How can I re-evaluate a domain's SCL and BCL with Microsoft?

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that they'd be surprised if you can request a reset of SCL and BCL via MSFT Postmaster tickets, indicating the team managing anti-spam inside the inbox seems separate from those managing the frontline (IPs/ASN blocks). They also added that SCL/BCL will only be added after the email is accepted and doesn't reject outright based on high scores, it just gets sent to the spam box depending on the user's settings.

Email marketer from SparkPost answers question and suggest that Monitoring engagement metrics (opens, clicks) and segmenting your audience based on engagement levels. Sending targeted emails to engaged users improves deliverability and prevents your emails from being marked as spam by disengaged recipients. Sending more valuable mail to recipients is key for deliverability.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains joining feedback loops with Microsoft (and other ISPs) to receive reports about user complaints. Analyzing these reports allows you to identify problematic subscribers and remove them from your list, preventing future complaints and improving your sender reputation.

Email marketer from Reddit answers question about IP warming up as an important factor, especially for new sending IPs or domains. Sending low volumes initially and gradually increasing over time helps establish a positive sending history with Microsoft and other ISPs, contributing to better SCL/BCL scores. The user suggests doing this slowly and consistently.

Email marketer from Mailjet suggests implementing best practices for email sending, such as authenticating your domain (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), maintaining clean lists, and providing easy unsubscribe options. Monitor your sending reputation using tools like Microsoft SNDS and JMAP reporting for deliverability insights. Consistent, positive sending behavior is crucial for improved SCL/BCL.

Email marketer from StackExchange responds to the question, mentioning that Microsoft uses a variety of methods to establish BCL (Bulk Complaint Level) which helps determine whether or not a message is wanted. This is largely determined by user complaints, so the best way to improve BCL is to minimise those complaints.

Email marketer from SendGrid explains a blocklist is a real-time database of IP addresses and domains known to send spam. Often, organizations like Spamhaus will flag bad actors and add them to their blocklists, and email service providers (ESPs) and corporate email servers will refer to these lists when receiving incoming mail. If your sending IP appears on one of these blocklists, your emails might be marked as spam or altogether rejected by the recipient’s mail server. SendGrid recommends removing your email domain or IP address from a blocklist by finding which blocklist you are on then follow their instructions.

Email marketer from GlockApps responds to the question about email deliverability by providing the GlockApps deliverability tool that allows you to send test emails to a range of different mailbox providers and test the sender score, as well as review various items related to deliverability.

Email marketer from Postmark answers question and recommends regularly cleaning email lists to remove inactive or invalid email addresses. Sending to bad addresses hurts deliverability and can lead to Microsoft lowering your SCL or BCL score.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that your content heavily influences SCL scores. Using spam trigger words, having poor formatting, or including suspicious links can all increase your SCL. Reviewing and optimizing your email content is important.

Expert from Word to the Wise responds that Microsoft's SmartScreen filter is a learning system that adapts to new threats and user feedback. This means that factors influencing deliverability change over time. Staying up-to-date with best practices and monitoring your sending reputation are vital.

Expert from Word to the Wise answers questions on deliverability and emphasizes that list hygiene is a vital aspect of sending successfully. A clean list of active and engaged subscribers will improve your reputation, thus assisting with SCL and BCL.

Expert from Spam Resource explains that consistent email volume, avoiding sudden spikes, and maintaining a steady sending schedule helps to build trust with ISPs like Microsoft. Gradually increasing volume allows Microsoft's filters to learn your sending patterns and recognize your emails as legitimate.

Documentation from Microsoft Learn explains that sender reputation is based on various signals, including bounce rates, spam complaints, and participation in feedback loops. A low sender reputation can lead to emails being filtered as spam or blocked entirely. While there isn't a direct method to 're-evaluate' your SCL/BCL, improving your sending practices (reducing bounces, addressing complaints) will positively influence your reputation over time.

Documentation from Microsoft answers question and recommends reviewing bounce messages carefully, as they often contain specific information about why an email was rejected. Addressing the issues identified in bounce messages (e.g., invalid recipient, policy violation) can improve your deliverability and help you avoid negative impacts on your SCL/BCL.

Documentation from Microsoft explains that the Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) program can provide data about your sending IP's reputation with Microsoft. Using this data, you can identify potential issues (spam complaints, traps) and take corrective actions to improve your reputation and deliverability.

Documentation from Microsoft explains that Outlook.com has daily sending limits and can also reject your emails if they are determined to be spam, so it is important to monitor for this.

Email documentation from RFC Standard explains DMARC is a Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance and is an email validation system designed to protect email senders and recipients from spam, phishing, and spoofing, by providing a mechanism to allow a sending domain to indicate that their messages are protected by SPF and/or DKIM, and tell a receiver what to do if neither of those authentication methods passes – such as junk or reject the message.