The science of deliverability: How to assess email performance

Deliverability is the lifeline of email marketing success.

It determines whether your carefully crafted emails reach your recipients' inboxes or end up lost in spam folders.

As a business striving for impactful email campaigns, understanding and measuring deliverability is essential.

In this blog post, we'll guide you through simple and engaging steps to measure deliverability effectively. Let's embark on the journey to better email performance!

Step 1: Check your email bounce rate

Bounces occur when your emails can't be delivered to the recipient's address. There are two types of bounces: hard bounces (permanent) and soft bounces (temporary). Monitor your bounce rate regularly to identify issues with your email list, such as outdated or invalid addresses. Keeping bounce rates low ensures your messages stay on track.

Step 2: Analyse email open rates

Open rates reveal how many recipients actually opened your emails. A higher open rate indicates engaging subject lines and relevant content. To boost open rates, experiment with compelling subject lines and personalised content to capture your audience's attention.

Step 3: Track click rates

The click rate measures the number of recipients who clicked on links within your emails. A healthy click rate indicates that your content is engaging and your call-to-action is effective. Optimise your click rate by including clear and persuasive CTAs that encourage recipients to take action.

Step 4: Monitor unsubscribe rates

Unsubscribes can be disheartening, but they also provide valuable insights. Keep an eye on your unsubscribe rate to assess whether your content aligns with your audience's interests and needs. Aim to provide value and maintain relevance to reduce unsubscribes.

Step 5: Check spam complaints

Spam complaints negatively impact deliverability. Monitor your spam complaint rate to gauge whether your emails might be seen as spammy or irrelevant. Ensure you follow best practices and provide a clear option to unsubscribe to reduce the likelihood of complaints.

Step 6: Analyse inbox placement

Inbox placement rates reveal the percentage of your emails that make it to the primary inbox rather than spam folders. High inbox placement rates signify healthy deliverability. If your placement rates are low, check for potential issues and address them promptly.

Step 7: Test different elements

Experimentation is key to continuous improvement. A/B testing allows you to test different elements like subject lines, send times, and content variations to determine what resonates best with your audience. Embrace testing and use the insights to optimise your future campaigns.

Measuring deliverability doesn't have to be daunting. By mastering these simple steps, you can track and improve the effectiveness of your email campaigns. Regularly analyse bounce rates, open rates, CTR, unsubscribes, spam complaints, and inbox placement to fine-tune your strategies. Remember, understanding deliverability is a stepping stone to successful email marketing. Stay engaged with your audience, deliver value, and watch your email campaigns thrive!