For years, email marketers have obsessed over open and click rates. But in 2025, the most powerful engagement signal isn’t a click — it’s a reply.
Replies signal to email service providers (ESPs) like Google and Yahoo that recipients find your emails valuable. The more replies you receive, the more likely your future emails land in the inbox instead of the spam folder. Over time, this strengthens your domain reputation and improves deliverability.
Email remains the most powerful digital marketing channel. In 2024, it delivered an impressive ROI of $36 for every $1 spent, with some businesses increasing revenue by up to 760% through targeted campaigns.
But the email landscape is shifting, and inbox placement is tougher than ever.
New authentication requirements from Google and Yahoo, introduced in 2024, were designed to reduce spam, but have also impacted credible email traffic. A staggering 20% of legitimate emails now fail to reach inboxes (Validity 2024). Plus, spam complaint rates have doubled since 2022 as recipients become more selective about the emails they engage with.
To keep emails landing in inboxes, marketers need to focus on quality content and real engagement.
Ontraport uniquely allows you to build an email ‘bot’ that responds based on the content of inbound emails, without integrations or coding.
With Ontraport’s Shared Inbox you can:
What if someone replies with something unexpected? For example: “Hey, I’m interested in learning more about your home inspection services.”
If you haven’t set up an automation and response for that, it’s time for a human to step in. Fortunately, Ontraport’s Shared Inbox makes that easy, too. Your team can get notifications and handle conversations in real time — whether through email or SMS.
The best way to improve your email deliverability these days is to stand out — and engagement is the key.
Learn how Ontraport’s advanced email infrastructure and expertise lands your messages in the inbox.
Automate your responses to email replies based on the content of the message, without integrations or coding.
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