Let’s imagine this.
You open your inbox. It’s overflowing – not just with emails, but with noise. Some brands email you every single day. Others? You haven’t heard from them in months… until suddenly, they send a massive promo blast out of nowhere.
You ignore some. You unsubscribe from a few. And one or two – you mark as spam.
Now flip the perspective.
You’re the sender.
You’re sending those emails.
And mailbox providers are watching every move you make.
Not just what you write. But how often you send. How consistently. How predictable you are.
They’re not reading your subject lines – they’re reading your behavior.
This is the hidden layer of deliverability most marketers overlook. It’s not just about SPF records or list hygiene. It’s about sending characteristics and frequency – and how they shape your sender reputation.
Let’s break down what that really means.
⏱️ Frequency: The Rhythm of Trust
Sending frequency is deceptively simple.
It’s just: how often do you email your audience?
But in the eyes of email filters, that frequency becomes a pattern – a story about your reliability. And like any good story, consistency is key.
📉 Send once every few months?
You look like a stranger knocking on the door uninvited. Suspicious.
📉 Send every single day without strong engagement?
You look desperate. Or worse, like a spammer.
📉 Send in bursts – 10,000 emails today, nothing for two weeks – and then another flood?
You look unstable. And mailbox providers don’t like instability.
Consistency wins. It shows you’re a real sender, not a scammer scraping lists or launching shady one-time blasts.
So what’s a healthy rhythm?
- Engaged users (who clicked in the last month)? 2-3 emails per week is great.
- New leads? A well-paced welcome flow over 1-2 weeks works best.
- Cold contacts? Once or twice a month max, ideally with reactivation content.
- Unverified lists? Just don’t. Ever.
It’s not about volume. It’s about habit.
đź“Š Sending Characteristics: The Behavior Behind the Message
Imagine if Gmail could watch you over your shoulder every time you hit “Send.”
Well, it sort of does.
Mailbox providers look at how you send – not just what. And every technical and behavioral signal you create contributes to your sender reputation. Here’s what they see:
- Sudden spikes in send volume
- Erratic timing (Tuesday at 8 AM one week, Saturday at 11 PM the next)
- Sending identical content to everyone
- Using a new domain/IP without warming it up
- High bounce and complaint rates
- Changing “From” names or addresses repeatedly
- Low engagement over time
Each of these signals – alone – might not hurt you.
But stacked together? They paint a clear picture: “This sender is risky.”
And risky senders don’t land in the inbox.
🧠What Smart Senders Do Differently
âś… They warm up new IPs or domains gradually
âś… They segment their lists by engagement level
âś… They send in waves, not blasts
âś… They stay consistent in tone, timing, and structure
âś… They track key metrics relentlessly
Metrics like:
- Bounce rate (keep it under 2%)
- Spam complaint rate (<0.1%)
- Inbox placement by provider
- Open/click rates per segment
- Unsubscribe rate by frequency
These aren’t just numbers. They’re your feedback loop – your GPS.
🎯 Final Thought: Deliverability Is a Relationship
Inbox placement isn’t just technical. It’s emotional.
You’re building a relationship – not just with your audience, but with algorithms.
And algorithms are smart.
They remember how often you show up. How chaotic or calm you are. How human you sound.
You’re not just sending emails.
You’re building a reputation – one send at a time.
📤 Send too much, and you’re ignored.
📤 Send too little, and you’re forgotten.
📤 Send inconsistently, and you’re flagged.
But send with rhythm, relevance, and respect – and you’ll land where it matters most:
đźź© The inbox.
Want to diagnose your deliverability issues or build a smarter sending strategy?
Let’s talk – your reputation depends on it.