What is Domain Health?
Domain health is the overall condition of your sending domain's reputation, authentication, and deliverability status. It's a composite measure of whether your emails are likely to reach the inbox based on your domain's history and current practices.
Domain Health Components:
| Component | What It Measures | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Reputation Score | How email providers view your domain | Primary factor |
| Authentication | SPF, DKIM, DMARC status | Required for 2024 |
| Placement Rate | % reaching inbox vs spam | Actual results |
| Engagement | Opens, clicks, replies | Future predictor |
| Complaints | Spam reports | Damage indicator |
| Bounces | Failed deliveries | Health killer |
Healthy domain = emails reach the inbox. Unhealthy domain = emails go to spam or get blocked.
Why Domain Health Matters
Gmail inbox placement dropped from 89.8% to 87.2% in 2024 despite improved practices, indicating email providers are getting more stringent. Domain health is now more critical than ever.
Health Impact on Business:
- Deliverability: Unhealthy domains see 50%+ lower inbox placement
- Revenue: Poor placement = fewer opens = fewer responses = less revenue
- Sender Score: Domain health affects all future sending
- Time to Recovery: Damaged domains take months to heal
- Alternative Cost: May need to abandon domain and start over
Benchmarks
| Health Indicator | Excellent | Good | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reputation Score | 90-100 | 80-89 | Below 70 |
| Inbox Placement | 90%+ | 85-90% | Below 80% |
| Bounce Rate | <1% | 1-2% | >3% |
| Spam Complaints | <0.05% | 0.05-0.1% | >0.2% |
| Engagement Rate | High | Moderate | Low |
Recovery Timeline:
- Minor damage: 2-4 weeks to recover
- Moderate damage: 1-2 months
- Severe damage: 3-6 months or abandon domain
Best Practices
- Monitor Weekly: Check domain health metrics every week
- Use Testing Tools: Regular deliverability tests catch issues early
- Fix Problems Fast: Address health issues before they compound
- Maintain Authentication: Keep SPF, DKIM, DMARC current
- Clean Lists Regularly: Remove inactive and invalid addresses
- Respect Spam Complaints: Remove compliers immediately
- Track by Provider: Monitor Gmail vs. Outlook separately
- Have Backup Domains: Never rely on single domain
Common Mistakes
- Not checking domain health until problems are severe
- Ignoring early warning signs (slight placement decline)
- Assuming because emails "send" they're being delivered
- Not monitoring spam folder placement
- Letting bounce rates climb before acting
- Sending from domains with past reputation issues
- Not having alternative domains ready
- Confusing delivery rate with inbox placement
Key Takeaways
- Domain health = overall condition of your email sending reputation
- Check health weekly using testing tools and provider dashboards
- 90+ reputation score and 85%+ inbox placement = healthy
- Gmail placement dropped to 87.2% in 2024—health matters more than ever
- SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are required but not sufficient for health
- Engagement, bounce rates, and spam complaints all affect health
- Damaged domains take months to recover—prevention is critical
- Have backup domains ready in case of health issues
Sources:
Related Terms
Dark Funnel
Buyer research happening outside tracked channels. LinkedIn, podcasts, communities.
Data Enrichment
Adding firmographic and contact data to leads. Improves targeting and personalization.
Data Validation
Verifying email addresses are valid before sending. Reduces bounce rates.
Deal Velocity
Speed at which deals move through pipeline. Faster indicates better fit.
