Delivery vs. Deliverability

Understanding the Difference Between Email Delivery and Deliverability

When it comes to sending emails through Simplero, it’s important to understand the distinction between two key concepts: delivery and deliverability. Although these terms sound similar, they refer to different stages in the journey your email takes from you to your recipient.

Delivery: Reaching the Recipient’s Email Provider

What is Delivery?

Delivery refers to whether or not your email successfully reaches a recipient’s email provider (such as Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo). Simply put, if the provider accepts the email—regardless of which folder it lands in (Primary Inbox, Spam, Promotions, etc.)—the email is considered delivered.

Factors Affecting Delivery:

• Validity of the Recipient’s Address: The email address must exist and be able to receive mail.

• Domain and DNS Configuration: If the domain associated with the recipient’s address doesn’t exist or is misconfigured, delivery will fail.

• IP Reputation and Blocklists: If the sending IP is blocked by the receiving server, the email won’t reach the recipient.

Here’s how Simplero’s email delivery works:

1. We send data to SendGrid and tell them to send an email. Sendgrid is our marketing and transactional emailing platform that acts as the go-between for Simplero and your email recipients.

2. SendGrid communicates with the provider (Gmail for example)

3. Gmail receives the email and decides what to do with it

4. At this point, they will either deliver it, delay (retry) or bounce it

If we get to step 3 above and Gmail doesn't reject it, then it was effectively delivered. And as further reassurance, most email providers nowadays do have a high rate of delivery but it’s not a guarantee that those communications will land specifically in a recipient’s inbox.

Typical Delivery Rates:

Currently, Simplero’s delivery rate—through SendGrid—is about 98%, reflecting that almost all valid emails sent through the platform successfully reach their intended email providers.

Deliverability: Landing in the Right Folder

What is Deliverability?

Deliverability, sometimes referred to as “inboxing,” focuses on where your email ends up after it’s delivered. Even if an email makes it to the recipient’s email provider, the provider then decides where to place it. Will it go into the Primary Inbox, Spam/Junk folder, Promotions tab, or another folder?

Factors Affecting Deliverability:

• Sending Domain Reputation: Consistent, reputable sending habits help you earn trust with email providers.

• IP Reputation (Managed by SendGrid): Good engagement over time helps maintain a positive IP reputation.

• List Hygiene: Removing invalid addresses, inactive subscribers, and spam traps keeps your list clean and trustworthy.

• Email Content: Relevant, non-spammy content encourages engagement (opens, clicks) and signals to providers that your emails are welcome.

• DKIM/SPF Alignment: Properly configured authentication protocols help prove you’re a legitimate sender.

• Sending Frequency: Consistent but not overwhelming sending patterns build trust with email providers.

Improving Deliverability with Simplero:

• Better List Management: Avoid sending repeated emails to subscribers who never open them. It’s better to keep an engaged list than to push mass emails that trigger spam filtering.

• Optimized Content: Send value-packed, relevant emails to encourage subscribers to open and click.

• Authentic Authentication: Set up DKIM and SPF records properly.

• Adjust Your Sending Strategy: Don’t flood inboxes. Instead, send at a rate that maintains good engagement.

This is a great guide to email deliverability from SendGrid. 

Whitelisting: Getting on Your Subscribers’ Good Side

If subscribers find your emails useful but they end up in spam, encourage them to whitelist your sending address. Whitelisting ensures that future emails appear in their Primary Inbox.

How Subscribers Can Whitelist Your Address (Gmail Example): Watch Video

1. Instruct subscribers to add your sending address to their contacts.

2. Suggest they move your email from the Promotions or Spam tab into the Primary tab if needed, training Gmail to treat your emails as important.

It’s always best to encourage whitelisting during signup, setting expectations early that your emails are worth their direct attention.

Spam Traps, Invalid Addresses, and Frequent Reporters

What Are Spam Traps?

Spam traps are addresses used by ISPs and blocklist operators to identify senders who aren’t using best practices. They look like valid emails but are never used by real people. Sending to spam traps can damage your reputation and affect deliverability.

Invalid Emails and Frequent Reporters:

• Invalid Emails: Addresses that no longer exist or can’t receive mail.

• Frequent Reporters: Recipients who frequently mark emails as spam. Continuously sending to these addresses can harm your sender reputation.

Avoiding Problematic Addresses:

• Keep your list clean by removing invalid emails and those who never engage.

• Use double opt-in and ensure that you only send to people who explicitly requested your emails.

Simplero’s Built-in Protection:

Simplero uses Zerobounce, an email validation tool, to identify spam traps, invalid addresses, and frequent reporters. These contacts are automatically marked “Do Not Contact” so they don’t hurt your sending reputation. You can then correct or remove these addresses as needed. Read more about Spam Traps, check out Zerobounce's blog post about it here.

In Summary

• Delivery: Your email is accepted by the recipient’s email provider.

• Deliverability: Where the email ends up after delivery (Inbox, Spam, etc.).

By understanding these differences and following email best practices, you’ll not only ensure that your emails are delivered but also increase the likelihood that they’ll land right where you want them: in your subscribers’ inboxes, ready to be opened, read, and enjoyed.

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