Breakdown of SMTP, POP, and other Tech Terms (Beginner Friendly)

The confusion ends here. People try to overcomplicate the breakdown of the Email Delivery system.

You only need to know the definition of the terms such as SMTP, what it does, and how to integrate it.

If you aren’t very tech-savvy, don’t worry, I’ll break this down for you.

 

The Process of Email Delivery

A lot happens when you transport an email. We’re accustomed to clicking a button and everything happening instantaneously, but a lot goes into the process of email delivery.

Email delivery actually resembles classic physical mail delivery.

During this method, one SMTP server ( in this case, the pc sending the email) is the sender that is transferred by the “deliveryman.” The messages are picked up and sent to the “server receiver/provider,” that takes care of concretely delivering emails to their recipients.

 

What if the Recipient’s Server is Down or Busy?

If the receiving server can’t receive the e-mail immediately, the SMTP hands it to a different incoming server close to the recipient server that will store the e-mail.

In other words, The SMTP host merely drops the message to a backup server: if none of them is out there, the e-mail is queued, and the delivery is re-tried sporadically.

email marketing

What you Need to know about SMTP

SMTP stands for “Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.” SMTP handles the delivery (typically through port 25) of all your email messaged.

It is broken into “relay messages/code” that acts as an “envelope” to drop your message to your recipient based on the “email address.” Note that SMTP language only defines the message’s transmission, and doesn’t touch the content inside of the email.

 

How to set up SMTP Server

To set this up, you merely need to share the email server parameters with another SMTP host.

 

The Parameters to set up and SMTP Server

If you notice, whenever you sign up for an SMTP server such as Aweber, you have to give them some info for them to send or automate emails for you.

As a company, you’ll need to abide by email protocol by having an address, copyright, privacy policy, and an option to unsubscribe.

But there are other parameters you may need to enter:

 

User Name: your email address.

Authentication method: Normally your password

Port: This is usually a three digit code that indicates the “endpoints” of your server.

You should be able to find these details inside of your domain/hosting accounts. Instructions for locating these are specific to your company. If you are with a good company like Clickfunnels, hosting from www.siteground.com  or www.GreenGeeks.com you’ll get great support for any SMTP setups or tech details.

MX records: A Linking code that directs you to a domain. With these changed, you can run SMTP and IMAP from another server.

Connection security: In itself, SMTP email transfer doesn’t offer associate secret writing. To make everything safe, you need an SSL/TLS extension, so that your messages and communication are encrypted. You can add SSL in Clickfunnels easily.

 

What is an SMTP Port?

Simply put, pc ports expresses the communication endpoints of a pc connected to a network. Every port contains an explicit purpose associated with a particular protocol.

Usually, an outgoing server has port 25: it’s the default SMTP port. However, some IPs deny its use, as a result of the enormous spam and malware traffic.

In those cases, they are compelled to switch to a different ISP (Internet Service Provider) to avoid the block. You don’t have to worry about this unless you are a spammer; in which case PLEASE STOP! You’re annoying!

 

What is POP? And Why is it Important?

SMTP handles the delivery (typically through port 25), whereas POP (an acronym for “Post office Protocol“) takes care of the e-mail retrieval and transfer. Outgoing= SMTP,  Incoming= POP

The most recent version of the Post workplace Protocol is called POP3, and it’s been used since 1996; it uses port one hundred ten.

 

 

WHAT IS MTA- in relation to Email

MTA is essentially the “Mailman” of the email delivery system.

MTA stands for “Mail Transfer Agent,” which is the software that uses MX records to relay messages. You can access these through your nameserver/domain records.

Again, if you are with a good company like Clickfunnels, or have hosting from www.siteground.com  or www.GreenGeeks.com you’ll get great support for adding MX records properly.

What is IMAP, and how does it Defer from POP?

IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol.

It ensures that your emails are kept on one server and managed and synced across multiple devices. On the other hand, POP3 downloads email from a server to a single device and then changes/deletes it from the prior server.

This method also utilizes MX records. Which is better? It all depends on what you are trying to do.

 

Cautions for Bulk “Cold email” Blasting

When you send a bulk email most of the time, you need multiple dedicated IPs.

If you use proxies, you should use solely reliable IPs to maintain proper inbox deliveries.

Make sure that you use a fast and reliable email delivery system that can automate things for you, such as Aweber. It may cost a little more, but it’s worth it for your companies credibility.

You need this in order to bypass ISP (Internet service provider) security which would otherwise mess with your delivery rate, and help you avoid aggressive antispam filters that may reject your emails.

 

Conclusion

The Email delivery system has a lot of intricate parts, but it is a lot more simple to understand when you know how it works.  Don’t overcomplicate things.

If you need help in this process or need professional consultation, contact me here.

Talk soon,

David

***See affiliate disclosure here.

 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *