Guide
Complete Deliverability Guide
by Clara Monroe
Everything you need to avoid spam.
DNS Authentication Setup
SPF Record
Add this TXT record to your DNS:
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~allDKIM Record
Generate DKIM key in your email provider and add the TXT record:
selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com IN TXT "v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=YOUR_PUBLIC_KEY"DMARC Record
Add this TXT record to your DNS:
v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.comDomain Warmup Process
Week 1-2: Foundation
- Start with 20-50 emails per day
- Send to internal contacts and engaged prospects
- Focus on high-quality content and personalization
- Monitor bounce rates and engagement metrics
Week 3-4: Growth
- Increase volume by 20-30% weekly
- Expand to verified prospect lists
- Continue monitoring deliverability metrics
- Implement engagement-based segmentation
Week 5+: Scale
- Reach target sending volume
- Implement advanced automation
- Optimize based on performance data
- Maintain consistent quality and monitoring
Sending Best Practices
Content Guidelines
- Keep emails under 150 words
- Use clear, professional language
- Avoid spam triggers and excessive formatting
- Include clear call-to-action
- Personalize based on research
Sending Patterns
- Vary send times across time zones
- Avoid peak spam filter hours
- Distribute volume across multiple inboxes
- Implement engagement-based throttling
- Monitor real-time metrics and adjust
Monitoring & Maintenance
Weekly Tasks
- Check bounce rates, complaint rates, and blocklist status
- Review postmaster tools (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo)
- Analyze engagement trends and adjust volume accordingly
- Monitor authentication status and DNS records
Monthly Tasks
- Clean email lists and remove inactive contacts
- Update authentication records if needed
- Review and optimize sending patterns
- Analyze reputation trends and warmup strategies
- Update compliance and privacy policies
Troubleshooting Common Issues
High Bounce Rate (>5%)
Usually indicates poor list quality or domain reputation issues.
- Verify email addresses before sending
- Check domain reputation on SenderScore or similar tools
- Reduce sending volume temporarily
- Review and clean your contact list
Low Open Rate (<10%)
Often caused by poor subject lines or landing in spam folders.
- Test subject lines with A/B testing
- Check spam folder placement
- Improve sender name and email address
- Review content for spam triggers
Domain Blocklisting
Immediate action required to restore deliverability.
- Check blocklist status on major services (Spamhaus, Barracuda, etc.)
- Submit removal requests with evidence of compliance
- Implement stricter sending practices
- Consider using a new domain if reputation is severely damaged