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📧Email Set-up Score: What, Why, and How to Set it Up?
📧Email Set-up Score: What, Why, and How to Set it Up?

Improve your Email Set-up Score to land in the primary inbox.

Yashal Vagadia avatar
Written by Yashal Vagadia
Updated over 9 months ago

Hello there, Saleshandy users! 👋


Creating an effective email sequence for cold outreach is no small feat. It takes time, effort, and careful consideration to cover all the bases and maximize your chances of success.

Before you hit that "send" button, there's one crucial step you shouldn't overlook: checking the Email Set-up Score! 📊

📧Email Set-up Score

Email Set-up Score helps you check on all the technical setups related to your account and ensures that you have done all that is required to maintain the sender’s reputation and land in the primary inbox. 🚀💼📥

What is Email Set-up Score?

Think of it as your email superhero, ranking your accounts from 0 to 100. 🦸‍♂️✉️ The higher the score, the better your setup – and the greater your chances of reaching those stainless steel inboxes! No more getting lost in the spam abyss; this score will skyrocket your email-sending performance!

Why Email Set-up Score?

Sending cold emails can be a tricky game, but fear not! Our Email Setup Score will guide you through the technical maze, ensuring your emails reach the right people and maintain a sparkling reputation. 🔧💻 Say goodbye to deliverability woes and hello to higher response rates!

You'll love the valuable insights our Email Setup Score provides. 📊✨ It suggests authentication fixes to boost your deliverability and ensures your emails never get caught in spam filters. Plus, we'll keep you in check with your daily email sending to prevent any unnecessary hiccups.

How to Check your Email Setup Score?

To check your Email Setup Score, go to Settings > Email accounts > Select Email Account > Setup Score and click on the setup score number to check your score.

Once you've run the score check, you'll see the suggestions upon details about what changes need to be made to improve your score. You need to refresh the score every time you set it up from the required parameters.

You can see the score based on the setup of SPF, Custom Tracking, Daily Sending Quota, DMARC, Email Age, and Interval between two emails. If it is not included in your configuration, it will suggest a link to add it.

How to Set up the Email Set-up Score Parameters?

✉️ SPF (Sender Policy Framework)

SPF 🔒acts as the lock, specifying which authorized servers can send emails on your domain's behalf. It's a technical setup that helps verify the authenticity of the sender's domain and prevents email spoofing.💌

When someone receives an email from your domain, their email server does a quick SPF check. It looks up your SPF record, which is like a secret decoder ring for email authenticity. 🕵️‍♂️ If the sending server's IP address matches one of the authorized servers in your SPF record, hooray! Your email gets a thumbs-up and is considered legit. But if an imposter tries to crash the party with an unauthorized server, SPF will block them at the door. 🚫

To learn more about SPF, Click Here or Checkout the collapsible section.

How to Set up SPF Records?

⚠️ Important: Setting the SPF record is not applicable if you use a free email account like gmail.com, outlook.com, or yahoo.com. You can set it up only using a business email with your domain attached (i.e., [email protected]).

Before implementing any changes, verifying your service provider's specific instructions and guidelines is crucial. It is recommended to consult their FAQ or support documentation for accurate and up-to-date information. ⚠️

📺 Video Guide

🪜Steps to Follow

If SPF records are missing, you must create a new TXT record. TXT records are a type of DNS record used to store text information for external sources unrelated to your domain. Hence, you will need access to your domain's DNS manager.

Note: Please note that the examples below assume that Google is your domain and mail provider.

  1. Sign in to your domain account (In our case, it's Google domains). In your case, this might be GoDaddy, Squarespace, Namecheap, etc.

  2. Go to the DNS page to update your domain’s DNS records, DNS Management, Name Server Management, or Advanced Settings.

  3. Please check with your IT and/or provider if your domain already has an SPF record. Find your TXT records and check if your domain has an existing SPF record. The SPF record starts with “v=spf1…”.

  4. Create a TXT record with these values:

    • Name/Host/Alias - Enter @ or leave blank

    • Time to Live (TTL) - Enter 3600 or leave the default.

    • Value/Answer/Destination - Enter v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

  5. The DNS manager should have only one SPF record, even if the user uses multiple Email service providers. So deleting the one that is already there is not always the best choice since it might cause issues with other tools you're using. Instead, you want to include more providers in your existing SPF.

Example: Let's say that you already have an SPF that includes Google at the moment.

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

Again, be careful the example of value above will work only if Google is your email provider.

If your email provider is not Google, please double-check with your email provider what is the correct value to use; we cannot confirm on our end.

You want to include Zoho in this SPF since Zoho is your email provider. You want to modify the existing SPF, so it now looks like this

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:_spf.zoho.com ~all

This can take up to 72 hours to take effect.

Google tutorial: https://support.google.com/a/answer/10685031

List of standard SPF values for some of the most common ESPs.

Gsuite: v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

Microsoft: v=spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com ~all

Zoho mail: v=spf1 include:zoho.com ~all

Sendgrid: v=spf1 include:sendgrid.net ~all

Godaddy: v=spf1 include:secureserver.net ~all

Amazon SES: v=spf1 include:amazonses.com ~all

Yahoo mail: v=spf1 include:_spf.mail.yahoo.com ~all

Yandex mail: v=spf1 include:_spf.yandex.net ~all
​

How to create a TXT record in the common DNS providers.

  • Click here to check for Godaddy.

  • Click here to check for Namecheap.

  • Click here to check for Google Domains.

  • Click here to check for Cloudflare.

  • Click here to check for Hostinger.

  • Click here to check for Hostgator.

How to check if an email account has SPF & DMARC set correctly?

Go to this website and enter the domain of that email address. If it shows a green checkmark next to SPF ✅, it means an SPF record has been added to that domain, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it is correct. You can click on SPF, and it will show the SPF value added in the DNS manager. You can review that value to check whether the SPF value is correct or not.

🌐 Custom Tracking Domain

Custom Tracking Domain allows you to use your own domain for tracking email opens and clicks, enhancing brand credibility and ensuring accurate tracking data.🚀

By implementing a CTD, you gain accurate click rate statistics and supercharge your email deliverability. Don't miss out on valuable data, and protect your domain reputation to enhance both performance and deliverability.

To learn more about Custom Tracking Domain, Click Here or Checkout the collapsible section.

How to set up a custom tracking domain?


It's always a best practice to use existing domains and create a subdomain because it allows you to take advantage of the maintained reputation and not wait longer to get the domain warmed up.

📺 Video Guide

🪜Steps to Follow

1️⃣ Pick a domain

If you already have a domain, you may need administrator access... So ask your dev team to help you out with it. If you don't have any existing domains, you can visit any registrar and purchase a new one. (Example: GoDaddy, Hostinger)

When you’ve purchased or picked an existing domain, now, it's needed that you create a subdomain for it. For example, if you have a domain with the name examplehq.com, you can create subdomains like link.examplehq.com or go.examplehq.com using CNAME records.

2️⃣ Create a CNAME record in the DNS manager

Access your domain provider and navigate to the "DNS" section. Locate the domain to which you wish to add a sub-domain, and then proceed with the following steps.

💡Please keep in mind that each domain provider has a different interface, so the field names may vary. But don't worry, we've included the most common ones to guide you.

Once you've picked up a domain or registered a new one, let's proceed and set a CNAME record for your domain.

You will find this in the "DNS Settings" of your chosen registrar. (we have chosen GoDaddy here, attached a list of popular domain registrars at the bottom)

It's easy to create a new CNAME type record using the details.

  • Type: CNAME

  • NAME or HOST: go, link, or get

  • HOSTNAME or VALUE or POINTS TO: watch.saleshandy.com

Note: When you choose a host as "go" for the domain getsaleshandy.com, your custom tracking domain would be go.yourdomain.com; in our case, it's go.getsaleshandy.com, pointing to watch.saleshandy.com. It may take a few minutes to reflect the updated records when you save it.

You've successfully added a CNAME record in your DNS Manager.

Note: Sometimes, it will take only a few minutes to propagate it, but It may take up to 72 hours to propagate your CNAME record. Therefore, after setting your record in step 2, you can verify whether your DNS changes are updated.

DNS settings and the above steps may vary depending on your hosting provider. The following articles are shared below:

3️⃣Link the custom tracking domain to your Saleshandy account.

As you've already added CNAME and created a custom tracking domain, the last step is to link it with your Saleshandy account.

You just need to follow the steps below:

  1. Visit your settings and click on "Custom Tracking Domain."

  2. Next, click on the blue button "Add Custom Domain."

  3. It would open a dialogue box, and from there, "select" the email account you want to set custom tracking for.

  4. Next, insert the custom tracking domain created in the previous step, like go.getsaleshandy.com.

  5. Saleshandy will automatically trace the host.

  6. All you need to do is to verify and save it.

🔒DMARC

DMARC is a powerful email authentication protocol that takes email security to the next level. It allows domain owners to set policies for email receivers on how to handle emails that fail authentication checks.

To learn more about DMARC, Click Here or Checkout the collapsible section.

How to Set up DMARC Records?


​⚠️ Important: Setting the DMARC record is not applicable if you use a free email account like gmail.com, outlook.com, or yahoo.com. You can set it up only using a business email with your domain attached (i.e., [email protected]).

Before implementing any changes, verifying your service provider's specific instructions and guidelines is crucial. It is recommended to consult their FAQ or support documentation for accurate and up-to-date information. ⚠️

Note: Please note that the examples below assume that Google is your domain and mail provider.

If DMARC records are missing, you will need to create a new TXT record. TXT records are a type of DNS record used to store text information for external sources unrelated to your domain. Hence, you will need access to your domain's DNS manager.

📺 Video Guide

🪜Steps to Follow

  1. To generate a DMARC record value for your domain, open this website & enter your domain & click Submit button.

  2. If your domain doesn't have a valid DMARC, it will display an X next to DMARC. In that case, you can click the NEXT button to generate a DMARC record as per your preference.

  3. In the end, you will see a text value generated. You can copy the value displayed.

  4. Log in to your DNS provider and locate the area where you can manage your DNS records.

  5. Add a new TXT record to your DNS records. The name of the record should be "_dmarc" and the value should be the text file containing the DMARC record.

    Name: _dmarc

  6. Save the changes and wait for the DNS changes to propagate.

Note: The maximum wait time to let the DMARC reflect is 1 hour. Hence, if it does not reflect, please wait for 1 hour, and you will see it verified :)

Google tutorial: https://support.google.com/a/answer/2466563

How to check if an email account has DMARC & SPF set correctly?

To Check whether your DMARC records are set up, you can check them using DMARC record checker tools.

Link: https://dmarcguide.globalcyberalliance.org/#/

⏳ Email Age

Email Age refers to the duration of your email account's existence, and it can impact your email deliverability as older accounts tend to have a better reputation.

Why is Email Age important?

Email accounts that are less than 6 months old are more vulnerable to spam filters, especially if they send many emails. In order to avoid being marked as 'spam' by Email Service Providers (ESPs), one must warm up their inbox via the email ramp-up feature.

How to Setup Email Age?

Warming new email accounts

Before starting outreach, warming up your email accounts is always a good idea. When your email account is new, say under three months old, sending large emails is not recommended. The Email Setup Score will give you different suggestions based on the age of your email account.

During the period your account is being warmed-up, it is good to avoid sending bulk emails per day from your account, or there is a high chance you will land in spam.

To increase the reputation of your new email account, you need to Enable Email Ramp-up and improve your daily sending limit day-by-day. You can enable it by clicking the “Set Ramp-Up” link or switching the tab to “Sending Settings.”

Email Ramp-up increases your daily sending by 10-20% every day on default settings. It helps you gain the capability to send many emails per day gradually. To learn more about Email Ramp-up, Click Here.

📈 Daily Sending Quota

Daily Sending Quota refers to the maximum number of emails you can send daily, and it is important to stay within the limits imposed by your email service provider to avoid potential issues.

Note: Your email account has a high daily sending quota, which can increase the risk of hitting spam filters. We strongly recommend it be kept below 50.

To learn more about Daily Sending Quota, Click Here or check out the Collapsible section.

How to Set Total Number of Emails Per Day📅/Per Hour⌛


⚠️Important

Per day 📅: We have heard collective yawns from all Saleshandy Users that setting a daily email limit below 200 strikes the perfect balance between effectiveness and preserving your email account's health.

Per Hour ⌛: Setting 60 emails per hour perfectly balances effectiveness and preserving your email account's health.

Staying within your sending limit and keeping those emails flowing smoothly is crucial to avoid any hiccups. Happy emailing! 🚀✉️

🪜Steps to Follow

  1. Go to your Saleshandy User Settings.

  2. Navigate to Email Accounts and click on Email Sent.

  3. You'll find your "Sending Limits," i.e., Maximum number of emails sent by Saleshandy in a 24-hour time frame"

  4. Enter the Number of Emails you want to send per day.

    💡 Ideally, it should be kept at 200 Email Per Day

  5. Enter the Time Interval you want to keep between two emails per hour.

    💡 Ideally, it should be kept between 60-190 Seconds, i.e., 60 Email Per Hour

  6. Click on "Save" to update the limit.

Remember, these numbers can vary based on your specific settings and any customized time gaps you've defined. 📧💼

⏰ Sending Intervals Between Two Emails

Sending Interval between Two Emails refers to the time gap you maintain between sending consecutive emails, ensuring you avoid overwhelming recipients and maintain a healthy sending pattern.

To learn more about Time Interval between Two Emails (In Seconds)⏲️, Click Here or Checkout the collapsible section.

Time Interval between two emails (In Seconds)⏲️


In Saleshandy sequences, emails are sent based on your schedule, determining the number of emails sent daily and the time gap between each email. ⏰✉️

Saleshandy has a default gap of 60 - 190 seconds between each email sent. That means there will be a random gap between 60 - 190 seconds time range between each email sent from the particular sequence.

Let's dive into an example:

  • Imagine I have a sequence with 5000 prospects in it. The schedule is set for Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 18:00, covering a span of 9 hours. ⏳

  • With a default time gap of, let's say, 125 seconds between each email, we can calculate the approximate number of emails sent in one day:


    9 hours x 60 minutes x 60 seconds = 32,400 seconds.

  • Now, dividing the total scheduled time (in seconds) by the time gap between each email (in seconds), we find:


    32,400 seconds / 125 seconds (default time gap) = 259.

  • Therefore, with this schedule, around 259 emails will be sent from my email account using Saleshandy in a single day.

💡Important

  • Keep in mind that this calculation represents the email count for a specific email account using the defined schedule. Having multiple sequences running gives you an idea of how many emails will be sent from that particular account with the set schedule.

  • If your email account has a daily sending limit of 200 emails, Saleshandy will send 200 emails within the specified time frame, and the remaining 59 will be scheduled for the following day.

🪜Steps to Follow

  1. Go to your Saleshandy Account Settings.

  2. Navigate to Email Accounts and click on Email Sent.

  3. You'll find your "Sending Limits," i.e., Maximum number of emails sent by Saleshandy in a 24-hour time frame"

  4. Enter the Number of Emails you want to send per day.

    💡 Ideally, it should be kept at 200 Email Per Day

  5. Enter the Time Interval you want to keep between two emails per hour.

    💡 Ideally, it should be kept between 60-190 Seconds, i.e., 60 Email Per Hour

  6. Click on "Save" to update the limit.

Remember, these numbers can vary based on your specific settings and any customized time gaps you've defined. 📧💼

How do I get to know what my Email Service Provider (ESP) limit is?

Select your Email Service Providers (ESPs)📩


Google / Google Suite

⚠️Important

We have heard collective yawns from all Saleshandy Users that setting a daily email limit below 200 strikes the perfect balance between effectiveness and preserving your email account's health.

Gmail

  • Per day 📅: You can send a maximum of 100 messages via SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) or up to 500 emails if you're using the browser. 📧💻

  • Per hour ⌛: There's no official information available from Gmail. However, based on our experience at Saleshandy, keeping it under 20 messages per hour is generally recommended when using a free Gmail account. This ensures a smoother sending process and reduces the likelihood of encountering any issues. ⏰📤

Google Suite (Google Workspace)

  • Per day 📅: The daily sending limit varies based on your subscription type if you're using a Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) account. It can range from 2,000 to 2,500 recipients per day for individual accounts and 6,000 recipients per day for group accounts.

  • Per hour ⌛: There's no official information available from Google Suite. However, based on our experience at Saleshandy, keeping it under 20 messages per hour is generally recommended when using a free Gmail account. This ensures a smoother sending process and reduces the likelihood of encountering any issues. ⏰📤

You can refer to Gmail's Help Center and Google Workspace documentation to find more detailed and up-to-date information. 📚🔍

Microsoft Outlook / Office 365

⚠️Important

We have heard collective yawns from all Saleshandy Users that setting a daily email limit below 200 strikes the perfect balance between effectiveness and preserving your email account's health.

Microsoft Outlook

  • Per day 📅: When it comes to verified Outlook.com email addresses with a solid reputation, you can send a maximum of 300 emails. 📧💼

Office 365

  • Per day 📅: 10 000 recipients, If you take your cold email outreach seriously, the daily limit of Office 365 is actually quite generous. Sending 10,000 emails per day may sound like an astronomical number for quality email outreach. 📨✨

  • Per hour ⌛: There’s no hourly limit, but a limit per minute, which is 30 messages max. You need to pay attention to the limit per minute, especially if you're using automation to power up your outbound campaigns. ⏱️⚡️ Making sure you stay within the per-minute limit ensures smooth sailing for your email sending, even if you're sending in bulk.

Refer to Microsoft Help Center for more detailed and up-to-date information. 📚🔍

  • Exchange Online limits: Link

Zoho

⚠️Important

We have heard collective yawns from all Saleshandy Users that setting a daily email limit below 200 strikes the perfect balance between effectiveness and preserving your email account's health.

  • Per day 📅 :

    1. Free and Trial Editions: The user can send all 150 emails.

    2. Paid Editions: The user can send all 300 emails.

  • Per hour ⌛: Max. 60 messages per hour, Ideally, you should share 30 emails in an hour.

Refer to Zoho Help Center for more detailed and up-to-date information. 📚🔍

  • Zoho Email Limits: Link

Godaddy (Workspace)

⚠️Important

We have heard collective yawns from all Saleshandy Users that setting a daily email limit below 200 strikes the perfect balance between effectiveness and preserving your email account's health.

  • Per day 📅 : 250 recipients

  • Per hour ⌛: Max. 60 messages per hour

But here's the thing to keep in mind: if you decide to squeeze all your campaign emails into a single-hour window and target more than 300 prospects, you're treading on thin ice. 📆❄️

Yep, that's because you're getting dangerously close to GoDaddy's hourly limit. It's always wise to play it smart and stay within the limits set by your email service provider. So, why spread out your deliveries over multiple hours or even days? This way, you can strike the perfect balance between reaching your prospects effectively and respecting those limits. 🚀📧

Refer to GodaddyHelp Center for more detailed and up-to-date information. 📚🔍

  • Godaddy Workspace Email account limitations: Link

Yahoo

⚠️Important

We have heard collective yawns from all Saleshandy Users that setting a daily email limit below 200 strikes the perfect balance between effectiveness and preserving your email account's health.

  • Per day 📅 : Maximum 500 emails a day. Each email can be sent to a maximum of 100 recipients. Each email recipient counts as one email towards the 500 daily limit.

  • Per hour ⌛: Max. 60 messages per hour, Ideally, you should share 30 emails in an hour.

Refer to Yahoo Help Center for more detailed and up-to-date information. 📚🔍

  • Limits on sending email in Yahoo Mail: Link

BlueHost

⚠️Important

We have heard collective yawns from all Saleshandy Users that setting a daily email limit below 200 strikes the perfect balance between effectiveness and preserving your email account's health.

  • Per day 📅: There's no official information available from Bluehost. However, based on our experience at Saleshandy, keeping it under 250 emails per day is generally recommended.

  • Per hour ⌛: BlueHost allows for sending max 150 emails per hour with a frequency of 70 emails per 30 minutes. Ideally, we can keep it at. Ideally, you should share 30 emails in an hour.

Refer to BlueHost Help Center for more detailed and up-to-date information. 📚🔍

  • Email Deliverability Problems: Link

  • Email Returned Error, Speed Limit Exceeded: Link

Yandex

⚠️Important

We have heard collective yawns from all Saleshandy Users that setting a daily email limit below 200 strikes the perfect balance between effectiveness and preserving your email account's health.

  • Per day 📅: 500 emails (if the email has several recipients, then each individual email sent counts separately towards your total).

  • Per hour ⌛: Max. 60 messages per hour, Ideally, you should share 30 emails in an hour.

Refer to Yandex Help Center for more detailed and up-to-date information. 📚🔍

  • Limits on sending an email: Link

Hostgator

⚠️Important

We have heard collective yawns from all Saleshandy Users that setting a daily email limit below 200 strikes the perfect balance between effectiveness and preserving your email account's health.

  • Per day 📅: 12,000

  • Per hour⌛: Hostgator allows 500 emails per domain – each subdomain gets its own limit of 500 emails/hour. Ideally, you should share 30 emails in an hour.

Refer to Hostgator Help Center for more detailed and up-to-date information. 📚🔍

  • Limits on sending an email: Link

Rest assured that Saleshandy operates precisely, guaranteeing that it will never exceed the specified email-sending limit within a 24-hour. Embrace a sense of calm, knowing that your email campaigns are managed seamlessly. 💌😌

FAQs

There is a discrepancy between the number of emails sent in Step 1 and the number of emails sent in Step 2. Why is it so, and how can we fix it?

The prospects can get failed if the prospect's ESP rejects the sender's email. Hence, once the email get's failed, saleshandy will try to resend the email again after 30mins, and if it gets failed again, the prospects will remain as failed in the step. You can always manually resend the email to the failed prospects.

To fix the discrepancy between the number of emails sent in Step 1 and Step 2, you can adjust your email sequences' sending limits and time intervals. Here's how:
​
1. Go to your Saleshandy Account Settings.
2. Navigate to Email Accounts.
3. Find your "Sending Limits," i.e., the maximum number of emails sent by Saleshandy in a 24-hour time frame.
4. Enter the Number of Emails you want to send per day. Ideally, it should be kept at 200 emails per day.
5. Enter the Time Interval you want to keep between two emails per hour. Ideally, it should be kept between 60-190 seconds, i.e., 60 emails per hour.
6. Click on "Save" to update the limit.
​
By adjusting these settings, you can better control the number of emails sent in each step and reduce discrepancies between them. Remember that these numbers can vary based on your specific settings and any customized time gaps you've defined.

Mission accomplished; you've successfully configured Email Setup Score. 👏

Wishing you a delightful experience! ❤️

Happy Selling. 🤝

Warmest regards,

Saleshandy Team

👉 Next Steps

Check out the below article If you want to know more about

Set up your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for your domain

💡 Tip

Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. We're available on chat and ready to provide you with prompt assistance. 🤗

Related Articles
💻Set up your domain's SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
🔒DKIM What, Why, and How to Set it up?
🛡️SPF What, Why, and How to Set it up?
🚀DMARC What, Why, and How to Set it up?
👋 Getting Started With Saleshandy - Technical Setup
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