faqs

What does email deliverability mean?

Email deliverability refers to whether your messages successfully reach the inbox rather than being blocked or sent to spam. It depends on factors such as authentication, sender reputation, and subscriber engagement. Good deliverability means more people see and interact with your emails.

How do I improve my email deliverability?

To improve email deliverability, authenticate your domain (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), maintain a clean list, segment your audience, avoid spammy subject lines, and monitor engagement. A consistent sending schedule and regular testing also help ensure your emails land in the inbox.

Does double opt-in improve deliverability?

Yes. Double opt-in helps confirm that a subscriber genuinely wants your emails. This prevents fake or mistyped addresses from entering your list, reduces spam complaints, and builds a more engaged audience—leading to stronger inbox placement and better deliverability.

What causes a bad sender reputation?

A poor sender reputation can be caused by high bounce rates, spam complaints, sending to invalid addresses, or lack of authentication. Low engagement (people not opening or clicking) also signals to mailbox providers that your emails are unwanted, which hurts deliverability.

Why are my emails going to the spam folder?

Emails often land in spam if authentication isn’t set up, your content includes spam trigger words, or your list contains many inactive addresses. Poor engagement also sends a negative signal. Testing emails before sending helps catch issues that could trigger spam filters.

What are common spam trigger words in email?

Common spam trigger words include “FREE!!!”, “Act Now”, “Guaranteed”, and “100%”. Excessive use of capital letters, emojis, or exclamation marks can also trigger filters. Keeping subject lines clear, professional, and relevant reduces the risk of being flagged as spam.

How often should I clean my email list?

It’s recommended to clean your email list every 3–6 months, depending on sending frequency. Removing invalid or inactive addresses reduces bounce rates and complaints, protects your sender reputation, and ensures you only email subscribers who genuinely want to hear from you.

Do email testing tools improve deliverability?

Yes. Email testing tools allow you to check spam scores, subject lines, formatting, and how messages display across different devices. Identifying and fixing issues before sending helps reduce the risk of being filtered into spam and improves overall deliverability.

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How often should I send marketing emails?

Consistency matters more than frequency. For most small businesses, 1–4 times per month works well. The key is to send when you have something genuinely useful or relevant to say, rather than filling a quota. If you go silent for months and then suddenly send a flurry of messages, engagement usually drops.

What’s the difference between a campaign and an automation?

A campaign is a one-off send - for example, a newsletter, update or offer.
An automation (or flow) is triggered by an action, such as signing up, making a purchase, or being inactive for 60 days. Automations run quietly in the background and usually deliver higher engagement because they’re timely and relevant.

What’s the best email platform to use?

There’s no single best option — it depends on your needs.
For small to medium businesses, tools like Klaviyo, MailerLite, HubSpot, and Mailchimp are common choices. The right platform should let you:

Segment your audience easily
Automate journeys
Design responsive emails without code
Track performance clearly
SendLab can help you choose and set it up correctly.

What’s a good email open or click rate?

It varies by industry, but as a general rule:

Open rate: 30–50% for engaged lists
Click rate: 2–5% for most campaigns
If your numbers are lower, it could mean subject lines, timing, or list quality need work — not necessarily that email “doesn’t work”.

Should I include images in my emails?

Yes, but use them carefully.
Images can make an email more engaging, but overloading a message with heavy graphics can slow loading or get flagged as promotional. The best balance is 60% text, 40% imagery - with all key content visible even if images don’t load.

What is email personalisation?

Personalisation means tailoring your email to the reader — not just by name, but by behaviour, location, or preferences.
For example:

“Welcome back, Alex — here’s what’s new since your last visit.”
“You left this item in your basket.”
It increases engagement and makes your emails feel more human.

How do I measure if my emails are working?

Start with:

Deliverability rate – are they landing?
Open rate – are people interested?
Click rate – are they engaging?
Conversions – are they taking action?
Tools like Klaviyo or MailerLite give you clear dashboards. Over time, watch trends rather than single sends — the direction matters more than one result.