Reading your WillItInbox report: every score, every check, every fix
What the overall score means, how the five category scores combine, and how to triage findings from critical to cosmetic.
Your WillItInbox report grades five categories of email setup, then combines them into a single score. The number at the top is shorthand — the real value is in the per-check findings underneath. This guide walks you through reading every section so you can prioritize fixes without guessing.
How the overall score is calculated
| Category | Weight | What it scores |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | 30% | SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI, DNSSEC alignment |
| Reputation | 25% | Blacklists, IP/domain history, PTR, MTA-STS |
| Content | 20% | Subject, headers, image ratio, spam triggers |
| Infrastructure | 15% | MX, TLS, SMTP banner, ARC support |
| Hygiene | 10% | Bounce-handling signals, unsubscribe header |
Severity levels
- Critical (red): actively breaking delivery. Fix today. Examples: SPF syntax error, DKIM failing alignment.
- Warning (amber): degrades placement. Fix this week. Examples: DMARC at p=none, missing BIMI.
- Info (blue): best-practice nudges. Fix when convenient. Examples: TTL too long, missing MTA-STS.
Triage workflow
Working through findings
- 01
1. Sort by severity
Critical findings first. Most reports have 0-2; resolve them before touching warnings.
- 02
2. Group by category
Authentication fixes often resolve multiple findings — adding a DKIM record can clear DKIM, alignment, and DMARC checks at once.
- 03
3. Apply DNS changes in batches
Save time by editing all DNS records, then waiting one TTL cycle (usually 1 hour) before re-checking.
- 04
4. Re-run after propagation
Wait at least 1 hour after DNS changes. Run the report again. Score should jump immediately for resolved issues.
- 05
5. Document remaining warnings
Some warnings (e.g., 'using shared ESP IP') are intentional choices. Note them so future reports don't surprise you.
What 'good' looks like
A production-ready setup typically scores 92-96. The last 4-8 points come from things like BIMI (requires VMC), DNSSEC, MTA-STS at enforce, and a perfect content profile — nice to have, but not gating delivery. Don't burn a week chasing 100.
Frequently asked questions
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