How can I restore my domain reputation after sending outreach emails that landed in junk folders?

Summary

Restoring domain reputation after outreach emails land in junk folders is a multifaceted process that requires both immediate and long-term strategies. The first crucial step is to halt any ongoing campaigns contributing to the problem and prevent future spam-like activities. Identifying and addressing the root causes of deliverability issues, such as high bounce rates or spam complaints, is paramount. This involves meticulous email list cleaning, which includes removing invalid, bounced, and unengaged addresses. Implementing proper email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential to verify email legitimacy and prevent spoofing. Gradually warming up IP addresses by incrementally increasing sending volume to engaged users helps establish a positive sender reputation. Proactive monitoring of sender reputation through tools like Google Postmaster Tools, Microsoft SNDS, and monitoring blocklists is also vital. Setting up and closely monitoring feedback loops (FBLs) to address spam complaints efficiently minimizes damage. Furthermore, refining outreach strategies to focus on opt-in subscribers and delivering valuable, solicited content is key to long-term success.

Key findings

  • Immediate Halt to Problematic Campaigns: Stopping any current campaigns causing deliverability issues is crucial to prevent further damage.
  • Identify and Rectify Root Causes: Pinpointing the reasons behind deliverability problems, such as spam complaints and high bounce rates, is essential for effective solutions.
  • Rigorous Email List Cleaning: Removing invalid, bounced, and unengaged addresses significantly improves sender reputation and deliverability.
  • Email Authentication Implementation: Setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC helps verify email legitimacy, preventing spoofing and phishing attacks.
  • IP Address Warming Strategy: Gradually increasing sending volume builds a positive reputation, especially for new IP addresses.
  • Proactive Reputation Monitoring: Using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS aids in spotting and addressing potential deliverability issues early.
  • Feedback Loop Management: Establishing and actively monitoring feedback loops allows prompt resolution of spam complaints.
  • Engagement-Focused Content: Creating relevant and valuable content is key to increase email engagement, leading to better deliverability.

Key considerations

  • Strategic Campaign Approach: Shift from unsolicited mass emails to a consent-based model with opted-in subscribers for better results.
  • Content Value Assessment: Before sending, assess whether emails provide genuine value and are relevant to the recipients.
  • Rejection Message Analysis: Analyzing rejection messages can reveal reasons for deliverability issues, guiding optimization efforts.
  • Subscriber Consent: Ensure you have proper consent from recipients before sending them emails to comply with regulations and avoid spam complaints.
  • Tool Utilization: Leverage deliverability monitoring tools to identify issues and track progress of reputation restoration efforts.
  • Deliverability Variability: Junk folder placement at consumer mailbox providers can be recipient-specific, so consider this when diagnosing issues.
  • Potential Technical Complexities: Configuring SPF, DKIM, and DMARC requires technical expertise and meticulous attention to detail.
  • ISP Differences: Remember that different ISPs might have varying spam filtering criteria and thresholds.

What email marketers say
10Marketer opinions

Restoring domain reputation after outreach emails land in junk folders involves several key steps. First, identify and fix the underlying issues causing the deliverability problems, such as high bounce rates or spam complaints. This includes cleaning email lists, improving content relevance, and properly authenticating emails (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Implement IP warming strategies by gradually increasing sending volume to engaged users. Monitor domain blacklists and request delisting if necessary. Use tools to track deliverability and feedback loops to address spam complaints. Adjust outreach campaign strategies to focus on opt-in subscribers and sending valuable, solicited content.

Key opinions

  • Identify and Fix Issues: Pinpoint the root causes of deliverability problems, such as spam complaints, high bounce rates, or blacklisting.
  • List Hygiene: Clean email lists by removing invalid, bounced, and unengaged addresses to improve deliverability and sender reputation.
  • Email Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify email legitimacy and prevent spoofing.
  • IP Warming: Gradually increase sending volume to establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs, starting with engaged users.
  • Monitor Blacklists: Regularly check if your domain is blacklisted and follow delisting procedures if found.
  • Engagement Matters: Focus on increasing email engagement (opens, clicks) by sending relevant, valuable content to subscribers.
  • Feedback Loops: Monitor feedback loops (FBLs) for spam complaints and address the issues causing them.

Key considerations

  • Outreach Approach: Avoid sending unsolicited emails to large lists. Focus on building opt-in subscribers and sending valuable, solicited content.
  • Content Relevance: Ensure emails offer value and are relevant to the recipients' interests to encourage engagement and reduce spam complaints.
  • New IP Warmup: If using a new IP address, implement a warm-up schedule to gradually increase sending volume and establish a positive reputation.
  • Tooling and Monitoring: Use deliverability monitoring tools to identify and address issues affecting inbox placement.
  • Proactive Approach: Regularly review and optimize sending practices to maintain a positive sender reputation.
Marketer view

Email marketer from SendGrid explains that gradually increasing your sending volume over time (IP warming) can help establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs. Start with small batches of highly engaged users and gradually increase the volume as your reputation improves.

September 2024 - SendGrid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel explains that the first step in repairing a sender reputation is to identify and fix the problems that caused the reputation damage in the first place, such as spam complaints or high bounce rates. He recommends cleaning your email list, improving email content, and authenticating your email.

December 2023 - Neil Patel
Marketer view

Email marketer from GMass recommends checking feedback loops (FBLs) to monitor spam complaints from users. If you receive a high number of spam complaints, take steps to address the issues that are causing them.

September 2021 - GMass
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit explains that you should check if your domain is blacklisted on any major DNSBLs (DNS Blacklists). If you find your domain on a blacklist, follow the delisting process for each list to request removal.

September 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from GlockApps shares creating a warm-up schedule is necessary, if you are using a new IP address. Don't start with blasting lots of emails. Focus on engaged users and slowly build the volume over time to show the mailbox providers you are not a spammer.

January 2024 - GlockApps
Marketer view

Email marketer from Woodpecker suggests to only send email to people that will find them useful. Before you send, ask yourself: is the email offering value? Is the user going to want to engage with what you're sending? If the answer to both of these is yes then your email reputation is likely to improve as you're not sending spam.

August 2021 - Woodpecker
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus shares about using tools and services to monitor your email deliverability. This can help you identify any issues that are affecting your ability to reach the inbox, such as blacklisting, spam filtering, or authentication problems.

February 2022 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailchimp shares that increasing email engagement (opens, clicks) signals to ISPs that your emails are wanted. Focus on sending relevant, valuable content to your subscribers. Also recommends segmenting your audience and personalizing your messages to improve engagement rates.

January 2025 - Mailchimp
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that the problem might be the nature of your outreach campaign. Sending unsolicited emails to a large number of recipients can trigger spam filters and damage your sender reputation. Instead, focus on building a list of subscribers who have opted in to receive your emails.

September 2023 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Email marketer from ZeroBounce shares the importance of removing invalid email addresses from your list. Cleaning your email list and removing invalid addresses will reduce bounce rates.

January 2025 - ZeroBounce

What the experts say
9Expert opinions

Restoring a domain reputation after outreach emails land in junk folders involves several key steps. The immediate action is to cease any current campaigns that are causing the issue and prevent future campaigns that could be considered spam. Focus on rebuilding reputation by sending emails to engaged users who want to receive them. Assess sending practices, infrastructure, and content, and correct any problems. Cleaning up the email list by removing unengaged subscribers, authenticating emails using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and ensuring content relevance are important. It's important to monitor sender reputation proactively using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS, and pay attention to blocklist listings and feedback loops. Monitoring feedback loops from ISPs is crucial, addressing complaints promptly to minimize damage. Ensure your list contains only valid emails and clean it regularly, removing bounced, invalid, and unengaged addresses.

Key opinions

  • Stop Spamming: Immediately cease any current campaigns causing deliverability issues and avoid future spam-like activities.
  • Engaged Users: Focus on sending emails that people want to receive, starting with engaged users, to rebuild reputation.
  • Assess Sending Practices: Critically evaluate the list, infrastructure, and content to pinpoint and resolve underlying deliverability issues.
  • Clean Email List: Remove unengaged subscribers, invalid addresses, and bounced emails to improve sender reputation.
  • Authenticate Email: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify email legitimacy and enhance deliverability.
  • Proactive Monitoring: Continuously monitor sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS.
  • Feedback Loops: Set up and actively monitor feedback loops from ISPs to promptly address complaints.

Key considerations

  • Address Validation: Ensure that emails are sent to valid addresses only to minimize bounce rates and improve reputation.
  • Engagement Metrics: Pay attention to engagement metrics like open rates and click-through rates to gauge the effectiveness of email campaigns.
  • Rejection Messages: Examine rejection messages received to understand reasons for deliverability issues, especially those from Microsoft.
  • ISP-Specific Junking: Recognize that junk folder placement can be specific to recipients and not always a broader domain issue.
  • Potential Coincidence: Consider that deliverability issues might be coincidental, especially if recipients are not primarily using Outlook or Hotmail addresses.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks notes that if mail goes to the junk folder, it's important to know more about how it's known, as junk foldering at consumer mailbox providers is often somewhat specific to the recipient, rather than a broader decision.

August 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks states that spam ending up in the spam folder suggests everything is working correctly.

April 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks asks if potential investors were on Outlook/Hotmail addresses and suggests that if not, it’s probably a coincidence.

July 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks advises to stop the current spam campaign, avoid starting another one, and gradually rebuild reputation by sending email people want to receive, starting with engaged users.

August 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks recommends checking rejection messages (starting with a 4 or 5) to understand why Microsoft dislikes the email and suggests contacting the ESP support team if the messages aren't available through the ESP interface.

August 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spamresource explains you should set up and monitor feedback loops from ISPs. By dealing with the complaints it will minimise the damage of the complaint.

May 2022 - Spamresource
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise responds that proactive monitoring of sender reputation is key. Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS to track your reputation and identify potential issues before they impact deliverability. Also, pay attention to blocklist listings and feedback loops.

March 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Spamresource explains that ensuring your list only contains valid emails is important. They respond by saying regularly clean your list by removing bounced, invalid, and unengaged email addresses to improve your sender reputation and deliverability rates.

September 2023 - Spamresource
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that cleaning up sending practices is important. Assess the list, sending infrastructure, and content to identify and resolve the issues causing deliverability problems. This often involves removing unengaged subscribers, authenticating email, and improving content relevance.

October 2024 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

To restore domain reputation, technical documentation emphasizes the importance of email authentication and monitoring. Specifically, using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for verifying that emails originate from authorized servers and are not spoofed. Maintaining a low spam complaint rate is also essential. Microsoft's SNDS program is recommended for monitoring IP reputation and addressing deliverability issues to Outlook.com. Implementing DMARC provides instructions to receiving mail servers on how to handle emails that fail authentication, further preventing spoofing and phishing.

Key findings

  • Email Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are critical for verifying email legitimacy and preventing spoofing.
  • Spam Complaint Rate: Maintaining a low spam complaint rate is essential for a positive domain reputation.
  • IP Reputation Monitoring: Use tools like Microsoft SNDS to monitor IP reputation and identify deliverability issues.
  • DMARC Implementation: DMARC provides instructions to receiving servers for handling emails failing authentication.

Key considerations

  • Technical Expertise: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC requires technical knowledge to configure DNS records correctly.
  • Monitoring Tools: Regularly monitor the data provided by tools like Microsoft SNDS to identify and address deliverability problems promptly.
  • Policy Enforcement: Consider the impact of DMARC policies on email delivery. A strict policy (reject/quarantine) can prevent spoofed emails but may also block legitimate emails if authentication is not properly configured.
  • Domain Control: You need administrative access to your domain's DNS records to set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
Technical article

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help advises to authenticate your email using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. This helps receiving mail servers verify that the email is actually from your domain and not a spammer. They also note maintaining a low spam complaint rate is critical.

June 2022 - Google Postmaster Tools Help
Technical article

Documentation from DMARC.org explains implementing DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) records to provide instructions to receiving mail servers on how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM authentication. This can help prevent email spoofing and phishing attacks.

February 2025 - DMARC.org
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft explains about using the Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) program to monitor your IP reputation and spam complaint rates. You can use this data to identify and address any issues that are affecting your deliverability to Outlook.com users.

January 2023 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from RFC explains how to configure SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records for your domain. This allows you to specify which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain, preventing spammers from forging your email address.

July 2024 - RFC