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Email deliverability is a nuanced topic. There are many levels to optimizing emails to reach the inbox.
For one, you need the right email infrastructure to deliver messages from one server to another. You need to think about email authentication protocols that verify you as the sender. You need to validate emails and keep your list clean. You also need to take care of your sender reputation and your email blocklists.
Those in the know will tell you When it comes to email deliverability, the most important thing is placement in the inbox. This doesn't just mean that mailbox providers like Gmail or Yahoo will accept your message. Your delivery rate is just the beginning of the story. Technically speaking, even emails that end up in spam are “delivered.” So when you reach the inbox, you might think you've achieved ultimate delivery success.
We're here to argue that that's not entirely true. Allow us to explain…
Consider the condition of your deliveries
Have you ever received a package that looked like it went through hell and back before reaching your house? Worse, you may have opened it and found that the contents were destroyed.
It doesn't happen often, but when it does, you're probably thinking back to the beginning of the classic '90s comedy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Jim Carrey really nailed this package.
Broken email campaigns could also appear like a pile of trash in subscribers' inboxes. But it's not because of an undercover pet detective. This is due to a little thing email geeks call “client rendering inconsistencies.”
That's why we believe the very last step in email deliverability is ensuring your campaigns display the way they're supposed to. That may be much easier said than done.
Facing the email rendering nightmare
So what is email rendering anyway? This is basically how different email clients process and display your designs (or don't display them, as the case may be).
You see, different email clients offer different support for HTML and CSS. What looks pixel perfect when opened with Apple Mail, for example, looks shockingly terrible in the desktop version of Outlook. It's similar to good old Internet Explorer (RIP), which doesn't display web pages in the same way as other browsers.
The only difference is that there are even more challenges in email development compared to web development. The people who make a living coding their own email are painfully aware of this. However, if you're a digital marketer without this expertise, you may have been blissfully launching campaigns and newsletters without any idea that there could be problems on the other end. (Confession: I was one of them.)
Sorry to burst your bubble. But inconsistencies in email client rendering are a real challenge. Check out the Can I Email website to get all the dirty details about what works and what doesn't.
Sinch Mailjet's Inbox Insights study found that inconsistent rendering was one of the biggest design and coding challenges for email teams. It was the second largest problem after the responsive email development issues.
From Inbox Insights 2023, Sinch Mailjet
This is because different clients have their own rendering engines. Apple Mail and others use WebKit to render HTML emails. Gmail (of course) has its own way of doing things. And desktop versions of Outlook use Microsoft Word to render emails. Yikes, right?
Thankfully, that's changing with the new Outlook, but don't expect the email rendering issues to go away any time soon.
The worst-case scenario for email rendering
Many email rendering problems are not the end of the world. Things like seemingly random white lines in Outlook may not look professional, but your subscribers can still engage with the content. Gmail may not support the web font your brand prefers, but that doesn't change the message.
However, there are also display issues that can turn your major email campaign into a major missed opportunity. For example, inverting the color of emails in dark mode can make them completely unreadable as the text disappears into the background. Likewise, interactive emails with fallbacks that don't show up won't get good engagement at all.
Delivering a broken email that your subscribers can't interact with is almost as bad as having it end up in spam.
This is why marketing teams who are serious about getting it right always perform email quality assurance (QA). This process includes checking out email previews on different clients and devices, as well as other steps to help you avoid costly mistakes and broken emails.
Here's how to learn more before you hit send
Here are two things email marketers should think about before launching a campaign:
- Will this campaign reach our subscribers' inboxes or end up in spam?
- Will it look and function as it should when it gets there?
Here's some good news… The answers to these questions don't have to be a complete mystery. There are two types of tests that provide a glimpse into the future. These are inbox placement testing and pre-deployment email testing.
Testing inbox placement
An inbox placement report, also called a seed test, uses seed mailboxes to test how inbox providers like Gmail and Yahoo are likely to filter your campaign.
That's right. While these reports provide information about actual inbox placement for current campaigns, they can also help you accurately predict deliverability before a campaign launches. Note that not all of these services are the same. You want to find one with a wide selection of seed mailboxes for the highest level of accuracy.
Learn more about these reports and how inbox placement rates are calculated.
Pre-deployment testing
Also known as pre-send testing, this process is designed to preview how different email clients, devices, and operating systems will display your campaign.
Similar to seed testing for inbox placement reports, pre-deployment testing involves sending your emails to different mailboxes. A collection of screenshots from these mailboxes will then be sent back to you so you can preview what they will look like.
This allows email marketers to identify layout issues and inconsistent presentation before they hit send. The email team can then customize the code or swap out design elements to ensure every subscriber on the list has the best possible experience.
Email optimization solutions from Sinch
Here at Sinch Email on Acid, we offer a complete email quality assurance solution. While email preview is a key feature, you also benefit from things like email accessibility checks, spell check, inbox display preview, and more.
The Email on Acid platform allows you to design your own pre-send email testing workflow. This includes selecting the clients and devices on which you want to display campaign previews. Think of it as an automated email marketing checklist.
If you're looking for a solution that supports email deliverability from start to finish, check out Mailgun Optimize. This is a complete email deliverability suite from Sinch Mailgun.
Mailgun Optimize offers blacklist monitoring, inbox placement testing, and list hygiene solutions. The suite also offers comprehensive email previews powered by Sinch Email on Acid. You can use both Mailgun Optimize and Email on Acid with any email service provider (ESP).
Whatever option works for you, you'll gain a lot of peace of mind knowing your emails arrive in your inbox and look good when opened.
Simplify the email QA process and deliver perfection
What is the best way to go through your pre-shipment checklist? With Sinch Email on Acid's Campaign Precheck, we have simplified the process and set everything up for you. Use it to double-check your content, optimize deliverability, ensure accessibility, and preview campaigns more than 100 of the most popular clients and devices. All before you hit send!
Start a free trial
Author: Kasey Steinbrinck
Kasey Steinbrinck is Senior Content Marketing Manager for Sinch Email, which includes the Email on Acid, InboxReady, Mailgun and Mailjet brands. He understands how email and content work hand in hand to create a strong strategy. Kasey has also spent time working in traditional media, e-commerce marketing and for a digital agency.
Author: Kasey Steinbrinck
Kasey Steinbrinck is Senior Content Marketing Manager for Sinch Email, which includes the Email on Acid, InboxReady, Mailgun and Mailjet brands. He understands how email and content work hand in hand to create a strong strategy. Kasey has also spent time working in traditional media, e-commerce marketing and for a digital agency.
Create your very own Auto Publish News/Blog Site and Earn Passive Income in Just 4 Easy Steps
