT team to implement DKIM for each domain that you want to send emails from in Account Engagement.
• What Is Spam?
  The simplest definition of spam is “unsolicited bulk email.” Unsolicited means that it’s sent without the recipient’s consent, and bulk means that it’s sent to many people at once.
• Email Bounces
  When you send an email, recipient mail servers can reject your message, preventing a percentage of your prospects from receiving your message. When a server rejects a message, it’s called a bounce. A bounce can be hard or soft.
• Common Bounce Codes
  A bounce code is a reply from the recipient’s mail server that describes why an email wasn’t delivered. Mail server administrators can customize the messages that accompany codes, so messages can be different from server to server. Account Engagement doesn’t generate bounce codes, so contact the recipient’s mail server administrator if you need clarification about a message.
• Identify and Suppress Unengaged Prospects
  Keep your deliverability high by practicing good list management and not emailing unengaged prospects. Use a dynamic list to suppress an unengaged prospect from receiving marketing emails.
• Database Hygiene Tips
  A healthy prospect database contains a growing list of engaged prospects. Set reminders to conduct a regular hygiene check-up to protect your sending reputation and increase the return on your marketing spend. When your database is clean, you can focus on nurturing the most qualified prospects.
• Use a Dedicated Sending IP Address
  A dedicated sending IP address gives you full control of your email sending, so you’re fully responsible for the reputation of your own IP address.
• Reputation Warming
  To establish a positive sending reputation, warm up a new IP address by gradually increasing the number of emails you send over time. Make sure to follow the guidelines set by mailbox providers (MBP) around domain authentication, one-click unsubscribe methods, and rate limits for bounces and complaints. Follow the warming process for each new domain you plan to send mail from to establish a good reputation with MBPs, even if you’re sending from an already warm IP and even if you’re using a shared IP address.
• Permission Passes
  A permission pass is a one-time email you send to prospects on an out-of-date list. Recipients who click an opt-in link are added back to your list. You can use a permission pass one time per list. Never use a permission pass on a purchased list.