How can I validate a domain for Verizon FBL without using postmaster verification emails?

Summary

The overwhelming consensus is that bypassing `postmaster@` verification for Verizon FBL is extremely difficult, with no guaranteed alternatives. The primary recommended approaches are to accept its necessity and optimize the handling of these verification emails. Double DKIM signing (using the ESP's domain) might offer a workaround in specific cases, depending on ESP support. Requesting verification emails to `abuse@` is a slightly more plausible alternative, though unlikely. For shared IPs, aligning the 'from' domain with the IP owner's domain or using dedicated IPs are important considerations due to Yahoo's (Verizon's) policies. Proactive measures such as proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), monitoring sender reputation, and maintaining clean email lists are crucial for overall deliverability and can help mitigate the need for frequent FBL verifications. Setting up custom DKIM keys and understanding the FBL setup process are essential for managing email deliverability and sender reputation.

Key findings

  • Postmaster Standard: `postmaster@` remains the standard and highly recommended address for domain validation, particularly for FBLs.
  • Limited Alternatives: Direct alternatives to postmaster verification are limited and often dependent on the ESP's capabilities.
  • Double DKIM as Potential Bypass: Double DKIM signing (using the ESP's domain) might bypass postmaster verification in some cases.
  • Abuse@ Consideration: Requesting verification emails to `abuse@` is a slightly more acceptable alternative, though not guaranteed.
  • Shared IP Alignment: For shared IPs, aligning the 'from' domain with the IP owner is crucial due to Yahoo/Verizon policies.
  • Dedicated IPs Advantage: Using dedicated IPs avoids shared IP restrictions and can improve deliverability.
  • Authentication Importance: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for sender verification and overall deliverability.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Actively monitoring sender reputation through tools like Google Postmaster Tools is essential.
  • List Hygiene: Maintaining clean email lists improves deliverability and reduces spam complaints.
  • Feedback Loops Value: FBLs provide direct information about spam complaints, aiding in list cleaning and reputation improvement.
  • Custom DKIM Benefit: Custom DKIM records enhance sender identification and protect sender reputation.

Key considerations

  • Verizon's Strict Policy: Verizon is unlikely to deviate from standard postmaster verification due to security and validation concerns.
  • ESP Dependency: The feasibility of double DKIM signing depends on the ESP's capabilities and implementation.
  • Proactive Deliverability: Implementing strong authentication, monitoring reputation, and practicing list hygiene are crucial for proactive deliverability management.
  • The Cost of Non-Validation: Not validating can lead to competitors potentially hijacking FBLs, harming reputation, and resulting in inaccurate feedback data.
  • Standard Practices: Ultimately its better to adapt to standard email verification practices rather than seeking to change them.

What email marketers say
8Marketer opinions

Several strategies can potentially bypass postmaster verification for Verizon FBL setup, though direct alternatives are limited. Double DKIM signing, using the ESP's domain instead of a custom one, is one option. For shared IPs, aligning the 'from' domain with the IP owner's domain, or using dedicated IPs are suggested. Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for sender verification. Actively monitoring sender reputation through tools like Google Postmaster Tools and maintaining clean email lists by removing unengaged subscribers also helps improve deliverability and reduce spam scores. Using a dedicated IP address can further assist in inbox placement.

Key opinions

  • Double DKIM: Double DKIM signing allows using the ESP's domain for FBL setup, potentially bypassing postmaster verification.
  • IP Alignment: For shared IPs, the 'from' domain must match the domain owning the IP addresses to comply with Yahoo/Verizon requirements.
  • Dedicated IPs: Using dedicated IPs eliminates shared IP restrictions and can improve deliverability.
  • Authentication: Proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is critical for sender verification and improving deliverability.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Actively monitoring sender reputation through tools like Google Postmaster Tools is essential for proactive deliverability management.
  • List Hygiene: Maintaining clean email lists by removing unengaged subscribers helps improve deliverability and reduce spam complaints.
  • Validate Email Addresses: Prevent bounces by validating email addresses before sending.
  • Spam Score Reduction: Using a dedicated IP address can reduce your spam score and improve inbox placement.

Key considerations

  • Yahoo/Verizon Policies: Yahoo (Verizon) policies require alignment between the 'from' domain and IP owner's domain for shared IPs.
  • ESP Limitations: Some ESPs may offer alternatives to postmaster verification, such as double DKIM signing, but this depends on their capabilities.
  • Proactive Management: Implementing authentication, monitoring reputation, and practicing list hygiene are proactive measures to improve deliverability and potentially reduce the need for direct postmaster verification.
  • Email Validation Importance: Preventing bounces through email validation before sending maintains sender reputation.
  • Relevant Content: Sending relevant content will reduce spam complaints.
Marketer view

Email marketer from MailerLite explains that to avoid spam filters use proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).

July 2023 - MailerLite
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus shares some email bounces are unavoidable. However, you can prevent bounces by validating email addresses, sending relevant content and removing unengaged subscribers.

August 2021 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackExchange explains that Yahoo (which Verizon owns) requires that the domain in the 'from' address matches the domain that owns the IP addresses. If you're using shared IPs, you'll have to either use Yahoo's Authentication program or get dedicated IPs

June 2024 - StackExchange
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailGeeks mentions double DKIM signing with their own domain so the FBL is based on that d= rather than custom one, and this is the standard method

March 2024 - EmailGeeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that some of the best ways to improve sender reputation include: Authenticating your email, cleaning up your email lists, and segmenting your audience.

August 2024 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit recommends implementing proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and actively monitoring your sender reputation through tools like Google Postmaster Tools. While not directly avoiding postmaster verification for FBLs, this approach can help proactively manage deliverability issues.

June 2023 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailToolTester recommends to reduce your spam score and land in the inbox use a dedicated IP address.

April 2022 - EmailToolTester
Marketer view

Email marketer from OnlyMarketingJobs shares to ensure your email authentication is properly configured, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, so receivers can verify the email is actually coming from you.

January 2023 - OnlyMarketingJobs

What the experts say
11Expert opinions

The dominant advice centers around the near necessity of using `postmaster@` for Verizon FBL verification. Alternatives are limited and often depend on ESP capabilities. Double DKIM signing with the ESP's domain is presented as one possible bypass. Requesting to send verification emails to `abuse@` is slightly more plausible than other non-standard addresses. Fundamentally, validating the legitimacy and interest in FBLs is crucial to prevent hijacking. Custom DKIM records enhance identification and protect reputation, while feedback loops, though often requiring `postmaster@` validation, offer crucial data on spam complaints for list cleaning and overall reputation improvement. Setting up your own DKIM keys is a good step to avoid problems with shared domains. There is the overall sentiment that while some things are difficult, they exist for a reason and trying to change them might be more effort than its worth, and simply catching the verifications emails is an easier process

Key opinions

  • Postmaster Necessity: `postmaster@` is overwhelmingly the standard and expected address for domain validation, especially for FBLs.
  • Double DKIM: Double DKIM signing (ESP's domain) may bypass postmaster verification in specific cases, subject to ESP support.
  • Abuse@ Alternative: Requesting verification emails to `abuse@` has a small chance of acceptance.
  • FBL Hijacking Prevention: Validation ensures a legitimate interest in receiving FBLs, preventing competitors from hijacking them.
  • Custom DKIM Benefits: Custom DKIM records improve sender identification and protect reputation.
  • FBL Importance: Feedback loops are crucial for gathering spam complaint data and improving sender reputation.
  • DKIM Keys: Setting up your own DKIM keys is a good step to avoid problems with shared domains.

Key considerations

  • Verizon's Reluctance: Verizon is unlikely to deviate from standard `postmaster@` verification due to security and validation concerns.
  • ESP Dependency: Alternatives like double DKIM signing depend on the ESP's capabilities and implementation.
  • Process Improvement: The consensus is to accept the necessity of postmaster verification and to find improvements to catch the emails.
  • Reputation Impact: Failure to validate correctly can have consequences such as competitors gaining access to FBLs, causing inaccurate data.
  • Custom DKIM: Is custom DKIM necessary for a modern sender.
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks says that you might reasonably ask whether they could send mail to abuse@ as well as postmaster@, but asking for anything more than that isn't going to fly.

March 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks believes putting in a way to catch the postmaster verification emails is better than trying to invent new ways to verify domains, since many places use postmaster for verification.

December 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spamresource.com recommends setting up FBLs as they give you direct information about users who are marking your mail as spam, so you can remove them from your list. This will help improve your overall reputation.

November 2022 - Spamresource.com
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks recommends custom DKIM d= whenever possible because anything that makes it easier for the ISPs and filters to identify this mail is you and not someone else.

June 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that setting up your own DKIM keys avoids the problems shared domains can cause. Using custom DKIM records help providers identify that emails come from you.

January 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks clarifies it’s not just COI as much as it is verifying a legitimate interest in getting FBLs and warns you do not want competitors hijacking your FBL.

March 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that to validate the group that handles mail for a domain, the main method has always been sending a mail to postmaster@thedomain with a magic cookie in it.

June 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that Acoustic likely uses double DKIM signing with their own domain and the FBL is based on that d= not a custom one, and this is the standard method.

August 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that a customer DKIM signature carries the customer's reputation and allows it to move from one ESP to another. The ESP DKIM signature makes setting up FBLs easier but has the concern of smearing reputation.

November 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spamresource.com explains that feedback loops (FBLs) are a mechanism by which an ISP forwards a copy of spam complaints from their users to the sender. To set up a feedback loop you will need to validate your identity to the ISP, a common method is to reply to a validation email sent to postmaster@yourdomain.com.

December 2021 - Spamresource.com
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks states it’s very unlikely Verizon will send verification emails to a different domain as it prevents competitors from hijacking the FBL. She adds postmaster is a standard email address every sending domain should have.

March 2022 - Email Geeks

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

The documentation emphasizes the importance of understanding the general FBL setup process, including providing necessary information like IP addresses. While not directly bypassing postmaster verification for Verizon FBL, the documentation stresses the importance of DMARC, SPF, and DKIM. These are essential protocols for authenticating your emails. FBLs from ISPs offer insights into spam complaints, which can improve deliverability, and FBLs are a key part of deliverability, even if they do need the `postmaster@` email.

Key findings

  • FBL Setup Info: Verizon's FBL setup involves submitting specific details (IP addresses, contact information).
  • DMARC Reporting: DMARC provides reports on email authentication results, aiding in deliverability troubleshooting.
  • Authentication Protocols: To ensure Gmail delivers your messages you have to authenticate your email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
  • ISP FBL Insights: Subscribing to ISP FBLs offers insights into spam complaints, crucial for enhancing deliverability.

Key considerations

  • Indirect Approach: Documentation focuses on understanding FBL processes and using authentication protocols to indirectly improve deliverability.
  • Contextual Understanding: Understanding the general setup process of the FBLs helps, even though postmaster verification might still be needed.
  • Limited Direct Bypassing: Documentation doesn't offer direct solutions to bypass the postmaster verification process for Verizon FBL.
Technical article

Documentation from SparkPost explains feedback loops. This involves subscribing to FBLs offered by ISPs, which can provide insights into spam complaints and help improve deliverability. The setup process typically involves verification, but the specifics vary by ISP.

November 2023 - SparkPost
Technical article

Documentation from Verizon Media Postmaster explains that the setup for their Feedback Loop (FBL) involves sending a request with specific information, including IP addresses and contact details, to initiate the process. While it doesn't directly address avoiding postmaster verification, understanding their general FBL setup process provides context.

March 2024 - Verizon Media Postmaster
Technical article

Documentation from Gmail explains that to ensure Gmail delivers your messages, authenticate your email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.

July 2022 - Google Postmaster Tools
Technical article

Documentation from RFC explains that DMARC allows domain owners to receive reports about email authentication results, which can indirectly help in identifying and addressing deliverability issues without direct postmaster interaction.

February 2024 - RFC