How New Email Deliverability Trends are Raising the Bar

In 2025, these are the email deliverability trends that stand out: 

• Word choice matters less; clean code and link reputation now weigh more in filtering.
  
• Complaints are under tight scrutiny again, with Google and Yahoo enforcing <0.1% thresholds.
  
• Domain reputation now outweighs IP, increasing sender accountability.
  
• Recent provider updates (Gmail, Yahoo, Microsoft) have reshaped deliverability standards.

The trends do NOT nullify standard deliverability best practices. But, as the authors stress, the recent updates will make “staying in the inbox more difficult.” 

For many, email deliverability is just a leaky pipe to patch. But at Mavlers, it’s part of the plumbing we design with intention. It’s more than just having “sent”. It’s about being seen. With stricter spam filters, more sophisticated AI in inboxes, and evolving user behavior, deliverability is no longer a nice-to-have. 

Otherwise, you’re not just burning the budget, but you’re letting down the people who trusted you with their inbox. (This is almost criminal. If there were an “Email Anonymous”, we would pay folks to join it. Trust can’t be taken for granted.) 

You don’t want to do that, do you? Fix it right now, starting with setting up email authentication protocols. 

1. Set up email authentication

2. Choose your IP wisely

3. Keep your email list clean

4. Send relevant, engaging emails

5. Make unsubscribing easy

6. Gmail and Yahoo!

7. Microsoft’s new deliverability rules

1. Set up email authentication

Over the years, there has been a gradual email authentication evolution. However, whether it’s 2025 or 2010, authentication is non-negotiable. So start with the all-familiar SDD chain:

• Sender policy framework (SPF): So SPF is an email authentication protocol that helps protect your domain from being spoofed. It works by allowing you to specify which mail servers are permitted to send emails on behalf of your domain. When an email is received, the recipient’s server checks the SPF record published in your domain’s DNS to verify that the message came from an authorized source. If it doesn’t match, the email may be flagged as suspicious or rejected outright.
  
• DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM): DKIM is another email authentication method that adds a digital signature to each outgoing email. This signature is created using a private key associated with your domain and is included in the email’s header. So when the email reaches the recipient’s server, it uses the corresponding public key to verify that the message was sent from your domain and hasn’t been altered in transit.
  
• Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC): Builds on SPF and DKIM to give domain owners more control and visibility over how their emails are handled. It ensures that emails not only pass SPF and/or DKIM checks but also align with the domain in the “From” address—preventing spoofing and phishing attempts using your domain.

Learn how to set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC right here. You can use tools like Mailtrap and Postmark to verify your setup.  

2. Choose your IP wisely

Your choice of IP address plays a big role in email deliverability as ISPs use IP reputation to judge your emails:

• Dedicated IP address: Ideal for high-volume senders who can maintain a consistent sending schedule. With a dedicated IP, you’re in full control of your sender reputation because you’re the only one using it. However, it does require proper warm-up and ongoing volume to maintain a healthy reputation.
  
• Shared IP address: A better fit for smaller senders who don’t send large volumes regularly. You share the IP with other senders, which means your reputation depends partly on their behavior. While easier to manage, it’s important to monitor performance closely and work with a reputable ESP that actively manages IP quality.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) use the reputation of your IP to help decide whether your emails land in the inbox, the spam folder, or get blocked altogether. That’s why choosing the right IP setup is a strategic decision, not just a technical one.

For more info on this, check out this lowdown by Validity. 

3. Keep your email list clean

Keeping your list clean is one of the most important steps you can take if you want to play to the evolving email deliverability gallery. Here’s what a clean email list does for you: 

• It reduces hard bounces, which signals to ISPs that you maintain a healthy, engaged list.
  
• Uninterested or outdated subscribers are more likely to mark emails as spam. Cleaning helps prevent that.
  
• A clean list means higher open and click rates, which positively impact inbox placement.
  
• Sending to bad or unresponsive addresses repeatedly can damage your domain’s credibility over time. A clean list protects domain reputation. 

You want to segment and suppress chronically inactive users. Run list hygiene tools or validation services quarterly (or more often if you send high volumes). Use double opt-in or confirmed opt-in to ensure valid signups. You can also use triple opt-in to stress your commitment to your audience. Yes, this the future of email marketing deliverability. 

For example, here’s how Hard Jewelry does it. 

Hard Jewelry doesn’t just set it and forget it. 

They personally reach out to every new signup to spark genuine interaction by asking them to reply. 

Make sure that your opt-links are functional and trustworthy. For instance, this email from The Paris Writer has a suspicious link. 

Never send emails with broken or outdated links. They frustrate users and increase the chances of spam complaints. A seamless, honest link experience helps maintain trust, reduces friction, and protects your deliverability.

4. Send relevant, engaging emails

Send email content your subscribers actually want to open and read. That means delivering relevant, valuable, and timely content that speaks directly to their interests, needs, or behaviors. Whether it’s a special offer, useful tips, personalized recommendations, or exclusive updates, your emails should feel less like noise. 

Use segmentation, personalization, and behavioral data to tailor your content. Pay attention to past engagement and preferences. The more aligned your emails are with what your audience cares about, the more likely they are to open, read, and act on them. 

While using a subscriber’s name in your email is a nice touch, modern email personalization goes far deeper. Today, effective marketers tailor emails based on real-time behavior, preferences, and actions to create a genuinely relevant experience.

Hyper-personalization is key. Check out our comprehensive post on hyper-personalization.

5. Make unsubscribing easy

Giving subscribers a clear and simple way to opt out isn’t just a legal requirement (thanks to laws like CAN-SPAM and GDPR), it’s also a best practice for maintaining a healthy, engaged list.

A visible, one-click unsubscribe link shows respect for your audience and helps reduce spam complaints, which can damage your sender reputation. Hiding or complicating the process often leads frustrated users to mark your emails as spam instead.  Here is an example of an easy, fun unsubscribe option.

You can consider offering an email preferences center, where subscribers can choose the types or frequency of emails they receive. This can help reduce opt-outs while still keeping them engaged on their own terms.

“For example, a clothing retailer that sends emails for men, women, and children can offer a preference center that allows subscribers to choose which of those three email categories they want to receive,” this whitepaper by RPEOrigin points out. 

6. Gmail and Yahoo!

Google and Yahoo! introduced new deliverability requirements for bulk senders (those sending more than 5,000 emails per day) starting February 2024. The key requirements are:

• All three email authentication protocols must be set up.
  
• Sending domains and IPs must have valid forward and reverse DNS (PTR) records.
  
• All emails must be transmitted using TLS encryption.
  
• All emails must include a one-click unsubscribe link.
  
• Maintain a spam complaint rate below 0.3%. For Gmail, the threshold is under 0.1%.
  
• Emails must comply with the Internet Message Format standard (RFC 5322).
  
• Do not impersonate Gmail or Yahoo “From” headers. This can lead to delivery failures or quarantine.
  
• Maintain proper list hygiene.
  
• Add ARC headers to forwarded emails and include a List-ID header for mailing lists.

ARC (Authenticated Received Chain) headers help keep track of an email’s authentication as it passes through different servers — like when it’s forwarded or sent through a mailing list. They show whether the message was originally legitimate, even after being relayed, which helps Gmail and other providers trust the email.

7. Microsoft’s new deliverability rules

Microsoft has begun implementing new deliverability standards for high-volume senders (defined as those sending over 5,000 emails daily) to its consumer domains (Outlook, Hotmail, Live).

These updates bring Microsoft in line with recent policies from Google and Yahoo, reflecting a broader industry shift toward strengthening inbox protection, minimizing phishing threats, and rewarding trusted senders with improved deliverability.

Below is a list of the key requirements: 

• High-volume senders must implement all three email authentication protocols. 

• At minimum, your DMARC policy must be set to p=none (monitor mode), but it’s strongly recommended to adopt stricter settings like quarantine or reject for better protection. So the p=none policy allows you to monitor who’s sending on behalf of your domain without impacting mail delivery. However, to actively protect your domain from spoofing and phishing, you’ll eventually want to move to p=quarantine (suspicious messages go to spam) or p=reject (unauthorized messages are blocked altogether). This helps ensure only verified sources can send on your domain’s behalf.
  
• All emails must use valid, reply-capable “From” and/or “Reply-To” addresses.
  
• The “From” domain must align with the SPF and/or DKIM domain.
  
• Marketing or bulk emails must include a clear, working unsubscribe link, allowing recipients to easily opt out.
  
• Avoid deceptive headers or misleading subject lines.
  
• Send only to recipients who have provided consent, and maintain proper list hygiene. 

Consider featuring a Proof of Consent in your email footer. Like this. 

Why? This reassures subscribers and reinforces trust by showing that your email was expected, not unsolicited. It also acts as a reminder since people stay subscribed to multiple brands at the same time. 

The bar’s up. Duck at your doom!

So yeah, that’s the email deliverability future. 

Unsettled yet? If you are, good for you! 2025 is shaping up to be a serious reality check for brands still brushing off deliverability. For one thing, it’s directly related to your marketing ROI. But, even more critically, it affects your brand reputation. If email is a channel you use, it’s time to use it like you mean it. 

Need a hand navigating next-gen email deliverability? Then get in touch with our email marketing team!