Introduction
Marketers often obsess over subject lines, visual design, and click-through rates. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: none of that matters if your email doesn’t reach the inbox. Deliverability is the invisible gatekeeper of ROI. You could have the most compelling campaign in the world—but if it’s flagged as spam or routed to a dead inbox, it’s a wasted effort.
Email deliverability isn’t just technical, but it’s a performance lever. And if you’re using platforms like HubSpot or Mailchimp, learning how to manage it well could be the single most strategic move you make this quarter.
What Is Email Deliverability Really?
Deliverability isn’t just whether your email is “sent.” It’s about whether it’s seen, specifically, whether it reaches the primary inbox, not spam or a cluttered promotions tab.
The major factors affecting this include:
- Sender reputation – Built on your domain/IP’s credibility. Both HubSpot and Mailchimp monitor this closely.
- Engagement – High open and click rates (and low complaints) boost your sender score.
- List hygiene – Clean, engaged lists are critical. HubSpot even offers tools to manage list quality.
- Content quality – Avoid spammy language and poor formatting; Mailchimp offers content testing tools to help.
Even A+ content won’t perform if sent from a domain with a weak sender score or to a disengaged list. Deliverability is where strategy and infrastructure intersect.
The ROI Impact of Poor Deliverability
Deliverability issues rarely raise alarms, until it’s too late. A slight dip in inbox placement (say, just 1%) can mean thousands in lost revenue, especially for brands with large lists.
Mailchimp’s deliverability insights highlight this exact problem, emphasizing how small changes can have big financial consequences. Likewise, HubSpot’s email health monitoring helps marketers diagnose these silent killers early.
Common Mistakes That Hurt Deliverability
Some of the most frequent (and costly) errors include:
- Sending to stale or purchased lists.
- Writing misleading subject lines or deceptive preview text.
- Over-sending to cold or unengaged contacts.
- Neglecting re-engagement workflows or sunset policies.
- Ignoring metrics like bounce rate, complaint rate, and list churn.
HubSpot’s email deliverability case study shows how strategic remediation can rescue open rates. Similarly, Mailchimp offers deliverability support that’s worth bookmarking.
Mailchimp & Hubspot Deliverability
While deliverability fundamentals apply across platforms, HubSpot and Mailchimp each come with unique tools-and pitfalls-that affect your results.
How to Improve ROI by Improving Deliverability
If you want a stronger return from your email marketing efforts, start with these deliverability best practices:
Conclusion: Audit Before You Hit Send
Email deliverability might seem like a backend detail, but it has front-end consequences, especially when it comes to ROI. The earlier you address it, the more you earn in the long run. Deliverability isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it metric; it’s something to monitor, optimize, and improve continuously. Need help? Click to contact us today – CLICK HERE
