Staying Clear of Email Blacklisting - Prevention and Cure

E-mails are one of the most common ways of circulating messages and keeping people in a loop that are utilised by brands across the world. When there is a large number of emails that are circulated from a particular IP address or email ID, chances are high that they get marked as spam and then later will be added to the DNSBL (Domain Name System-based Blackhole List) or RBL  - Real-time Blackhole List.

Getting your email ID blacklisted can be a severe setback for a brand's reputation. While email marketing is an extremely successful way of branding, it is important to know where to draw the line to not be marked as spam and later get blacklisted. This article will look at the nitty-gritty of email marketing so as to prevent getting blacklisted. Further, the ways to be out of the blacklist will also be listed.

Types of Email Blacklist
How to Prevent Getting Blacklisted?
How to Get Off the Blacklist

Types of Email Blacklist

Depending on the markers that are used to identify the emails to be blacklisted, there are two categories to identify the spamming source - IP Blacklist and Domain Blacklist.

IP Blacklist

Every server has a unique IP address which defines its location on the internet. If your respective email id is marked as spam or is known to send spam emails or is infected by botnets, it is likely that your IP address will be added to the blacklist

Domain Blacklist

Domain refers to the larger organisation that the email id is a part of. The domain can be inferred from the mail id itself. If the mails sent from these domains are marked as spam based on their history of mail sending, it is likely that all other mails from the same domain will also get blacklisted.

How to Prevent Getting Blacklisted?

Here are a few etiquettes that you need to follow that can ensure that your email does not get blacklisted.

Keep an Eye on the Content

What goes in the title and body of your mail constitutes an important part of the decision that gets you blacklisted. Make sure that your title is representative of the content and not misleading.

Avoid using spam words like “Buy Now” that can unnecessarily get your mail id under the radar. Refrain from using fully capitalised words. It may come off as a way of gaining consumer attention, but it might be identified as a marker for being spam mail.

A clean HTML structure is also an important aspect to look forward to so as to prevent getting blacklisted. The more you use unnecessary links and images, the more are the chances of getting blacklisted.

Avoiding Open Relays

There are numerous free services that allow you to send emails through them without any verification. Using these services can be very risky. Chances are high that your mails might get integrated into the mail behaviour of the spammers who use the same platform. In such situations, without any mistakes from your end, the email id can still get blacklisted. It is always ideal to use services from a reputed service provider.

Stay Clear From Virus and Spambot Infection

If a system gets affected by malware, it can take control of the course of events and do things that are bad for the brand reputation and the server. Since this malware does its work inconspicuously, it might take a while to even recognise the kind of activities that have been going on. Hence, it is important to maintain a clean system. Doing regular anti-malware checkups can be a good way to ensure that you have a clean system.

Maintaining a Clean Mail List

Sending a large number of emails to a large number of people from a single email id or IP address is one of the most common ways that can get you blacklisted. So as to prevent this from happening, maintaining a healthy, efficient mailing list is very important. Keep your list updated. Remove non-active mails regularly. These emails are not only irresponsive but can also be potential spam traps.

Be careful to remove invalid emails that can cause freeway and hard bounces. It can lead to poor brand reputation and eventual mail blacklisting. It is also best to avoid purchasing email ids from third parties in bulk.

Do Not Go For Sudden Surges

Do not increase the number of people you sent emails to suddenly. It can get you blacklisted. Make sure to take the number steadily and gradually. Having a regular pattern of sending emails is also a good practice to prevent blacklisting.

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How to Get Off the Blacklist?

With a high number of emails being sent and engaged with, your mail might probably get blacklisted despite all the precautions that you take. You can find out if your email id or IP address got blacklisted or not by looking for the changes in the regular activities in your mail.

Decreasing delivery rates, an increasing number of dropped mails and bounce rates are usually indicative of blacklisting. You can also check for your domain address and/or IP address in email blacklist directories.

Getting off the blacklist can be difficult, but it is not impossible. The following are a few ways through which you can get your emails de-listed from the blacklist:

• In some cases, especially if it's the first time, chances are high that you might get de-listed after a stipulated time. In such a situation, halt all your mailing activities and resolve the issue that caused the blacklisting. If blacklisting is not a regular occurrence in your mail, you will get de-listed by the respective RBL.
• In case you are using any email service provider, contact them so as to get your mail delisted
• Every blacklisting service provides an option to file a delisting request. Make sure you rectify the issue that got you listed before filing a delisting form.

Conclusion

There is no end to the process of not getting into the blacklist. The prevention of the same is a never-ending process. If you have a well-defined policy that the mails abide by, it will be easier to maintain a good record and help yourself from not being blacklisted. Adhering to only well-crafted emails and doing regular anti-malware checkups can be a great way of staying clear of the hassle that blacklisting can cause.

FAQs

How do I get removed from a blacklist?

Clean up your email lists regularly, Try not to send spam emails, and get in touch with the IP Blacklist Provider to get your email removed from the blacklist.

What causes an email address to be blacklisted?

If a mail has been marked as spam by the user or automatically too many times by a user or users it gets blacklisted.

How do I check if my email is blacklisted?

You can check using blacklist lookup websites to check if your email or domain is blacklisted or not.