If you use cold email for sales, outreach, or networking, you already know just sending more messages isn’t enough. Landing in the inbox is the hard part—and nothing’s more annoying than paying for tools like Mailivery and still seeing your emails vanish into spam.
This guide is for anyone who uses Mailivery but still gets spotty results: emails marked as spam, low open rates, or weird “your account looks suspicious” warnings. We’ll break down how to spot what’s broken, fix it, and squeeze more results out of your email setup—without running in circles or getting lost in jargon.
Step 1: Confirm It’s Really a Deliverability Problem
Before you start tweaking every setting, make sure you actually have a deliverability issue. Here’s how to tell:
- Sudden drop in open rates (especially if you’re running the same kinds of campaigns as before)
- Emails landing in spam when you test using different inboxes (not just your own)
- Bounced messages or “undeliverable” notices—even though addresses are valid
- Warnings from Mailivery about low scores, high spam rates, or authentication issues
Pro tip: Don’t panic over a single bad day. Deliverability issues are usually patterns, not flukes.
What not to do: Don’t trust Mailivery’s “reputation” number as gospel. It’s useful, but not the whole story. Always check what’s happening in actual inboxes.
Step 2: Start With the Basics—Authentication
The most common reason your emails go to spam is missing or broken authentication. Here’s what to check:
2.1 SPF (Sender Policy Framework)
- Make sure your domain’s DNS has a valid SPF record that includes your email sending service (Google, Microsoft, your SMTP provider, etc.).
- Use tools like MXToolbox or Mailivery’s built-in checker to verify.
2.2 DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)
- DKIM lets receiving servers verify your messages weren’t tampered with.
- If you’re using Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, set up DKIM in your admin console. For other providers, follow their docs.
2.3 DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance)
- DMARC tells inboxes what to do if SPF or DKIM fail.
- Even a basic DMARC record (“none” policy) is better than nothing. Eventually move to “quarantine” or “reject” for best results.
What works: All three (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) need to be set up for your domain. It’s not enough if your sending tool says “we’ve got this covered.” Check your actual DNS records.
What to ignore: “Advanced” authentication hacks or black magic. Just get the basics right.
Step 3: Set Up Mailivery Correctly
Mailivery’s promise is simple: It “warms up” your inbox and simulates conversations to boost sender reputation. But if it’s not set up right, it’s just spinning its wheels.
3.1 Connect the Correct Mailbox
- Use the actual mailbox you’ll be sending campaigns from—not a random or burner account.
- Don’t try to “warm up” a mailbox you never use for real outreach.
3.2 Use a Realistic Sending Schedule
- Don’t set Mailivery to blast 100 “warm-up” emails a day from a brand-new domain. That’s a red flag to spam filters.
- Start slow: 5-10 per day, then ramp up over weeks.
- Mix reply rates: simulate real conversations, not just outgoing messages.
3.3 Monitor Mailivery’s Feedback—but Don’t Obsess
- Watch the “inbox vs. spam” metrics.
- If you see consistent spam placements, pause and diagnose before sending more campaigns.
Pro tip: Mailivery is only one piece of the puzzle. Warming up helps, but it won’t save you from bad content or broken authentication.
Step 4: Don’t Ignore Content—It Still Matters
Even with perfect technical setup, your emails can get filtered if they look shady or spammy.
4.1 Avoid Spam Trigger Words
Words like “free,” “guaranteed,” “act now,” or “risk-free” can trip up filters. But honestly, filters are smarter than just keywords these days.
4.2 Watch Formatting
- Don’t send walls of images with little or no text.
- Avoid ALL CAPS SUBJECT LINES and too many exclamation points.
- Keep links to a minimum—one, maybe two per message.
4.3 Personalize When Possible
Mass-blasted, generic emails get flagged. Even simple personalization (first name, company) helps.
4.4 Test, Don’t Guess
Send test emails to different providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo). See where they land, not just what Mailivery reports.
What works: Less is more. Clean, plain-text emails with one clear call to action.
What doesn’t: Fancy HTML templates, massive images, or trying to trick the filter with misspellings (“fr33” or “cl1ck”).
Step 5: Clean Your Sending List
If you’re blasting emails to old, dead, or bought lists, don’t be surprised when your deliverability tanks.
- Regularly clean your list. Use tools to remove bounces, invalid addresses, and known spam traps.
- Don’t buy lists. Seriously, this is still the #1 way to kill your domain.
- Monitor engagement. If people never open or click, remove them after a few campaigns.
Pro tip: Smaller, high-quality lists always beat huge, messy ones.
Step 6: Watch Your Sending Patterns
Abrupt changes freak out spam filters.
6.1 Ramp Up Slowly
- If you’re starting from zero, don’t send 500 emails on day one.
- Double your volume every week or two, not overnight.
6.2 Mix Up Your Timing
- Don’t send all your emails at 9:00 AM sharp every day.
- Spread them throughout business hours.
6.3 Don’t Use Too Many “From” Addresses
- Stick to one main sender per campaign. Don’t constantly rotate addresses.
Step 7: Check Blacklists and Sender Reputation
Sometimes, your domain or IP gets flagged—and you need to know.
- Use tools like MXToolbox, Talos Intelligence, or Google Postmaster Tools to check your sending domain/IP.
- If you’re on a blacklist, follow their removal instructions and fix the root issue before resending.
What works: Staying off blacklists by sending wanted, authentic emails.
What doesn’t: Rapid re-sending or switching domains constantly. That just looks shadier.
Step 8: Understand the Limits of Mailivery (and Any Tool)
Mailivery can help you warm up a new domain and spot glaring issues, but:
- It can’t fix a bad reputation overnight.
- It can’t solve poor targeting or crummy content.
- It can’t guarantee inbox placement—no tool can.
Don’t get sold on “set and forget.” Ongoing monitoring and real testing are still required.
Step 9: Keep Testing—And Don’t Overthink It
The best email senders are relentless testers. They:
- Try different subject lines and see what works.
- Send to various personal addresses to spot patterns.
- Make small changes, one at a time.
Don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis. If you’ve fixed the basics, just keep sending and monitoring. Let the data tell you what to try next.
A Few Final Thoughts
Email deliverability isn’t magic, and tools like Mailivery are helpful but not foolproof. Focus on the fundamentals: authenticate your domain, use Mailivery correctly, keep your content natural, and send to real people who actually want to hear from you. Skip the hacks, ignore the hype, and make changes one step at a time.
Keep it simple. Test, tweak, repeat. That’s how you get more emails seen—without pulling your hair out.