These blacklists are relevant Blacklists in email because they seek to reduce the impact of spam in email marketing; they are services that classify certain addresses as “suspicious.”
In general, there are several email marketing practices that are considered spam , for example sending emails to people who have not legitimately subscribed to your contact list or sending emails that are too frequent or contain information that is inappropriate or annoying for the recipients.
Below, we explain how to find out if your domain or IP is on a blacklist and what solutions there are to stop being on blacklists so that this does not affect your email marketing strategy.
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What are blacklists in email marketing?
Blacklists, which can also be called blocklists and blackholes, are databases that list IP addresses or domains that are considered to have carried out practices that are not recommended or that are not entirely legitimate.
Being blacklisted can be the result of sending content that may be classified as dangerous, sending communications to a database of subscribers who do not wish to receive them, or hitting spamtraps , which indicates the acquisition of illegitimate email addresses or lists.
At the moment, it is estimated that there are over 200 blacklisting services , and probably less than a dozen of them are actively used by the various email clients. So, anyone could create a blacklist – after all, it is a database populated with IP addresses and domains.
It is important for you to know that the existence of a blacklist does not mean that it is used globally. The fact of finding your IP address or domainblacklistedThis does not always present a deliverability issue; this will depend on which blacklist you are on and the importance and reputation of that blacklist . The only way a blacklist belize phone number data can cause mailings to be blocked is if an email client deliberately chooses to subscribe to that blacklist.
How antispam filters work
Antispam filters are those that determine what can be considered SPAM and which emails can be filtered or sent to the trash, preventing them japan number list from reaching the inbox . These filters act on the IPs and the domains of the sender or domain used in the links included in the body of the emails sent.
Antispam filters analyze IPs and domains , compare them with blacklists and decide whether to deliver the email or not. If they decide to fanto data deliver it, they will place the email in the spam folder, trash or inbox.
MDirector ‘s Email Marketing software includes a spam test that will help you know if an email could be considered spam or not .
What are the most well-known blacklists?
Blacklists can be created by any Internet user based on their own criteria, but to be relevant they must have a good reputation. Here Blacklists in email we highlight the so-called queen blacklists, which are the most well-known and used :
A.- Spamhaus
Spamhaus is one of the most important lists around the world . If you are listed on it, it will be difficult for your emails to reach the incoming flag , especially with the main email clients (Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.).
B.- Spamcop
Spamcop is another popular one, and if you’ve fallen for it, it means you’ve probably sent emails that have ended up hitting spamtraps.
There are also other blacklist services with great global recognition such as SORBS, Barracuda, SURBL or Proofpoint.
How to know if my email is on a blacklist
By following these steps you can check if you are on a blacklist:
- Many websites indicate whether you are on a blacklist simply by entering your IP address. A recommended option is to use MultiRBL, as it has an extensive list of SPAM lists.
- Check carefully if you receive emails from Internet providers, the CERT or any security institution.
Reasons for being on a blacklist
There are several reasons why you could end up on a blacklist , so it is important to be aware of them in depth so as not to incur in them and to put them aside if you are currently carrying out such actions.
1.- For making large and unwanted shipments
Sending to large numbers of recipients who have already indicated that they do not wish to receive your communications can increase the chance of ending up on a blacklist. Every time users receive a new email, they can report you as spam. This affects your reputation and your ability to deliver.
You should keep in mind that it is not just about sending spam per se. What happens is that if users are not interested in what you send, do not open your communications, block you or directly mark you as spam, the mail servers will detect this activity and you are at risk of being blacklisted in email marketing.
2.- Due to having your account hacked (phishing)
A fairly common reason why you may end up on a blacklist is because you are a victim of phishing. This means that your email account may have been compromised and a hacker has control of it. This hacker sends inappropriate emails that are considered spam, and you may not even know it, even if the emails are sent from your account.
To fix this, if you suspect you’ve been a victim of phishing , it’s important to clean frequently used computers, change passwords, and remove any malware that may be taking control of the account.
3.- Due to changes in spam regulations
ISP security algorithms can change without notice. This factor is beyond our control, but it may be a reason why you find yourself on a blacklist. The idea is to investigate whether there has indeed been a change in regulation and try to correct the actions that are classifying you as spam.
4.- For sending emails with viruses
Sending emails that contain viruses, suspicious links, or scams also increases the likelihood of being blacklisted. Anti-spam filters are very strict in this regard and will evaluate every aspect of the content, including the links and words you are using.
Sending fraudulent or suspicious links, using excessive capitalization, or exaggerating information can qualify you as a spammer.
5.- For sending offensive content
This involves sending inappropriate and obscene content . Examples include pornography, xenophobic, discriminatory, racist or violence-promoting content.
In general, Internet service providers want the web to be a safe space for everyone. Therefore, filters will notice if you send this. Type of content and will rate you accordingly, thus increasing the likelihood of being blacklisted.
Solutions to get off a blacklist in email marketing
MDirector helps you verify the domain’s reputation and check if it is on a blacklist. To do this, we give you several solutions and recommendations that you can follow to get off a blacklist if, unfortunately, you have fallen into one:
A.- Check the reason for the bounces
One of the first steps is to check if the. Reason for your bounces is because you are on a blacklist. If you can’t find any reference in the logs to your bounces, maybe that’s not the reason. In any case, the fact that you are on a blacklist doesn’t mean that they can block your email. Especially if it’s not a major blacklist.
B.- Clean the database
It’s also important to find out what you did to get blacklisted. You’re probably hitting spam trap addresses. What emails did you send to on the day you were blacklisted? That list may lack hygiene and validation. It’s probably time to clean up your database.
For example, if you find. Yourself on a Spamhaus or Spamcop SBL blacklist, it is highly likely that it is due to hitting one of their spam traps. You should definitely perform validation and hygiene of your database before sending to such contacts again.
C.- Remove your domain or IP from the blacklist
Finally, request removal of your domain or IP address from the blacklist after you’ve fixed the problem . Also note that many blacklists work in a way that the directories automatically expire after a set period of time. That is, if the problem is resolved, sometimes there’s no need to make a request to remove a domain or IP from the blacklist.
