Maildrone

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions and answers about Maildrone

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the most common questions about using Maildrone.

🚀 Getting Started

What is Maildrone?

A: Maildrone is a lightweight email marketing platform designed to help small businesses and creators send professional email campaigns in minutes. It's like MailChimp but simpler and more focused.

How do I get started?

A: Three simple steps:

  1. 📧 Configure your email (SMTP settings)
  2. 👥 Import your contacts (Excel/CSV)
  3. ✍️ Create and send your first campaign

Check our Quick Start Guide for detailed instructions.

What email providers does Maildrone support?

A: Maildrone works with any SMTP provider:

  • 📧 Gmail (Gmail, Google Workspace)
  • 📮 Outlook (Outlook.com, Microsoft 365)
  • ☁️ Dedicated providers (SendGrid, Mailgun, Amazon SES)
  • 🏢 Enterprise email servers

📧 Email Sending

Why are my emails going to spam?

A: Common reasons and solutions:

Technical Issues:

  • ❌ SPF/DKIM not configured → ✅ Complete domain verification
  • ❌ Poor sender reputation → ✅ Use verified business domain
  • ❌ IP blacklisted → ✅ Contact support for IP change

Content Issues:

  • ❌ Spam trigger words → ✅ Avoid "FREE", "URGENT" overuse
  • ❌ All caps subject → ✅ Use normal capitalization
  • ❌ Too many links/images → ✅ Balance text and images

How do I improve open rates?

A: Key optimization strategies:

Subject Line:

  • 📝 Keep it under 50 characters
  • 🎯 Use personalization: {{Name}}, your exclusive offer
  • ⚡ Create urgency: "Only 24 hours left"
  • 🤔 Spark curiosity: "90% of people don't know this..."

Timing:

  • ⏰ Tuesday-Thursday mornings tend to perform best
  • 📅 Avoid weekends and holidays
  • 🌍 Consider recipient time zones

What's the best sending time?

A: General guidelines:

Weekday Performance:

  • 📈 Tuesday: Best (31%)
  • Wednesday: Good (28%)
  • Thursday: Average (26%)
  • Monday: Fair (23%)
  • Friday: Lower (18%)

Best Hours:

  • 09:00-11:00: Morning email check
  • 14:00-15:00: Post-lunch engagement
  • 19:00-20:00: Evening browsing

👥 Contacts

How do I import contacts?

A: Multiple import options:

  1. Excel/CSV Upload (Recommended)

    email,name,company,tags
[email protected],John Smith,ACME Corp,VIP

  2. Manual Add - For individual contacts

  3. CRM Integration - Sync from Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.

How do I clean invalid emails?

A: Best practices:

Automatic Cleaning:

  • ✅ Enable auto-cleanup in Settings
  • 🔄 System removes hard bounces automatically
  • 📊 Regular list health monitoring

Manual Cleaning:

  • Filter: Last 3 sends all bounced
  • Filter: No opens in 6+ months
  • Export and review before removal

How do tags work?

A: Tags are flexible labels:

Traditional Groups (one per person):
├── VIP Group
├── New Users
└── Beijing Customers

Tags (multiple per person):
John: #VIP #Beijing #Purchased #Enterprise

Tag Benefits:

  • One contact can have multiple tags
  • Easy to combine for targeting
  • More flexible than rigid groups

📊 Analytics

What metrics should I track?

A: Priority order:

Primary (Must Track):

  • 📈 Open Rate (good: 20-30%)
  • 🖱️ Click Rate (good: 3-8%)
  • 💰 Conversion Rate (good: 10-25%)

Secondary (Important):

  • 📮 Delivery Rate
  • 📤 Unsubscribe Rate
  • ⚠️ Spam Complaints

How do I do A/B testing?

A: Simple steps:

  1. Choose what to test:

    • Subject lines (most impact)
    • Send times
    • Content versions
    • CTA buttons

  2. Set up test:

    • Minimum 500 people per version
    • 50/50 split ratio
    • Wait at least 2 hours

  3. Analyze results:

    • Look for >5% difference
    • Check statistical significance
    • Apply winner to remaining audience

🔧 Technical

API not working?

A: Common fixes:

401 Unauthorized:

# Check API key format
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer mp_live_1a2b..." \
     https://api.maildrone.com/v2/contacts

429 Rate Limited:

  • Implement exponential backoff
  • Check your rate limits in Settings
  • Contact support for limit increase

Webhook events missing?

A: Troubleshooting steps:

  1. Check endpoint:

    • Must be HTTPS
    • SSL certificate must be valid
    • Returns 200 status code

  2. Verify signature:

    • Use HMAC-SHA256
    • Check webhook secret

  3. Check logs:

    • View webhook logs in Settings
    • Look for error messages

💳 Billing

How do I upgrade my plan?

A: Steps:

  1. Go to Settings > Billing
  2. Select your new plan
  3. Confirm and pay
  4. New limits apply immediately

Upgrade Cost:

Upgrade Cost = (New Price - Current Price) × Remaining Days / 30

What if I exceed my limit?

A: Options:

  1. Upgrade plan - Immediate limit increase
  2. Buy send pack - One-time purchase
  3. Wait for reset - Monthly limits reset

Pro tip: Set usage alerts at 80%, 90%, 95%

📞 Support

How do I get help?

A: Multiple channels:

Self-Service:

Direct Support:

How do I report bugs?

A: Include in your report:

  • 📝 Detailed description
  • 📷 Screenshots or screen recording
  • 🌐 Browser version
  • 📋 Steps to reproduce

Still have questions? Contact our support team - we're here to help! 🚀

On this page

Frequently Asked Questions🚀 Getting StartedWhat is Maildrone?How do I get started?What email providers does Maildrone support?📧 Email SendingWhy are my emails going to spam?How do I improve open rates?What's the best sending time?👥 ContactsHow do I import contacts?How do I clean invalid emails?How do tags work?📊 AnalyticsWhat metrics should I track?How do I do A/B testing?🔧 TechnicalAPI not working?Webhook events missing?💳 BillingHow do I upgrade my plan?What if I exceed my limit?📞 SupportHow do I get help?How do I report bugs?
Frequently Asked Questions | Maildrone