Inbox is a privilege, not a right

There are a few dynamics worth considering when working on the ability to deliver messages to the recipients' inbox. The first is that mail account providers (Yahoo, Gmail) are primarily concerned with providing their end users with a good experience.

This means that users' inboxes only receive relevant messages and that unwanted mailings are relegated to the bulk folder or blocked. Lately, email account providers have been looking to increase relevance at the individual level, so your inbox and spam folder may look different than mine, even if we use the same mailbox provider and subscribe to the same newsletters.

Also, keep in mind that most email is spam, so mail providers don't give anyone the benefit of the doubt when it comes to reaching the inbox.

Levels of confidence

The folders into which messages fall in a user's mailbox can be viewed as levels of trust: the inbox houses messages that the mail account provider is sure are not spam, the spam folder, on the other hand, contains mail that could be spam but that the user might still want to rescue. This is why it is given a second chance.

On the other hand, mail that is blocked or lost may not be useful or interesting to the user. In this the mailbox provider has great confidence and users do not have the opportunity to retrieve this mail.

So how do mail providers know what to send to which folder? The answer is constantly changing as mail providers optimize their algorithms, but the truth is that it is mainly based on user feedback.

Active and passive users

Users provide feedback both passively and actively. Passively, when they open and read some messages and ignore what does not interest them. The active form is more obvious: in the form of complaints. A complaint is registered when a user moves a message to the unwanted folder by clicking the "Unwanted" button in the user interface of the account provider. But this also includes the message that is deleted without being read and the feedback that is provided when ISPs query their users about specific messages.

The data derived from user actions is then applied during the account provider's filtering decision, and becomes part of the sender's reputation. They will review the flow of specific mailings in the past and how users have reacted to those mailings, whether they have complained, ignored, deleted or read them.

Your sender reputation can be affected by your IP address, your domain and even your content. Images and landing page links you include in your templates may be labeled as suspicious spam or legitimate.

With so many checkpoints that make up the filtering decision, it is difficult to circumvent ISP detection systems. Tricks that might have worked even a couple of months ago probably no longer work today. The most sustainable way to maintain good deliverability is to align with mail providers and do everything possible to provide a good user experience. But what does this mean?

It means running an email marketing program that you yourself would be willing to subscribe to. One that provides value throughout the user's lifecycle. When you sign up, this program introduces itself and explains what it's all about. When it first arrives in the inbox, it briefly states its purpose and then follows up with some informational messages about the brand and the benefits of being part of the program.

The program is then coupled to the user's needs. If the user is highly engaged and opens all mailings, the program should be sent regularly. If the user does not open the message, the program should be withdrawn and sent less frequently, perhaps replaced with weekly or monthly digests, rather than a daily message. There should always be some promotional content and newsletter pieces to maintain interest.

Remember to be aware of your users and avoid designing your email marketing program with only your business needs in mind. Your inbox space is not a guarantee of anything; it is, rather, a privilege.

As a marketer, it is your duty to establish a value proposition for your email marketing program and present it to the recipient of your communications. It's a delicate balance, but your users will appreciate the high-quality content you're sending them and you'll be rewarded with constant access to your customers' inboxes, without having to panic every time an email account provider updates its filtering standards.