What is Email Blacklist and how to avoid it?

One of the worst nightmares for any email marketers is getting their email blacklisted. As it can negatively affect your ability to reach your subscriber’s inbox. With the advancement in technology, the occurrence of fraud has increased, and the ISP (Internet Service Providers) has employed different means to protect their users from spam through spam traps, spam filters, and email blacklists. With all these tools, high engagement and deliverability rates is a tough job for all the professionals. Avoiding the red hand of the email blacklists and the spam filters is not an impossible task if you regularly keep an email blacklist check and update yourself if your email is blacklisted.

Steps to stay away to get blacklisted

Precaution is better than cure. Always consider the following certain guidelines when you draft your email to avoid being blacklisted. The factors that help you avoid blacklists can be categorically divided into three groups:

Subscription List related Factors:

• Build your email list – Never think of renting an email list from the third party as there are chances that it will include email addresses that are forged and spammy. Hence that might hurt the reputation of your IP address. But luckily if you got the list of emails, then always use email validation tool to filter the spammy email addresses. We recommend you to use tool like TheChecker for done this task on auto.
• Provide Double opt-in – Always send a confirmation email to all the new mailing address before you add them to your active mailing lists and set the expectations of email deliverability beforehand to ensure high engagement rates.
• Include an Unsubscribe link: Respect the decision of subscriber when they choose to opt-out. An unsubscribe link should be activated in 30 days from sending the mail. This will ensure that you send email to only those that are interested in receiving it. Also, according to GDPR, it is mandatory to have a unsubscribe link in your email.
• Request your subscribers to add you to their address book: When you are added to the subscriber’s address list, the blacklists and the spam filters get to know that you are a genuine sender.

Technical Factors:

• Monitor email engagement metrics: Always keep track of your engagement metrics. High open rates show that the recipients are reading the content that you share and it assures blacklists that you are not spam.
• Avoid High Bounce rate: Hard bounce rate will be one of the definitive reason of whether you are blacklisted or not. Make sure you use a good domain while sending your email for a low email bounce rate.
• Increase your Open rates: Personalise your emails and add an effective subject line to increase your open rates. Add valuable content and ensure that you follow the guidelines of your Email Service Provider while you draft your email.
• Set up SPF and DKIM: Email authentication is important to ensure the blacklists that any mail sent from your ID is verified and that you are a genuine sender.

Other Factors:

• Avoiding manually sending too many emails at one go: It is manually impossible to send too many emails at once
• Over-Eager follow-ups: Follow-ups are important but until they are done cautiously. Don’t keep on following up from a recipient who has already responded or is not interested in you.