Email Deliverability Best Practices for 2024

Email deliverability continues to evolve as inbox providers implement new filtering mechanisms and authentication requirements. Here's what you need to know to maintain high deliverability rates in 2024.

Authentication is Non-Negotiable

The big three authentication protocols—SPF, DKIM, and DMARC—are now table stakes for serious email senders. Gmail and Yahoo's recent announcements make it clear that proper authentication isn't optional anymore.

SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

Ensure your SPF record includes all legitimate sending sources. A common mistake is forgetting to include third-party services like your email marketing platform or transactional email provider.

DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail)

Implement DKIM signing for all your email streams. This cryptographic signature helps prove that your emails haven't been tampered with in transit.

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication)

Start with a DMARC policy of "none" to monitor your email authentication, then gradually move to "quarantine" and eventually "reject" as you gain confidence in your setup.

List Hygiene is Critical

Clean email lists are the foundation of good deliverability. Here's what you should be doing:

**Regular validation**: Validate your entire list at least quarterly

**Real-time validation**: Implement validation at the point of signup

**Engagement monitoring**: Remove subscribers who haven't engaged in 12+ months

**Bounce handling**: Immediately remove hard bounces and monitor soft bounce patterns

Content and Engagement Matter

Inbox providers are increasingly sophisticated in their content analysis and engagement tracking:

**Avoid spam triggers**: While spam filters are smarter, certain words and phrases still raise red flags

**Optimize for engagement**: Focus on metrics like open rates, click rates, and time spent reading

**Personalization**: Use dynamic content and segmentation to improve relevance

**Mobile optimization**: Ensure your emails render perfectly on mobile devices

Monitor Your Sender Reputation

Your sender reputation is like a credit score for email. Key metrics to track include:

**IP reputation**: Monitor your sending IP's reputation across major providers

**Domain reputation**: Your domain's reputation is increasingly important

**Complaint rates**: Keep complaint rates below 0.1%

**Bounce rates**: Maintain bounce rates under 2%

Conclusion

Email deliverability in 2024 requires a holistic approach combining technical setup, list hygiene, content optimization, and ongoing monitoring. The investment in proper email practices pays dividends in improved engagement and ROI.

Ready to improve your email deliverability? [Contact our team](/contact) for a comprehensive audit of your email program.