What is Sender Score?
Sender Score is a numerical value assigned to an email sender's IP address by a third-party service, such as
Return Path. The score ranges from 0 to 100 and is an indicator of the sender's reputation. A higher score means a better reputation, which translates to higher
email deliverability rates.
Why is Sender Score Important?
Sender Score is crucial because it directly impacts whether your emails end up in the recipient's
inbox or
spam folder. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) use this score to filter out spam and protect their users. A low Sender Score can result in your emails being blocked, leading to reduced
open rates and engagement.
Complaint rates - The number of recipients marking your emails as spam.
Bounce rates - The percentage of emails that are returned as undeliverable.
Spam trap hits - Sending emails to addresses specifically set up to catch spammers.
Blacklistings - Being listed on
email blacklists.
Volume of emails sent - Consistency in sending volumes.
Maintain a clean email list by regularly removing inactive and invalid email addresses.
Encourage recipients to add your email address to their
safe sender list.
Ensure your
email content is relevant and engaging to reduce spam complaints.
Implement proper
authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
Monitor and manage your sending frequency to avoid sudden spikes in email volume.
Increased spam complaints, negatively affecting your reputation.
Higher bounce rates, leading to further degradation of your Sender Score.
Potential blacklisting by ISPs, drastically reducing your email reach.
Best Practices for Maintaining a High Sender Score
Maintaining a high Sender Score requires consistent effort. Here are some best practices: Regularly update and clean your email list to remove invalid addresses.
Segment your audience to send more targeted and relevant content.
Monitor engagement metrics and adapt your strategy accordingly.
Stay compliant with email marketing regulations like
GDPR and
CAN-SPAM.