Deliverability rate measures the percentage of emails that actually reach your recipients’ inboxes. This fundamental metric determines the success of your email marketing campaigns. A good deliverability rate ensures that your promotional messages, newsletters, and abandoned cart reminders reach their destination.
For your online store, this data directly influences your sales. If your emails don’t reach inboxes, your marketing efforts remain futile. Hence the crucial importance of understanding and optimizing this metric.
How to calculate your deliverability rate?
Calculating deliverability rate follows a simple formula. You divide the number of delivered emails by the total number of emails sent, then multiply by 100. For example, if you send 1000 emails and 950 reach their destination, your deliverability rate reaches 95%.
Be careful not to confuse deliverability with open rate. Deliverability indicates whether the email arrives in the inbox. Opening measures whether the recipient actually reads your message.
Most email marketing tools automatically provide this statistic. Mailchimp, Sendinblue, or Campaign Monitor clearly display this data in their campaign reports. However, some emails may land in spam without your knowledge, thus skewing the statistics.
Why a good deliverability rate boosts your sales?
A high deliverability rate maximizes the reach of your marketing campaigns. Each email that reaches its destination represents an additional sales opportunity. Conversely, a poor rate drastically limits your commercial potential.
Consider this concrete example. Your store sends a newsletter to 10,000 subscribers with a 70% deliverability rate. Only 7,000 people actually receive your message. If your usual email conversion rate is 2%, you generate 140 sales instead of the potential 200.
Moreover, poor deliverability gradually degrades your sender reputation. Email providers then classify you as a spammer, making your future sends even more difficult. This negative spiral can destroy your email marketing strategy.
Factors that impact your email deliverability
Your sender reputation
Your sender reputation constitutes the most determining factor. Email providers analyze your sending history to decide the fate of your emails. This reputation depends on several elements: complaint rate, bounces, recipient engagement.
A dedicated IP address generally improves your reputation, especially for high sending volumes. However, building a good reputation takes time. Start with moderate volumes and gradually increase your sends.
The quality of your subscriber list
A quality email list contains only valid and engaged addresses. Incorrect, inactive, or trap addresses seriously harm your deliverability. Hence the importance of regularly cleaning your database.
The origin of your contacts also influences this quality. Subscribers who voluntarily sign up via your site show better engagement. Conversely, purchased lists often generate high bounce rates and spam reports.
How to concretely improve your deliverability rate?
Several concrete actions help optimize your deliverability rate. First, authenticate your sends with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols. These technologies prove to email providers that you are indeed the legitimate sender.
Next, carefully monitor your engagement metrics. A high open rate and few unsubscribes signal to algorithms that your emails interest your recipients. Personalize your messages and segment your audience to improve these indicators.
Finally, scrupulously respect best practices. Use a clear and non-deceptive subject line. Always include a visible unsubscribe link. Avoid spam keywords like “free,” “urgent,” or “guarantee.” These constant efforts preserve your reputation and optimize your deliverability rate over the long term.