Email Security and Support

Although the youngsters may say otherwise, email remains a key communication tool for small businesses. For those of us who aren’t IT pros, when IMAP, POP3, or SMTP errors crop up—or emails fail to reach your clients—it can cause you significant frustration. This guide will help you understand common email errors and provide practical steps to prevent or fix them.

Common Email Errors You May See

Let’s start breaking down some common jargon. A protocol is like a set of rules or instructions that two devices (like your computer and an email server) agree to follow when they talk to each other. Just like when two people need to speak the same language to understand each other, devices need a protocol to ensure they’re “speaking” the same way.

For example, when you’re sending or receiving an email, the protocol tells your device exactly how to send the message or fetch it from the server. Without these agreed rules, the devices wouldn’t be able to understand each other, and your emails wouldn’t get through.

IMAP and POP3 are the two main email retrieval protocols. IMAP syncs emails across multiple devices, making it ideal for teams who need access from laptops, smartphones, and desktops. POP3, on the other hand, downloads emails to a single device and can be a good choice for smaller teams with simpler needs. Most businesses benefit from IMAP due to its flexibility.

SMTP is the protocol responsible for sending emails. If you’re experiencing an SMTP error, your outgoing server settings might be incorrect. Make sure your SMTP configuration—such as port numbers and encryption settings—matches those provided by your email service. Sound confusing? Let us lend you a hand.

IMAP/POP3 Synchronisation Issues

Sometimes, emails won’t sync correctly across your devices, leading to missing or delayed messages. This typically happens after a network change or system update. Regularly reviewing your email settings can help prevent this, or your IT supplier can set alerts to trigger if any of these settings change automatically. This ensures minimal downtime, if any.

SMTP Sending Errors

If the problem is that you can’t send emails, the issue is likely with your SMTP settings. Double-check the outgoing server details to ensure they match your provider’s specifications. This includes checking ports and SSL certificate requirements.

Errors Sending to Mailing Lists or Clients

Sending to large mailing lists can cause your emails to get flagged as spam or blocked. This usually happens when your list includes too many inactive or outdated addresses. This mechanism is designed to stop bot farms from sending mass spam emails but if your email sending list isn’t ‘cleaned’ regularly, it could cause problems for you too. To improve deliverability, clean your email lists regularly and consider breaking them down into smaller segments when sending.

Why Emails Aren’t Reaching Inboxes: What is Deliverability?

Deliverability refers to whether your emails land in the recipient’s inbox or get sent to the spam folder. It’s especially important when communicating with clients or large mailing lists.

Common deliverability problems include spam filters and blacklisting. If your email appears suspicious, spam filters may block it, and if your domain is flagged, it could get blacklisted, preventing future emails from being delivered. You can improve deliverability by using proper email authentication methods like DKIM, SPF, and DMARC records. Check your SPF and DMARC records using the widgets below.

Maintaining a good sender reputation is crucial to staying deliverable when emailing your suppliers, colleagues and clients. Consistently using professional email signatures and avoiding spammy subject lines (think “CLICK THIS NOW”, “OPEN FOR FREE STUFF”) will help keep your reputation in check. It also doesn’t hurt to clean your email lists regularly to prevent bounce-backs caused by inactive addresses.

Preventing Email Errors: Best Practices for Small Businesses

One of the simplest ways to avoid email errors is to invest in reliable hosting services, such as Microsoft 365 for Business. This service provides better stability, security, and support for business email users.

Regularly monitor your email performance to catch potential issues before they disrupt your communications. Your IT supplier should have something like this in place to ensure someone’s watching 24/7. Monitoring tools can help track deliverability rates and alert you to any issues before they impact your operations.

Email servers are a frequent target for phishing attacks and other security breaches. Add a vital layer of defence to your accounts with multifactor authentication (MFA) and regularly update passwords to keep your communications more secure.

When You’re Stuck: Get IT Support

If you’ve tried all the above solutions and are still facing email issues, don’t hesitate to call in IT support. Clearsky IT can help troubleshoot and resolve these problems quickly, keeping your business communications running smoothly.

Further Reading: Email security 101