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DEmail Deliverability Glossary

Deliverability Audit

A systematic review of all factors affecting inbox placement — authentication, reputation, content, list health, and sending patterns.

A deliverability audit is a systematic review of all factors that affect whether your emails land in the inbox. It examines your infrastructure, authentication, content, reputation signals, and list health.

What a deliverability audit covers:

  • DNS/authentication check (SPF, DKIM, DMARC, PTR)
  • Blacklist check across major DNSBLs
  • Sender reputation lookup (Google Postmaster Tools, Sender Score, SNDS)
  • Inbox placement testing (seed list testing)
  • Content analysis (spam score, HTML quality)
  • List hygiene review (bounce rates, complaint rates)
  • Sending pattern analysis

When to run an audit:

  • Before starting warm-up on a new domain
  • When experiencing sudden deliverability drops
  • When moving to a new ESP or IP
  • Quarterly as standard maintenance

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a deliverability audit check?

A comprehensive deliverability audit examines: DNS records (A, MX, PTR all correctly configured), authentication pass rates (SPF, DKIM, DMARC alignment and pass/fail rates from DMARC aggregate reports), blacklist status across 50–100+ DNSBLs, domain and IP reputation in Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS, inbox placement rates via seed testing across Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and major corporate domains, content analysis (spam score, HTML structure, link reputation), and sending pattern analysis (volume consistency, bounce rates, complaint rates over the last 30 days).

When should I run a deliverability audit?

Run an audit: before starting warm-up on any new domain or IP (to ensure your foundation is sound); when you notice a sudden drop in open rates, reply rates, or campaign performance (which often indicates a deliverability problem); before migrating to a new ESP (to document current state and identify issues to address); after any event that could have damaged reputation (high bounce batch, complaint spike, blacklisting); and as quarterly preventive maintenance even when everything seems fine. Proactive auditing catches problems before they become deliverability crises.

Can I do a deliverability audit myself?

Yes — the basic checks are free and straightforward. Use MXToolbox to check DNS configuration and blacklists. Verify your domain in Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS. Run your email through Mail-Tester.com for a quick content and authentication check. Use GlockApps for inbox placement testing across multiple ISPs. The only part that requires paid tools is comprehensive inbox placement testing with large seed lists. A self-audit against these free tools will surface 90% of common deliverability issues.

Related Terms

D

Deliverability (Email Deliverability)

The ability to successfully land emails in the recipient's primary inbox — not spam, not promotions, not blocked. The ultimate goal of every warm-up effort.

I

Inbox Testing (Seed Testing)

Sending email to pre-established seed addresses across multiple ISPs to verify exactly where messages land — inbox, spam, or promotions — before campaigns go live.

A

Authentication (Email Authentication)

The set of technical protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) that verify a sender's identity and prove an email genuinely originated from the claimed domain.

D

Domain Reputation

The permanent trust score ISPs assign to your sending domain based on historical behavior. Unlike IP reputation, a damaged domain reputation can take months to recover.

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