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We've said it before, and we'll probably say it 100 more times: email deliverability is key to email marketing.
Blocklists play an important role in deliverability. And when it comes to blacklists, email content isn't the only factor that determines whether a domain is blacklisted.
In this post, we'll go over what a blacklist is, how domains end up on blacklists, how to remove a domain name from the list, and some best practices to avoid ending up on the blacklist.
What is a blacklist?
A blacklist is a collection of IP addresses, email addresses, or domains that have been flagged as sources of spam messages or malicious content. Email clients, email service providers (ESPs), and email servers Typically block messages from domains or addresses IP block lists. Internet service providers (ISPs) sometimes prevent users from accessing blocked websites.
Popular blacklists include:
- Spam house
- MXToolBox
- Barracuda Reputation Block List (BRBL)
- Spamcop
- URIBL
- Google Transparency Report
- Aquarium
Email block lists can also be referred to as blacklists. However, most of the email industry has moved away from using this term to avoid unintentional negative connotations.
How do domains end up on blocklists?
The goal of a blacklist is to protect users from spam, malicious, or harmful content. Here are some common reasons why a domain might end up on the blocked list:
- The domain sends spam content.
- The domain's subscribers have filed spam complaints by marking the domain's emails as spam.
- The domain suddenly sends a huge amount of emails.
- Emails sent from the domain have a high bounce rate.
- Users do not interact with emails sent from the domain.
Keep in mind that blocklists can flag domains and email addresses with good intentions. Many domains end up on blacklists, even if there are measures to circumvent them. Fortunately, blocklisting is usually only temporary.
How do I know if my domain is on an email blocklist?
By running a domain blocklist check on your email or domain, you can find out if your domain (or other domains in your message) is on a blocklist. You can manually run your domains through individual blacklists or save time Use a tool that compares your emails against multiple blacklists at once.
In Email on Acid's Campaign Precheck, you can run a domain blocklist check against four major blocklist services: Spamhaus, Phishtank, Google Transparency Report, and URIBL. We will inform you if your domains are on block lists.
Caption: Acid domain blocklist check email found in the Campaign Precheck QA feature. It looks like this email was accepted with flying colors. Hooray!
Email on Acid's tool helps you identify blocklisting issues before sending a campaign. But Mailgun Optimize takes it a step further with Deliverability Monitoring. You don't want to find out that you're on the blacklist right before you start a big campaign. That's why our Mailgun Optimize suite is the perfect solution as it allows you to keep track of multiple IPs at all times.
Caption: IP blocklist monitoring with Mailgun Optimize
How do I get my domain off a blacklist?
If you find that your domain is on the blacklist, most blacklists offer advice on how to remove your domain. For example, Spamhaus offers a “Blocklist Removal Center” where you can enter your IP address or domain name and find information about removing it from the blocklist.
Mailgun Optimize Deliverability Monitoring also provides actionable advice if you are on the blacklist to get you off the list as quickly as possible.
What are some best practices for staying off a blacklist?
After delisting, you may want to review your email content and follow our email sending best practices. Check out our list of do's and don'ts below.
Do:
- Maintain a healthy subscriber list. Clean up your contacts. Try re-engagement campaigns to activate dormant subscribers and remove those who don't respond.
- Segment and personalize your email content based on specific interests, customer types and purchase histories. This will help keep your subscribers engaged. Relevant emails mean fewer spam complaints.
- Include an easy-to-find unsubscribe link in every email.
- Consider an email preference center so your subscribers can choose what type of emails they receive from you and how often they receive them.
- Use double opt-ins to avoid spam traps like honeypots.
- Use email authentication protocols to prove your identity as a sender to mailbox providers.
Not:
- Do anything that makes you look like a spammer (e.g. excessive use of capital letters, exclamation points, and spammy language).
- Use poorly formatted HTML. Clean up your code.
- Rely on emails with only images. Try to maintain a balance between images and text
- Buy an email list. (Don't do that. Ever.)
Content aside, you can use email authentication protocols to avoid ending up on a blacklist. These include DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC). These help the mailbox provider confirm that the message is legitimate and comes from a trusted sender.
Wrap up
In addition to following the best practices above, we have one final piece of advice to avoid ending up on a blacklist: run spam tests and monitor deliverability!
Always run spam tests and blocklist checks, even if you have already sent the email. Spam filters and blacklists are constantly changing and updating, so an email that landed in your inbox yesterday could be spam tomorrow.
Email on Acid's spam test allows you to check your emails against the most common spam filters and blocklists to ensure your message reaches the inbox. Then take deliverability very seriously with Mailgun Optimize, including ongoing blocklist monitoring for multiple IP addresses.
We've said it before, and we'll probably say it 100 more times: email deliverability is key to email marketing.
Blocklists play an important role in deliverability. And when it comes to blacklists, email content isn't the only factor that determines whether a domain is blacklisted.
In this post, we'll go over what a blacklist is, how domains end up on blacklists, how to remove a domain name from the list, and some best practices to avoid ending up on the blacklist.
This post was updated on September 21, 2022. It was first published in March 2019.
Email deliverability doesn’t have to be a mystery
A lot can happen on the way to your customers' inboxes. Wondering if your emails are ending up in spam, why a major mailbox provider is rejecting messages, or why bounce rates are increasing? Mailgun Optimize can provide you with these answers. It's a complete email deliverability suite that helps you stop worrying and start improving.
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Author: The Email on Acid Team
Email on Acid's content team is made up of digital marketers, content creators, and real email geeks. Connect with us on LinkedIn, follow us on Facebook, and tweet @EmailonAcid on Twitter for more great email marketing news and great convos.
Create your very own Auto Publish News/Blog Site and Earn Passive Income in Just 4 Easy Steps
