When emails end up in spam or subscribers experience automatic un-subscription issues, it can greatly impact communication, customer engagement, and overall brand trust. To improve your email deliverability and avoid these pitfalls, follow these key steps:

1. Set Up SPF and DKIM Authentication

SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) are essential to authenticate your domain and verify that your emails are indeed coming from you.

• SPF helps ensure that only approved servers can send emails on behalf of your domain. To set it up, create an SPF record in your DNS that includes your authorized email servers.
• DKIM adds a unique digital signature to each email, proving its origin. Set this up by generating a DKIM key and adding it as a TXT record in your DNS settings.

Once configured, check if the correct values are mapped on the DNS and verify the settings to ensure email deliverability. 

This can be checked on Meritto by following the given steps (only for Sendgrid) : 

1. Go to Settings in the top-right corner of the system.
2. Select Communication and navigate to the Email section.
3. Under Account Creation, choose Configure Email Account and click on Domain Authentication.
4. Here, you’ll see a list of your domains along with their CNAME records for SPF and DKIM.
5. Review the status of each CNAME record to confirm they are verified.

Ensure that all CNAME records are verified to maintain optimal email deliverability.

2. Get a Dedicated IP Address

A dedicated IP address for sending emails can improve reputation by separating your emails from those sent by other users of a shared IP, who may have different practices or deliverability issues. This is particularly useful for sending large volumes of emails.

With a dedicated IP:

• You can control your sending reputation entirely.
• Establish a consistent history with mailbox providers.

To optimize a new dedicated IP, start with smaller email batches and gradually increase the volume. This approach helps build a solid reputation.

3. Ensure Valid Forward and Reverse DNS (PTR) Records

Setting up both forward and reverse DNS records for your sending domains and IP addresses is crucial. Forward DNS associates your domain with your IP address, while Reverse DNS (PTR) does the opposite—associating your IP address with your domain.

Mailbox providers often perform reverse DNS lookups to verify the sender’s identity. Without a valid reverse DNS setup, many email providers may reject or mark your emails as spam. 

4. Monitor Spam Rates with Postmaster Tools

Using tools like Google Postmaster Tools can provide valuable insights into how mailbox providers handle your emails, including spam rates, reputation, and delivery errors. Keep your spam rate below 0.3% to avoid red flags that could harm your reputation.

Strategies to minimize spam rates include:

• Regularly cleaning your email list to remove inactive or unengaged users.
• Sending valuable, targeted content to your subscribers.
• Making it easy for users to unsubscribe to avoid being marked as spam.

5. Set Up DMARC Authentication

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) goes a step further by enforcing policies for SPF and DKIM. Setting up a DMARC record allows you to define how mailbox providers should handle emails that fail SPF and DKIM checks. It helps protect your brand from spoofing and phishing.

To set up DMARC:

• Add a DMARC record as a TXT entry in your DNS.

Monitoring DMARC reports can give you insights into potential abuse of your domain, ensuring further protection.

6. Enable Link Branding

Link branding customizes your URLs to use your domain name rather than your email service provider’s domain, enhancing security and building brand recognition.

Branded links:

• Improve your sender reputation as the links align with your domain.
• Increase user trust, as recipients see familiar domains in links.