The Worst Deliverability Myths You Need to Know

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Do you ever feel like email is hard enough without adding in all of the bad advice floating around? Well, let’s fix that.

Let’s be real — email deliverability is like the Bermuda Triangle of email marketing. Stuff goes missing, no one knows why, and you end up drowning in contradictory advice that starts to sound more fairytale than fact.

Whether it’s gurus pedalling magic words that “guarantee inboxing,” or marketers thinking that unsubscribes are the devil, or even people blaming Gmail because they didn’t authenticate a domain… there’s a whole messy world of email deliverability myths out there.

But here’s the worrying truth:

Deliverability is 80% common sense and 20% technical (kind of). Most of us are getting tripped up on the basics because of the internet waffle, meaning we don’t have a strong foundation for deliverability.

So, let’s cut through the noise and clear the brain fog!

Below are the 7 worst deliverability myths that need to disappear forever (plus what actually matters if you want to get into the inbox and stay there).

Why you need to stop listening to the waffle

Before we get into the deliverability myths, it’s important to say that email has changed. You can’t just load up a list and hope for the best anymore.

Put simply, if your strategy is based on vibes, legacy (cough: outdated) processes, or things someone on LinkedIn told you to do, your emails probably aren’t making it into the inbox.

And the worst part? 

No one is teaching this stuff properly.

Sure, you’ll be told that “deliverability matters,” but no one tells you how exactly to make it work, which is a recipe for disaster. We listen to hacks and half-truths, and when things go wrong, we blame the platform or the audience.

(Or even Mercury being in retrograde…)

It’s time to let go of the guesswork, get rid of the myths, and simplify deliverability.

Myth #1: “Spam is just about bad content”

Nope. Not to shatter your dreams or anything, but even your beautifully designed, well-written email can still land in spam.

Why? Because spam isn’t just about what you say, it’s about whether people want to hear from you.

The truth:

It’s not the all-seeing, all-knowing ISPs that decide what is or isn’t spam; it’s your subscribers who decide. And most of the time it comes down to:

Spam = “I didn’t ask for this” or “you email too much.”

Looking nice isn’t enough to save your emails from the dreaded spam folder because it’s actually low engagement that’s the enemy.

If people aren’t opening or clicking your emails, or if they’re marking you as spam, your sender reputation tanks. And when that happens, every email you send is at risk — no matter how “nice” it looks.

Myth #2: “Unsubscribes are bad for your sender reputation”

If there’s one myth that makes me die inside every time I read it, it’s this one. In fact, let’s delete it from the internet.

Unsubscribes are beneficial, not detrimental.

The truth:

That’s right. Unsubscribes are a good thing. When it comes to email marketing, having an engaged list is essential, as is good email hygiene practices.

Unsubscribes clean your list, reduce spam complaints, and mean that you’re only talking to people who want to hear from you.

Having inactive subscribers is far worse for your deliverability because they’re ignoring every email, not engaging, and silently (and slowly but surely) dragging your deliverability all the way down.

So, yep — make that unsubscribe link easy to find. It’s not a bad thing or a sign of defeat. It’s smart marketing.

Myth #3 “You can fix your reputation by switching to a new IP or domain”

• You’re changing ESPs
• You’re launching a whole new brand or product
• You’re separating transactional from marketing emails

You don’t need to fix your IP, you need to fix your processes.

Myth #4: “You only need to follow your country’s spam laws”

We’re laughing but we’re actually crying. No. 

The truth:

Not to sound harsh, but in this context, it’s really not about you.

You need to follow the laws of wherever your subscribers live. That means GDPR, CAN-SPAM, CASL, and more. 

Just because you’re a UK-based business, doesn’t mean that you should ignore California privacy laws if you’ve got US subscribers. 

This goes beyond legality (though that’s pretty damn important). It’s about trust. Global subscribers expect transparency and respect, and that’s exactly what you should give them.

That means proper opt-in processes, clear unsubscribes, and honest messaging is essential. It’s just good marketing!

Myth #5: “Avoid words like FREE or emojis or punctuation”

We might all yearn for the good old days, but it’s not 2009 anymore. 

In the same way we’re maturing (eek), so are spam filters.

The truth:

Spam filters have grown up, which means that their process for spam detection has matured, too.

They won’t block your email just because you use “!” or a party hat emoji, because what matters is context and your overall sender reputation.

Of course, in that same vein, if your engagement is in the gutter and your domain looks shady, even “Hi!” could land you in spam. But a well-behaved sender with good engagement can absolutely use emojis, sales language, and exciting copy.

Just don’t be weird about it or replace your subject lines with 💯🔥🤑.

Myth #6: “It must be Gmail/Yahoo’s fault”

• You changed your frequency and timing
• You bought a list (please don’t)
• You started emailing inactive subscribers who haven’t opened in 6 months
• You didn’t authenticate your email properly

Before you start cussing out the inbox gods, it might be better to look inward first.

Myth #7: “My ESP is to blame”

Look, ESPs might be able to do a lot, but what they can’t do is fix a broken strategy.

If your email lists are messy, your data is bad, or your engagement has tanked, no platform can swoop in and save you.

The truth:

Your ESP gives you tools, but you still need to use them right for them to be effective.

Switching ESPs every time your deliverability drops is a costly game of email roulette, so it’s better to look at how you’re using it rather than blame the ESP.

If you have recently switched email platforms and are panicking about a drop in opens and clicks, read our blog on Why Your Opens and Clicks Have Dropped After Switching Email Platforms to give yourself some peace of mind.

So, what does matter?

Deliverability is mostly common sense.

Here’s what it actually comes down to (rather than any of the deliverability myths we mentioned earlier):

Send stuff to people who asked for it that they actually want at a frequency that makes sense from an authenticated domain.

And don’t take the p*ss. 

That’s it! Well, other than some technical details…

The 20%: The tech that powers the trust

And whatever you do, keep it consistent. Domain hopping is a fast track to the dreaded junk folder.

Your sender reputation: The score that actually matters

• Spam complaints
• Bounce rate
• Open/click rates
• Unsubscribe rates
• Volume spikes
• Authentication

If you look shady, behave erratically, or annoy your subscribers, that score drops. And your inbox placement suffers.

Wrapping up: Deliverability isn’t magic, it’s mastery.

As much as we’d like it to be true, hacks aren’t going to cut it when it comes to email deliverability.

There’s no secret word or “guaranteed inboxing” tactic you can use because good deliverability is earned. It’s what happens when you combine:

• A clean, consent-based list
• Valuable, expected content
• A consistent, trusted sending setup

And, of course, some common sense.

So, next time someone tells you “just change your subject line” or “it’s because you said FREE,” feel free to laugh (and then link them to this blog).

Need help? Work with Beth!

I help marketers just like you drive real results through email, building the kind of email list that grows your business and fulfils your audience.

If you’re unsure of how your current email deliverability might be impacting your overall email marketing, it might be time for a deliverability audit or health check to keep things running smoothly.

We’d love to help you with a simple check-up or some strategic deliverability advice - get in touch to find out more. 

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RE:markable is the weekly email about emails. Dropping the latest email marketing news, updates, insights, free resources, upcoming masterclasses, webinars, and of course, a little inbox mischief.