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Email Marketing Glossary.

Clear, no-fluff definitions of every email marketing term that matters—from open rates to double opt-in. 

 

Sender Reputation

Sender reputation is the trust score mailbox providers assign to your sending domain and IP address. It's the single biggest factor in whether your emails reach the inbox.

Also known as: domain reputation, IP reputation, sender score

Every time you send, mailbox providers like Gmail and Yahoo judge you. Your sender reputation is the running tally of that judgment — and it decides whether future emails land in the inbox or the spam folder.

What affects sender reputation?

Spam complaints, bounce rates, spam-trap hits, engagement (opens and clicks), sending consistency, and authentication all feed into it. High complaints and bounces are the fastest way to damage it.

How do you check sender reputation?

Tools like Google Postmaster Tools show how Gmail views your domain. A sudden drop is a red flag that something — a bad segment, a complaint spike — needs attention.

How do you protect it?

Authenticate your domain, mail only engaged and opted-in subscribers, remove bounces, warm new domains gradually, and keep a steady sending rhythm.

Related terms

Email Deliverability SPF DKIM DMARC Hard Bounce

Related reading from Drip

How to Achieve a Great Email Sender Reputation Ecommerce Email Deliverability: 9 Ways to Reach the Inbox

Frequently asked questions

What is sender reputation?
Sender reputation is a trust score that mailbox providers assign to your sending domain and IP address based on your sending history. A strong reputation helps your emails reach the inbox; a poor one sends them to spam.
What affects my sender reputation?
Spam complaints, bounce rates, spam-trap hits, subscriber engagement, sending consistency, and proper authentication. High complaint and bounce rates damage it fastest.
How do I check my sender reputation?
Use free tools like Google Postmaster Tools to see how Gmail rates your domain, and monitor your complaint and bounce rates in your email platform. A sudden reputation drop signals a problem to investigate.
How do I improve my sender reputation?
Authenticate your domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC; email only engaged, opted-in subscribers; remove hard bounces; warm up new sending domains gradually; and keep complaints below 0.3%.
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