A lot of people think getting into the inbox instead of the spam folder is pure magic. It’s not. Deliverability is a science. And when done right, it dramatically improves your open rates, click-through rates, and, most importantly, your email revenue.

At ASPEKT, we help brands with their deliverability every single day. The truth is, all it takes is the right setup, the right strategy, and a little bit of finesse.

Here’s exactly how to keep your emails out of spam and performing at their best.

Step 1: Set Up Your Authentication (DNS Records)

Before you worry about content or campaigns, your foundation has to be solid. That means setting up the technical side of email:

• Dedicated sending domain → Builds long-term reputation separate from your domain.

• SPF & DKIM → Authentication protocols that prove you are who you say you are.

• DMARC → Prevents spoofing and tells inbox providers how to handle suspicious emails.

If you haven’t set these up yet, do that first. Without them, your chances of landing in spam skyrocket.

Step 2: Track Deliverability With Google Postmaster

Here’s the good news: tracking deliverability isn’t voodoo. Google actually gives you a free tool for it called Google Postmaster Tools.

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Go to postmaster.google.com.

2. Add your sending domain.

3. Verify it by adding a TXT record to your DNS settings (SiteGround, GoDaddy, Cloudflare, etc.).

4. Once verified, you’ll see your email performance data.

Inside Postmaster, you can monitor:

• Spam rate: How often users mark your emails as spam.

• Domain reputation: Bad → Low → Medium → High. Aim for Medium or above.

• IP reputation: The trust level of the servers sending your emails.

• Authentication: Confirmation that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are working.

• Delivery errors: Any technical issues blocking your messages.

If your reputation is low, don’t panic. With the right strategy, you can climb back to Medium and High over time.

Step 3: Segment Your Audience

One of the fastest ways to hurt your domain reputation is by blasting emails to disengaged subscribers. If people don’t open or click, inbox providers assume you’re sending spam, even if you’re not.

The fix? Segment aggressively.

Create “Engaged” Segments (Who to Send To):

• Last 15 days engaged

• Last 30 days engaged

• Last 60 days engaged

• Last 90 days engaged

• Last 120 days engaged

• Master engaged list

Create “Exclusion” Segments (Who to Avoid):

• Marked spam

• Bounced twice

• No recent engagement

• Low engagement (rare opens or clicks)

• Never opened

• Suppression list

These exclusion lists protect your sender reputation. Sending to unengaged contacts drags down open rates, which hurts your reputation and lands you in spam.

Step 4: Build a Smart Sending Strategy

Now that your tracking and segments are set, it’s time to rebuild your domain reputation. Here’s the strategy we use with clients:

1. Start Small. Send highly engaging campaigns only to your 15-day engaged list.

2. Expand Gradually. Next campaign, send to 30-day engaged. Then 60-day. Then 90, 120, and finally the master list.

3. Exclude Dead Weight. Always exclude your suppression and low-engagement segments.

4. Monitor Performance.

   • If open rates drop below 40-50% at a new segment level (say 60-day), don’t move forward yet. Keep sending to that segment until benchmarks improve.

   • Watch your Google Postmaster reputation climb as you go.

The idea is to warm up your sending reputation with small, high-engagement sends, then scale outward as inbox providers trust you more.

Step 5: Use High-Engagement Content

When rebuilding deliverability, don’t send just anything. You want content that drives opens and clicks.

Some ideas:

• Educational content related to your niche.

• Short, text-based emails that feel personal.

• High-value guides, tips, or how-to content.

• Light promotions with strong social proof.

Avoid spammy sales blasts. Think of these emails as “trust builders.”

Step 6: Measure and Adjust

As you run this strategy over 4-6 weeks, you should see:

• Higher open rates.

• Better click-through rates.

• Rising domain reputation in Postmaster.

• Most importantly, more revenue.

Once your reputation stabilizes, it’s safe to reintroduce broader campaigns and promotions. But always keep an eye on engagement, if rates start to dip, tighten your targeting again.

At the end of this process, suppress or delete your exclusion segments (after double-checking accuracy). This cleans up your list and reduces your Klaviyo bill.

Quick Tips to Stay Out of Spam

• Maintain a healthy list. Regularly clean and suppress unengaged subscribers.

• Avoid spammy copy. Don’t overuse all caps, excessive exclamation marks, or shady wording.

• Send consistently. Sporadic campaigns followed by sudden heavy sends raise red flags.

• Prioritize engagement. Focus on content that makes people open, click, and reply.

Final Thoughts

Email deliverability isn’t magic, it’s strategy. By setting up your DNS records, tracking performance with Google Postmaster, segmenting smartly, and sending with intention, you can stay out of the spam box and keep your revenue flowing.

At ASPEKT, we do this every day for ecommerce brands. If your deliverability is struggling, or if you just want to make sure you’re not leaving money on the table, book a free Klaviyo audit with ASPEKT. We’ll show you exactly what’s holding you back and how to fix it.