Understanding Sender Reputation
Technical guide to how ESPs grade your emails.
The Silent Penalty of Cold Intro Forwards
Every time you forward a cold intro request to a contact who subsequently ignores it or marks it as spam, your domain's Sender Reputation takes a minor hit. Over hundreds of such interactions, this metric degrades silently.
The Big Three Metrics (2024 Standards)
- Spam Complaint Rate: Must stay below 0.3% (Google/Yahoo requirement). Even one mark on a small volume day can trigger filters.
- Engagement (Open/Reply): High engagement on double opt-in requests boosts your sender score.
- Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and strict DMARC alignment are non-negotiable baselines.
Common Mistakes
- Sending bulk intro requests from your primary corporate domain.
- Failing to monitor DMARC aggregate reports for shadow IT.
- Continuing to email contacts who haven't replied in 90 days.
FAQ
Can I repair a burnt domain? It is often faster and cheaper to migrate to a new domain than to rehabilitate a domain that has fallen into the 1-2% spam rate penalty box.
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