10. #RPWT#RPWT
2.5 billion+
Mailboxes in the
provider cooperative
2.5 million+
Consumers
in the end-user panel
50 billion+
Messages
scanned and parsed
The Return Path
Data Platform
We curate exclusive
information and
translate it into
unexpected insights,
empowering clients
and partners to make
great decisions.
37. #RPWT#RPWT
• They don't whitelist, they're on a
shared IP
• Apply for public whitelist, if even
available
• Fill out whitelist requests for every new
IP address
• Hope they remain whitelisted
• They don't whitelist. "We don't need it,
we have a great reputation.”
How Marketers Handle Whitelisting
38. #RPWT
Domain Certification
With the addition of Domain Certification, senders
can now receive benefits at the domain level.
Why is this important?
• Domain Certification allows senders on shared
IP addresses to become certified
• Major mailbox providers are now making filtering
decisions based on domain reputation
41. #RPWT
Significant drop in
deliverability leading
up to Black Friday
And again on
Cyber Monday
Significant drop in
deliverability leading
up to Black Friday
And again on
Cyber Monday
Industry: Deals and Rewards
42. #RPWT
Certification Benefits
Get unique data insights
directly from mailbox
providers
Continual monitoring to
ensure you stay in
compliance
Reduced volume filtering
and throttling
44. #RPWT#RPWT
“Return Path Certification makes it possible for us
to know that we are reaching our subscribers. We
are able to see where we have gaps in delivery,
which allows us to be much more certain our
email is ending up in the inbox rather than the
spam folder”.
Kevin Conroy
Chief Product Officer
GlobalGiving
46. #RPWT#RPWT
Common Questions
Am I sending
too much?
Am I sending
enough?
How many
subscribers could
be saved?
What are the
consequences?
47. #RPWT
Under-sending causes:
• Missed open, click, and
revenue opportunities
• Low inbox presence vs.
competition
Consequences of Mismanaging Frequency
Over-sending causes:
• Reduced engagement and
subscriber tune out
• High complaints and
unsubscribes
• Poor inbox placement
Under-sending + Over-sending = Sub-optimal lifetime value
48. #RPWT#RPWT
• Ignored completely
• One-size-fits-all suppression policy
based on recency of engagement
• Long testing cycles
• Inconclusive results
How It’s Done Today
49. #RPWT
Not all subscribers want to
receive email at the same
frequency.
Preferences depend on:
• Length of brand relationship
• Types of content / mail streams
• Personal habits and preferences
• Seasonality
• And many more factors…
One Size Does NOT Fit All
50. #RPWT
Every subscriber has an “ideal”
frequency based on how often they
received emails in the past and on the
following behaviors.
• Opens, Clicks, Conversions
• Complaints, Unsubscribes
• Interaction with other brands
Subscriber-level Analysis
51. #RPWT
For all possible frequency options, Return
Path predicts each subscriber’s:
• Likelihood to engage
• Likelihood to unsubscribe
Then we find the frequency that best
balances the two.
Balance Risk and Reward
52. #RPWT
Data Inputs
Historical subscriber
behavior data
Overlay behavior of
subscribers from
Consumer Network
Frequency
Recommendations
Reinforcement
Learning Model
New
Subscribers
Seasonal
Changes
Behavior
Changes
Overlay behavior of
subscribers from
Data Co-op
Solution Framework
53. #RPWT
Use Case
Retailer’s current high frequency caused:
• Low engagement rates
• High unsubscribes and complaints
• High sending costs
Challenges with reducing frequency:
• Across-the-board reduction in frequency hurt revenue
• Limited time to develop in-house solution
Solution:
• Custom frequency recommendations
• Four-week test