How can I recover my domain's reputation after a spam attack blocked it on Gmail?
Summary
What email marketers say13Marketer opinions
Email marketer from StackExchange suggests getting your domain whitelisted, if possible, by major email providers. They explain whitelisting will assure email providers that your email is from a trusted source and help restore your domain’s reputation.
Email marketer from SendPulse recommends cleaning the email list to remove inactive or unengaged subscribers and gradually warming up the IP address by slowly increasing sending volume to rebuild trust with Gmail after a spam incident.
Email marketer from Mailjet suggests encouraging recipients to mark emails as 'not spam,' adding the sender to their address book, and actively engaging with the content, to positively influence sender reputation and recover from deliverability issues following a spam attack.
Email marketer from HubSpot suggests segmenting your audience and sending more targeted emails to increase engagement and reduce spam complaints. They explain better engagement can improve your sender reputation in the long run.
Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests using Google's bulk sender escalation form, but notes that rebuilding trust may yield better results. He says that while Google seldom acts on the form, it's worth trying if there is a legitimate case. He also advises setting up Google Postmaster Tools to monitor reputation changes.
Email marketer from Campaign Monitor emphasizes the importance of gaining explicit permission from subscribers before sending emails, as sending unsolicited emails can lead to spam complaints and damage sender reputation, especially crucial after a security breach.
Email marketer from the Email Marketing Forum explains that the best approach is to migrate all sending to a brand new IP address and set up email correctly. The new IP should be warmed up slowly, and old IP retired.
Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests rebuilding trust by re-warming up the domain, starting slowly to prove its reputation.
Email marketer from Email Geeks suggests restricting the target audience to recent clickers for a couple of weeks, and encouraging contacts to reply or add the sender's address to their address books.
Email marketer from Litmus advises closely monitoring email deliverability metrics like bounce rates, spam complaints, and placement rates to identify and address any issues promptly, allowing for faster recovery from a spam attack's repercussions.
Email marketer from Reddit suggests checking if your domain or IP is on any email blacklists and taking steps to get removed. They explain this is a common result of spam attacks and it is essential to your recovery.
Email marketer from Email on Acid advocates maintaining a consistent sending schedule and volume, avoiding sudden spikes that can trigger spam filters and negatively impact sender reputation, especially after a security breach.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog advises consistently sending valuable content to engaged subscribers, removing inactive subscribers from the list, and authenticating emails using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve sender reputation and recover from a spam attack's impact.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that a strong reputation management strategy is crucial, emphasizing consistent, positive sending behavior to rebuild trust. This may include working with reputation monitoring services and proactively addressing issues before they escalate, demonstrating a commitment to responsible email practices.
Expert from SpamResource explains that after fixing the vulnerability that allowed a spam attack, closely monitoring outbound email volume is essential. Sudden drops or spikes can indicate ongoing issues or new compromises, requiring immediate investigation and corrective action to protect your reputation.
Expert from Email Geeks shares her experience with similar incidents where an SPF record was abused. She explains that reputation recovered quickly after the offending messages no longer passed SPF. She recommends filling out Google's form, mentioning "SPF upgrade attack" and "fixed SPF record" to help reset the reputation, while advising a knowledgeable third party to verify the record first.
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that engaging with postmasters is critical for resolving deliverability issues and understanding specific reasons for reputation damage following a spam attack. Clear communication and willingness to address concerns can facilitate the restoration of trust and improved email delivery.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Microsoft explains the Junk Email Reporting Program (JMRP) allows participating users to report unwanted email, providing senders with feedback to improve their email practices and potentially restore their reputation after a spam attack. This primarily impacts deliverability to Microsoft email services.
Documentation from SparkPost recommends utilizing feedback loops (FBLs) offered by ISPs to identify and remove subscribers who are marking emails as spam, helping to clean the email list and improve sender reputation following a spam attack.
Documentation from DMARC.org stresses implementing a strict DMARC policy (p=reject or p=quarantine) after ensuring proper SPF and DKIM setup, as a powerful tool to protect the domain from spoofing and phishing attempts, which ultimately helps in rebuilding trust and preventing future spam attacks.
Documentation from Google Support emphasizes adhering to Gmail's bulk sending guidelines, including authenticating emails, avoiding spam triggers, and providing easy unsubscribe options, as crucial steps to restore a domain's reputation after being blocked due to a spam attack.