Deliverability Terminology You Need to Know

It’s starting to look like fall in many parts of the country, so you know what that means! Pumpkin spice! Just kidding. Back-to-school! Today, we’re going to do a little vocab lesson and make sure we’re all up-to-date on the lingo being tossed around in the deliverability world. 

We’re going to define each term, and if need be, point you to more in-depth resources about each one. Get your baggy sweatshirts and binders out, because this is a lecture you’ll want to listen to! 

Deliverability Terms

Delivery — When an email is successfully delivered at the end of the email sending process.Deliverability — When an email reaches the inbox of a subscriber.Spam Filter — The algorithms and machine learning that filters emails for its users, and decides whether emails belong in the inbox, spam folder, or somewhere else.Complaint — When a subscriber marks a message as spam.Feedback Loop — The way that mailbox providers can send complaint information back to the sender.Mailbox Provider — The platform that a subscriber uses to host their mailbox.Domain — The part of an email address after the “@” symbol.Spam Trap — An email address that is used to catch senders with bad practices.Blocklist — A company or organization that compiles a database of risky domains or IP addresses.Authentication — Methods to help ensure that the person sending the email is who they say they are. The three types are SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.Message Headers — The "transcript" of the email.MX Record — A domain record that specifies the mail server responsible for accepting email messages on behalf of a domain name.Open/Open Rate — Opens are tracked using an invisible pixel embedded in the email. Open rate is typically calculated by the number of opens divided by deliveries.Click/Click Rate/Click Through Rate — A click is tracked when someone clicks a link in an email. Click rates are typically calculated as the number of clicks divided by deliveries. Click-to-Open Rate — The number of clicks vs. the number of opens.List Bombing — When subscribers are added to your form by a bot, and they didn't actually sign up to receive your emails.Double Opt-in/Confirmed Opt-in — When you require that anyone who signs up to your form has to click a link in an email to confirm that they actually signed up.Opt-in Confirmation Email/Permission Pass — An email that contains a link for subscribers to confirm that they want to stay on your list. Those who don't click to confirm should be removed from the list.Call-to-Action — The action step in your email that you're emphasizing.Seedlist — A list of test email addresses that report whether emails landed in their inbox or spam folder.Spoofing — When someone sends an email pretending to be another person, company, brand, etc.Allowlist/Safelist/Address Book — A way for subscribers to mark a sender as "safe" and ensure all of their messages go to the inbox.

“Just from working at ConvertKit for the last two years, I have seen people with really engaged lists, even if they are smaller, have a higher rate of success when it comes to sales and people engaging with their emails.  So [double opt-in] really is, I think, one of the most important things people can do to protect their list and make sure that their marketing efforts aren't going unnoticed.” ~ @alyssa_dulin

Links

Deliverability Defined 02: Sender Reputation: The Road to Inbox PlacementDeliverability Defined 05: Avoiding Spam Traps the Right WayDeliverability Defined 06: Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)Deliverability Defined 07: Meaningful Metrics: Going Beyond Open RatesDeliverability Defined 09: Demystifying BlocklistsHow to ensure your emails are authenticated

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