Summary
When a user registers for your software, you only have one opportunity to grab their attention and make them want to go further. That’s what onboarding emails are all about: welcome emails, activation links, initial user tips, free trial reminders… These messages trigger the initial commitment. Yet they don’t always reach their destination.
At MailSoar, we support many SaaS software publishers faced with this problem. Incorrect configuration, a weakened sender reputation or errors in contact lists can be all it takes for your emails to fall into spam or simply remain invisible. We explain why, and above all, how to avoid it.
Why aren't your onboarding e-mails always received?
Onboarding emails are sent at a critical moment: just after registration, to users who are still cold, sometimes distrustful, often inattentive. Added to this is the fact that they are automated, sent in batches, with very similar content. As a result, they often tick all the boxes that alert spam filters.
What is an onboarding email?
This is an email sent just after a user has registered for a software product. It may contain an activation link, a welcome message, or advice on how to get started.
Anti-spam filters more sensitive to first-time mailings
E-mail providers (Gmail, Outlook…) constantly analyze what they receive. When a sender contacts a user for the first time, anti-spam filters redouble their vigilance: domain reputation, presence of SPF/DKIM/DMARC, IP address, message content… Everything is scrutinized.
If any of these elements are not compliant or deemed risky, the message is blocked or lands in the Promotions tab, without your knowledge. And in the case of onboarding, this can simply cut off the experience before it even begins.
What impact does poor deliverability have on your onboarding?
A non-received account activation email means a user never validates his account. An ignored welcome email means failed onboarding. And if your end-of-trial reminders don’t arrive, your conversion falls flat.
The problem is that this type of failure is often invisible. Everything seems to be sent, but few messages are read. The open rate drops, the bounce rate climbs, and the reputation of your sending domain deteriorates, weakening all subsequent sequences. It’s a spiral best avoided from the outset.
How to improve the reception of your activation emails?
Fortunately, there are concrete solutions to ensure that your first emails arrive safely and make people want to open them.
Configure your
sending domain
Before you even think about content, you need to check that your domain is technically clean. This means having SPF, DKIM and DMARC records properly configured. These protocols enable your recipients' servers to confirm that you are a legitimate sender. This is a prerequisite if you don't want to be filtered at source.
Use a dedicated subdomain for your transactional emails
It's good practice to separate your marketing and transactional mailings. By creating a specific sub-domain for your onboarding emails (e.g. welcome.votresaas.com), you improve your ability to track their deliverability, build a dedicated reputation, and keep your other mailings safe in case of problems.
Check the health of your contact lists
Even with SaaS, errors can creep into the database. If you allow sign-ups with invalid, temporary or incorrectly entered addresses, your bounce rate climbs, damaging your reputation. So it's essential to regularly clean up your contact lists. Tools such as Bouncer can automatically check the validity of addresses before sending.
Avoid signals that trigger spam filters
In onboarding emails, it's best to keep the tone clear and sober. Too many links, a design that's too marketing-oriented, objects that sell too much: these are all signals that can arouse the suspicions of filters. Avoid overly aggressive attachments or calls to action. Keep the message simple, useful and consistent with the expected action (activation, welcome, help getting started).
Test, measure and adjust your
opening rates
You can't improve what you don't measure. Keep a close eye on your opening rates, your clicks, and above all your bounces. If a bounce rate exceeds 2%, it's a warning sign. Test different email subject lines, sending times and welcome formulations. Onboarding emails are strategic, and every improvement counts to boost user engagement.
MailSoar helps you secure your onboarding emails right from the start
At MailSoar, we don’t just look at how pretty or well-written your emails are. We get technical. Our SPAMouraïs analyze your domain configuration, the quality of your lists, the reputation of your IPs, and even the impact of your first email objects. The aim: to ensure that your onboarding emails arrive in the main inbox as soon as you sign up.
Our SPAMouraïs don’t just give you generic advice: they analyze your context, audit your campaigns, and help you reach your real target – the main inbox.
