Why your sender reputation determines your email channel performance!

In the world of email marketing, getting your message into your recipient’s inbox isn’t as simple as hitting send. One crucial factor influencing whether your emails are successfully delivered - or lost in the abyss of spam folders - is your sender score.

Understanding and managing this score can make the difference between a high-performing email campaign and one that never reaches its audience.

But what is a sender score?

A sender score is a reputation score assigned to an email sender by mailbox providers and third-party reputation services, such as Validity’s SenderScore.org. This score, typically ranging from 0 to 100, reflects the trustworthiness of an email sender based on various factors, including email volume, complaint rates, bounce rates, and spam trap hits. A higher sender score indicates a stronger reputation, increasing the likelihood of inbox placement.

Why does your sender scores matter for email deliverability?

Inbox placement and spam filtering

Mailbox providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo use sender scores as part of their filtering algorithms. A poor sender score signals potential spam-like behavior, increasing the chances that emails will be blocked or sent to the spam folder. A high sender score, on the other hand, improves inbox placement rates.

Email open and engagement rates

Since sender scores impact deliverability, they indirectly affect open and engagement rates. If emails are consistently delivered to inboxes rather than spam folders, recipients are more likely to open, read, and interact with them.

Protecting your brand’s reputation

A low sender score doesn’t just hurt your deliverability—it damages your brand’s credibility. If customers consistently receive emails from your brand in their spam folder, they may associate your business with untrustworthy or irrelevant content.

Lower bounce rates

Maintaining a good sender score helps reduce bounce rates by ensuring that emails are sent to valid and engaged recipients. High bounce rates can further damage your sender reputation, creating a vicious cycle that diminishes deliverability.

Avoiding blacklists

A poor sender score can land your domain or IP address on email blacklists, making it nearly impossible to reach your audience. Once blacklisted, it can be challenging and time-consuming to restore your sender reputation.

How do you improve and maintain a high sender score?

Only use permission-based email lists

Always send emails to recipients who have explicitly opted in to receive messages from you. Avoid purchasing email lists, as they often contain spam traps and disengaged users.

Monitor your email engagement metrics

Regularly track open rates, click-through rates, and spam complaints. High complaint rates can significantly impact your sender score, so remove disengaged or unresponsive subscribers.

Authenticate your emails

Implement authentication protocols such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify that your emails are legitimate. This reduces the chances of being flagged as spam and boosts your sender reputation.

Maintain a consistent sending volume

Sudden spikes in email volume can raise red flags with mailbox providers. Keep your email sending patterns consistent and gradually scale up when necessary.

Clean your email list regularly

Remove invalid or inactive email addresses from your database to lower bounce rates and improve engagement.

Monitor blacklists and reputation scores

Use tools like SenderScore.org, Google Postmaster Tools, and other email reputation monitoring services to keep an eye on your sender score and take corrective actions if needed.

Final thoughts

Sender scores are a fundamental aspect of email deliverability that can make or break your email marketing success. By actively managing your sender reputation, ensuring high engagement, and following best practices, you can maximize your email reach and effectiveness.

A high sender score is not just an advantage - it’s a necessity.