Comparing Different Email Server Types and Their Deliverability Impact

Have you ever wondered why some emails effortlessly make it to your inbox, while others seem to disappear into the digital void? We study email servers, their types, and how they affect deliverability. We learn about the details that shape our digital communication.

Consider this: over 300 billion emails are sent daily, navigating through servers to reach their intended recipients. Email servers are crucial for smooth email marketing campaigns worldwide, as shown by this significant number.

Understanding the distinctions between types of email servers is essential. It's the key factor in determining whether your important emails end up in the inbox or get flagged by spam filters. The email server you choose can have a significant impact on whether your messages are delivered or not. This makes it crucial for your online communication strategy.

Shared Hosting Email Servers

Shared hosting email servers are a type of hosting service. Many users share one server to host their websites. They also use it to manage their email accounts. In the realm of email servers, shared hosting commonly entails multiple customers relying on a shared mail server.

This method is part of email hosting services, where an SMTP server manages sending, receiving, and relaying emails. This setup provides secure emails. It is a reliable option for those who want a cost-effective and functional email hosting service.

Cost-Effective

Shared hosting is generally more affordable than other hosting options. The cost is distributed among multiple users sharing the resources of a single server.

Ease of Use

Shared hosting is often chosen by individuals and small businesses because of its simplicity. Hosting providers typically offer user-friendly control panels for easy account management.

Shared IP Addresses

In shared hosting, many users use the same IP address to send emails. This can impact how well emails get delivered because what one user does can influence the reputation of the shared IP address.

Potential Deliverability Challenges

When lots of people use the same mail server and IP address, if one person does spammy things, it can hurt the chances of emails getting delivered to everyone on that server. Email providers might mark or stop emails from IP addresses known for spam

Limited Control

Users on shared hosting have limited control over the server configuration. This lack of control can be a drawback for users with specific customization needs.

Virtual Private Server (VPS) Hosting

Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting is a type of hosting service that provides users with a virtualized server environment. VPS hosting gives each user their virtual resources, unlike shared hosting where users share a server. Here are some key aspects of VPS hosting, particularly in the context of email servers:

Dedicated Resources

In a VPS environment, users have dedicated resources such as CPU, RAM, and storage. This ensures that the performance of one VPS does not directly impact others on the same physical server.

Isolation

Each VPS operates in an isolated environment, providing a higher security level than shared hosting. This isolation helps prevent one user's activities from affecting the performance or security of another user's VPS.

Dedicated IP Address

VPS hosting often comes with a dedicated IP address, which can be beneficial for email deliverability. Having a dedicated IP means that the actions of other users do not influence the sender's reputation.

Customization and Control

Users have more control over the server configuration and can customize settings to meet their specific requirements. This makes VPS hosting a suitable option for users with more advanced technical needs.

Dedicated Hosting

Dedicated hosting means one server is used by one user or client for hosting. Dedicated hosting allows you to have complete access to all the resources of a server. This is different from shared or VPS hosting, where resources are shared among multiple users. Here are key aspects of dedicated hosting.

Exclusive Resources

Dedicated hosting dedicates all the server resources, including CPU, RAM, storage, and bandwidth, to a single user. This exclusivity ensures optimal performance and reliability for the user's applications, websites, and email services.

High-Performance

Dedicated hosting offers high performance and responsiveness because the user controls the server's configuration. This is especially important for resource-intensive applications and websites.

Full Control and Customization

Users have full administrative access and control over the server. They can customize server settings, install and configure software, and implement security measures according to their specific requirements.

Dedicated IP Address

Dedicated hosting typically comes with one or more dedicated IP addresses. This is advantageous for email deliverability, as the actions of other users do not influence the sender's reputation.

Cloud-Based Email Services 

Cloud email services are email hosting solutions that use cloud computing. They let users access emails without needing servers on-site. Instead, servers in data centers store the emails. Here are key aspects of cloud-based email services:

Service Providers

Big cloud providers like GCP, Azure, and AWS offer email services on the cloud. Some email service providers like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 offer cloud-based email solutions for users.

Managed Services

Cloud email services are fully managed, so the provider takes care of everything from infrastructure to security. This allows users to concentrate on using the email platform without worrying about managing the technical details underneath

The Subscription Model

Cloud-based email services typically operate on a subscription or pay-as-you-go model. Users pay a recurring fee based on the number of users or features they require. This eliminates the need for large upfront investments in hardware and software.

Email Features and Collaboration Tools

Cloud-based email services offer a suite of features beyond basic email functionality. This often includes calendars, contacts, document sharing, video conferencing, and collaboration tools to enhance productivity and communication.

Self-Hosted Email Servers

Self-hosted email servers are email servers that users or organizations set up and maintain on their infrastructure. Self-hosted email servers give users full control over their email, without needing outside providers or cloud services. Examples of self-hosted email server software include Postfix, Exim, and others. Here are key aspects of self-hosted email servers:

Complete Control

Users have full control over the email server's configuration, settings, and security. This level of control is advantageous for organizations with specific requirements and preferences.

Customization

Self-hosted email server software allows for extensive customization. Users can customize the server to fit their needs and connect it with other software or services if needed.

Privacy and Security

Organizations that prioritize privacy often choose self-hosted email solutions to have greater control over their data. They can implement their security measures and encryption protocols to enhance the privacy of email communications.

Costs and Licensing

While self-hosting provides control, it also comes with associated costs. Organizations need to invest in hardware, software licenses, and ongoing maintenance. Free open-source email software such as Postfix and Exim can be used without the need to pay for licenses. However, there are still costs associated with infrastructure and support.

Third-Party Email Delivery Services

External companies offer third-party email delivery services, specializing in sending large volumes of emails to their clients. Businesses, developers, and organizations often use these services for dependable and scalable email delivery. Some examples of third-party email delivery services are SendGrid, Amazon Simple Email Service (SES), Mailgun, and others. Here are the main points about these services:

Scalability

Email services for businesses that send a lot of emails. They offer scalability without the need for users to manage their infrastructure.

Reliability

These services often operate on reliable and redundant infrastructure, ensuring high availability and delivery rates. Users benefit from the provider's expertise in maintaining and optimizing email delivery systems.

Dedicated IP Pools

Some services offer dedicated IP pools, allowing users to send emails from specific IP addresses. This can contribute to better email deliverability and reputation management.

API Integration

Third-party email delivery services provide Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that allow seamless integration with applications, websites, or software. This makes it easy to send transactional and marketing emails programmatically.

Factors Affecting Deliverability

Email deliverability refers to the successful delivery of an email to the recipient's inbox. This means that you should not mark the email as spam or direct it to folders like promotions or junk. It's about how effectively you reach the right people and ensure they see your emails.

Before sending emails to many people, it's crucial to send test emails to various email providers and devices. This helps you see how your emails will appear to others and find any issues that could cause problems with delivery.

To simplify the process of warming up your email-sending address, you can utilize Success.ai's unlimited email warmup. With our service, you can slowly send more and more emails over time. This increases the trust of email handling companies in you, resulting in better delivery of your emails.

IP Reputation: The reputation of the IP address you send emails from is crucial. Shared hosting and certain cloud-based services may have IP addresses with mixed reputations.

Authentication: Proper implementation of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication protocols helps verify the legitimacy of your emails.

Content Quality: The content of your emails, including the use of spammy keywords or phishing elements, can affect deliverability. Our AI email writer tool can assist you in creating engaging emails that effectively reach your target audience.

Sender Reputation: The overall reputation of your sending domain and email practices plays a significant role. 

Volume and Consistency: Sudden spikes in email volume or irregular sending patterns can trigger spam filters.

Conclusion

We have explored different types of email servers and how they affect our ability to send messages. We have discovered the important factors that determine the fate of our emails. Our choices greatly impact the destiny of our emails, whether it's about hosting, dedicated servers, or cloud storage.

When choosing a server, there are various factors to consider. These factors include shared hosting, VPS, dedicated hosting, cloud-based services, and self-hosted servers.

It is not solely based on technical aspects. In the digital era, effective communication is crucial. Every message competes for attention in a vast sea of information.

Success.ai servers interact with the mail server, using the provided details, especially when starting campaigns or warming up your email account.