What should be included in a deliverability audit?
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So if If your emails aren't landing where they should, a deliverability audit tells you why. Think of it as a complete health check for your sending infrastructure.
Authentication is the foundation. You'll want to verify your SPF records are published correctly, your DKIM keys are working, and your DMARC policy is properly aligned. These three work together to prove you're the legitimate sender.
Next, check your reputation. Your IP address and domain have reputations that ISPs check. You'll want to confirm you're not listed on blocklists, and review your sender reputation metrics from Gmail and Microsoft. If you're on a shared IP with other senders, their mistakes can drag you down.
Your list quality matters. What's your bounce rate? Are complaints climbing? How'd you get these addresses? An audit looks at whether you're following proper list hygiene practices and acquiring addresses the right way.
Content and infrastructure round things out. Do your email templates trigger spam filters? Are your links trusted? Is your sending volume ramping up too fast? Are you warming up new IPs properly? An audit checks all of this.
Finally, look at how you're performing with specific providers. Gmail users might see you fine while Outlook recipients aren't getting through. An audit breaks performance down by mailbox provider so you spot provider specific issues fast.
You can check your TXT records yourself using free tools, or hire an expert. Either way, you need this full picture before fixing your deliverability problems.
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