All outbound Emails must be sent from an Authenticated Email Domain and to a Verified Email Address.
Email Reputation is used by Email Services like Gmail and Outlook to Evaluate Reputation with your sending Email Domain or sending IP Address.
Mailbox providers establish your sender reputation using complex algorithms that use hundreds or even thousands of signals to determine your trustworthiness as a sender.
Reputation is largely determined by two things: How Email Recipients engage with Emails and Email Sending behavior.
Sender Reputation is determined in several ways.
- Bounce, Block, Spam Report
- IP Reputation Score
- Blacklist
Spam Reports: Each spam report has a strong negative effect on account reputation.
Reputation above 80%: Nice!
This percentage indicates a good sending reputation, and there are no issues at this time.
Reputation between 70% and 80%
This is considered a poor reputation and you should consider taking action to identify and fix problems with your sending practices.
Reputation below 70%
Accounts with a reputation below 70% may be subject to immediate suspension or termination.
What is IP reputation?
All emails come from IP addresses, which serve as unique identifiers of email streams. This means that part of your email reputation will be your IP reputation.
Accounts by default Send from a shared IP, which means multiple Accounts use the same IP address to send email.
Accounts with higher email sending volume usually opt to send from a dedicated IP address that belongs only to them.
No matter what your sending volume is, email senders should send their transactional and marketing emails from separate IP addresses. This is crucial to maintain good deliverability for your transactional emails.
What is domain reputation?
Your domain reputation centers on your sending domain. This means that your branded website takes precedence when it comes to ISP filtering decisions.
Some inbox providers will put more emphasis on your domain reputation vs. your IP reputation, although many will look at both your IP and domain reputation when making decisions about whether or not your mail will make the inbox.
Domain authority
Domain authority, closely linked to domain reputation, refers to the overall strength or influence of your website in terms of how it ranks on search engine results pages. And while the connection between this and email marketing may not be immediately obvious, inbox providers can weigh this into their decision into whether or not you are a legitimate sender.
IP Reputation:
Focused on the Source: IP reputation is tied to the specific IP address from which emails are sent. It’s a measure of the trustworthiness of emails originating from that IP.
Influenced by Volume and Behavior: High volumes of email, especially if they trigger spam complaints or are marked as junk, can negatively impact IP reputation. Consistently good practices, however, enhance it.
Shared vs. Dedicated Impact
On a shared IP, your reputation can be influenced by the actions of others using the same IP. With a dedicated IP, you have full control over the reputation tied to that address.
Domain Reputation
Focused on the Brand: Domain reputation is linked to your sending domain (your brand's URL). It reflects the credibility of emails associated with your domain.
Relates to Content and Engagement: This reputation is influenced more by the quality of the content, engagement rates, and how recipients interact with your emails (like open rates and forwarding).
Long-term and Portable: Domain reputation builds over a longer period and is not tied to a specific IP address, making it portable if you change email service providers.
Key Differences
Scope of Impact: IP reputation is about the sending address's behavior, while domain reputation is about the brand’s overall email practices.
Control: You have more control over your IP reputation, especially with a dedicated IP. Domain reputation, however, is influenced by factors beyond just sending practices, like recipient interaction.
Longevity and Portability: Domain reputation is more enduring and follows your domain regardless of IP changes, while IP reputation is specific to an individual IP address and needs to be built up when the IP changes.
Both IP and domain reputations are pivotal in determining email deliverability. While IP reputation can be seen as a short-term indicator heavily influenced by recent sending behaviors, domain reputation is a long-term indicator reflecting the overall trust in your brand's communication. Understanding and nurturing both reputations is essential for a successful email marketing strategy.