If you’re running campaigns with Authoredup, you already know getting emails into inboxes is half the battle. Maybe your open rates are sagging, or you’re tired of landing in spam for reasons nobody seems able to explain. This guide is for anyone who’s serious about getting their emails read—not just sent. I’ll cut through the generic advice and give you the practical steps that actually move the needle (and flag a few “best practices” that don’t matter as much as people claim).
1. Warm Up Your Sending Domain — For Real
If you just set up your sending domain, don’t blast out a huge campaign on day one. ESPs (like Gmail and Outlook) are watching for sudden spikes—they’re suspicious of new senders acting like spammers.
Here’s what actually works:
- Start small. Send a handful of emails per day, then ramp up gradually over 2–4 weeks.
- Mix in real conversations. If possible, get genuine replies and interactions at the start—this signals to inbox providers you’re a real sender.
- Use your own domain. Don’t send from a generic Gmail or a burner domain. Invest the time to set up and authenticate your own.
What to ignore: Most “warmup tools” that promise miracles are just sending junk to their own networks. You want real human interaction, not fake traffic.
2. Set Up Proper Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
If your authentication isn’t right, you’re asking for trouble. ESPs use these records to decide if your email’s legit or a spoof.
- SPF: Lets you specify which servers can send emails for your domain.
- DKIM: Digitally signs your emails so recipients know they weren’t tampered with.
- DMARC: Tells ISPs how to handle emails that fail SPF/DKIM checks.
Pro Tip: Don’t just copy-paste records from a blog. Use your domain registrar’s documentation, double-check syntax, and test with a tool (like MXToolbox or Mail-Tester). One small typo can wreck deliverability.
What doesn’t matter: Paying for “premium DNS” or fancy domain add-ons won’t help deliverability if your records are wrong.
3. Scrub Your List—Ruthlessly
This is where most campaigns go wrong. If you keep emailing bad, dead, or disengaged addresses, you’re training ESPs to ignore you.
- Remove obvious bounces. Hard bounces (invalid addresses) should be gone after each send.
- Cut chronic non-openers. If someone hasn’t opened in 60–90 days, move them to a re-engagement sequence or stop emailing them.
- Use a reputable list cleaning tool every few months, especially if you’re getting your list from webinars, events, or imports.
Ignore: The myth that “big lists = bigger results.” Smaller, active lists outperform bloated ones every time.
4. Personalize—But Don’t Overdo It
Personalization works, but it’s not magic. Using someone’s first name helps a bit, but what really moves the needle is relevance.
- Segment by behavior. Send different content to folks who opened last week vs. never opened.
- Reference their interests. If you know what they downloaded or clicked, mention it.
- Keep it natural. Don’t stuff {{FirstName}} into every other line.
Pro Tip: If your personalization fields are empty or broken, your email looks like spam (“Hi , here’s your offer!”). Always have a fallback.
5. Craft Subject Lines and Preview Text That Don’t Scream “Promotional”
Spam filters are smart, but they’re not mind readers—they look for patterns.
- Avoid spammy words: “FREE,” “GUARANTEED,” “CLICK NOW,” especially in all caps.
- Keep it short and honest: You’re not fooling anyone with “Re: Your Invoice” if it’s cold outreach.
- Use preview text: This is the snippet most inboxes show. Make it useful, not just “View this email in your browser.”
What to ignore: Endless split-testing of emoji vs. no emoji. It’s fine to test, but it’s not the main thing affecting deliverability.
6. Mind Your Sending Frequency and Volume
Consistency beats volume. Sudden spikes or erratic sending patterns are red flags.
- Set a schedule. Weekly or biweekly is often the sweet spot—daily is too much for most lists.
- Don’t blast everyone every time. Segment, rotate, and let inactive subscribers rest.
- Monitor complaints. High unsubscribe or spam rates? Dial back and clean up your list.
Pro Tip: If you need to send a big campaign, break it into batches over several days.
7. Optimize Content and Formatting
You don’t need a “beautiful” email for deliverability—in fact, too many images and heavy design can hurt.
- Keep image-to-text ratio healthy: More text than images, ideally. A single big image with no text is a spam magnet.
- Avoid giant attachments: Don’t send PDFs or big files. Link out instead.
- Use simple formatting: Responsive, clean, and mobile-friendly is all you need.
Ignore: Overly fancy templates or “bulletproof” design tricks. Focus on clarity and function.
8. Test, Monitor, and Adjust
Deliverability isn’t set-and-forget. What works now might not next month.
- Seed test: Send to your own addresses on Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, etc. See where you land (inbox, promo, or spam).
- Monitor metrics: Open rates, bounce rates, complaints—look for sudden drops.
- Use feedback loops: Some ESPs let you see when recipients mark you as spam. If you’re getting flagged, stop and figure out why.
Pro Tip: Don’t obsess over tiny fluctuations. Look for trends and big changes.
9. Get Replies (If You Can)
Engagement isn’t just about opens and clicks—replies are gold for inbox placement.
- Ask real questions. Invite feedback or a quick reply, especially early in a campaign.
- Respond promptly. Keep the conversation going—ESPs notice back-and-forths.
- Don’t fake it. Don’t ask rhetorical questions just to goose engagement. People catch on.
What doesn’t matter: Automated “out-of-office” replies don’t help. You want genuine human responses.
10. Avoid These Common Myths
There’s a lot of nonsense out there. Here’s what doesn’t actually help deliverability:
- Changing your from address constantly—more likely to hurt than help.
- Adding “unsubscribe” at the top of every email—it’s required by law, but putting it at the top doesn’t boost deliverability.
- Chasing every new “email hack”—focus on fundamentals.
Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Don’t get paralyzed by all the advice out there. The basics—good lists, proper authentication, relevant content, and consistent habits—work. Tweak as you go, pay attention to your numbers, and don’t be afraid to prune your list hard. Most “silver bullets” are just noise. Focus on what matters, and your Authoredup campaigns will land where you want them: in the inbox, not the bin.