<orange-underline>Why Deliverability Is Important<orange-underline>

Imagine sending tons of emails, and they just don't reach the inbox, or worse, get lost in the spam folder. This is an eCommerce store nightmare, right?

Email deliverability, quite simply, helps you measure how many of your emails land in your subscribers' inboxes. Good deliverability means a higher number of emails are being delivered to your customers' inboxes, while bad deliverability indicates that things need to be checked.

How do we check? We follow a few different metrics that are responsible for assessing how good or bad your email deliverability is. In the next section, we'll dive deeper and analyze them a bit more.

<orange-underline>The different deliverability metrics inside your Klaviyo account <orange-underline>

We have 5 main metrics to look for:

1. Open Rate
2. Click Rate
3. Bounce Rate
4. Unsubscribe rate
5. Spam rate

<orange-underline>How to read them:<orange-underline>

In our agency, we use this deliverability table that helps us understand what parts of your Klaviyo account need some fine-tuning to improve your email deliverability. We'll want to monitor and analyze your email metrics on a weekly and monthly basis to identify areas for improvement and adjust your strategy accordingly.

If you see some of your Klaviyo metrics in yellow or red, it's time to act fast. Ignoring these warnings can dig you into a deeper deliverability hole, making it harder to reach your audience. Bad metrics can land your emails in the spam folder or prevent them from being delivered at all. So we'll want to quickly address these issues, so you can keep your emails landing in your subscribers' inboxes, keeping them engaged and getting the most out of your email marketing efforts.

Let's dive into each one and see how to improve them.

Note: If you are using Klaviyo, you have a Deliverability tab, which makes life easy to find these metrics easily.

<orange>Low Open Rate 🤦 <orange>

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Why: Poor subject lines - Subject lines are the gatekeepers to your email campaign and the first thing readers see in their inbox. A boring subject line tells the reader your email isn't worth opening, which hurts your open rates (or if there are potential deeper deliverability issues).

Let's take a look at a few more:

• Your Email List: Think of this as your guest list. Out-of-date addresses are like inviting people who moved away. Regular cleaning keeps it fresh, and folks are more likely to open your emails if they're actually interested.
• Timing is Key: Sending an email at 2 am on a Tuesday might not be the best strategy. Just like you wouldn't invite your friends to a party that late, consider when people are most likely to check their emails. Weekends and late nights might be a gamble.
• Email Frequency: Bombarding your subscribers with too many emails can lead to email fatigue, where they start ignoring your messages. Less is sometimes more!
• SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records: Not setting up your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records is like not locking your front door. It can hurt your open rates big time! To set them up, add SPF and DKIM records to your domain’s DNS settings and configure DMARC to monitor and enforce email authentication policies.
• Non-recognizable “from” name: Using a proper “from” name will make sure people know it's you. Stick to a recognizable from name to boost credibility and open rates.

<orange>How to  improve open rates?<orange>

<underline>From a technical stand point:<underline>

1. Review your deliverability score: Check Klaviyo's deliverability tab to weed out inactive subscribers and spot any critical issues impacting your email's performance.
2. Regularly clean and update your list: Keep your list healthy by removing hard bounces and inactive subscribers to improve deliverability.
3. Segment your lists: Group your audience based on demographics, behavior, or preferences to target the most engaged folks. Focus on your 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day engaged segments.
4. Identify issues per inbox provider: Each email provider like Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook has its own filtering quirks. Analyze your email performance for each provider to spot and fix issues affecting specific groups on your list. For example, Outlook asks users beforehand if they want to download the images in your email, so be careful not to have too many images.

<underline>Subject lines:<underline>

You already know that generic, super long, or untested subject lines will tank your open rates. So here are a few tips for better subject lines:

1. Optimize subject lines for mobile by keeping them 41-70 characters to avoid truncation on mobile devices.
2. Create a sense of urgency or scarcity with words like "limited time" to increase open rates.
3. Use curiosity by posing a question or making a provocative statement in the subject line.
4. Avoid spam trigger words like "free", "buy now" etc. that could send your email to the spam folder.
5. Don't use ALL CAPS or misleading subject lines as this can turn off recipients.
6. Not including preview text can hurt open rates. It adds context to the subject line, catches attention, enhances clarity, and helps avoid spam filters, making emails appear more professional and encouraging recipients to open them.
7. A/B test different subject line variations to see what resonates best with your audience. Most email marketing platforms allow you to A/B test.
8. Use simple subject lines: In the agency, we noticed that using simple, direct subject lines (4-7 words or less) can perform just as well or better than longer ones. <underline>Here are a few great examples of simple, direct subject lines:<underline>

Cuts Clothing: Your new favorite styles…

Duck Camp: Welcome to the Camp!‍

Casely: Welcome to Casely! (Discount code inside)

BREZ: Your Mystery Offer is here!

Kizik: Welcome to Kizik! Your 15% off code is inside

JukeBox: Your Csode is Inside

Dr Squatch: Welcome to Dr. Squatch, Squatch Nation! ‍

<orange-underline >But also:<orange-underline >

Personalize your emails to increase engagement. We like to use the recipient's first name, which works great to connect with your subscriber and entice them to open the email. Additionally, including the product they viewed or left in their cart as a dynamic element in the subject line can significantly increase the likelihood of getting our emails opened.

NOTE: Additionally, open rates aren't as accurate as before due to recent privacy policies like the iOS 15 updates. While we aim for <orange-underline>open rates<orange-underline><yellow-underline> above 20%,<yellow-underline> it's important to remember they aren't as reliable as they once were.

<orange>Low Click Rate 😢 <orange>

<underline>Lets look at the reasons why: <underline>

1. No CTA above the "fold": The "fold" is the part of the email you see first before scrolling. If your button is hiding at the bottom, you're adding unnecessary friction.
2. Your CTAs aren't clear: If your subscribers have to hunt for where to click, they're just going to move on with their day. Make it obvious and easy.
3. Bad design: Make your designs eye-catching, hard to read, or doesn’t quickly show the benefit of your product, people will just move on.
4. Poor email copy: Your email content needs to be well-written or relevant (doesn’t give clear value), it won’t resonate with your readers and get them to click.
5. Lack of personalization: If your email isn’t personalized to the recipient’s interests or preferences, it might not grab their attention.
6. Your email is too long: TLDR – too long, didn’t read. No one has time for an essay, so get to the point quickly.

<underline>Examples: <underline>

<underline>CTA not visible enough<underline>

<underline>Bad CTA design and placement<underline>

<underline>Poor CTA copy<underline>

<underline>CTA's are too close<underline>

<underline>Poor Email design<underline>

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<orange-underline>How to Increase Email Click-Through Rates<orange-underline>

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1. Keep emails short and sweet: Stick to one main point per email so you don’t overwhelm anyone. For example, say "Check out our blog post" or "Check out our new product." Keep paragraphs short and make sure there's a clear purpose.cd
2. Make your calls-to-action pop: Be clear about what you want people to do, with a bold, easy-to-click button that grabs attention and sparks emotion. For Father's Day, something like "Make Dad Smile!" or "Celebrate Dad's Love" works way better than "Buy Now" or "Shop Now."
3. Use attention-grabbing visuals: Add eye-catching, relevant images and graphics, including fun motion <underline>graphics like GIFs,<underline> to make your email pop.
4. Segment your list based on actions: Group your subscribers based on demographics, purchase history, and engagement levels to make sure the right people get the right emails.
5. Use A/B testing: Try out different email versions by playing with designs, sending times, and subject lines to see what clicks with your audience.
6. Use social proof: Build trust by including customer testimonials, positive reviews, or user-generated content like "Before and After" images.
7. Use urgency: Create a sense of urgency with limited-time offers or promotions. Use phrases like 'Limited Time Offer' or 'Only a Few Left' and set clear expiration dates, but avoid being spammy.
8. Personalize your emails: Use the recipient’s name and customize the content based on their interests and past purchases to make product recommendations that hit home.
9. Use mobile optimization: Make sure your email looks great on mobile devices with responsive design, simple layouts, and easily tappable buttons and links.

<orange>High Bounce Rate 😯<orange>

First, let's understand the difference between two very similar terms Hard VS Soft Bounce:

<orange-underline>High Bounce rate = The percentage of emails that are undeliverable or bounce back to the sender<orange-underline>

We aren't too concerned about <underline>soft bounces<underline> as Klaviyo automatically suppresses any emails that

bounced over 7 consecutive times.<underline> Hard bounces<underline> however, should be removed from your list regularly.

 <orange-underline>(Think of list hygiene as a spa day for your subscriber list)<orange-underline>

<orange>Lets look at the reasons why:<orange>  This can be due to various reasons such as invalid email addresses, spam filters, or technical issues. High bounce rates can negatively impact a sender’s reputation, reduce email deliverability, and affect the overall effectiveness of an email marketing campaign.

We usually see it for accounts with a Poor list hygiene and lack of exclusions in their campaign sends.

Let's take a look at a few more:

1. List Hygiene: Failing to regularly clean or sending campaigns broadly to your entire list time and time again can can lead to high bounce rates. Check our video above!
2. Invalid Email Addresses: Buying lists is a big no-no and can lead to high bounce rates.
3. Spam Filters: Aggressive spam filters can flag emails as spam, causing them to bounce back to the sender.
4. Technical Issues: Server errors, DNS issues, or email client problems can cause emails to bounce.
5. Email Content: Poorly formatted or irrelevant email content can trigger spam filters and cause bounces.

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<orange>How to reduce High Bounce Rate in Email Marketing<orange>

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1. Segment Your List By Users: Break down your email list so that the right people get the right emails. Make segments like "30 Day Engaged," "90 Day Engaged," and "120 Day Engaged," and keep them updated based on the latest subscriber data and behaviors.
2. Create a bounced email segment: Make a special list for anyone whose email bounced in the last 30 days and exclude them from all your campaigns and flows. This keeps your list clean and improves deliverability.

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1. Keep an Eye on Bounce Rates: Make it a habit to check your bounce reports to tell the difference between hard and soft bounces. Look for patterns to figure out the root causes, like old email addresses or temporary server issues, and take steps to fix them so you can minimize future bounces.
2. Use a Reliable Email Service Provider: Go with a trusted service like Klaviyo to make sure your emails get delivered and to keep track of your campaigns easily. They also have great tools to boost your email deliverability and cut down on bounce rates.
3. Regularly Clean and Update Your List: Keep your email list in tip-top shape by regularly removing invalid or outdated addresses and using list hygiene processes.
4. Use Double Opt-In: Even though it adds an extra step to the sign-up process, a double opt-in ensures a more engaged and higher-quality list. Send a confirmation email where new subscribers need to click a link to verify their address, making sure they’re genuinely interested.
5. Authenticate Your Domain: Use authentication protocols to prove your emails are legitimate. This helps improve deliverability and reduces the chances of being marked as spam

<orange>High  Unsubscribe Rate<orange>

<orange-underline>High unsubscribe rate  = Infrequent email sends or irrelevant content.<orange-underline>

If your content was relevant and valuable to your customers, why would they unsubscribe?

A high unsubscribe rate in email marketing can be a concerning issue for businesses, as it can indicate that their emails are not resonating with their audience or may be perceived as spam. According to the search results, the average unsubscribe rate is between 0.2% and 0.5%, with some industries having higher rates than others. For example, the B2B (non-retail) sector has an average unsubscribe rate of 1.08%, while Public Relations has a rate of 0.10%.

Losing a subscriber means losing a potential customer.

<orange-underline>Causes of High Unsubscribe Rate<orange-underline>

There are several reasons why a high unsubscribe rate may occur:

1. Incorrect expectations: When people sign up for your emails, they have certain expectations. If your emails don’t meet those expectations, they may unsubscribe.
2. Spamming: If you send too many emails that are irrelevant.
3. Your email strategy has lost relevance: Avoid the batch-and-blast approach and personalize your campaigns with the info your subscribers share with you.
4. Poor design: If your emails are poorly designed and hard to read, people might think your business can't be trusted and hit unsubscribe.
5. No segmentation: Not segmenting your email list means you might send content that doesn’t resonate with everyone.
6. Lack of personalization: If your emails aren't personalized, they can feel impersonal and boring. Like, if a guy signs up to Under Armour for shoes, he won't be impressed getting an email about sports bras.

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<orange-underline>How to Reduce High Unsubscribe Rate<orange-underline>

To reduce a high unsubscribe rate, consider the following strategies:

1. Email the correct email segments: Make sure the right people get the right content at the right time by breaking down your list. This can be based on purchase history, engagement, and preferences. Emailing frequent buyers too often may push them over the edge.
2. Personalize your emails: Make your emails more engaging by using the recipient's name and tailoring content based on their past interactions and preferences. Use dynamic content blocks to show different content to different segments.
3. Optimize your email design: Make sure your emails look great on all devices using responsive design techniques. Test them on different devices and clients, do some A/B testing to see which designs work best, and keep the layout simple with clear hierarchies and easily tappable buttons and links.
4. Monitor your email frequency: Don’t bombard your subscribers. Check your open and engagement rates to find the sweet spot for how often to send emails. Mix up the types of emails you send (like promotional and informational) and start with one campaign per week, then tweak it based on how things go.
5. Provide an unsubscribe link: Make sure there's a clear and easy-to-use unsubscribe link in your emails. It’s the law and gives people control over their subscription.

<orange-underline>Benefits of a Low Unsubscribe Rate<orange-underline>

A low unsubscribe rate can have several benefits, including:

1. Improved deliverability: A low unsubscribe rate suggests your audience is connecting well with your emails, which boosts your email deliverability.
2. Increased engagement: If your unsubscribe rate is low, it indicates that your content is hitting the right notes, driving up engagement levels.
3. Better reputation: When fewer people unsubscribe, it boosts your email reputation and helps build trust with your audience.
4. It Shows You're on the Right Track: A low unsubscribe rate is a sign that your email marketing strategy is working. Keep doing what you're doing!

<orange>High Spam rate <orange> 

Is a warning sign, indicating that your audience is not engaging positively with your content or that you may be reaching people who haven’t consented to receive your emails. Keeping a low spam rate is crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation and ensuring your carefully crafted emails actually reach your subscribers’ inboxes.

<orange-underline>Some common reasons for high spam complaint rates include:<orange-underline>

• Sending unsolicited emails to people who haven’t opted-in
• Using spammy emojis and phrases
• Sending too many emails to a small group of subscribers
• Not segmenting your subscriber list
• Sending irrelevant or unengaging content
• Your email content triggers spam filters

<orange-underline>Why is a High Spam Rate a Concern?<orange-underline>

• Emails don't reach potential customers
• Damaging your sender reputation
• Affecting your email deliverability
• Temporarily suspending your email account or getting it blacklisted

The industry’s acceptable standard spam complaint rate is 0.1%, meaning one spam complaint out of 1000 emails sent. Anything more than this is considered a high spam complaint rate.

<orange-underline>How to Reduce Your Spam Complaint Rate?<orange-underline>

To keep your spam rate low, follow these best practices:

• Segment your subscriber list: Keep things smooth and spam-free by making sure everyone on your list really wants to be there, and that you’re keeping your groups updated and engaged.
• Write engaging and relevant content: Tailor your messages to what your audience loves and has shown interest in before, so they stay interested and less likely to hit that spam button.
• Use clear and concise subject lines and email content: Keep your emails simple and to the point. No one wants to wade through complicated language or massive blocks of text!
• Avoid using spammy keywords and phrases: Give your emails a check to make sure there aren't any iffy words that might get you flagged by spam filters. Example are terms like "100% FREE!"
• Monitor your email metrics and adjust your strategy: Keep an eye on how your emails are doing, especially those spam reports.

<blue>Make sure your emails reach your clients' inboxes, not the junk folder. <blue>

<blue> Book your free deliverability audit today 👇 <blue>

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