10 Tips for Improving Your Email Deliverability

Topics:   Explainers Email – 20 Jan, 2025

You've put so much time and effort into designing that perfect email, the last thing you want is for it to end up in a spam folder, or worse, never be seen at all!

If you want to make sure your emails land in the inbox and not in oblivion, here are 10 simple but effective tips to boost your email deliverability.

1. Start with a Clean, Accurate Database

Your database is the beating heart of your email strategy. If it's full of outdated or incorrect email addresses, your deliverability will suffer. From the get-go, make sure you're collecting accurate email addresses by using an email validator tool. This will catch common typos (think “.cmo” instead of “.com”) and ensure you have valid entries from the start.

2. Avoid Purchased Email Lists

Buying an email list can seem like a shortcut to a bigger audience, but trust us — it's not worth it. Purchased lists are often full of unengaged contacts who don't know your business, leading to higher bounce rates and spam complaints. Further, the New Zealand and Australian Spam Acts require consent for promotional email; you're risking a fine using a purchased list. Stick to opted-in subscribers who actually want to hear from you!

3. Make It Easy to Unsubscribe

It may seem counterintuitive, but making it easy to unsubscribe actually helps your deliverability. If recipients can't find an unsubscribe link, they're more likely to mark your email as spam, hurting your sender reputation. Place a clear unsubscribe option in your email footer (and even in the header for added convenience), such as TNZ's Automated Unsubscribe link. Better a clean unsubscribe than a spam complaint, right?

4. Limit Attachments

We all love a good graphic, but spam filters? Not so much. Attachments can flag your email as suspicious, especially if you send a lot of them. If you don't need to attach something, don't. When you do, make sure you're using a secure platform like TNZ to send them safely with automated throttling built-in.

5. Segment Your Email List

Not every message is meant for every customer. Sending irrelevant emails is a surefire way to be ignored or marked as spam. Instead, segment your list by customer type, interests, or engagement level. This ensures you're sending targeted, relevant messages that recipients will actually want to read. Use a CRM or our TNZ Address Book to manage your segmented groups.

6. Avoid Spam Trigger Words

Words like “Free,” “Win,” or “Credit Card” can get your email flagged as spam. Sure, sometimes you need to use them, but be mindful that if you do, your other security measures need to be point perfect. A good rule of thumb? Use these words sparingly and in context to avoid being caught by spam filters. See our Trigger List article for details.

7. Craft Engaging Emails

It's not just about delivery — once your email lands in the inbox, you want it to be opened, read, and acted on! Write clear, engaging content that gets straight to the point and suits your branding. Make it relevant to your audience and give them a reason to click through. Use our Email Design tool to craft your perfect email.

8. Manage Bounces Like a Pro

Bounced emails happen, but if they pile up, they can hurt your sender reputation. Use TNZ's bounce management tools to monitor and remove invalid addresses from your list. Keeping your database clean is essential to maintaining high deliverability rates. Learn how to Manage Email Bounces.

9. Clean Your Email List Regularly

Just like a garden needs regular pruning, your email list needs regular cleaning. Remove unengaged subscribers, invalid addresses, and anyone who has marked your emails as spam. A smaller, more engaged list is far better than a large, uninterested one!

10. Authenticate Your Emails

This is the technical stuff that makes all the difference. Email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are essential to proving that your emails are legitimate. Without them, your emails are far more likely to be flagged as spam. Luckily, TNZ can take care of all of this for you, ensuring your emails are set up correctly for optimal deliverability.

Take Control of Your Email Deliverability with TNZ

Email deliverability may seem complex, but with TNZ on your side, it's a breeze. From managing bounces to ensuring your domain is authenticated, we handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on what really matters — connecting with your audience.

Ready to boost your email deliverability? Get in touch with TNZ today and ensure your emails land where they belong — in the inbox.