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I have been using AWS SES for a year now for my SaaS. I added DKIM, SPF and DMARC. Yet some people are still not receiving emails. I provide instructions for them to add my domain to their safe senders list. That seems to resolve it. I would like to avoid end-users having to do that.

I am wondering if using a dedicated IP would help to improve delivery. Anyone has experience with that?

Martin Drapeau
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2 Answers2

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Yes, as at first sight you have done everything correctly but we are missing some information that could be useful;

The email look like what ? as if it look like spam, even if it's not, some mail server might classify your mail as such. It's generic tip, but like too many images, or too big images without body content is a sure way to get your spam score go highter.

I would quote a site for such tips;

Create a text version

The email message should have a text version. The textual content of it should not completely differ from the HTML message.

Avoid usage of spam sensitive words and phrases

Avoid words like Cialis, Levitra, soma, valium, Xanax, talks about price per dose, mentions of other drugs and their chemical names, pharmacy, Viagra, fast delivery, attempts to disguise words like Viagra and porn. In short: avoid all words that spammers also frequently use. Do not disguise words, or use misspellings of forbidden words.

Use normal text inside hyperlinks, instead of the URL

Do not create hyperlinks that have the URL between the opening and closing tag, because some email clients interpret this as a phishing attempt.

Example:

http://www.google.com www.google.com

Because the original link is replaced by our pic server domain (http://pic.vicinity...) the link will be blocked because email clients will find this discrepancy misleading to subscribers. Better do something like this:

Click here to visit a great search engine

Use a proper from address

Do not end your from address name with digits (e.g., do not use info123@yourcompany.com.
Do not start your from address with digits (666info@yourcompany.com).
Always use a from address. Do not use a free mail address as from address (Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, Chello, et cetera).
Do not capitalize your from address or subject line. Avoid using capitalization in your message body.

Use a proper subject line

Avoid using dollar amounts in your subject line.
Do not talk about losing pounds or weight loss in your subject line.
Do not try to appeal to subscribers with false promises.

Avoid HTML errors, unsupported techniques, obscure content, obfuscation

Do not use JavaScript, Flash, forms, and other unsupported techniques.
Do not use an HTML font colour similar to background, large font sizes, and lots of different font colours.
Do not hide text (for example using CSS display none) or other content hiding techniques.

Images

Use short image names. 1.jpg is better than header.jpg
Your email should not contain large images, and must have a normal image/text ratio

HTML

Remove any unneeded HTML. Remove HTML errors as much as possible. Keep your HTML code clean.

This seem unimportant, but keep in mind small error, like the reply-to, if it point to a domain that does not resolve to the IP of the sender, your spam score will go highter. It's all thing that make you more easy flagged as spam.

Second point, does you have checked your IP reputation ? In RBL list you can find if your IP was used in the past to send a lot of spam or not, and they can tell you if you have spammer neighbourhood too.

yagmoth555
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  • Emails are not spam. All of those guidelines are properly followed. Your second point is useful - I will use that strategy from now on. Thanks. – Martin Drapeau Feb 02 '21 at 15:04
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I understand you consider sending emails from your dedicated IP INSTEAD of AWS SES. saying shortly: "I will do myself"

The cons with AWS SES is you share reputation with other users.

The pros is AWS SES have a dedicated profesionnal team that are more experienced than you in mailing. pure supposition: they even have contact/direct access/custom rules with Gmail, Microsoft teams because they are so big.

e-mail content as well is important as answered by yagmoth555. you may send an example spam to SES support so they can analyze.

Even if technically you implement all the best practices (SPF, DKIM,...) note that an IP has to build his reputation over time.

exeral
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  • No, not my dedicated IP. AWS can reserve one for me and SES would use it instead of a shared one. – Martin Drapeau Feb 02 '21 at 15:03
  • okay, I forgot this option. Yes I think it is a good idea. you keep the power of SES without sharing the IP. however I would contact SES support for investigating a bit current spam issue before purchasing the dedicated IP. – exeral Feb 02 '21 at 17:19