What Is Delivery Rate?
Definition
Delivery rate is the percentage of emails that successfully reach the recipient’s email server. Think of it as the first checkpoint in your email’s journey. It tells you if your email even made it to the gate, consequently engaging with your audience.
This is different from deliverability, which focuses on whether the email actually lands in the inbox instead of being flagged as spam. Monitoring your delivery rate is crucial for understanding how well your email campaigns are performing and maintaining a good sender reputation.
Example
Imagine an online clothing store noticing its delivery rate was slipping because it had not updated its subscriber list in over a year. They sent 100 emails but 30 of them bounced, making their delivery rate just 70%. Within weeks of cleaning up their email list, their delivery rate improved, and more of their emails started reaching real customers.
Factors That Affect Delivery Rate
Several key elements can influence your delivery rate. It starts with your email list’s quality. If your list includes outdated or invalid email addresses, your emails simply won’t reach their destinations, causing bounces that harm your metrics. Your sender reputation also plays a big role. Internet service providers (ISPs) monitor your sending behavior closely. Too many bounces, spam complaints, or even inconsistent sending patterns can damage your reputation, making it harder for your emails to pass through filters.
Email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC should also be looked at. Without these in place, email servers can’t confirm your identity as a trusted sender, increasing the likelihood of your emails being blocked outright.
How to Improve Delivery Rate
Improving your delivery rate involves a mix of regular maintenance and adopting best practices. First, focus on cleaning your email list regularly. Remove invalid addresses, inactive contacts, or users who haven’t engaged in a long time. This reduces bounces and ensures your messages only go to real, engaged recipients.
Next, set up email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These serve as digital stamps of approval, and they show email servers that your messages come from a legitimate source.
Finally, craft your emails carefully to avoid being flagged as spam. Avoid trigger words or overly aggressive sales pitches and focus on creating engaging, value-driven content. By keeping your list clean, ensuring your emails are authenticated, and writing quality content, you can significantly improve your delivery rate and campaign success.
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