Email Deliverability Gate Checklist (Global Outbound)

Email Deliverability Gate Checklist (Global Outbound)

1. 01

   Sender Policy Framework record is configured and passes for the sending domain

   Confirm the domain's sender authorization record is present in Domain Name System settings and that message sending aligns with the authorized servers. Validate there are no conflicting or duplicated records.

2. 02

   DomainKeys Identified Mail is enabled and signatures validate successfully

   Publish the required cryptographic signing records in Domain Name System settings and confirm outbound messages include valid signatures generated by your sending system.

3. 03

   Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance is published and monitored

   Publish a policy record in Domain Name System settings so receiving mail systems can evaluate alignment. Start with a monitoring policy if needed, then tighten the policy once authentication is stable.

4. 04

   Unsubscribe instructions are included in every email message and support one-click unsubscribe

   Add a standardized unsubscribe header and ensure recipients can unsubscribe with a single action. The unsubscribe mechanism must work reliably and must not require a login.

5. 05

   Unsubscribe requests are processed quickly (target within forty-eight hours)

   Ensure opt-outs are applied across all sending tools and sequences. After a recipient opts out, no further campaign messages are sent to that recipient.

6. 06

   Bounce handling is enforced and hard bounces are suppressed immediately

   Remove addresses that permanently fail delivery from future sends. For temporary failures, retry a limited number of times and then suppress if failures continue.

7. 07

   A complaint-rate discipline rule is defined and enforced

   Define a clear stop-scaling threshold when complaint signals rise. Treat complaint spikes as incidents that must be resolved before increasing volume again.

8. 08

   Mailbox warming and volume ramp rules are defined before scaling

   Start with a controlled small batch. Increase volume only after stable inbox placement and consistent reply quality are observed.

9. 09

   Content risk checks are in place before each batch

   Avoid misleading subject lines, exaggerated claims, broken personalization tokens, and heavy use of links or attachments in early batches. Keep copy simple and relevant.

10. 10

    Monitoring and alerting are live with a daily review routine

    Daily review must include bounce rates, unsubscribe rates, complaint signals if available, and any deliverability warnings. Pause campaigns if negative signals trend upward.