SMTP FAQ

View frequently asked questions regarding simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP.) If you have questions about what SMTP is and how it works, this article has answers to the most frequently asked questions.

We have compiled some of the most common questions around SMTP, including a glossary of common terms to ensure you better understand how this fits in at ClickFunnels. 

Prior to getting started, you will need the following:

• A Clickfunnels Account
• An SMTP Provider

Terms to Understand

• Before reviewing the FAQs below, please review the following terms. These can be especially helpful if you are new to working with SMTP.
• Blacklist: Blacklisting an email occurs at the recipient level. When an email is added to a blacklist, it prevents that email from arriving in the inbox in the future. When your email is blacklisted, it can have a negative impact on your reputation.
• Bounce: An email bounce occurs when an email fails to reach the recipient for whatever reason. This can be due to an invalid email or simply a one-time system failure. If you notice repeated bounces from the same email, it recommended you consider removing that contact from your list.
• Deliverability: This refers to how well your emails are delivered to subscribers. In most cases, less than 100% of your emails will actually reach your subscribers. The goal is to keep your deliverability as close to 100% as possible. This is determined primarily by your Reputation, which is impacted by a variety of factors.
• DKIM: Stands for Domain Keys Identified Mail. A DKIM record ensures the emails you send arrive as you sent them. Said differently, with a DKIM signature in place, it ensures the emails your subscriber receives are identical to what you send. This has a positive impact on your reputation.
• Domain Reputation: When sending an email, one of the factors that affect your deliverability is the domain reputation. This refers specifically to how your domain is viewed by email servers. For instance, if you have spam reports that have come from your domain in the past, it can greatly damage the reputation.
• Reputation: With SMTP, your reputation is going to be the biggest determining factor on who sees your emails. Reputation can be impacted by the lack of a DKIM or SPF record, a high number of bounces, spam reports, invalid email addresses, domain reputation, and more.
• SMTP: Standing for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, SMTP is the method by which email is sent and received online.
• Spam Report: This refers specifically to when someone receives your email and reports it as spam. This acts as a negative factor on your deliverability and your SMTP reputation.
• SPF: Stands for Sending Policy Framework. This simple DNS record identifies which IP addresses are able to send emails from your domain. In use, this improves your reputation and ensures that emails from your domain come from a specific IP address.
• Sunsetting: Recommended for every email list, this refers to the process of removing inactive subscribers. You can perfect this every 30 days and remove (or segment) anyone from the list who has not engaged with any of the emails over that previous 30-day period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: How many SMTP accounts can I connect with ClickFunnels.

Answer: If you are subscribed on the $97/month Startup Plan, you can have one (1) SMTP provider linked to your account. If on the $297/month Etison Suite, you can have up to three (3) SMTP providers. Additionally, Actionetics MD subscribers can leverage additional SMTP integrations based on the number of subscribers.

Question: Can I use my SMTP from my web hosting provider?

Answer: Short answer, no. The SMTP you connect with ClickFunnels must be a dedicated, transactional SMTP provider. When you retrieve SMTP credentials from your web hosting, these are intended specifically for viewing mail in a program like Outlook. In most cases, it is against their Terms of Service to use the SMTP for any automated emails like you would be sending through a transactional server. You can view a list of supported SMTP providers here.

Question: How can I ensure my emails make it to a recipient's inbox?

Answer: There are a large number of factors that contribute to this. To best learn how to optimize for deliverability, we recommend reading this article on SMTP reputation. This will help you improve or recover a reputation in your SMTP account. 

If you have any questions about this, please contact our support team by clicking the support icon in the bottom right-hand corner of this page.