What is a 'deliverability rate' in email marketing?

The deliverability rate in email marketing refers specifically to the percentage of emails that successfully reach the recipients' inboxes. This metric is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of email campaigns because it indicates how well an email service provider (ESP) is performing in getting emails past spam filters and into the inboxes of recipients. A high deliverability rate signifies that a significant portion of sent emails are not just being dispatched but are also reachable by the intended audience.

Understanding deliverability encompasses various factors including sender reputation, email authentication mechanisms (like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC), content quality, and audience engagement. When emails fail to deliver, they may end up in the spam folder or not be delivered at all, making the deliverability rate a key performance indicator in email marketing strategies.

Other options, while related to email metrics, focus on different aspects of email performance: open rates measure engagement with the subject line, read rates track how many recipients actually read the content, and click rates assess interaction with links within the email. Each metric has its significance, but they do not define the deliverability rate.