Deliverability Defined

In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa answer frequently asked questions about domain reputation, handling spam complaints, understanding the promotions tab, reasons for declining open rates, the implications of blocklists, the impact of unsubscribes, and much more.In this episode:[06:48] - What are the best ways to improve my domain reputation? [09:39] - How do I get out of the promotions tab?[16:09] - Why are my open rates dropping?[22:00] - What does it mean if my IP is blocklisted?[28:12] - Are unsubscribes bad and will they hurt my domain reputation?[31:14] - Should I be on a dedicated IP to help my domain reputation or deliverability in general?[33:49] - How does Google Postmaster Tools use their data?[40:21] - Should I resend to an unopens? [42:03] - Can I use tools that provide email addresses of website visitors?Quotes“Should I resend to unopens? I wouldn't do it with every send. I would do it sparingly and only if you have a really engaged healthy list. Make sure it makes sense for your scenario and know that there are people who are going to receive it twice.” ~ Alyssa Dulin“These deliverability testing tools, I would almost lean toward saying they can sometimes be more hurtful than helpful in the sense that if you don't know what to look for and you also don't understand how the infrastructure works at the ESP, it can be really confusing.” ~ Melissa LambertLinksGoogle Postmaster ToolsGmailConvertKit Creator NetworkSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Connect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

While a lead magnet might seem insignificant, creating a high-quality and high-impact offer requires some strategic planning. An effective lead magnet provides a solution that's both valuable and efficient, which creates trust and lays the groundwork for a loyal subscriber base.In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa discuss the power of lead magnets to grow your email list and engage subscribers. They share their experience working with top email marketers and highlight the strategies that have helped them gain thousands of new subscribers and a more engaged and loyal audience. They also share tips on how to create lead magnets and what makes them effective.In this episode:[05:44] - Lead magnets and their purpose.[10:49] - A cautionary tale.[13:07] - The importance of sender identity in email deliverability.[15:28] - How to level up your lead magnets.[19:39] - Tailoring lead magnets to audience preferences.[20:41] - Reminding subscribers of their opt-in at the top of emails.[21:53] - Using ads to drive traffic to lead magnets.[24:27] - Creating lead magnets with ConvertKit.Key TakeawaysLead magnets are valuable resources or incentives offered to potential subscribers in exchange for their email addresses.Effective lead magnets provide upfront value and help build a strong subscriber relationship.A well-crafted lead magnet helps you make a strong first impression and build a highly engaged email list.When creating a lead magnet, it’s important to have a well-defined value proposition and understand the needs of your ideal subscribers.Lead magnets should be part of a larger strategy to convert subscribers into customers.It's essential to have a clear strategy for delivering value to your subscribers after they sign up for your lead magnet.Quotes"A lead magnet is a great way to provide value upfront. Instead of people just signing up to your email list and they start getting sales emails from you, you're giving them things." - Alyssa Dulin"When you have a lead magnet set-up, be sure that you have a strategy around what kinds of emails that person will be getting after they sign up, and not to start sending them broadcasts and sequences accidentally." ~ Melissa Lambert"After the lead magnet's delivered, send an email introducing yourself and make it memorable. Don't just make it a generic bio." ~ Alyssa Dulin"Depending on the kind of list collection you are using, your subscriber quality can be different. That's not a bad thing. It just means you may have to adjust the way you initially have people engaging or not engaging." ~ Melissa LambertLinksJames ClearAtomic HabitsPinterestConvertKit Creator NetworkSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Connect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

The creator landscape thrives on connection, and newsletters have always been a powerful tool for nurturing these relationships. However, email marketing is changing. Just as domain reputation has become a crucial factor in email deliverability, the future of newsletters hinges on creators adapting their approach when needed, and practicing effective strategies and best practices. In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa discuss the future of newsletters. They reflect on the changes in the email marketing landscape over the past few years and offer some predictions for the future. They highlight the importance of mastering both newsletter creation and email marketing strategies to succeed in the email space. Additionally, they suggest how AI could eventually help navigate subscriber preferences and improve email marketing strategies.Join us as we discuss:[02:25] - The benefits of the email promotions tab.[05:00] - Managing inbox with labels.[07:08] - How newsletters have evolved in recent years.[09:21] - Alyssa's prediction for the future of newsletters.[12:08] - Creators who have successfully combined newsletters and lead magnets to monetize their content.[16:44] - Melissa's prediction for the future of emails and newsletters.[19:54] - Potential roles for AI in emails.[22:04] - The challenges of deliverability in the current email ecosystem.[25:51] - The risks of not following email best practices.[27:05] - Reframing mindsets and embracing opportunities.Key TakeawaysDeliverability is becoming more challenging and requires an empathy-based marketing approach.The future of newsletters will involve creators mastering both regular newsletters and strategic email marketing tactics to maximize success.The use of AI tools in list management could become more prevalent in the future.Senders must take control of their own domain reputation and follow best practices to ensure success in the ever-changing email landscape.Quotes[10:30] - "The future is people mastering both newsletter creation and email marketing strategies. People who figure out both of those things will be the most successful in the email space." - Alyssa Dulin[10:48] - "All those people who have crushed the newsletter game could benefit a ton by figuring out what the email marketers have figured out, having their own digital products or services, paid newsletters, or things they are selling." ~ Alyssa Dulin [22:24] - "Deliverability is going to continue to be harder and harder because senders have to rely on their own domain reputation. It's more sensitive than it was previously. There's more that can upset certain systems." ~ Melissa Lambert[25:51] - "Even if you are at an email service provider who may be able to sign up your emails with a domain that belongs to the email service provider, there's always going to be a chance in this new era of deliverability where a bad actor could potentially really hurt a lot of people." ~ Melissa LambertLinksYahooGoogle Postmaster ToolsConvertKit Creator NetworkSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Connect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa talks with email marketing expert Tarzan Kay. They discuss the value of building an engaged email list and prioritizing real connections over high numbers. Tarzan shares her strategies to boost email engagement and deliverability while avoiding gimmicks. They also discuss the role of storytelling in emails, improving subscriber relationships, and the importance of self-editing for clarity.In this episode:[02:59] - Tarzan's background - from copywriting to email marketing[08:47] - The power of engagement over list size[18:43] - Crafting emails that engage and convert[25:30] - Unlocking the power of storytelling[27:31] - Common email marketing mistakes and how to avoid them[27:48] - The importance of list nurturing and engagement[30:28] - Navigating unsubscribes and feedback[39:17] - Maximizing engagement - the shift to a more interactive newsletter[41:52] - Automation and personalizationKey TakeawaysCreating great content that engages your subscribers improves your relationship with them. It also boosts your overall deliverability.Regularly maintain your email list. This includes removing inactive subscribers. It's critical for keeping your engagement rates up. It also ensures your content reaches those who value it most.Balance the mix of text and images in your emails. Do this with a focus on user experience and content clarity. This balance fosters higher engagement rates.Storytelling isn’t just for novels. Adding it to your emails can captivate your audience. It will make your messages resonate more and linger in their minds.Sometimes less is more. Being brief and valuing clear, direct communication can strengthen your message. It can also improve subscriber engagement.Quotes“What I love about email as a medium, and why I've chosen to make it the center of my business, is because it's relationship building.” ~ Tarzan Kay“Anytime someone hits reply on an email, that's an opportunity for me to get content ideas. So I'm always looking for the things that they care about and writing emails about those topics.” ~ Tarzan Kay“Engagement matters so much more than the size of your email list.” ~ Tarzan Kay“When people see the same thing week after week, they glaze over, they scroll past it. So sometimes I move things around; maybe I'll put the interesting links at the top, maybe I'll put them at the bottom.” ~ Tarzan KayLinksTarzanKay.comTarzan’s NewsletterTarzan on LinkedInOne6CreativeHemingwayCraft + CommerceConvertKit Creator NetworkSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Connect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

Many creators understand the importance of email marketing but need help to transform it into a sustainable growth engine. An email course offers a solution that's both powerful and efficient. This strategic approach provides a structured learning experience, establishes credibility, and supercharges audience growth.In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa are joined by Sean Stewart to discuss how to build an email course flywheel and the benefits of email courses for creators. Sean also explains the four types of email courses: crash course, step-by-step, biggest mistakes, and resources and templates, and provides valuable tips for creating them.In this episode:[00:23] - Saint Patrick's Day.[05:35] - Sean's background and how he became an expert in email courses.[09:18] - Getting rid of the weird marketing sales pitches.[10:53] - The benefits of doing an email course.[17:06] - Tips for finding a niche.[18:57] - Common misconceptions about email courses.[25:16] - Four types of email courses.[29:28] - The importance of landing pages when creating email courses.[31:48] - Tips for making an effective email course.[36:18] - Why having an email course adds credibility as a thought leader.[40:22] - One-week email course challenge.Key TakeawaysEmail courses are a powerful tool for creators to establish credibility, build relationships, and grow their audience.Email courses offer a lot of value when considering the relatively short amount of time needed to create them.Clear headers in each email help readers quickly understand the value they will receive.Creating a landing page with a specific URL for the email course increases credibility and makes it easier to promote and share.Quotes"Email courses are a great way to create doorways into your world. It's an opportunity that a lot more creators can and should take advantage of." ~ Sean Stewart"Solving problems for people and building relationships with them is how you create lifelong fans who are going to create that referral flywheel for you. Not only is it the most effective way to grow a business, but it also feels genuine and good." ~ Sean Stewart "The beauty of email courses is that they let you do that at scale. It's like having this little copy of you who is an expert, who will work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and welcome everyone into your world with this amazing course where you're teaching and solving a problem for them and building a relationship. And you can do this for dozens of people a day." ~ Sean StewartLinksSean Stewart EmailAmy PorterfieldThe Art and Business of Online WritingNicolas ColeJohnny MillerNervous System MasteryGardenaryConvertKit Creator NetworkSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Connect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

Many people find their inboxes overflowing with generic emails and promotional content, all vying to grab their attention. But what separates an email that gets deleted from one that gets opened, sparks engagement, and drives results? Ultimately, effective emails prioritize value over promotion. It's finding and understanding your target subscribers and delivering value that addresses their needs. In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa talk about the steps and strategies for creating effective emails. They provide practical tips on identifying the target audience, creating a value proposition, and reaching potential subscribers through lead magnets and social media strategies.Join us as we discuss:[01:32] - One of Alyssa's favorite content creators.[02:07] - The steps to writing an effective email.[09:33] - Popular strategies for Instagram and Pinterest.[12:59] - An effective Instagram strategy.[18:23] - Using lead magnets to grow an email list.[24:50] - The importance of clarity in writing emails.[26:52] - Why the size of your email list does not guarantee success.Key TakeawaysUnderstanding your target subscriber and their needs is crucial for creating valuable content.Ues lead magnets and strategic social media tactics to grow your email list.Creating a clear persona of the target subscriber, including their job, age, interests, and challenges, will help you deliver more value.Developing a value proposition that communicates the unique benefits offered to your ideal subscribers strengthens their understanding of your product or service.When writing emails, focus on providing value and addressing your subscriber's specific needs. This will increase engagement. Quotes"A lot of people think about their email as a bunch of random email addresses, and they are thinking about their goals. It's a much better strategy to reverse this thinking and get laser-focused on how to serve your audience. Then, you'll find way more success because you'll be serving people and giving them what they need." ~ Alyssa Dulin "If you have a lot of engagement on TikTok and Instagram because of the reels you do, but you don't have a newsletter or a website, you are missing out." ~ Melissa Lambert"Having this lens [a lead magnet and target subscriber] makes your life much easier. Because now, with every single email you send, instead of coming from your goals, you have a human you're writing to in your head when you sit down to write an email." ~ Alyssa Dulin"We know people at ConvertKit who have smaller lists and are successful. It's not about the list size. It's because they figured out what their audience needed and put that into place ahead of time." ~ Melissa LambertLinksJames ClearAtomic HabitsPinterestInstagramConvertKit Creator NetworkSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Connect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

Domain reputation has been a theme this season. And for good reason. In the world of email, IP addresses and domains have reputations that can make or break an email’s journey. While it might seem a little technical, understanding these nuances can have a big impact on your email deliverability.In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa discuss the differences between shared and dedicated reputation regarding IP addresses and domains. They talk about the importance of IP and domain reputation, the factors that affect them, and their impact on email deliverability. They also highlight ConvertKit's approach to maintaining a high reputation.Join us as we discuss:[02:47] - The difference between shared IP and dedicated IP.[06:12] - Who is most likely to benefit from dedicated IP?[07:01] - The benefits and risks of using a dedicated IP.[08:30] - Shared IP and Google Postmaster Tools.[11:42] - The risk of shared IP pool and the importance of having good email managers.[15:44] - The team behind ConvertKit's deliverability and compliance.[16:52] - How ConvertKit monitors block lists.[20:51] - How IP reputation and domain reputation work together.[23:50] - The impact of domain reputation on mail providers.[30:09] - ConvertKit's new domain features.Key TakeawaysMost email service providers commonly use shared IP addresses which are a good option for the majority of users.Dedicated IP addresses are recommended for high-volume senders or those who want complete control over their reputation.Domain reputation is crucial in email deliverability and can impact whether emails land in the inbox or the spam folder.Senders need to take responsibility for maintaining a healthy domain reputation by following best practices and avoiding spammy behavior.ConvertKit’s new feature allows users to purchase and validate a domain within the platform, making it easier for senders to own their email identity.Quotes[07:19] - "If you care about completely owning the reputation of your email, you want to be low risk, and you don't want any other factor to influence your email's deliverability, you might want a dedicated IP. Your deliverability is all on you 100 percent." ~ Alyssa Dulin [22:56] - "Your domain reputation is extremely important and can be the cause of emails going to spam. There is nothing your ESP can do about it if you don't clean up your side of the street." - Melissa Lambert[27:59] - "Helping our customers and senders buy their own domains and figure out their own mailboxes so that they can really own their identity and their mail is helpful to the entire ecosystem." ~ Alyssa Dulin[31:58] - "We want to be good stewards of email and are also trying to get tooling in place to support that. We've tried to align our tooling with our belief that this is the best way for senders to have autonomy over their domain reputation, and we're going to give you a tool to make it even easier." ~ Melissa LambertLinksAlison GooteeBrazeSubstackMailchimpConvertKitGoogle Postmaster ToolsNathan BarryConvertKit's Creator NetworkSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Connect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

If you’ve ever found yourself in a tangle of numbers, wondering which email metrics actually matter, this episode is for you. This week, Alyssa and Melissa unravel the tangled web of open rates, bounce rates, click rates, and complaint rates, guiding email senders toward clarity. They discuss why maintaining low bounce and complaint rates is essential, and explore the impact of metrics on email deliverability. They also explore the value of subscriber engagement and the reality of cold subscribers. Understanding these metrics (which ones deserve your attention and how to interpret them) is vital for your email deliverability. In this episode, we discuss:04:42 - Understanding open rates and their impact on deliverability09:59 - Exploring bounce rates and new ConvertKit features13:34 - The importance of monitoring complaint rates17:58 - The nuances of click rates21:05 - Cold subscribers and list cleaning strategies24:01 - Every sender’s deliverability puzzle is unique25:35 - Know your metrics and look for abnormalitiesKey TakeawaysOpen rates are more than just percentages; they're indicators of your emails landing in the inbox, especially important post-Apple's Mail Privacy Protection.Maintaining a bounce rate below 2% is critical, and a sudden spike can signal deeper deliverability troubles that merit further investigation.Complaint rates are a vital health check for your domain reputation, and staying below 0.1% is essential, especially with stricter Gmail rules in place.The enigma of click rates can be demystified by examining content strategy and understanding the role of bot clicks, not just deliverability factors.Regularly engaging with and cleaning your cold subscribers can significantly boost the overall health and deliverability of your email list.Quotes“If I were to give any advice to someone who is experiencing a drop in open rates, it would be to not panic and just start slowly digging into different aspects of why your open rates might be changing.” ~ Melissa Lambert“Get really familiar with your metrics. What's normal for you? What's a normal open rate for you? What's a normal click rate for you? And spot anything that is abnormal.” ~ Alyssa DulinLinksConvertKitConvertKit Creator NetworkGoogle Postmaster ToolsGmailYahooSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Facebook MarketplacePilates ReformerConnect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa explore some creative ways to boost email replies and enhance deliverability. From leveraging engagement signals and building community to using incentive-driven tactics, they share valuable strategies to amp up replies and strengthen relationships with subscribers.The discussion also touches on the impact of replies on domain reputation and suggests practical methods for handling and organizing replies. As email deliverability continues to evolve, nurturing meaningful interactions through replies is a powerful tool for ensuring your messages thrive in the inbox.In this episode, we discuss:00:59 - Love is Blind season finale02:00 - Email replies as a deliverability superpower05:08 - Creative strategies to boost email replies09:23 - Engaging your audience with questions and trivia12:49 - Putting a new spin on popular strategies to increase engagement18:12 - How to turn clicks into replies19:32 - Managing repliesKey TakeawaysLeveraging email replies is a potent strategy for fortifying domain reputation and fostering meaningful interactions with subscribers.Crowdsourcing content ideas and feedback through replies can invigorate engagement and provide valuable insights for content creation.Setting up filters or folders to organize replies can streamline the management of incoming engagement signals and nurture subscriber interactions.Quotes“I think if you can come up with a creative way to ask different questions, people will answer. They will want to answer. People love to talk and they love being able to share their opinions.” ~ Melissa Lambert“So instead of making people click a button to confirm their opt-in and receive that lead magnet, whatever it may be, you're asking them to reply to your email to get the lead magnet.” ~ Alyssa DulinLinksLove is BlindThe guide to getting more repliesThe Sound of MusicConvertKitConvertKit Creator NetworkGoogle Postmaster ToolsSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Connect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa dive into the topic of using recommendation tools to grow your email list while maintaining healthy deliverability. They explore the potential impact of using ConvertKit’s Creator Network recommendation tool, and provide insights on how to effectively manage new subscribers.Balancing list growth with subscriber engagement is critical for email senders. Making a strong first impression with new subscribers through a clear and compelling creator profile, setting up a robust welcome sequence, and implementing automated list cleaning will help keep engagement high and maintain deliverability. In this episode, we discuss:00:19 - Nicolas Cage’s Dream Scenario04:50 - Email deliverability and recommendations tools05:40 - Understanding subscriber dynamics with recommendation tools12:23 - Crafting the perfect creator profile15:15 - The importance of a welcome email sequence21:02 - Optimizing subscriber engagement and list healthKey TakeawaysBalancing list growth with subscriber engagement is crucial for maintaining healthy deliverability.Making a strong first impression through a clear and compelling creator profile enhances subscriber understanding and interest in your content.Utilizing welcome sequences and automated list cleaning helps in demonstrating value, ensuring engagement, and maintaining deliverability standards.Quotes“We often see people who have other methods of subscriber collection, that are not illegal and they're not bad necessarily, but they don't always convert to the best subscribers.” ~ Melissa Lambert“If you have friends who are newsletter people or they have an email list and they know how to grow their list, that's a great fit. Reach out to your friends, be like, hey, let's form a pod, let's recommend each other. Then every time one of you grows your list, you're all benefiting, which is awesome.” ~ Alyssa DulinLinksDream ScenarioConvertKitConvertKit Creator NetworkGoogle Postmaster ToolsSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Connect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

Ever feel like you're decoding an ancient script when trying to comprehend email authentication? DMARC may seem like just another complex acronym in the world of email, but it's a guardian against the spoofers and spammers. Setting up DMARC is like locking your digital doors—it's not just necessary; it's your first line of defense. And since missed emails mean missed opportunities, understanding DMARC is a critical piece of the email deliverability puzzle. In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa unpack the mysteries of DMARC records and how they protect your domain from email spoofers. They explore why big players like Gmail and Yahoo demand DMARC for mass senders and provide simple steps to set it up without the tech headache.In this episode, we discuss:01:50 - The basics of DMARC.06:44 - The importance of DMARC and its impact on email security.11:45 - Exploring the technicalities of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.16:13 - Navigating the complexities of email authentication and deliverability.20:43 - Setting up DMARC: the right way to protect your domain.25:24 - Tips for getting the most out of DMARC reporting.Key TakeawaysDMARC isn’t just a fancy acronym; it's your armor against domain spoofing and should be part of your security strategy.Begin with a DMARC policy of “none” to collect data without impacting deliverability, and level up to” quarantine” or “reject” as you become more confident in your setup.Your domain's reputation is as valuable as a treasure chest in the world of email deliverability — protect it with proper DMARC implementation.Don’t let the technical jargon intimidate you. Use the right tools to demystify DMARC and help streamline the management of email authentication.Quotes“DMARC is a level of security for your emails. It helps authenticate your emails and protect your domain from being used by bad people. At a very basic level, it's a protection mechanism.” ~ Melissa Lambert“If you are a good email sender, you have an asset that's really valuable to spammers. So, if you're wondering, ‘Am I actually affected by this? Why would someone do this?’ They want that healthy domain that you have. And if it's not protected by DMARC, then you are a target for it.” ~ Alyssa DulinLinksConvertKitConvertKit Creator NetworkSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!GoogleYahooMicrosoftGmailDemarsianCloudflareConnect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

If managing your domain reputation sounds complicated, you’re not alone. Recent changes to Yahoo’s and Google’s authentication rules have forced all email senders to take a more active role in the path to the inbox. In this episode of Deliverability Defined, Alyssa and Melissa untangle some of the mysteries around domain reputation and why it’s so important. They highlight how trends in open rates, complaint rates, and bounce rates are not just metrics but invaluable insights that contribute to a healthy email list. They also discuss some highly practical best practices for ensuring your emails reach the inbox. In this episode, we discuss:01:37 - How domain reputation is like a credit score.08:30 - The importance of domain reputation in email deliverability.14:35 - Monitoring domain reputation and how it’s calculated.21:27 - The technical side of email deliverability and domain reputation.24:55 - Navigating complaint rates and subscriber behavior.27:02 - Maintaining a healthy email list.31:55 - Why segmented audiences lead to higher engagement rates.35:35 - What to do if you have a low sender reputation.Key TakeawaysDomain reputation is like your credit score — it's pivotal for the health of your email marketing and can impact your success when moving between email service providers.Monitor your metrics — stay ahead of the curve by keeping an eye on open rates, complaint rates, and bounce rates. And remember, a dip in open rates by ten points is a definite red flag!Subscriber engagement is paramount — keep your email list clean, segment your audience for targeted content, and employ double opt-ins to shield against list bombing.Quotes“One of the biggest influences of sender reputation is your audience and subscribers and subscriber behavior. Opening, clicking through your emails, spending time on the email, reading through it, all of these things have a really positive impact on your domain reputation.” ~ Melissa Lambert“Your subscribers have the power over your reputation. For the most part, they're voting with their actions on whether your domain reputation goes up or down.” ~ Alyssa DulinLinksDeliverability Defined S05E03: A Guide to Google Postmaster ToolsGoogle Postmaster ToolsConvertKitConvertKit Creator NetworkSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!GoogleYahooMicrosoftGmailConnect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

If you’ve ever wondered how to improve your domain reputation, Google Postmaster Tools is here to help. In the wake of Google’s and Yahoo’s changes and authentication requirements, Google Postmaster Tools has become a crucial resource for email senders. In this episode of Deliverability Definied, Alyssa and Melissa take a deep dive into Google Postmaster Tools—what it is, how to get the most out of it, and why it’s so important for monitoring domain reputation and ensuring optimal email deliverability. While Google Postmaster Tools can provide a lot of great insight, the best deliverability strategies are still basic best practices. Things like maintaining a low spam complaint rate, prioritizing engagement, list hygiene, and ethical list-building practices. By following these guidelines senders can enhance their domain reputation, increase inbox placement, and ultimately, improve the effectiveness of their overall email marketing efforts.In this episode, we discuss:01:16 - Google Postmaster Tools overview08:11 - Domain reputation explained11:11 - Spam complaint rates19:24 - Why it's more important than ever to clean your list21:48 - Using automations for list health23:18 - Understanding IP reputationKey TakeawaysGoogle Postmaster Tools can give you insights into your domain reputation, which plays a crucial role in your email deliverability. Aim for a high domain reputation to secure solid inbox placement. Managing spam complaint rates is key to maintaining a positive sender reputation. Keep your complaint rate below 0.1% to avoid negative impacts on your domain reputation and email deliverability.Pay attention to your list health by cleaning your list, avoiding excessive emails to new subscribers, and ensuring engagement with your content.Implementing strategies like double opt-ins for new subscribers and automations to manage inactive subscribers can help improve your list health and reduce spam complaints.Quotes“It's important to keep your spam rate below 0.1%. This is the threshold where Gmail will start sending some messages to spam and potentially from there decrease your domain reputation. At 0.3% and above, spam filtering will start to happen, and the domain damage will also start to happen and be more impactful and harder to recover from.” ~ Melissa Lambert“I encourage all people to have their eyes on the Google Post Master tools dashboard every day. Go analyze people who are complaining. What do they have in common? Are you sending them way too many emails?” ~ Alyssa DulinLinksGoogle Postmaster ToolsConvertKitConvertKit Creator NetworkSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!GoogleYahooMicrosoftGmailConnect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

Welcome back to Season Five of Deliverability Defined! Do you ever feel like you're navigating the Bermuda Triangle when it comes to understanding the latest email marketing requirements? You're not alone. Staying ahead of these changes and requirements is crucial in maintaining email deliverability.In this episode, Alyssa and Melissa discuss the recent changes from Yahoo and Google and how they impact email senders. They dive into the new authentication requirements, the one-click unsubscribe rule, and what it means for your domain reputation. Plus, they introduce a game-changing feature from ConvertKit to help you easily navigate these changes. As the email landscape continues to evolve, it's crucial to stay ahead of the curve to ensure your messages reach the inbox.In this episode, we discuss:02:15 - Yahoo’s and Google’s new sender requirements.04:55 - The importance of domain reputation and authentication.09:39 - Gmail’s delivery delays.13:14 - Convertkit’s verified sending domain setup.16:17 - Customer compliance with email requirements.18:54 - Google Postmaster and best practices for domain reputation.Key TakeawaysEmail senders are now required to authenticate messages using their own domain instead of their email provider's domain. This is a critical step in maintaining domain reputation and a key factor for deliverability.Using tools like Google Postmaster Tools to monitor your domain reputation in Gmail is essential in optimizing your email deliverability.Domain reputation management is key for keeping spam complaints low and ensuring high deliverability rates for your email campaigns.Quotes“The best thing you can do is go back to basics. Like cleaning your list and making sure you're sending to engaged subscribers. Those things were important before, but they're going to be even more important now that you are relying more heavily on your own domain reputation.” ~ Melissa Lambert“Even if you have a great sender reputation after these changes, everyone needs to pay way more attention to their own domain reputation than you probably have in the past and make sure that spam complaints stay low and reputation stays high." ~ Alyssa DulinLinksConvertKitConvertKit Creator NetworkSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!GoogleYahooSquarespaceGoDaddyGoogle Postmaster ToolsConnect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

Gmail and Yahoo have announced new sender requirements taking affect in February of 2024. You can read more here: https://help.convertkit.com/en/articles/8538056-gmail-and-yahoo-s-new-requirements-for-2024-and-what-to-expectThe 3 main steps to take:- Set up a verified sending domain in your email provider- Set up a DMARC record if you haven't already- Start monitoring your spam complaint rates within Google Postmaster Tools 

Email remains one of the oldest and most popular digital communication channels, yet content creators struggle to stand out in their audience’s email inboxes. The explosion of ChatGPT has prompted questions about AI’s role in the deliverability space. Should AI be integrated into email marketing strategies, and if so, in what capacity?  In this episode, Alyssa and Melissa talk with email marketing expert Naomi West about her relationship with AI. Naomi is a seasoned SaaS Lifecycle Marketer and creator of Email Characters, a Google Chrome extension designed to optimize email content. Naomi is not only an email enthusiast, but also an email expert, having earned the “Email Whiz Award” in 2021 at EiQ’s email marketing conference. Together, Alyssa, Melissa, and Naomi delve into the pros and cons of using ChatGPT for content creation, the future of AI, and Naomi’s advice for creators running their own businesses.Key Takeaways[04:00] - Who is Naomi West?[10:33] - Naomi’s relationship with AI.[12:33] - The pros and cons of using ChatGPT for content creation.[24:53] - Where is AI headed?[32:49] - How AI could affect ESPs.[39:06] - Naomi’s tips for creators running a business.[41:45] - Where to find Naomi (@emailfromnaomi)Quotes[08:18] - “I tried to get into marketing in university for three years straight. And the business school of my university rejected me for three years straight. And I was like, ‘Well, I guess I'll do an arts degree and I will write a lot of papers. And then I graduated and I immediately did marketing. And here I am.” ~ @emailfromnaomi[39:41] - “[Email] is this completely interconnected space. When you are sending email you have to be cognizant of what’s going on on your other channels as well as recognizing that email is not just you. The inbox is so overwhelmed these days with senders, everyone's doing email. So just be aware that you're not the only individual in the space, but you can still provide unique value.” ~ @emailfromnaomiLinksNaomi West | Twitter | @emailfromnaomiNaomi West | WebsiteNaomi West | LinkedInParcel.ioSlow emails volume 8Email CharactersChatGPTGrammarlyNotion LoomSpreadsheet Girl (@spreadsheetgirl) | TikTokKlaviyoAmnesty InternationalSubscribe to the Marketing Design DispatchSubscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Ask Alyssa & Melissa questions or suggest content for our next monthly newsletter!Connect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

As a creator, you are never going to feel “ready” to build something. The hardest part is getting started and accepting that creation is an iterative process, and the mistakes you make along the way will lead to stronger content over time. In this episode, Alyssa and Melissa talk with Dylan Redekop, Growth Currency Newsletter Strategist and Product Marketer at SparkLoop, about his journey building his newsletter from scratch. What started as a multitopic newsletter niched down into a newsletter that helps creators and solopreneurs start, grow, and monetize their own newsletters. Dylan delves into the best ways to keep lists clean and audiences engaged, even if your newsletter is still in its nascent stage. There’s no need to wait until your audience reaches a certain threshold to seek monetization opportunities.Together, they discuss Dylan’s process in choosing his niche, tips for growing and monetizing newsletter content, and the power of referral networks in gaining high-quality subscribers.Key Takeaways[06:40] - An introduction to Dylan.[09:26] - How Dylan chose his newsletter niche.[12:15] - Dylan’s advice to anyone niching down.[15:36] - How to grow and monetize your newsletter.[25:04] - How referral networks expand your list.[32:25] - How to keep your list clean while using partner programs.[36:43] - Where to find Dylan and his newsletter (@growthcurrency)Quotes[12:35] - “The subscribes and the unsubscribes, it's all vanity metrics. What matters is that the people that are reading your newsletter and are subscribed to it are interested in it, and you don't just want people to hang on because the numbers look good.” ~ @growthcurrency[20:13] - “You only need to have one person on your email list to sell them something, right? People get caught up in, ‘I need to have a certain amount of subscribers to make a sponsorship deal or to sell my ebook or my course or my service.’ But I don’t think you have to wait. Why wait until you have a certain threshold to start trying?” ~ @growthcurrency[26:00] - “The reason why I love [partner programs] is because it's cost-controlled and it's quality-controlled. When you create a Facebook ad or an Instagram, as soon as somebody clicks, you're paying, regardless of if they unsubscribe or never open an email. You don't have that quality control filter.” ~ @growthcurrencyLinksDylan Redekop on LinkedInDylan Redekop (@growthcurrency) on TwitterDylan Redekop (@growthcurrency) on InstagramGrowth CurrencySparkLoopThe SparkLoop Partner ProgramThe SparkLoop Partner NetworkConvertKit Sponsor NetworkSubstackCraft + Commerce ConferenceCreator WizardTinderSubscribe to the Marketing Design DispatchSubscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Ask Alyssa & Melissa questions or suggest content for our next monthly newsletter!Connect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

Many people strive to become creators but often forget the discipline, hard work, and consistency required to build an audience. But while the task can seem daunting, it’s not impossible. The best way to learn how to grow a subscriber base is by learning from creators who have successfully done so.In this episode, Alyssa and Melissa talk with Charli Prangley, Creative Director at ConvertKit, about her experience as a YouTuber with more than 220K subscribers, and the author of the Marketing Design Dispatch newsletter with more than 15K subscribers. Charli discusses what led her to ConvertKit, why creators should take advantage of email when building their brand, and why simple designs often land best with audiences. They also discuss Charli’s digital product offerings, her different sources of income, and her advice for aspiring creators.Key Takeaways[06:00] - An introduction to Charli and her creator journey.[07:35] - What brought Charli to ConvertKit. [10:04] - Charli’s day-to-day at ConvertKit. [13:07] - Why creators should use email.[18:30] - An overview of Charli’s digital products. [20:18] - How Charli decided which products to create.[22:00] - What do Charli’s income streams look like?[25:53] - Charli’s design advice for creators.[34:26] - How Charli encourages email replies.[42:28] - Charli’s closing thoughts.[48:31] - Where to find Charli.Quotes[14:29] - “Email is powerful for directly reaching your audience.” ~ @charliprangley[25:53] - “The main thing I suggest is to keep it simple. The more simple you make it, the more refined your design is going to feel.” ~ @charliprangley[43:10] - “Don't make all of the decisions just based on business reasons, but include your own enjoyment in there as a factor too.” ~ @charliprangleyLinksCharli Prangley on TwitterCharli Prangley - Creative Director - ConvertKit | LinkedInCharli MarieCharliMarieTV - YouTubeSubscribe to the Marketing Design DispatchSubscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Ask Alyssa & Melissa questions or suggest content for our next monthly newsletter!Connect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

Email is a universal method of communication that brings together people of all different ages and backgrounds. While some people may check their emails more than others, it remains true that everyone needs an email address to survive in the digital world. Whether you use your email to stay up-to-date on current events, manage your reservations, or collect discount codes, email is a versatile tool to stay informed and connected.Email is a more reliable form of communicating with your audience because its popularity is not as volatile as social media. As we’ve observed with apps like Vine or MySpace, no social media platform is invincible or irreplaceable. Email content is also more customizable than social media, which allows creators to connect with different audiences and curate content specific to their needs and interests.  In this episode, Alyssa and Melissa discuss why email is crucial for your business. They cover how to customize content for your audience, how monetization for emails differs from social media, and how a good ESP can help you grow your list and find advertisers.Key Takeaways[04:14] - Why does email work?[09:28] - Why it is important to “own your audience”.[14:36] - How to customize email outreach based on your audience’s preferences.[17:51] - How email monetization differs from social media.[21:45] - How a good ESP can help your business.Quotes[07:25] - ​​“Your subscribers have the control to interact with your email when it’s best for them.” ~ @mel_lambert_ [10:34] - “We don’t always know which direction [social media platforms] are going to go in, not just the success of a platform, but also how their algorithms work.” ~ @alyssa_dulin[15:36] - “A lot of brands have become very successful because of targeted ads on Instagram. You could be making that money instead of Instagram.” ~ @alyssa_dulin[16:36] - “You want to make sure that you’re treating people’s inboxes with as much care as possible.” ~ @mel_lambert_ LinksConvertKit Creator NetworkSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Postmaster Tools – GoogleBitlyConnect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing. 

The way our email inboxes operate has changed dramatically with the evolution of the internet and increased awareness and caution around email scams. Email security and privacy have become a top priority for users, resulting in enhanced protection measures and more stringent regulations.With so many changes happening in the email deliverability world, several factors could be affecting your success metrics as an email marketer or a content creator. Email strategies need to be adapted according to the sender’s needs and their intended audience.In this episode, Alyssa and Melissa cover how various factors impact deliverability, including email privacy protection, automatic clicks, link shorteners, VSDs, and DMARCs.Key Takeaways[03:50] - Are clicks impacted by Apple Mail Privacy Protection?[09:19] - What should I do if my clicks are inflated from non-human interactions?[11:36] - How do I reduce automatic clicks?[12:07] - Should I use link shorteners?[14:10] - Should I use a VSD (verified sending domain)? [19:00] - Should I set up a DMARC?[24:51] - What is my deliverability reputation score?[26:47] - What can I learn from Gmail’s Postmaster Tools?Quotes[11:32] - “Here are a few recommendations we give to reduce automatic clicks. 1) Always use HTTPS links, not HTTP links. 2) Keep your sender reputation healthy. Make sure you're cleaning your list and listening to engaged subscribers. 3) Encourage replies to your emails. 4) Pay attention to the content of your message — make sure that itdoesn't look spammy, and that the links in your emails are not suspicious.” ~ @alyssa_dulin[13:19] - ​​“As far as trying to reduce automatic clicks, using something like Bitly is not going to help you do that. In fact, it’s probably just going to increase your chance of having automatic clicks in your email because it’s not a trusted domain.” ~ @mel_lambert_ [29:45] - “These small pieces individually might not be overwhelming, but how they all work together in order to help people be the best sender possible gets tricky.  So if you feel like deliverability is overwhelming or you just don't know where to start, know you're not alone. It's very understandable.” ~ @mel_lambert_ LinksConvertKit Creator NetworkSubscribe to the weekly Deliverability Dispatch Newsletter!Subscribe to the monthly Deliverability Defined newsletter!Postmaster Tools – GoogleBitlyConnect with our hostsAlyssa DulinMelissa LambertStay in touchApple PodcastsSpotifyTwitterFacebookInstagramDeliverability Defined WebsiteTry ConvertKit's deliverability in actionIt's now free to use ConvertKit with an audience of 1,000 subscribers or less! Start building your audience and reaching their inboxes: convertkit.com/pricing.