How to Improve Email Deliverability for B2B Outreach

Set Up Authentication: Use SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify your emails.
Build Sender Reputation: Warm up new accounts, monitor metrics, and avoid high bounce rates.
Write Effective Content: Use clear subject lines, proper text-to-image ratios, and avoid spammy links.
Track Key Metrics: Monitor open rates (>20%), bounce rates (<2%), and spam complaints (<0.1%).

Quick Tip: Start with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setup to establish trust with email providers. Then, focus on clean email lists and engaging content to improve results. Regularly monitor metrics to catch issues early.

How to Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for Your Domain

Setting Up Email Authentication

Email authentication protocols help verify your email's origin, making it easier for inbox providers to identify legitimate messages. Here's how to set up the three key authentication methods.

SPF Setup Guide

Sender Policy Framework (SPF) tells email providers which servers are allowed to send emails on behalf of your domain. Follow these steps:

Identify Email Sources: Make a list of all services and servers that send emails from your domain (e.g., your email server, marketing tools).
Create SPF Record: Add a TXT record to your domain's DNS settings in this format:

Verify Setup: Use an online SPF record checker to ensure everything is correctly configured.

Stick to one SPF record per domain to avoid conflicts. Once SPF is set, move on to configuring DKIM for added security.

DKIM Configuration Steps

DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) ensures your emails remain unchanged during transit by adding a digital signature. Here's how to set it up:

Generate DKIM Keys: Use your email provider or server to create a public-private key pair. Keep the private key on your server and add the public key to your DNS records.
Add DNS Record: Add a TXT record with your public key in this format:

Enable Signing: Configure your server to sign outgoing emails using the private key.

DMARC Implementation

Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) builds on SPF and DKIM, letting you specify what happens to emails that fail authentication. Here's a quick guide:

Policy Level	Action	When to Use
None (p=none)	Monitor only	When starting out
Quarantine (p=quarantine)	Send to spam	After testing and monitoring
Reject (p=reject)	Block delivery	Once you're confident in your setup

Add a DMARC record to your DNS as a TXT entry:

Start with a monitoring policy () to gather data and ensure legitimate emails are authenticated. Over time, tighten the policy as you confirm your setup works. Review DMARC reports weekly to address any issues before they affect your email deliverability.

Improving Sender Reputation

Your sender reputation plays a key role in determining whether your B2B emails land in decision-makers' inboxes. Managing it requires consistent effort and following best practices.

Email Warmup Process

When starting with new email accounts, build trust with email providers gradually. Use the following warmup schedule:

Week	Daily Email Volume	Activity Type
1	5-10	Personal conversations with colleagues
2	15-25	A mix of personal and initial prospect emails
3	30-50	Slowly increase B2B outreach
4+	50-100	Full-scale B2B campaigns

Stick to steady sending patterns - sudden increases in volume can trigger spam filters. Regularly monitoring your reputation will help maintain consistent delivery rates.

Reputation Monitoring

Use tools to keep an eye on your domain and IP reputation:

Google Postmaster Tools: Check domain reputation, spam rates, and authentication results.
MXToolbox: Analyze your IP for blacklisting and review DMARC reports.
Sender Score: Measure your sending IP's reputation on a 0-100 scale.

Keep engagement metrics above these benchmarks:

Metric	Good Standing	Warning Signs
Open Rate	>20%	<15%
Spam Complaints	<0.1%	>0.3%
Hard Bounces	<2%	>5%

If you notice any issues, address them right away to avoid long-term damage.

Handling Email Errors

Fixing delivery problems quickly is crucial for protecting your sender reputation:

Hard Bounces: Remove invalid email addresses immediately to keep bounce rates under 2%.
Spam Reports: Investigate complaints within 24 hours and adjust your email content as needed.
Engagement Drops: After 3-4 failed attempts, segment unresponsive contacts and run re-engagement campaigns.

Monitor bounce logs daily and maintain a suppression list of problematic addresses. Acting quickly helps ensure your reputation stays intact.

Email Content Best Practices

Once you've handled authentication and reputation, it's time to fine-tune your email content. Structuring and formatting your emails effectively can help you avoid spam filters and connect with your B2B audience. Start with subject lines that grab attention and clearly communicate value.

Writing Better Subject Lines

Subject lines play a big role in whether your emails get delivered. Stick to these tried-and-true tips:

Do's	Don'ts
Keep it between 30-50 characters	Avoid ALL CAPS and too much punctuation
Include your company name	Stay away from spammy words like "free" or "urgent"
Be clear and relevant	Don't use misleading or clickbait language
Personalize when you can	Skip emojis and special characters

For B2B emails, focus on subject lines that emphasize what the recipient stands to gain. Use professional, straightforward language that aligns with your message.

Text-to-Image Ratios

Balancing text and images is key to good deliverability. Aim for an 80% text to 20% image ratio.

Keep each image under 200KB.
Add ALT text to all images.
Limit your total email size to 100KB.
Avoid emails that are just one big image.
Host images on reliable servers.

Your images should enhance your message, not overshadow it.

Safe Link Practices

Links can impact deliverability, so follow these guidelines to stay on track:

1. Link Authentication

Use branded HTTPS links with valid SSL certificates instead of generic link shorteners.

2. Link Placement

Spread your links evenly throughout the email. Avoid cramming multiple links into the opening paragraph or clustering them together.

3. Link Volume

Stick to these link limits based on email length:

Email Length	Maximum Links
Under 300 words	2-3 links
300-500 words	3-4 links
Over 500 words	4-5 links

Include one clear call-to-action link, ideally placed in the middle or toward the end of the email. This placement mimics natural engagement patterns that spam filters are designed to recognize.

Measuring Delivery Success

Keep a close eye on email performance to quickly address any deliverability problems.

Key Email Metrics to Watch

Pay attention to these metrics to evaluate the health of your email deliverability:

Metric	Target Range	Importance
Inbox Placement Rate	>95%	Shows the percentage of emails reaching inboxes
Bounce Rate	<2%	High rates damage your sender reputation
Spam Complaint Rate	<0.1%	Affects future email delivery
Open Rate	>20%	Reflects sender reputation and content relevance
Domain Authentication	All passing	Verifies the sender's legitimacy

Check these metrics daily to spot issues early. For example, a sudden drop in open rates or a spike in bounces signals a problem that needs immediate action. Use these insights to refine your monitoring and testing strategies.

Tools for Monitoring

Once you've defined the metrics, use these tools to keep tabs on your email deliverability:

1. Email Authentication Monitoring

Monitor SPF, DKIM, and DMARC results through your email platform's dashboard. Set up alerts for any authentication failures that might affect delivery.

2. Deliverability Analytics

Leverage specialized tools to track:

Delivery rates in real time
Reputation scores for your IP and domain
Blacklist status
Regional delivery trends
Engagement metrics across email clients

3. Bounce Management

Implement a system to:

Automatically remove hard bounces
Analyze bounce trends by domain
Investigate delivery blocks
Keep your contact lists clean and updated

Testing Your Email Performance

Before rolling out major campaigns, conduct these essential tests:

Test Type	Focus	How Often
Spam Filter	Check for content triggers and delivery success	For every new template
Rendering	Ensure proper display across email clients	Monthly
Authentication	Confirm SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are working	Weekly
Seed Testing	Evaluate inbox placement across ISPs	Before large campaigns

Segment your test audience by factors like:

Industry type
Company size
Geographic location
Past engagement levels

This strategy uncovers delivery trends and helps tailor your approach for different groups. For the best results, schedule tests during standard business hours to reflect actual conditions.

Next Steps

Key Points Summary

Here’s a quick breakdown of areas to focus on for better email deliverability:

Area	Action Items	Expected Impact
Authentication	Set up and monitor SPF, DKIM, DMARC	Boosts sender credibility
List Hygiene	Clean up inactive contacts, validate addresses	Lowers bounce rates
Content Quality	Personalize emails, balance text-to-image ratio	Improves engagement
Performance	Monitor metrics daily, run regular tests	Identifies issues quickly

These areas are essential for keeping your emails landing in inboxes. Regularly review your setup and test small tweaks before making larger adjustments. For more advanced needs, expert guidance can make a big difference.

Working with Artemis Leads

If managing email deliverability feels like too much, consider teaming up with professionals. Artemis Leads specializes in B2B outreach and can help you maintain strong deliverability with services like:

Setting up and maintaining professional email systems
Gradual inbox warm-up to build trust
A multi-channel strategy combining email and LinkedIn outreach
Dedicated account management with bi-weekly performance reviews

Their results speak for themselves. Lorenzo Fassina, Owner at Shibumi Agency, shares his experience:

"In the last 7 months working with Artemis Leads, we've been getting sales appointments with the right people. They do not fill the calendar every day with useless contacts and as an owner, it is essential to make only appointments with serious people with decision-making power. Recommended!"

The success of B2B email outreach depends on blending technical expertise with tailored communication. Whether you’re handling it yourself or working with specialists, keep your focus on key factors like authentication, sender reputation, and engaging content to get the best outcomes.