List hygiene: Keeping your audience fresh

A clean email list is fundamental to good deliverability. It's not just about who you're sending to, but how engaged they are.

Why it matters in 2025

AI-powered spam filters are increasingly looking at engagement metrics to determine email placement. A clean, engaged list signals to ISPs that your emails are wanted and valuable.

Best practices

  • Regularly remove inactive subscribers and bounced emails

  • Use double opt-in for new subscribers to ensure list quality

  • Segment your list based on engagement levels and preferences

  • Implement a sunset policy for long-term inactive subscribers

Case study: An e-commerce company implemented rigorous list hygiene practices and saw their deliverability rate increase from 82% to 96% within three months.

Bird's list management tools can automate much of this process, using AI to predict engagement levels and optimize your list hygiene efforts.

Discover more about the role of list hygiene in deliverability.

Email authentication: The foundation of trust

Email authentication is your first line of defense against phishing and spoofing, crucial for maintaining sender reputation and ensuring deliverability.

Why it matters in 2025

As cyber threats become more sophisticated, ISPs and email clients place greater emphasis on authentication. Properly authenticated emails are more likely to reach the inbox and less likely to be flagged as suspicious.

Best practices

  • Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols

  • Regularly audit and update your authentication records

  • Use BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) to display your logo in supported inboxes

For example, when Gmail implemented BIMI in 2021, brands like CNN saw a 90% increase in brand recall and a 10% increase in purchase likelihood among their subscribers.

Bird's email deliverability analytics can help you monitor your authentication status and identify any issues quickly.

Learn more about email authentication in our comprehensive guide.


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