Smartlead’s Email

Deliverability Guide:
From Sending to Inbox

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

Table of contents
Basics of Email Deliverability 5

What is Email Deliverability 5

How To Improve Your Email Deliverability: K

8
Key Strategies And Best Practices

Set Up The Right Email Infrastructure 8

Build (and maintain) Your Domain Reputation 18

Craft The Winning Email Content 49

A/B Test Your Email Versions 52

Measuring Email Deliverability - Tools and Resources 54

How To Monitor Email Deliverability 54

Email Deliverability Checking With Smartlead 54

Sending Automated Email Campaigns Using

63
Smartlead For High Deliverability

Key Takeaways and Next Step 71

Appendix 72

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

Introduction
Have you ever crafted the perfect email campaign, only to have it vanish into the
dreaded spam folder?

As an email marketer, that's your worst nightmare. You pour your heart (and resources)
into creating compelling content, but it never reaches the intended audience. The result?
Poor campaign performance and frustrated you.

Email remains a powerful marketing tool. Despite the rise of new channels, email
marketing continues to thrive. In fact, billions of emails are sent daily, with the
average person receiving over 100! The reason? It's a direct and personalized way
to connect with your customers.

However, navigating the challenges of email deliverability can be tricky. Spam filters
constantly search for unwanted messages, and a staggering percentage of emails never
reach inboxes.

But as a leader in email deliverability solutions, Smartlead can help you navigate these
challenges with ease. More than 26.5M emails are sent from our tool per day, and many
of our customers see a deliverability rate higher than 95%. 

Built on our experience of working with top agencies and cold marketers, this ebook is
designed to equip you with a one-stop guide for nailing email deliverability. 

Here's what you'll learn

The fundamentals of email deliverability and why it matters

Key technical aspects that impact email deliverability
How to set a campaign in Smartlead to improve deliverability.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

Sneak peek into our new feature - email deliverability suite and other free tools that
can help you solve your deliverability woes. 

By the end of this guide, you'll be well on your way to landing your emails in inboxes,
not spam folders.

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1 Basics of Email Deliverability

1.1 What is Email Deliverability

Email deliverability refers to the ability of your email messages to successfully land in the

intended recipient's inbox rather than being filtered out and sent to spam or junk folders.

Yes, it is that simple. But when it comes to execution, that’s where the real challenge lies.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

This brings us to the concept of email delivery - which is mainly confused with email
deliverability. 

But there’s quite a bit of difference between the two terms. 

Both Email Delivery and Deliverability are crucial aspects of email sending, but they
should not be considered the same.

Let's break it down

Email Delivery: Once you hit "send" on your email – successful delivery means the
message has physically reached its destination

Email Deliverability: This goes beyond just reaching the server. It focuses on whether
your email lands in the recipient's inbox or gets filtered out and sent to spam.

The goal of your email campaign should be to reach the primary folder. This will
give your emails a better chance of being opened, read, and replied to. 

Now, how do you calculate the deliverability rate? 

Here’s how:

Number of Bounces
Deliverability
Rate
= Total Sent Emails - Total Emails Sent
x 100

For example, if you sent 1000 emails and 50 bounced, your calculation would look like
this: 

Deliverability Rate = (1000-50/1000) x 100

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

i.e., 

(950/1000) x 100 = 95%

Calculating the deliverability rate matters because it gives you more insight into your
email campaign’s success. You might have a 100% email delivery rate, but if the emails
land in spam, they will not be useful. 

But how do you know when your email deliverability is poor?

According to industry benchmarks, a good deliverability rate above 89% indicates a

healthy sender reputation. If you want to aim for excellence, shoot for over 95%. 

The problem comes when your deliverability is below 80%. (we recommend to try and
keep it above 95% only)

The Telltale Signs of Low Deliverability

A sudden or sustained drop in open rates suggests your emails might be landing in
spam folders or recipients are losing interest in your content
A significant increase in bounces can signal several issues, including an outdated
email list, typos in addresses, or exceeding sending limits
Recipients marking your emails as spam directly affects your sender reputation and
future deliverability
In extreme cases, internet service providers (ISPs) might block your emails if they
suspect spam-like practices.

So, by now, you have a basic idea of what email deliverability is and ways to calculate it.
Next, let’s directly get into business and discuss how you can improve your email
deliverability. We will look at the top factors that affect your deliverability and how you
can optimize each one of them.

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2 How To Improve Your
Email Deliverability:
Key Strategies and Best Practices

2.1 Set Up The Right Email Infrastructure

2.1.1 Complete SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Setup

Authentication protocols like SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys
Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting &
Conformance) are your secret weapon for improving email deliverability. These protocols
work together to build trust with ESPs (Email Service Providers) and ensure your emails
reach inboxes, not spam folders.

How SPF protects your email

SPF is like a bouncer for your email domain. It ensures that only approved servers can
send emails on your behalf, preventing email spoofing.

Here’s how it works: You set up an SPF record in your domain’s DNS settings, listing the IP
addresses of the servers allowed to send emails from your domain. When you send an
email, the recipient’s mail server checks your SPF record to verify if the sending server is
on your approved list.

If the server is listed, the email is considered legitimate and goes through. If it’s not, the
email might be marked as spam or rejected. For example, an SPF record might look like
this: v=spf1 ip4:192.168.1.1 include:_spf.google.com -all. This means emails can only be sent
from the IP address 192.168.1.1 and Google’s mail servers. Any other server’s email should
be rejected.

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Let's break down the steps to set it up:

a) SPF

Log in to your DNS settings from your domain registrar or hosting provider (GoDaddy,
Zoho, etc.
Create a new record with the type "TXT."

Name: Use "@" or a prefix like "mail," depending on where you want to place the record
on your domain
Value: This specifies authorized email sending IP addresses (consult your provider for
the exact format)
TTL: Keep the TTL (Time To Live) at default settings
Save the record.

Use our free SPF Record Lookup to verify your SPF records.

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How does DKIM work?

DKIM is like a secret handshake for your emails. It ensures that your emails haven’t been
tampered with in transit and verifies that they’re truly from you.

Here’s how it works: When you set up DKIM, your email server adds a special digital
signature to the header of every email you send. This signature is generated using a
private key that only your server knows.

On the recipient’s end, their mail server looks up the public key that you’ve published in
your domain’s DNS records. It uses this public key to verify the signature. If the signature
matches, it confirms that the email is legit and hasn’t been altered since it was sent.

Here’s how you can set up a DKIM record

Log in to your DNS settings again

Create a "TXT" or "CNAME" record based on your hosting provider's instructions
Paste the DKIM value provided by your hosting provider
Set the Hostname as instructed (e.g., s1._domainkey)
Save the record.

Use our DKIM Record Lookup to verify if your DKIM is published correctly.

How DMARC works

DMARC is like your email's bodyguard. It helps prevent email spoofing and phishing by
making sure only legitimate emails are sent from your domain. Think of it as a checkpoint
that verifies both SPF and DKIM are in place before allowing emails through.

Here's the scoop: when you set up DMARC, you publish a DMARC policy in your DNS
records. This policy tells receiving mail servers what to do if an email fails the SPF and
DKIM checks. You can set the policy to one of three modes

None (p=none): This is a "monitoring" mode. It doesn't affect email delivery but helps
you collect data on how your emails are being authenticated.

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Quarantine (p=quarantine): Emails that fail the checks might end up in the spam
folder
Reject (p=reject): This is the strictest. Emails that fail the checks are outright rejected
and never reach the inbox.

For cold emailing, you might think that starting with a "none" policy is usually a good idea.
It may be, but you should take DMARC quite seriously to ensure that only legitimate
emails reach the inbox. You can start with a quarantine policy, and once you see good
results in terms of deliverability and reputation, you can fully protect your domain from
misuse by switching to a "reject" policy.

Here’s how you can set up a DMARC record:

You can set up DMARC records in your DNS settings

Add a DNS TXT record for "_dmarc.yourdomain.com
In the second field, enter the text for your DMARC policy (e.g., v=DMARC1; p=none;
rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@example.com).

The specific policy settings will vary depending on your needs. 

You can check your DMARC records for free by using our DMARC Checker.

2.1.2 Set Up Secondary Domains

While email authentication is crucial, email deliverability is a constant battle. One
strategy you can employ to optimize deliverability is leveraging secondary domains.
These are additional email addresses under different domain names, all managed through
your primary account. 

But how do secondary domains impact deliverability?

IP reputation plays a significant role in email deliverability. When you send a large volume
of emails from a single domain and IP address, it can raise red flags for ESPs, especially if
you're new or haven't established a positive reputation yet.

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Secondary domains help you spread your email sending across multiple IPs, effectively
diversifying your reputation. This can be particularly beneficial for

High-Volume Senders: If you send a large number of cold emails, using secondary
domains distributes the sending load across different IPs. This reduces the risk of
your primary domain's IP getting flagged for suspicious activity due to high sending
volume

Targeted Campaigns: Secondary domains are excellent for sending targeted email
campaigns. For example, a company with a primary domain, "companyname.com,"
could use a secondary domain, "[companygrowth.com]," for its welcome emails to new
customers. This keeps email content specific and avoids overwhelming inboxes with a
mix of emails under the same domain.

At Smartlead, we recommend setting up secondary domains before you start sending

warm-up emails or running any email campaign.

2.1.3 Shared vs. dedicated IPs

When it comes to cold emailing, the choice between shared and dedicated IP addresses
can significantly impact your email deliverability and overall campaign success. 

A shared IP address is used by multiple senders. Your emails are sent from the same IP
address as other users. Shared IPs are generally less expensive because the cost is
distributed among multiple users. Your email deliverability can be affected by the actions
of other users sharing the same IP. If they send spammy or low-quality emails, it can
damage the IP’s reputation.

A dedicated IP address is used exclusively by one sender. Your emails are sent from an IP
address that only you control. This means your deliverability is solely influenced by your
own email practices.

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You need to gradually increase your email volume to establish and maintain a good
sending reputation. This process, known as IP warming, can take time and effort (more on
this later).

At Smartlead, we recommend dedicated IPs for email campaigning to help improve

your deliverability.

2.1.4 Use Custom Tracking

By default, many email marketing platforms use shared tracking domains to register link
clicks and email opens. This means all their users' links might point to a generic domain.
This might affect your email deliverability. 

Why? 

Because the same "tracking" domain is employed across thousands of campaigns

established by all users of the cold emailing software, ESPs can easily understand that
numerous emails are being opened, and they all generate "requests" to the same
"tracking URL." This could potentially result in a slight decrease in your deliverability.

So, what's the solution? It's straightforward.

You can outsmart the ESP by "masking" the tracking URL with your own.

How to Set Up Custom Domain Tracking?

a) In Smartlead 

Step 1
Create a new email account or access an existing one within the Smartlead app
Navigate to the Custom Tracking Domain section located under the ‘General’ tab.

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Step 2:

Open your domain management tool, e.g., Godaddy, Namecheap, Crazydomains, etc.
(Here, we have used Namecheap, for example) 

Head over to the DNS management section.

In your Host Records section, add a CNAME with the following

Type: CNAME Recor
Host: emailtrackin
Value: open.sleadtrack.co
TTL: Automatic

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After completing this step, allow 30 minutes to 24 hours for the changes to take effect in
your account.

Next, proceed to your Smartlead dashboard and paste the full URL into the text field
following the format shown below.

http://{host}.{yourdomain}

In my case, the domain is [getsmartwriter.co](http://getsmartwriter.co), and my host is

emailtracking

Verify Your CNAME Tracking

If you’ve done things right. Click on the “Verify CNAME” button. It’ll take you to a
nslookup.io link.

If underneath the “Canonical name,” it says “open.sleadtrack.com,” then you did it right.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

b) In GoDaddy

Step 1: Setting up a CNAME Record on GoDaddy

Sign in to GoDaddy and navigate to your dashboard

Click on "My Products.
Locate your domain
Select the "DNS" button
On the DNS Management page, click "Add.
Choose "CNAME" as the record type.

In the "Name" field, designate the name of your subdomain. You have the flexibility to
choose the name for your tracking domain, but we recommend simplicity, such as
"tracking." Thus, your final subdomain would resemble this: tracking.yourdomain.com.

The "Value" field should contain your ESP's tracking domain - in Smartlead’s case, it will
be open.sleadtrack.com. This step redirects your subdomain to your ESP's tracking
domain, eliminating the need to display suspicious URLs from your ESP in your emails.

Save your record.

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Please note: It may take a couple of days for your record to become active.

Once done, you just need to integrate your custom tracking domain with Smartlead. This
is similar to what we did in Namecheap. Proceed to your app and paste the full URL into
the text field following the format shown below.

http://{host}.{yourdomain}

Save changes once done.

c) In Cloudflare

Step 1: Add Your Domain to Cloudflar

Login to Cloudflare: If you don't have an account, create one and log in
Add a Site: Click on the "Add a Site" button
Enter your domain name (e.g., yourdomain.com) and click "Add Site.
Update DNS Records: Cloudflare will scan your existing DNS records. Verify that they
are correct, then continue
Change Nameservers: Update your domain registrar's nameservers to the ones
provided by Cloudflare.

Step 2: Create a Subdomain for Trackin

In Cloudflare, go to the DNS section of your domain
Add a new CNAME record
Name: Enter the subdomain you want to use for tracking (e.g., open if you want
open.yourdomain.com)
Target: Set this to open.sleadtrack.com
TTL: Set to Auto
Proxy Status: Set to DNS only (grey cloud).

Step 3: Configure SSL/TL

Go to the SSL/TLS tab in Cloudflare
Ensure SSL is set to Full or Full (Strict), depending on your existing SSL setup.

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Step 4: Verify and Update Smartlead Settings

Once you have added a CNAME record in Cloudflare, come back to Smartlead and add
this record in the designated place and format, as we did for Namecheap.

Use tools like Smartlead’s CNAME Checker to verify that your new CNAME record has
propagated accurately.

2.2 Build (and maintain) Your Domain Reputation

Whenever you send a cold email to somebody, your emails will first go through a
reputation-check. It basically means that the recipients’ email clients are ensuring that
only relevant and trustworthy emails reach the inboxes, rest everything is sent to either
less important folders, like social or promotions in Gmail or in spam or junk. 

Your domain reputation is difficult to build and maintain but quite easy to tarnish. 

There are several factors that contribute to a solid reputation. We will cover all these
factors in the subsequent sections. 

If you have a new domain, reputation becomes even more critical as you are completely
new and have no credibility in the email market right now. It is like when you have a low
credit score and you face a difficult time getting approval for loans or credit cards. But
the good news is that just like your credit score, your domain reputation can also be
improved with time. 

This will include steps like warming up your emails, cleaning up your email list, and
following list hygiene.

2.2.1 Create a Clean Email List

A clean email list, free of inactive or invalid addresses, is essential for maximizing email
deliverability. ESPs consider engagement metrics like open and click-through rates when
determining where to deliver emails.

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A clean list with engaged recipients translates to higher engagement metrics, increasing
the likelihood of your emails reaching inboxes.

A clean list also minimizes bounce rates as the likelihood of the email addresses being
invalid is less. 

Here are some strategies for cleaning up your email list

Identify Inactive Subscribers: Segment your list and track engagement metrics.
Consider unsubscribing or re-engaging those who haven't opened or clicked on your
emails in a long time (define a specific timeframe relevant to your industry)

Remove Hard Bounces: Hard bounces indicate a permanent delivery failure due to an
invalid address. Remove these addresses promptly to maintain a clean list and
improve bounce rates

Consider Soft Bounces: Soft bounces, like a full inbox, may be temporary. You can
attempt to resend to soft bounces a few times but eventually remove them if
deliveries consistently fail.

Here’s a list of major bounce codes you can encounter. Remember that the codes
starting from '4' are generally considered as soft bounce, while the ones starting from '5'
are generally considered hard bounce.

5.1.1 - Bad destination mailbox address

4.2.2 - The email account is over quota

5.0.0 - Syntax error: invalid email address format

5.1.0 - Bad destination mailbox address

5.1.1 - Bad destination mailbox address

5.1.2 - Bad destination system address

5.1.3 - Bad destination mailbox address syntax

5.1.4 - Destination mailbox address ambiguous

5.1.5 - Destination mailbox address valid

5.1.6 - Mailbox has moved

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5.1.7 - Bad sender's mailbox address syntax

5.1.8 - Bad sender's system address

5.1.9 - Message relayed to non-existent domain

5.2.0 - Other or undefined mailbox status

5.2.1 - Mailbox disabled, not accepting messages

5.2.2 - Recipient's mailbox is full and cannot accept new messages

5.2.3 - Message length exceeds administrative limit

5.2.4 - Mailing list expansion problem

5.3.0 - Other or undefined mail system status

5.3.2 - System not accepting network messages

5.3.3 - System not capable of selected features

5.3.4 - Message too big for system

5.3.5 - Recipient's mail system is misconfigured

5.4.0 - Other or undefined network or routing status

5.4.1 - Recipient's mail server did not respond

5.4.2 - Problem with the connection to the recipient's mail server

5.4.3 - Routing server encountered an error while delivering the message

5.4.4 - Message cannot be routed to the recipient's mail server

5.4.5 - Network congestion is preventing delivery of the message

5.4.6 - Routing loop detected while delivering the message

5.4.7 - Message delivery time expired

5.5.0 - Other or undefined protocol status

5.5.1 - SMTP command issued by the sender is invalid

5.5.2 - SMTP command syntax is incorrect

5.5.3 - Recipient count exceeds the maximum allowed by the recipient's mail system

5.5.4 - Arguments provided with the SMTP command are invalid

5.5.5 - SMTP protocol version used by the sender is not supported

5.6.0 - Other or undefined media error

5.6.1 - Recipient's mail system doesn't support the media type used by the sender.

5.6.2 - Conversion between media types is required but prohibited.

5.6.3 - Conversion between media types is required but not supported

5.6.4 - Conversion with loss performed

5.6.5 - Conversion between media types failed

5.7.0 - Other or undefined security status

5.7.1 - Delivery not authorized, message refused

5.7.2 - Mailing list expansion prohibited

5.7.3 - Security conversion required but not possible

5.7.4 - Security features not supported

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5.7.5 - Cryptographic operations performed by the sender failed

5.7.6 - Cryptographic algorithm not supported

5.7.7 - Message integrity failure

The above are SMTP bounce codes, there are some traditional bounce codes as well:

420 - Network congestion or server issue

421 - Receiving server temporarily unavailable

422 - Recipient’s mailbox is full

431 - Receiving server encountered an error

432 - Recipient server is not accepting messages at the moment

441 - Recipient's server is not responding

442 - Connection was dropped

446 - Maximum hop count was exceeded (internal loop)

447 - Outgoing message timed out in the incoming server

449 - A routing error occurred

450 - Mailbox unavailable

451 - Local processing error temporarily

452 - Recipient's mailbox full temporarily

471 - Temporary error in the local server (additional information provided)

500 - Syntax error (command not recognized)

501 - Syntax error in parameters or command arguments

502 - The command is not implemented

503 - Bad sequence of commands

504 - Command parameter not implemented

510/511 - Bad email address; check the address

512 - DNS error; domain could not be found

515 - Destination mailbox address invalid

517 - Problem with the sender's mail attribute

521 - Domain is not accepting mail

523 - Server limit exceeded; message too large

530 - Access denied; authentication required

531 - Mail system full

541 - No response from host (might be due to anti-spam filter)

550 - Mailbox unavailable/Not found

551 - User not local; please try forwarding

552 - Exceeded storage allocation

553 - Mailbox name is invalid

554 - Transaction failed; recipient server suspects spam or your IP is blacklisted

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When you use Smartlead to send emails, you also get the advantage of our Community
Bounce Feature that can help you reduce bounce rates. 

Here’s what it is:

Community Bounce Feature

Smartlead’s Community Bounce feature helps you keep your lead list in top shape by
removing email addresses that are blocked in our extensive community database. When
you upload a lead list, Smartlead analyzes it against both major blocklists and our
internal community database, giving you the option to exclude those bounced leads.

This feature ensures you reduce bounce rates and enhance email deliverability by
avoiding problematic addresses. By filtering out these bounced leads, you can maintain a
healthier, more effective email list and improve the overall success of your campaigns.

Whenever you upload a lead list in Smartlead, you will get the below options:

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If you enable the “Import Leads Even If They Bounced Across Our Entire Database”
option, any lead that has bounced across our entire user base will still be imported. We
DO NOT RECOMMEND to turn this feature on as it may lead to higher bounce rates.

Offer an Unsubscribe Option: Always provide a clear and easy way for people to
unsubscribe from your list. This ensures you're only sending emails to those who
want to receive them, boosting engagement

Use List Verification Tools: Several tools can help you verify email addresses and
identify invalid ones. These tools can streamline the cleaning process and save you
time.

Verify Emails In Smartlead

Smartlead offers two ways to verify email addresses: a free version for individual checks
and a paid version for bulk verification. Here’s how to effectively use these options and
verify emails in your lead list.

Free Version

Manual Check: To check the validity of a single email address, enter it into the free
version of Smartlead’s email verification tool. 

This is ideal for verifying individual addresses but unsuitable for large lists.

Paid Version

The paid version of Smartlead’s email verification tool costs $15 USD for 6,000 credits.
You can buy additional credits based on your needs.

Follow these steps to verify emails in your lead list within Smartlead
Add a New Campaign: Log in to your Smartlead account and navigate to the
campaign section. Click on “Add a New Campaign.”

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Import Your CSV File: Select and upload your CSV file containing your lead list. Map
the necessary fields to ensure proper data handling and click on “Save & Next.”

Launch Verification: Click “Launch Verification & Proceed” in the popup window to
start the email verification process.

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Wait for Verification to Complete: The time required for verification depends on the
size of your CSV file. During this time, you can continue creating and setting up your
campaign. You will receive a notification once the verification is completed.

Review the Report: After the verification process is complete, check the full report
provided by Smartlead. This report will detail the status of each email address.

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Launch or Save Your Campaign: You can now launch your campaign or save it as a
draft. When you launch the campaign after verification, Smartlead will ensure that
emails are only sent to valid addresses and catch-all leads
Download Verified Leads: The verified lead list can be downloaded as a separate
CSV file from the “Import Lead” tab.

Please note that once a campaign is live, you cannot verify leads within that campaign.
If you need to verify leads, it’s best to set up a new campaign and use the email
verification tool before launching it.

Personalize And Segment Your Email List

Segmentation involves dividing your email list into smaller groups based on specific
criteria. This lets you send targeted emails with relevant and engaging content to each
segment.

Subscribers are more likely to open and click on emails that are relevant to their
interests. Higher engagement metrics signal to email service providers that you send
valuable content, positively impacting deliverability. 

Here are some ways to segment your email list

Demographics: Segment by age, gender, location, etc., to tailor content based on
audience demographics
Behavior: Segment based on past purchases, website visits, or email engagement to
send targeted offers or content
Interests: Segment based on subscriber preferences or expressed interests to
deliver highly relevant content.

Once you have a clean, verified, and segmented lead list, you can proceed with warming
up your domains.

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2.2.2 Warm Up Your Domains

Domain warming refers to gradually increasing the emails sent from a new domain. This
helps establish a positive reputation with ESPs and improves your chances of landing in
inboxes.

If you’re using Smartlead to send cold emails, here’s how you set up warmup settings.

Email Warmup Using Smartlead 

Smartlead offers an AI-powered solution to streamline the warmup process.

Let's Walk Through the Smartlead warm-up Process

Set Up Your Account: Sign in and navigate to the "Email Accounts" tab.

Click "Add Account" and choose your email provider (Gmail, Outlook, etc.).

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Once you click ‘Add Account,’ a new screen will appear, prompting you to select your
email service.

Complete authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, & MX) based on your selected service. If
you are using Smartlead, check out this article to learn more.

These settings are crucial for email deliverability. Smartlead provides resources to guide
you through this step.

Once the authentication is done, you can continue with the warm-up process.

In the "Email Accounts" tab, choose the email address you want to warm up.

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Configure Warm-Up Settings:

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Daily Emails: Keep it under 40 initially

Daily Ramp Up: Gradually increase sending volume over time (recommended for new
domains)
Randomize Daily Volume: Mimic natural sending patterns
Reply Rate: Set between 30-40% to simulate engagement
Custom Warm-Up Identifier Tag: Filter warm-up emails from your inbox.

Click "Save/Update'' to initiate the warm-up. Smartlead's dashboard allows you to track
the progress.

2.2.3 Avoid Being Listed On Any Blacklists

A blacklist in the context of email marketing is a list of IP addresses or domains that are
known or suspected to send spam. When an IP address or domain is blacklisted, emails
sent from it are more likely to be blocked or sent to the spam folder by ESPs. 

A high spam rate can indicate that your domain can be blacklisted on any of the
blacklists. These blacklists go around by multiple names like real-time blackhole lists
(RBLs), DNS blacklists, or simply email blacklists. If your domain is on one of them, your
emails will land in spam folders. 

Let’s look at some of the most common RBLs as well as their return codes.

List of Popular RBLs

a) Spamhaus Block List (SBL)

Impact: High

One of the most well-known and respected blacklists, maintained by Spamhaus, a non-
profit organization dedicated to fighting spam. The SBL identifies email addresses and IP
addresses associated with spammers.

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It maintains several other lists, including

Exploits Blocklist (XBL

Combined Spam Sources blocklist (CSS) (dataset included in the SBL DNSBL zone
Policy Blocklist (PBL)

Listing Criteria
Snowshoe Spam: Poor or frequently changing identification in IP ranges and domains
Spam Hosting: IPs hosting spam-advertised websites or resources
Spam Operations: Known spam/malware operations listed in ROKSO.

Spamhaus Return Codes

Return codes for public IP zones are as below (Format: Return Code/Zone/Description

127.0.0.2 (SBL): Spamhaus SBL Dat

127.0.0.3 (SBL): Spamhaus CSS Dat
127.0.0.4 (XBL): CBL Dat
127.0.0.9 (SBL): Spamhaus DROP/EDROP Data (in addition to 127.0.0.2, since 01-
Jun-2016
127.0.0.10 (PBL): ISP Maintaine
127.0.0.11 (PBL): Spamhaus Maintained

How to delist
Notification: Spamhaus researchers notify the responsible network or hosting
company when an IP is listed
Action: If you are an end-user, contact your ISP or hosting provider to address the
issue and request removal
Removal Request: The network owner must notify Spamhaus of any changes and
request removal using the details provided in the listing notification
Check Listing: Use Spamhaus Check with the IP, IP range, or SBL ticket number to view
and manage listings.

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b) Barracuda Reputation Block List (BRBL)

Impact: High

Maintained by Barracuda Networks, a leading security provider, this RBL identifies IPs
associated with spammers and phishing attacks.

Barracuda Return Codes

127.0.0.2: Liste
127.0.0.3: Not liste

How to delist
Form Submission: Enter your email server's IP address, email address, phone number,
and optional reason for removal on the Barracuda Reputation System's removal
request form
Validation: Provide valid information, as incomplete or multiple requests will be
ignored
Processing: Delist requests are typically processed within 12 hours if the information
provided is valid.

c) SpamCop Blocking List (SCBL)

Impact: High

This RBL aggregates spam reports from users to identify spammers. It has a high impact
on email deliverability.

SpamCop Return Code

127.0.0.2: Liste
127.0.0.3: Listed less frequently used
( )

How to delist?

Spam op will automatically remove your server from the blacklist after 2 hours,
C 4

provided there are no additional spam reports.

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d) Composite Blocking List (CBL)

Impact: High

Also maintained by Spamhaus, this RBL focuses on IPs with a high volume of spam
complaints.

How to delist?

Removing your IP address from The CBL is straightforward. Visit The CBL IP address
lookup page and request removal. If your IP is listed, the results will include detailed
instructions on why you were listed and how to proceed with the removal.

e) SORBS (Spam and Open Relay Blocking System)

Impact: Moderate to High Impact

Maintains multiple RBLs for spam sources, open relays (unsecured servers that can be
misused for spam), and dynamic IPs (frequently changing IPs). The overall impact can
range from moderate to high, depending on the specific SORBS list.

SORBS Return Codes

127.0.0.2: General spam sources

127.0.0.3: Open proxies

127.0.0.4: Open relays

127.0.0.5: Open SOCKS proxies

127.0.0.6: HTTP proxy servers

127.0.0.7: Spam server

How to delist
Listing Size: If the listing includes more than a single IP, ensure the spammer is no
longer using the address space to reduce the listing size
Time-Based Penalty: Be aware that a time-based penalty approach may apply
Action: Submit a delisting request through the SORBS website once the spam issue is
resolved.

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f) UCEPROTECT

Impact: Moderate

Offers various levels of RBLs targeting specific spam activities. The impact can be
moderate depending on the specific list used.

UCEPROTECT Return Code

127.0.0.2: Level 1 (Direct spam source
127.0.0.3: Level 2 (Downstream spam sources
127.0.0.4: Level 3 (Upstream spam sources)

How to delist?

To remove your server's IP address from UCEPROTECT, start by visiting their website at
www.uceprotect.net. Navigate to the “Delisting Request” page, enter your server's IP
address in the provided form, and follow the instructions to verify your IP address.

g) INVALUEMENT

Impact: Moderate

Invaluement offers several RBLs aimed at enhancing email security and minimizing spam
IVRBL (IP-based): This list focuses on identifying and blocking IP addresses known
for sending spam. It is designed to provide high-accuracy listings to ensure minimal
false positives, making it a reliable resource for email service providers and
enterprises
ivmSIP (Spammy IPs): This RBL is dedicated to identifying spammy IP addresses that
may not be listed by other well-known services like Spamhaus. It includes
IPs from botnets
IPs used by elusive snowshoe spammers
IPs from black-hat mailbox providers
ivmSIP/24 (Spammy IP Ranges): This variant of ivmSIP focuses on identifying and
listing sub-networks (/24 ranges) of IP addresses that exhibit spam-sending behavior,
helping to block entire ranges of spam sources.

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ivmURI (Spammy Domains and IPs): This list targets Uniform Resource Identifiers
(URIs), including both domains and selected IP addresses associated with spammers.
It aims to detect and block spam content at the domain level, ensuring
comprehensive coverage against spam originating from various sources.

Invaluement Return Code

127.0.0.2: ivmSIP (Spam IP List
127.0.0.3: ivmSIP/24 (Spam IP range
127.0.0.4: ivmURI (Spam URI)

How to delist
Ensure No Spam: Cease all spam from your server and ensure email authentication
Visit Invaluement: Access the Invaluement Blacklist Removal Page and query your IP
Submit Request: If your IP is blacklisted, follow the delisting instructions provided
Send Email: Contact Invaluement with reasons for blacklisting (if known) and
explanation for delisting. 

Send emails from legitimate providers and avoid using free email services like Yahoo,
Gmail, Hotmail, etc..

Note: Invaluement may disregard removal requests lacking genuine contact details or
those sent from free email services.

h) SURBL

Impact: High

SURBL (Spam URI Real-time Blocklists) is another domain-based RBL. It lists domains that
appear in spam emails, helping to block emails that promote spammy websites. SURBL
data is used in conjunction with other spam filters to enhance detection accuracy.

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SURBL Return Code

127.0.0.2 - Indicates a site listed for spam or abuse
127.0.0.4 - Lists domains used for disposable email services
127.0.0.8 - Identifies phishing sites
127.0.0.16 - Marks sites known to host or distribute malware
127.0.0.32 - Specifies domains used for click tracking
127.0.0.64 - Covers domains involved in various types of abuse, including spam
127.0.0.128 - Indicates sites that offer cracked or illegally distributed software.

The IP address 127.0.0.X encodes which lists a domain is on:

Single List: The value of the last octet directly corresponds to a list
Example: 127.0.0.8 means the domain is on the phishing list (PH)
Example: 127.0.0.64 means the domain is on the ABUSE list.

Multiple Lists: The last octet's value is the sum of the bit values of the lists
Example: 127.0.0.80 means the domain is on both MW and ABUSE (16 + 64 = 80).

How to delist
Security Measures: Remove all phishing sites, malware, and other security
vulnerabilities from your website and systems
Audit: Consider a full security audit by a professional to ensure your site and systems
are secure
Request Removal: Submit a removal request for the CR (Cracked), PH (Phishing), or
MW (Malware) lists after securing your site.

Note: Check DNS infrastructure for malicious subdomains and secure it before
contacting SURBL.

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i) URIBL (Uniform Resource Identifier Blacklist)

Impact: High

URIBL is a domain-based RBL that lists domains found in the body of spam emails. It
helps identify and block emails that contain links to known spammy domains,
complementing IP-based RBLs.

URIBL Return Codes

The multi.uribl.com list consolidates data from multiple lists and is recommended for
queries to get comprehensive results. When a domain is found on the multi-list, it returns
an IP address of 127.0.0.X, where X indicates which list the domain is on. The return codes
are as follows:

X Binary On List

---------------------------------------------------------

1 00000001 Query blocked, possibly due to high volume

2 00000010 black

4 00000100 grey

8 00001000 red

14 00001110 black, grey, red (for test points)

How to delist
Account Registration: Register for an account with URIBL
Lookup: Use the URI lookup feature to confirm if your domain is listed
Delist Request: Use the same form to submit delisting requests

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j) Mailspike 

Impact: Moderate to High

Mailspike BL (Blacklist) is part of the Mailspike suite of DNS-based blacklists (DNSBLs)

that are used to identify and block IP addresses associated with spam and other
malicious activities. Mailspike provides several lists, including the blacklist (BL), to help
email servers and administrators filter out unwanted emails and improve email security.

How to delist
Form Submission: If your IP is blacklisted, fill out the “Request Delist” form available on
the results page
Automatic Processing: Delist requests are automatic and typically fulfilled within one
hour after submission.

How to delist
Form Submission: If your IP is blacklisted, fill out the “Request Delist” form available on
the results page
Automatic Processing: Delist requests are automatic and typically fulfilled within one
hour after submission.

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Important Note: The return codes for the above-listed RBLs are usually returned by DNS
queries to the RBL DNS server when an IP is checked against a blacklisted database. The
specific meanings can vary between different RBLs, so it's important to check the
documentation of the specific RBL you are querying to understand what each code
signifies in their context.

General Interpretation of RBL Return Codes

RBL return codes are used to indicate why an IP address or domain has been listed on a
blacklist. These codes help email administrators understand the specific reason for the
listing and take appropriate actions to resolve the issue. Here's a more detailed
interpretation of common return codes:

127.0.0.2

Meaning: General spam listing.

Use Case: This code is often used to indicate that an IP address or domain is listed for
sending unsolicited bulk email (spam). It is a broad category and may encompass various
types of spam activities.

127.0.0.3

Meaning: Additional reasons such as phishing, open proxy, or compromised server.

Use Case: This code can specify that an IP address or domain is involved in activities
beyond general spam, such as phishing attempts, operating an open proxy that relays
spam, or being part of a compromised server network used to send spam.

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127.0.0.4

Meaning: Specific types of malicious activities.

Use Case: Often used to indicate more detailed reasons for listing, such as being part of
a botnet, distributing malware, or engaging in snowshoe spamming (using multiple IP
addresses to spread out the volume of spam to avoid detection).

127.0.0.5 and higher (e.g., 127.0.0.6, 127.0.0.10, etc.)

Meaning: Granular classification of spam-related issues.

Use Case: These codes are used for highly specific listings that detail the nature of the
spam activity or other malicious behaviors. For example, a specific return code might
indicate that the IP is part of a known botnet, another might indicate that it is associated
with high volumes of spam over a short period (snowshoe spam), and another might
indicate involvement in sending spam from a dynamically assigned IP address.

2.2.4 How To Check If Your Domain/IP Is Blacklisted?

At Smartlead, we offer a free blacklist checker tool that can help you identify if your
domain or IP is blacklisted under any of the email blacklists we covered previously. The
tool checks against a wide range of blacklists, including well-known ones such as
Spamhaus, SURBL, URIBL, and more.

Steps to Use the Smartlead Blacklist Checker Tool

Visit the Smartlead Blacklist Checker Tool Page
In the designated field, input the IP address or domain name you wish to check
Press the "Lookup" button to initiate the blacklist check.

A sample report has been shared below for an IP that was listed on one of the blacklists
and hence failed the check.

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Check Your Spam Score

One of the key aspects to monitor and optimize for better deliverability is your spam
score. SpamAssassin, a widely-used spam filtering technology, plays a vital role in
assessing the likelihood of your emails being classified as spam.

Understanding SpamAssassin Score

Many renowned email deliverability tools, including GlockApps, Email Acid, and Litmus,
rely on SpamAssassin to evaluate email content. This robust filtering system employs
over 700 tests, ranging from Bayesian filtering to DNS checks, to determine the
probability of an email being spam.

SpamAssassin scores emails as follows

Negative values: Indicate that an email is unlikely to be spam, contributing to a lower
overall score
Neutral: A score of "0" has little impact on the classification
Positive values: Suggest a higher likelihood of the email being spam.

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To ensure optimal email deliverability, it's essential to regularly monitor and optimize your
spam score. Here are some strategies to improve your SpamAssassin score

Build a Good Sending History: Maintain a positive reputation by consistently delivering

relevant and engaging content to your subscribers. Avoid sudden spikes in email
volume, as this may trigger spam filters
Use a Reputable IP: Send your emails from a reputable IP address with a clean sending
history. Avoid shared IPs or those associated with spammy activity to safeguard your
deliverability
Authenticate Your Emails: Implement authentication mechanisms like SPF, DKIM, and
DMARC to verify the legitimacy of your emails and prevent spoofing
Avoid Spammy Words: Refrain from using spam-triggering words or phrases in your
email content. Focus on delivering valuable and relevant content that resonates with
your audience.

Check Inbox Placement Rate

Check your Inbox Placement Rate (IPR) to gauge the effectiveness of your email
campaigns. IPR measures the percentage of emails that successfully reach the main or
primary inbox folder. It's a crucial metric that indicates the deliverability and engagement
of your emails. The formula for calculating IPR is:

IPR = Emails Delivered to Inbox

Total Emails Delivered
x 100

Monitoring your IPR helps you understand how well your emails are performing and
whether they are landing in recipients' inboxes or getting filtered into spam or other
folders.

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With Smartlead, you can run a comprehensive email deliverability and inbox placement
test, using our email deliverability testing tool. It simulates the delivery of your emails to
various email providers and provides detailed reports on inbox placement rates across
different platforms. This allows you to identify deliverability issues and optimize your
campaigns for better inbox placement.

We will cover more on this in later sections of the ebook.

Secure Email Gateway

A Secure Email Gateway (SEG) is essential for defending against email-based threats. It
protects organizations by identifying and blocking malicious emails before they reach
users' inboxes. SEGs play a crucial role in preventing common cyberattacks like phishing,
which are among the most frequent security threats businesses encounter.

How SEGs Operate

SEGs use a combination of signature-based detection and machine learning to scrutinize
email content for potential threats. Here's how they work

Signature Analysis: This method involves looking for known patterns of malware. SEGs
compare email content against a database of identified threats, blocking any
messages that match these signatures
Machine Learning: To tackle more sophisticated attacks, SEGs employ machine
learning algorithms that analyze email behavior and patterns. This helps in identifying
novel or evolving threats that may not fit traditional signature patterns.

Methods of Integration
SEGs typically integrate with email systems using one of two methods
DNS MX Record: An MX record is a DNS entry that directs email traffic to the correct
server. SEGs can insert themselves into this pathway by updating the organization’s
MX record to point to the SEG.

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This setup routes all incoming email through the SEG for inspection before delivering
it to the recipient's inbox. Think of it as a security checkpoint on a highway where
every vehicle is checked before entering the city

API Integration: Many email platforms like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 offer
APIs that allow third-party applications to interact with email systems. SEGs can use
these APIs to monitor email content after it has arrived in the inbox, without rerouting
traffic. This method is akin to having security personnel review vehicles on the road
rather than at a checkpoint.

Additional Safeguards Provided by SEG

Phishing Protection: SEGs identify and block phishing attempts that aim to deceive
users into revealing sensitive information. They analyze email content, sender
reputation, and URL links to detect malicious intent
Spam Filtering: They filter out spam emails, reducing the volume of unwanted
messages and preventing potential threats from cluttering the inbox
Malware Detection: SEGs scan attachments and embedded links for malware, ensuring
that harmful software does not reach users
Data Loss Prevention (DLP): SEGs can monitor outgoing emails to prevent sensitive
data from being leaked outside the organization. They detect and block messages
containing confidential information
Advanced Threat Intelligence: By leveraging threat intelligence feeds, SEGs stay
updated with the latest threats and adapt their defenses accordingly
Content Filtering: SEGs evaluate email content for inappropriate or harmful material,
blocking messages that do not meet the organization’s security policies.

2.2.5 IP Signatures Impact On Deliverability

IP signatures, often referred to as email headers, are bits of metadata added to an email's
SMTP trail. These include the sender's IP address, the recipient's IP address, and the
route the email took to reach its destination. These headers are vital for email

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deliverability because they help email servers verify the sender's legitimacy and
determine whether an email is spam.

For example, consider an email header that shows

Sender's IP address: 192.168.1.

Recipient's IP address: 203.0.113.
Path: 192.168.1.1 -> 203.0.113.1

This information helps email servers authenticate the sender and ensure the email hasn't
been spoofed or tampered with, thus improving the likelihood that legitimate emails land
in the recipient's inbox.

How Smartlead Helps

Smartlead, as an email-sending platform, connects to your email outbox, like Outlook or
Gmail, to send emails on your behalf. While Smartlead isn't the originator of your emails, it
serves as the engine that automates the sending process.

Since Smartlead sends emails to you, there's a digital footprint, especially when using the
SMTP protocol. This footprint can influence how your emails are perceived by recipient
servers.

Smartlead’s email warm-up policy gradually increases the volume of emails sent from
your account. This helps establish a positive sending reputation over time, which is
crucial for improving email deliverability.

OAuth Process

To use Smartlead, you add your Gmail account as an internal application, enabling an
OAuth process. This process is more secure than using Gmail's normal 2FA or secondary
application password. OAuth helps prevent disconnects and is related to the SMTP
protocol, ensuring secure email sending.

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IP Address Rotation

Smartlead rotates IP addresses for each email sent. This rotation helps avoid the
negative consequences of an IP address gaining a bad reputation for sending spam. If
one IP address gets flagged, rotating to another can prevent emails from being marked as
spam or blocked.

Email providers often monitor the volume of emails from a single IP address and flag
sudden increases as suspicious. By distributing the sending volume across different IP
addresses, Smartlead reduces the risk of being flagged and increases the diversity of IP
addresses used, signaling to ESPs that the sender is legitimate.

2.2.6 Avoid Spam Traps

Spam traps are email addresses specifically created by email providers and anti-spam
organizations to catch spammers. These addresses are not actively used by real people
and are only included in mailing lists through deceptive practices. When an email is sent
to a spam trap, it's a clear sign that the sender might be a spammer.

If your email lands in a spam trap, it can negatively impact your email deliverability in
several ways
Reduced Inbox Placement: Email providers might start sending your emails to the
spam folder of recipients, even legitimate ones
Reputation Damage: Sending to spam traps can damage your sender reputation,
making it harder for future emails to reach inboxes
Blacklisting: In severe cases, your email address or domain name might be
blacklisted, completely blocking your emails from reaching recipients.

Types of Spam Trap

Pristine Spam Traps: These are pristine email addresses that have never been
actively used by real individuals. They are often generic addresses like
admin@domain.com or contact@domain.com.

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Recycled Spam Traps: These email addresses were once active accounts but have
been abandoned and repurposed as spam traps by email providers like Hotmail or
Yahoo

Typo Spam Traps: These traps are designed to catch senders who purchase email
lists without verifying them for typos. They contain common typos of legitimate email
addresses, such as johndoe@gmial.com or janedoe@yaho.com.

To protect your emails from spam traps, practice regular list cleaning and email
verification.

2.2.7 Maintain Sending Frequency

Finding the right balance in email sending frequency is crucial for maintaining
engagement and email deliverability. Consistent sending habits demonstrate that you're
a reliable sender, not a spammer blasting out random emails, which translates to
improved deliverability.

Regular communication keeps your brand top-of-mind with your subscribers. If you
disappear for months between emails, they might lose interest and forget who you are.
Consistent sending helps maintain a connection with your audience.

There's a sweet spot in sending frequency that maximizes open and click-through rates.
Sending too often can lead to fatigue, and sending too infrequently might make your
emails get buried.

How to Determine the Right Sending Frequency

Start by analyzing historical data on your email campaigns' open and click-through
rates. Look for patterns related to sending frequency
Research average sending frequencies within your industry. This provides a baseline
reference point.

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Different segments of your audience might prefer different email frequencies.

Segment your list and consider sending it at varying intervals based on preferences
Run A/B tests to compare different sending frequencies and see which resonates
best with your audience.

Once you establish a sending frequency that works for your audience, stick to it as much
as possible.

2.3 Craft The Winning Email Content

Personalize Your Emails Using Spintax
Spintax is a powerful tool that enables you to effortlessly generate multiple versions of a
sentence or phrase by incorporating various options within curly brackets. This feature
can significantly streamline your email content creation process, saving you valuable time
compared to crafting each variation manually.

By leveraging Spintax, you can create multiple iterations of your email content, enabling
you to conduct A/B tests and gauge which variations resonate most effectively with your
audience. This invaluable data empowers you to refine and optimize your future email
campaigns for enhanced engagement and conversion rates.

In Smartlead, harnessing the power of Spintax is remarkably straightforward. Simply

structure your copy using Spintax syntax like this:

{Hi|Hello|Hey|What’s up}

This single line generates four distinct emails, each with subtly different copy variations.
Not only does this approach boost your email deliverability, but it also provides
invaluable insights into which phrasing yields the most favorable results. With Spintax in
your toolkit, you can elevate your email marketing strategy to new heights of
effectiveness and efficiency.

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Ensure a good email copy and CTAs

The success of your email campaigns hinges on your email copy, especially your subject
line, main body, and CTAs.

Your subject line is crucial as it's the first impression your email makes. A compelling
subject line grabs attention and improves email deliverability by avoiding spam triggers
and deceptive language. It entices users to open your email, increasing engagement and
response rates.

Craft subject lines that spark curiosity or highlight your email's value proposition. Keep
your email content concise and focused on the value you offer, guiding recipients with
clear CTAs like "Download Now," "Shop Now," or "Learn More."

Ensure your content is free from spam trigger words to maintain deliverability and
engagement.

Here's a non-exhaustive list of some common spam trigger words to avoid (remember,
it's always best to consult your email marketing platform for the latest guidance)

All Caps: Writing your email in ALL CAPS is a red flag for spam filters
Exclamation Points!!!: Excessive use of exclamation points can make your email
sound desperate
Urgency and Scarcity: Phrases like "Limited Time Offer!" or "Act Now!" can trigger
spam filters
Free!: Overusing "Free" can make your email seem like a cheap sales pitch
Guaranteed/Risk-Free: Guaranteeing results or claiming no risk can raise suspicion
Increase/Boost/Maximize: These words are often used in spammy, get-rich-quick
schemes
Work from Home/Make Money Fast: Avoid language promoting unrealistic financial
gains
Urgency/Scarcity: Act Now!, Don't Miss Out!, Limited Time Offer!, While Supplies
Last!, Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity!, Urgent!

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Financial Gain: Earn Extra Cash!, Get Rich Quick!, Double Your Income!, etc.
Phishing and Deception: Urgent! Update Your Account Now!, You Have Been
Selected!, Congratulations! You've Won!

Also, avoid misspelled words or phrases. Always run a spell check and double-check the
content. 

With Smartlead, you can do a spam check for free. 

Smartlead’s Free Spam Checker is a powerful tool designed to help you avoid common
pitfalls that lead to emails being marked as spam. It scans your email content for words
and phrases that are known to trigger spam filters, ensuring that your messages don’t
end up in your recipients' spam folders. By identifying these red flags, the Spam Checker
helps you refine your email content to improve deliverability.

With this tool, you can optimize your emails for better performance and higher
engagement. By addressing potential issues before sending, you increase the chances of
your emails reaching the inbox and capturing the attention of your audience.

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Cold Email’s Signature - Simple Or Fancy?

While often overlooked, cold email signatures can trigger spam filters if not designed with
deliverability in mind.

While some deliverability experts prefer to keep it simple, others think signatures can
help build trust and connect better with people. At Smartlead, we prefer to keep it
simple. 

However, you might want to include various details in your signature, thinking that it
makes you seem more credible. It does to a certain extent, but if you are not careful, it
can easily trigger spam alerts. 

If you want to include a signature in your cold emails, try to keep it simple and
straightforward. Avoid fancy-looking signatures with too much extra stuff like a bio or
irrelevant social media networks. You should avoid adding your email address to the
signature because your recipients have already received it. So, what can you add to your
signatures without comprising deliverability? You can add your name and job, company
website, embedded images (if absolutely necessary), or any social media links (again,
only the truly necessary ones) in plain text. 

A better way to go about this is to just A/B test versions of your emails - one with a
signature and one without one. Or one with a fancy image or too many colors, and one
simple plain text.

2.4 A/B Test Your Email Versions

Imagine sending two slightly different versions of your email to separate groups of
subscribers and analyzing which one performs better. This is the essence of A/B testing.
It helps you identify what resonates most with your audience, leading to:

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Improved Open Rates: By testing different subject lines, preheader text, or "From"
names, you can discover what elements entice subscribers to open your emails.

Higher Click-Through Rates: A/B testing variations of your email content, CTAs, or
button designs can help you determine what drives click and conversions.

Enhanced Deliverability: Metrics like open and click-through rates signal engagement
to ESPs. A/B testing helps you optimize your emails for better engagement, which
improves deliverability by demonstrating that your audience's content is relevant and
desired.

What to A/B Test in Your Emails:

Here are some common elements you can A/B test in your email marketing campaigns:

Subject Lines: Test different subject line variations to see which ones capture attention
and generate the most open.

Preheader Text: The preheader text appears next to the subject line in many inboxes.
Test variations to pique curiosity and encourage opens.

"From" Name/Email Address: Experiment with different sender names and email
addresses to see what resonates best with your audience.

Email Content: Test variations of your email body content, including CTAs, image
placement, or overall design elements.

Send Time: A/B tests different sending times to see when your audience is most
receptive to your emails.

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3 Measuring Email Deliverability -
Tools and Resources

3.1 How To Monitor Email Deliverability

Key Metrics

Delivery Rate: This shows the percentage of emails successfully delivered to the
recipient's server, regardless of inbox placement
Bounce Rate: Tracks emails that couldn't be delivered due to invalid addresses, full
mailboxes, or server issues. Bounce rates are categorized as soft bounces (temporary
issues) and hard bounces (permanent issues)
Open Rate: Indicates the percentage of recipients who opened your email. A low
open rate suggests deliverability problems or lack of engagement
Click-Through Rate (CTR): Measures the percentage of recipients who clicked on a
link within your email. Similar to open rates, a low CTR can signal deliverability
concerns
Spam Complaint Rate: Tracks the number of recipients who mark your email as
spam. High spam complaint rates can significantly hurt your sender reputation.

3.2 Email Deliverability Testing With Smartlead

We know how important email deliverability is for your email campaigns’ success - hence
our SmartDelivery tool is designed to improve your deliverability rate and thus help you
get higher ROI.

SmartDelivery is designed with a singular purpose: to enhance the performance of your

email campaigns by ensuring your messages land right where they should – in the

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

primary inbox of your recipients.

It features key tools aimed at improving your email campaign performance through
comprehensive spam testing and monitoring. 

Here’s how the tool can help you

Improved Copywriting: Our tool will help you refine your email content, removing spam
trigger words that might otherwise send your emails straight to the spam folder
Revenue Generation: By ensuring your emails reach the primary inbox, you’ll see
increased engagement and, ultimately, more revenue from your campaigns
Unified Email Infrastructure: No need for multiple tools – our suite will aggregate your
entire email infrastructure in one convenient place
Detailed Campaign Overview: Get an in-depth view of your campaign performance
and actionable insights on how to improve
Immediate Feedback: With IP monitors and blacklist alerts, you’ll get real-time
feedback on your email health.

Let’s dive into the key components of the tool:

A) SmartInbox
The SmartInbox is a cornerstone of our Email Deliverability Suite. Its goal is to enable you
to test and optimize email deliverability across different mailbox providers.

How To Use SmartInbox for Email Deliverability Testing

Initiate the Manual Test

Begin by clicking on the “Manual Test” option from the SmartInbox dashboard. This will
lead you to the settings page specifically designed for manual spam testing.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

1. Enter General Details

Fill in the essential information for your test

Name: Assign a unique name to your test
Description: Provide a brief description of the test
Folders: Choose the folders where you want the test results to be stored. You can
create these folders in advance, ensuring a smooth setup process.

2. Select Spam Filter

Next, move to the spam filter settings. Here, you can choose from the following filters
Google Spam Filte
Barracud
SpamAssassi

Additionally, you have the option to enable the Link Checker, which will verify the
functionality of all links within your email copy.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

3. Configure Mailboxes and Conten

Now, select the mailboxes and email content for the test
Mailboxes: Choose the specific mailboxes for testing, including those connected
with Smartlead
Campaigns and Sequences: Select the campaigns and sequences from which the
email content will be tested
Sender Mailboxes and Providers: Pick the sender mailboxes and the mailbox
providers (e.g., Gmail, Outlook) against which you want to run the test
Seed List Option: If you need to test mailboxes not connected to Smartlead, you
can send your test to a seed list for broader analysis.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

4. Run the Test and Analyze Results

After configuring all settings, run the test. Once completed, SmartInbox will provide you
with
Detailed Deliverability Insights: Understand where your emails land and how different
filters treat your messages.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

Content Analysis: Review the email’s content, including spam triggers and link
functionality.

Action Steps: Get actionable recommendations to improve your email deliverability

based on the test results.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

Automatic Spam Testing

Select the “Automatic Test” option in SmartInbox, which will lead you to the settings
page for ongoing, automated spam testing.

Enter General Detail

Similar to manual testing, input your test’s name, description, and folders for
organizing results

Configure Spam Filters, Mailboxes, and Conten

Select spam filters (Google, Barracuda, SpamAssassin), mailboxes, campaigns, and
sender mailboxes as done in manual testing. You can also send tests to a seed list if
needed

Set Alerts and Activatio

Test Frequency: Choose how often the test should run—daily, weekly, or monthly
Alerts: Set up alerts to notify you when specific conditions are met, such as a
drop in deliverability or the detection of spam triggers
Activation: Save and activate the automated testing process, allowing SmartInbox
to run the tests continuously based on your defined schedule.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

Review Results and Take Actio

As with manual testing, SmartInbox provides detailed insights, content analysis, and
actionable steps after each automated test.

B) SmartMonitor
The SmartMonitor is designed to provide ongoing monitoring of your email health
attributes, helping you identify and rectify issues affecting email deliverability
preemptively.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

Here’s what you can expect

Monitor Setup: Configure new monitors through an intuitive interface, selecting the
domains and authentication records you wish to monitor. Advanced options allow for
customizing check frequencies and alert thresholds
Monitoring and Alerts: Our system will perform automated checks at scheduled
intervals. If anomalies or issues are detected, you’ll receive immediate alerts with
suggestions for quick resolution.

Review and Reporting: Users receive detailed reports based on their monitoring
settings, with historical data analysis available for trend identification and long-term
planning.

With SmartMonitor, you can keep a vigilant eye on your email health, ensuring any
potential issues are addressed promptly to maintain high deliverability rates.

**Some features related to Email Deliverability Testing (SmartDelivery) might

not be live at the time of publishing this ebook. They’re set to roll out in the
coming weeks. If you have any specific questions regarding any feature, feel
free to reach out to our chat support.

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4 Sending Automated Email
Campaigns Using Smartlead
For High Deliverability

When it comes to sending bulk emails, you cannot (and should not) depend on Gmail,
Outlook, or similar platforms, as they have restrictions on the number of cold emails that
can be sent per day. Smartlead is designed to help you send bulk emails without
triggering spam filters. 

Prerequisites for setting up an email campaign using Smartlead:

Purchase Secondary Domain
Add Bulk Email Account
Complete Email Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MX)
Set Up Email Warmup 

Once you have ensured the above prerequisites, you can proceed with the following
steps:

Upload the list on Smartlead

You can now upload the created list to Smartlead. Log in to your Smartlead account, and
from the Email Campaign section, go to the ‘Create Campaign’ tab.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

You can either upload the lead list as a CSV file or import it directly from your CRM.

Write the email sequence

Craft compelling email content and subject lines that resonate with your target audience.
If you’re a Smartlead’s Pro Plan user, you can also utilize the AI copywriter to write
compelling email copy for your campaigns right within the platform.

Smartlead also has an in-built spam content checker feature to optimize your email copy
and minimize the risk of triggering spam filters.

Leverage Smartlead’s integration with Clay to hyper-personalize your emails.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

You can personalize your emails and add variables for large-scale personalization.

Set Automated Follow-ups

Configure follow-up emails strategically to maximize response rates and engagement. Set
appropriate intervals between follow-up emails to avoid overwhelming recipients and
maintain a positive rapport.

You can also create multiple variants of your follow-ups (subject line) to see which one
performs better in A/B testing.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

Choose Sender Accounts

Once everything is set up, you can go ahead and select the email accounts from which
you want to send these emails.

Monitor Your Progress - Leverage Master Inbox 3.0

Smartlead lets you monitor your email campaigns in real-time and manage leads using
Global Analytics and Master Inbox.

The global analytics in Smartlead lets you have a detailed insight into your key campaign
metrics - open rate, replies, positive replies, etc.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

Campaign Hygiene Checker

Smartlead’s Campaign Hygiene Feature is all about making sure your campaigns run
smoothly and effectively. You'll find this feature in the [Performance tab] of each
campaign, and it gives you a clear picture of how things are going.

Campaign Progress Overview

First up, we have the Campaign Progress Overview. This is super handy because it lets
you see the status of your leads at a glance

Not Started: Easily spot which leads haven't been engaged yet
Completed: Keep track of leads that have successfully gone through the campaign
Blocked: Quickly identify any leads that are facing issues or have been blocked.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

Campaign Sending Score

Next, let's talk about the Campaign Sending Score. We know you want to aim for a
perfect 10, so we've broken it down into five key areas to help you get there

Sent Time Discrepancy: Make sure your emails are being sent at the best possible
times for engagement
CNAME Not Working: Check that your CNAME records are set up correctly to keep
your domain reputation intact
DNS Validation: Validate your DNS settings to avoid any delivery hiccups
Disconnected: Identify and fix any disconnections that might be affecting your
campaign
Re-associated Accounts: Manage any accounts that have been re-associated to
ensure everything is running smoothly.

We’ve designed this feature to make sure your campaigns are delivered seamlessly. If any
issues pop up, we’ll highlight the affected accounts right away so you can fix the settings
without any hassle.

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

With the Campaign Hygiene Feature, you can keep your campaigns in tip-top shape,
making sure they reach your audience effectively and without any problems. It's a game-
changer for optimizing your campaign performance and getting the best results. Give it a
try and see the difference for yourself!

Master Inbox
Similarly, you can also manage and view your campaign leads from within Smartlead with
the help of Master Inbox. 

This is what your Master Inbox looks like:

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Smartlead’s Email Deliverability Guide: From Sending to Inbox

Within your Master Inbox, you will find lots of capabilities related to lead management,
like below:

You can create and assign lead categories. Smartlead supports AI-based lead
categorization, so you don’t miss out on any leads. Know more about it here. 

Learn more about the master inbox here.

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5 Key Takeaways and Next Step

Congratulations on taking the time to explore the intricacies of email deliverability! 

You've learned how critical it is for your email marketing success. 

To summarize things for you, there should be three primary things you should focus on
when it comes to email deliverability:

Set up your email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

Monitor your sender reputation, blacklist status, and spam scor
Optimize your email content by personalizing and sharing relevant content

Smartlead, as a leader in email deliverability, can help you navigate all these challenges
and convert more leads into customers - eventually helping you increase your revenues.
With features like AI-powered warmups, automated email account rotation, email spam
and deliverability testing, uptime monitoring, and real-time campaign learning, Smartlead
streamlines the process and optimizes your outreach efforts.

As the next step, you can simply have a first-hand experience of things we covered in
this ebook, by creating a free trial account on Smartlead. See the Smartlead difference
yourself!

Remember, exceptional deliverability is an ongoing journey, not a one-time fix. 

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Appendix
Free Tools
If you’re looking for tools that can help you monitor key aspects related to your email
campaigns and overall sending infrastructure, here’re some free tools from Smartlead to
explore:

Blacklist Checker: Verify if your domain or IP address is blacklisted across various spam
databases.

Spam Complaint Rate Calculator: Calculate the rate of spam complaints received based
on email campaigns sent.

DKIM Generator: Generate DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) keys to authenticate your
emails and prevent spoofing.

SSL Checker: Check the SSL certificate status and configuration of your domain for
secure communication.

DMARC Record Checker: Validate and verify DMARC (Domain-based Message

Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) records for email authentication.

SPF Checker: Validate SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records to prevent email spoofing
and improve deliverability.

DKIM Checker/Lookup: Verify and check the status of DKIM signatures for email
authentication.

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CNAME Lookup Tool: Look up CNAME (Canonical Name) records associated with your
domain.

Email Verifier: Verify the validity and existence of email addresses to reduce bounce
rates and improve deliverability.

Email Verification Calculator: Calculate the potential impact of email verification on

campaign effectiveness and ROI.

SPF Generator: Generate SPF records to specify which mail servers are allowed to send
emails on behalf of your domain.

Email Bounce Rate Calculator: Calculate the bounce rate of your email campaigns to
optimize deliverability.

Email Open Rate Calculator: Calculate the percentage of recipients who open your emails
to measure campaign engagement.

Click-to-Open Rate Calculator: Calculate the ratio of email recipients who clicked on
links to those who opened the email, indicating content relevance and engagement.

Domain Checker: Check the availability and registration details of domains.

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Smartlead University - Become a Cold Emailing Expert
Unlock the power of cold emailing with Smartlead. Gain practical insights, expert tips,
and step-by-step guidance to elevate your email campaigns. Start learning today and
drive your business to success!

To access, simply create an account on Smartlead.

www.smartlead.ai | 73
Convert Cold Emails To Consistent Revenue.
Scale your outreach confidently with unlimited mailboxes,
unlimited warmups, a limitless multi-channel infrastructure, and
a unibox to handle your entire revenue cycle in one place.

www.smartlead.ai