The 17hats server is the most convenient option for sending emails from 17hats, and we have optimised it for maximum deliverability by aligning our SPF, DKIM, and DMARC DNS records in accordance with anti-spam best practices. If you're experiencing deliverability issues from your business email server, and you wish to try using the 17hats server to see if it helps get your emails to the inbox, you can learn how to switch here: Using the 17hats Mail Server as your Outgoing Server
Please note: Sending emails via the 17hats Mail Server using a free email address (e.g. one that ends in @gmail.com, @outlook.com, @icloud.com, @yahoo.com, etc. - any email address you don't have to pay a fee for) will result in your emails being much, much more likely to be classified as spam and rejected by the recipient mail server. If you have a free email address, please be sure to connect it in the Outgoing Email section of your Email Settings page in 17hats.
However, the best deliverability with your server will always beat using the 17hats server as long as you make sure your domain's DNS records are set up properly. 17hats doesn't have our own guide for setting up these records, but our email expert typically recommends DMARCly's definitive guide which you can find here: https://dmarcly.com/blog/how-to-implement-dmarc-dkim-spf-to-stop-email-spoofing-phishing-the-definitive-guide
Please be careful when editing these records, as they're very sensitive to typos or other errors. If you're not sure what to do, please ask your email provider's or domain registrar's support staff for assistance.
Another key is sending followup emails to new clients, especially if you've had issues in the past with delivery; recipient spam filters being familiar with your domain helps to ensure the best delivery rates for your business emails.
Some basic steps to ensure your emails have the highest likelihood for delivery:
1. Start with a mail tester
This is easily the most important and informative troubleshooting step when diagnosing email nondelivery. Using https://www.mail-tester.com, add the test email as a contact in 17hats and send the tester one of your Template emails that often goes to spam. Note the results of each test and the recommendations for improvement. Some of you will see great scores. Some of you will see scores that can be improved by following these first steps to better delivery scores. If you see any negative numbers on the right hand side, expand that section to see what can be improved:
This tool will check the DNS Records covered by DMARCly's guide above. If you're using the 17hats mail server, you'll most likely see a 10/10, since we've already aligned our DNS records for our sending domain.
2. Avoid images
Images trigger spam filters and are a common offender in causing lower delivery rates. Personal emails rarely contain images, so emails with images are a red flag to most filters and will ding your delivery score.
3. Avoid attachments
One of the areas 17hats helps your score is by not including questionnaires, quotes, contracts, and invoices as PDF attachments.
When you add attachments to first-time emails in particular, spam filters will often block your email from delivery.
4. Who's your email provider / server?
Not all email providers are created equal. Gmail, for example, is much better at delivery than bluehost, aol, or hotmail. It's highly recommend that you update your email provider to one with the highest delivery success rates. We recommend Gmail / G-Suite Google accounts. It's easy to create an account and use your own custom domain.
5. Check the Email Read Receipts
17hats members can track when emails sent from 17hats have been first opened by their clients! To turn this on go to your Account Settings > Email Settings
You will now see "Unread" and "Read by Client" labels on your Outgoing 17hats emails and you can see a timestamp when you hover your mouse over the text "Read by Client"
To achieve this result, 17hats uses what are called Tracking Pixels - An image with a transparent pixel is placed in the email. Adding any inline image within your email will marginally increase your spam score, so you can turn this off if needed. If Read Receipts are turned off, these emails will be labeled "Sent". Keep in mind that some clients may have images turned off in their email reader, which will make it impossible to determined if they have read any of your emails.
Keywords: Spam, Email, Email Server, Junk, Junk Email