Deliverability – In Readiness for Holiday Season

As the holiday season approaches, email marketers face a crucial challenge: ensuring their emails reach the inbox at the most critical time of the year. In this episode of Email & More, “Deliverability – in Readiness for Holiday Season,” the panel, featuring Kath Pay, Raymond Djikxhoorn, Udeme Ukutt, and Radek Kaczynski, shares invaluable insights on how to fine-tune your email campaigns for maximum impact as the busiest shopping season looms.

The Challenge: Why Deliverability is Critical Now

With Black Friday only 99 days away, the pressure is on for email marketers to optimize their deliverability strategies. But why is deliverability such a hot topic? As Skip Fidura noted, email marketing has always been different from other channels because it’s the one where even if you pay for your emails to be sent, they might not make it to the inbox. The panel discussed how this has historically forced email marketers to evolve and adapt their strategies, particularly during high-stakes periods like the holiday season.

Understanding the Modern Landscape of Email Deliverability

One of the key themes of the discussion was how the landscape of email deliverability has changed over the years. Raymond Djikxhoorn pointed out that while technology has advanced, so have the challenges, especially with the introduction of new privacy and security measures like Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection (MPP). “The big guys,” as Raymond put it, are constantly working to adjust to these changes, which can impact deliverability metrics like open rates.

Kath Pay emphasized the importance of authentication, such as implementing DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance), which has become essential for marketers. She shared, “Getting the authentication literally revolutionized deliverability… It’s there to make your job as a legitimate marketer easier.” This shift allows marketers to focus more on strategic elements like segmentation and personalisation, rather than just the technicalities of getting emails into inboxes.

Practical Advice for Marketers

When it comes to practical steps, the panelists offered a wealth of actionable advice:

1.Ramp Up Strategically: Kath Pay advised starting early to ramp up email campaigns. “Start ramping up pre-Good Friday, pre-holiday season, and then ramp down after,” she suggested, emphasizing the importance of avoiding sudden spikes in email volume that can trigger spam filters.

2.Avoid the “Block Friday” Mistake: Raymond Djikxhoorn cautioned against the common mistake of dusting off old email lists just before the holiday season. “Don’t turn Black Friday into Block Friday,” he warned, highlighting the risks of reactivating stale lists too close to peak periods without proper re-engagement.

3.Focus on List Hygiene: Both Udeme Ukutt and Radek Kaczynski stressed the importance of maintaining clean email lists. Radek recommended using email verification services, especially for unengaged segments, to ensure that you’re not sending to spam traps or invalid addresses. Udeme added that ongoing list maintenance is key, as email addresses can change or become inactive over time.

4.Test and Monitor: The experts agreed that testing is crucial. Radek suggested, “If you’re planning to change any behavior like mailing behavior for the holiday season… the time is now to test your deliverability.” Monitoring key metrics like conversion rates, rather than just open rates, can give you a clearer picture of how your campaigns are performing.

Embracing the Promotions Tab

A particularly lively part of the discussion centered around the Gmail promotions tab. While some marketers view it as a “black hole,” Kath Pay argued that it’s actually a strategic advantage. “When they’re in the promotions tab, that means they’re in the right mindset,” she explained, noting that consumers often visit this tab when they’re ready to engage with promotional content.

Udeme Ukutt added an important perspective: not all Gmail users have the promotions tab enabled, and those who do might actually appreciate having their promotions organized separately from their primary inbox. Trying to bypass the promotions tab, Udeme pointed out, could actually work against you by disrupting the user’s experience.

Preparing for the Holiday Season

As the session wrapped up, each panelist shared a final piece of advice for marketers preparing for the holiday rush:

• Raymond Djikxhoorn: “Check the basics once more… If Black Friday is important for you, make sure your sending infrastructure is in place.”
• Udeme Ukutt: “What worked 10 years ago is not going to work today… Don’t be shy to look for someone that can help.”
• Kath Pay: “Be strategic. Start planning, ramp up, and don’t forget to ramp down after the holiday season.”

Skip Fidura closed the session with a simple but powerful reminder: “Don’t be stupid.” With so much riding on your holiday campaigns, it’s crucial to avoid last-minute mistakes and take a thoughtful, well-planned approach to deliverability.