How do I avoid SURBL CT blacklisting for a 100% opt-in list?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Email marketer from HubSpot Blog shares that ensuring consistent sending volume is important. Sudden spikes in email volume can trigger spam filters and lead to blacklisting. Gradually increasing your sending volume helps maintain a positive sender reputation.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that the SURBL CT list has a much lower threshold for listings than other SURBL lists. In their experience, it catches a lot of very average senders, many of which don't show any other indications of permission or data quality problems.
Email marketer from SendPulse Blog shares that maintaining list hygiene is critical. Regularly remove inactive subscribers, those who haven't engaged in a while, to keep your list clean and reduce the risk of hitting spam traps, which often contribute to blacklisting.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum shares that consistently providing value in your emails is key. Engaging content encourages subscribers to interact with your emails, reducing the chances they'll mark your messages as spam or become inactive.
Email marketer from ActiveCampaign Blog explains that implementing a preference center allows subscribers to manage their subscription preferences. This gives them control over the emails they receive and reduces the likelihood of unsubscribes and spam complaints.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that if a 100% opt-in list is hitting traps on a reputable RBL, it's often a stale list. They suggest interrogating the specifics of the mail program and that these people have opted in but haven't been successfully mailed in 12 months.
Email marketer from StackExchange responds that using a reputable email verification service before adding addresses to your list can help remove invalid or risky addresses. This reduces the chance of hitting spam traps and keeps your list clean from the start.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that monitoring bounce rates closely helps identify problematic email addresses. High bounce rates can indicate outdated or invalid addresses, which can attract spam traps and negatively impact your sender reputation.
Email marketer from EmailOctopus Blog responds that segmenting your email list based on engagement allows you to send targeted content to active subscribers. This practice increases engagement rates and reduces the likelihood of low engagement, which can lead to spam complaints and blacklisting.
Email marketer from MailerMailer Blog explains that ensuring your email list is permission-based is crucial. Double opt-in methods where subscribers confirm their subscription are recommended to guarantee genuine interest and reduce the chances of spam complaints.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that in the pre-MPP days, they'd say to stop sending to anyone that hasn't opened in 12 months, at least. These days, they'd stop sending to anyone that hasn't clicked in 12 months, and has been on the list a long time.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that monitoring and maintaining your sender reputation is crucial. This includes checking your IP address and domain against various blacklists regularly and taking immediate action to address any listings. Maintaining a clean sender reputation helps ensure your emails reach the intended recipients and reduces the risk of SURBL CT blacklisting.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that not a lot of RBLs take outside sources, you need to be trusted and SURBL has lots of different methods for identifying problem domains/accounts.
Expert from Word to the Wise responds that implementing a robust complaint feedback loop (FBL) is essential. This allows you to receive notifications when recipients mark your emails as spam. Addressing these complaints promptly by removing the complainants from your list helps maintain list hygiene and prevent further blacklisting issues.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains that using Google Postmaster Tools to monitor your sender reputation provides valuable insights into how Gmail users perceive your emails. Maintaining a good reputation is essential for avoiding spam filters and blacklists.
Documentation from RFC-Editor shares that implementing feedback loops (FBLs) with major ISPs allows you to receive notifications when subscribers mark your emails as spam. This feedback helps you identify and remove problematic addresses from your list.
Documentation from SURBL.org responds that monitoring your domain's reputation is crucial. Use tools to check if your domain is blacklisted and understand the reasons for any listings, allowing you to address the issues promptly.
Documentation from Microsoft responds that adhering to email authentication standards such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial. These protocols verify that your emails are legitimately sent from your domain and can significantly improve deliverability and reduce the risk of blacklisting.
Documentation from Spamhaus explains that understanding spam traps is essential. Spam traps are email addresses used to identify spammers. Avoiding them requires strict adherence to permission-based marketing practices and consistent list maintenance.