Access Sequence Diagnostics

Article author
Sarah Malone
Updated

Overview

Sequence diagnostics helps you easily identify and resolve any issues with your domain health, email deliverability, and contact data accuracy to improve the performance of your sequences in Apollo.

Access Apollo recommendations and take action in the sequence diagnostics tool to:

  • Check your domain health and take precautionary steps to protect your primary domain
  • Review best practices to send mass emails safely and connect Mailgun or SendGrid
  • View your tracking domain status and learn best practices to avoid SPAM filters
  • Identify and pause any unverified contacts in your sequences

Follow the steps in the sections below to access sequence diagnostics and follow email best practices.

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Run Sequence Diagnostics

Launch Apollo, click Engage, and then click Sequences.

Sequences Tab on the Engage Page

Click Run diagnostics.

Run Diagnostics Button on Sequences Page

There are 4 categories available in the Sequence diagnostics modal.

4 Tabs in the Sequence Diagnostics Modal

 
Just a Heads Up

Please note, if your linked mailbox belongs to a free domain, such as example@gmail.com or example@yahoo.com, you can only access the Unverified contacts tab in the Sequence Diagnostics modal. 1 Tab in the Sequence Diagnostics Modal To access all sequence diagnostics insights, you need to connect a mailbox from a paid domain.

Domain Setup

Click the Domain setup tab if you want to check the health of your primary domain.

Domain Setup Tab in Sequence Diagnostics Modal

From here, Apollo displays all the primary domains mapped to your Apollo account. If you have any problems with your domain, you will see a Fix icon under the associated issue.

Fix Icon

Hover your mouse over the icon to access more detailed insights. Then, click the links to take action on these insights and improve your domain's health.

Apollo Suggestions Under Fix Icon

 
Hang Tight While We Work Our Magic!

Please note, when you take any actions to protect your domain, it can take between 2-4 hours for the change to reflect in Apollo.

If you make any changes, click the Refresh icon after 2-4 hours to re-diagnose your domain.

Refresh Icon on the Right of the Screen

When you have set up everything correctly, you should see a Good icon under each category.

Good Icon in Domain Setup Tab

Hover your mouse over the title of an email authentication method to view its definition and access more information.

Email Authentication Method Tooltip

 
Now That You're Here...

There are 3 email authentication methods that Apollo recommends you set up to ensure a healthy domain:

  • Sender Policy Framework (SPF): SPF records authorize your emails so that you can more easily detect and prevent unauthorized IP addresses from sending emails on your behalf. To set up SPF records, follow the steps in this article.
  • Domain Keys Identified Mail (DKIM): the DKIM method adds an encrypted digital signature to your company's outgoing emails. This helps the receiving email servers to confirm that you authorized and sent an email from your domain. To set up DKIM, follow the steps in this article.
  • Domain-based Message Authentication Reporting and Conformance (DMARC): this method allows you to limit sent emails to those authenticated by your company and leverages SPF and DKIM to help prevent email spoofing. To set up DMARC, follow the steps in this article.

If you want to more learn about the best practices you can follow to protect your domain reputation, click the Purchase a secondary domain drop-down for more information.

Apollo Recommendations

You have now leveraged domain best practices in sequence diagnostics.

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SendGrid / Mailgun

Click the SendGrid / Mailgun tab if you want to improve email deliverability. From here, Apollo displays your SendGrid or Mailgun status and provides further information about why a mass email delivery service provider is important.

SendGrid/Mailgun in Sequence Diagnostics

If you have already connected SendGrid or Mailgun to Apollo, Apollo displays a Connected icon. This means that you have taken the necessary steps to protect your domain and ensure higher email deliverability.

Connected Icon in SendGrid and Mailgun Tab

If you don't have SendGrid or Mailgun set up yet, click Learn More to access further information.

Learn More Button

Then, click Connect service to get started with the setup and follow the instructions in the "Integrate Mailgun with Apollo" or the "Set Up Apollo's Integration with SendGrid" article.

Connect Service Button

For a summary of the best practices to follow to improve your deliverability, click the Connect Apollo to a mass mailing service provider drop-down.

Best Practices Drop-Down

You have now leveraged email deliverability best practices in sequence diagnostics.

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Tracking Domain

Click the Tracking domain tab if you want to check your tracking domain status and learn more about best practices.

Tracking Domain Tab in Sequence Diagnostics

From here, Apollo displays your tracking domain status and provides further information about how tracking opens, pixels, and unsubscribes with a secondary domain can help you avoid SPAM filters.

If you have already connected a custom tracking subdomain, Apollo displays a Connected icon.

Connected Icon in Tracking Domain Tab

You see a Healthy badge if your tracking subdomains are in good condition. This means that you have taken the necessary steps to protect your primary domain, avoid SPAM filters, and ensure higher email deliverability.

Healthy Badge in Tracking Domain Tab

If you see an Unhealthy badge next to a tracking subdomain, click View Subdomains to take a closer look at the stats. Then, consider following the steps in the "Deactivate a Tracking Subdomain" section of the Set Up a Tracking Subdomain (URL) article to deactivate the unhealthy subdomain.

UnHealthy Badge in Tracking Domain Tab

 
Hold Your Horses!

Before you deactivate an unhealthy subdomain, make sure you create a new tracking subdomain to replace it first. For more information, follow the steps in the Set Up a Tracking Subdomain (URL) article.

If you don't have a custom tracking subdomain connected yet, Apollo displays a Not set up icon.

Not set up Button

Click Learn More to access further information about tracking subdomains.

Learn More Button

Then, click Settings to get started with the setup.

Settings Button

Apollo directs you to the Tracking Subdomains section in the Apollo Settings. You can then follow the instructions in the "Set Up a Custom Tracking Subdomain (URL)" article to create and add a new subdomain to Apollo.

Tracking Subdomains Tab in Settings

For a summary of the best practices to avoid SPAM filters, click the Set up a tracking domain to track opens, pixels, and unsubscribes drop-down.

Best Practices Drop-Down

You have now leveraged tracking domain best practices in sequence diagnostics.

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Unverified Contacts

Click the Unverified contacts tab to check which sequences have the most unverified emails.

Unverified Contacts Tab in Sequence Diagnostics

From here, you can take action to pause or remove the contacts associated with the unverified emails from your sequences. To do so, click the arrow icon on the right of a sequence.

Arrow Icon

Apollo directs you to a list of all the contacts with unverified emails in that sequence.

Unverified Emails List

Click the select all checkbox. Then, click Select all people to bulk select all the unverified emails.

Select All Checkbox

 
Custom is Convenient!

Please note, you can only bulk select if you are on a Custom plan. If you are on a Free, Basic, or Professional plan, you can select up to 25 records at a time.

Then, click the Pause icon if you want to pause the selected contacts in the sequence.

Pause Icon

If you want to remove them from the sequence entirely, click the Remove icon.

Remove Icon

 
The world is your oyster!

Please note, Apollo recommends that you pause or remove unverified contacts from low-performing sequences. However, these are not the only 2 actions you can take. For example, you can choose to mark the sequence as finished, set an auto-resume date, or remove them from a list, among other actions. Hover your mouse over the icons to review your options and take any alternative actions on the selected contacts.

Other Icon

You have now identified the sequences with the most unverified emails and taken action on those contacts to protect your domain reputation.

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