How are delist requests processed and spam detected, and why might legitimate inquiries be overlooked?
Summary
What email marketers say9Marketer opinions
Email marketer from SendGrid responds to the question by sharing that filtering mistakes can happen when filters identify legitimate email as unwanted based on content triggers, or if IP addresses are erroneously flagged as spam sources. SendGrid recommends monitoring deliverability metrics, whitelisting, and proper authentication to avoid these issues.
Email marketer from Web Hosting Talk forum says that false positives can be caused by various factors, including aggressive spam filtering rules, incorrect configuration of email servers, and blacklisting. He also recommends that regular monitoring and proactive management of sender reputation are essential.
Email marketer from Litmus explains that improving email deliverability involves several steps including email authentication, managing sender reputation, avoiding spam traps, and engaging subscribers. Overlooking legitimate emails may happen when these factors are not properly addressed.
Email marketer from StackOverflow mentions that legitimate emails can be missed due to factors such as IP address reputation, domain reputation, authentication issues (SPF, DKIM), and content that triggers spam filters. They recommend warming up IP addresses and using dedicated IPs to improve deliverability.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains the process for handling delist requests, noting an automated system processes requests and prioritizes those not immediately qualified for delisting. They also mention overlooking a question within the message due to the volume of spam requests and address the evidence of spam activity associated with the IPs in question, including hits on old spam traps, suggesting the IPs may not be false positives.
Email marketer from EmailOctopus shares that factors influencing deliverability include email list hygiene, spam complaints, and content quality. They also note that automated systems make mistakes, and it’s important to follow best practices like using double opt-in and segmenting lists.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that transactional emails going to spam is not unusual, and often due to lack of engagement with marketing emails, or the server reputation not being fully warmed up. Also it might be flagged due to the content of the email.
Email marketer from GlockApps shares that spam filter algorithms are constantly evolving to detect new spam techniques. Legitimate emails may be mistakenly filtered due to algorithm updates, changes in user behavior, or if they share characteristics with spam emails.
Email marketer from Mailjet answers that delist requests are part of their overall deliverability service and also explains that legitimate emails might get filtered due to poor sender reputation, high spam complaint rates, or problems with email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
What the experts say2Expert opinions
Expert from Spamresource.com explains that spam detection involves various methods, including analyzing message content, sender reputation, and recipient engagement. Legitimate inquiries might be overlooked due to automated processes and the high volume of requests. He says blacklisting is a common result of spam detection, affecting deliverability.
Expert Laura Atkins from Word to the Wise responds by sharing an opinion that list cleaning is important to focus on as part of your email strategy to keep spam levels down. To avoid legitimate emails being marked as spam you should ensure all of your email contacts have confirmed their address and want to recieve mail from you.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from Microsoft shares that Outlook.com uses a variety of factors to filter spam, including sender reputation, content analysis, and user feedback. Legitimate email can be missed due to aggressive filtering, technical issues, or changes in filtering criteria.
Documentation from DMARC.org explains that implementing DMARC helps protect domains from email spoofing and phishing attacks. DMARC authentication results influence whether emails are delivered, and failure to properly configure DMARC can lead to legitimate emails being rejected or filtered as spam.
Documentation from Spamhaus says that it is a real-time threat intelligence that helps filter spam and malicious activity. Getting listed on Spamhaus can severely impact deliverability, and delisting requires following their procedures, which can be complex and time-consuming.
Documentation from Google explains that their spam filters learn from user reports in Gmail. If users mark legitimate email as spam, it can negatively impact your sender reputation and deliverability. Google uses automated systems to detect spam, and provides tools like Postmaster Tools to monitor your sending reputation.
Documentation from RFC Editor explains that the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) standards define the basic framework for email delivery, including the technical specifications for how email servers should handle messages. Compliance with these standards is essential for reliable delivery, and deviations can lead to filtering issues.