How do SURBL listings affect Gmail deliverability and inbox placement?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from SendPulse explains that being listed on an RBL (which includes SURBLs) can hurt sender reputation and email deliverability. They share that email providers like Gmail use these lists to identify and filter spam.
Email marketer from StackExchange states that SURBLs are used by some (but not all) email providers to help determine if an email is spam. If your domain is listed, your emails are more likely to be marked as spam or blocked entirely, thus affecting deliverability.
Marketer from Email Geeks states that they have seen lots of cases where minor blacklistings coincide with Gmail bulking and that Gmail picks up on the same sort of behavior that causes the blacklistings.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains the difference between providers using a list to send to spam/block and using a list as *one* data point in a constellation of data points which, taken as a whole, they use to make their delivery determinations. They agree that it's most likely that the practices/issues that got the sender listed on SURBL are the issue, not the listing itself, but it's certainly a data point.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that SURBL listings can negatively impact email deliverability. Being listed on a SURBL indicates that your domain or IP address has been associated with spam or malicious activity, which can lead to emails being blocked or sent to spam folders by email providers like Gmail.
Email marketer from Postmark explains that blacklists (including SURBLs) flag IP addresses and domains known for sending spam. They further explain that being listed on a major blacklist can lead to a significant drop in deliverability, with emails being blocked or sent to the spam folder.
Email marketer from Litmus explains that inbox placement is a crucial metric, and SURBL listings can negatively impact it. Litmus shares that being listed on a SURBL can result in emails being filtered as spam, leading to lower open rates and decreased engagement.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that they experienced a significant drop in email deliverability to Gmail after their domain was listed on a SURBL. After delisting, deliverability returned to normal, suggesting a direct correlation.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares their experience of a SURBL listing immediately affecting inbox placement in Gmail. They got delisted, and everything returned to normal.
Email marketer from EmailToolTester responds that SURBL listings identify domains that appear in spam and can be used by mailbox providers in determining which emails to block or send to the spam folder.
Email marketer from GlockApps explains that RBLs like SURBLs are used by ISPs and email providers (like Gmail) to help identify sources of spam. GlockApps shares that if your IP or domain is on a SURBL, your emails are less likely to reach the inbox.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum mentions that being on a SURBL can be a significant factor in Gmail's decision to filter emails, especially if other negative signals are present. They recommend monitoring your domain's reputation and promptly addressing any listings.
What the experts say2Expert opinions
Expert from Spamresource shares that a URL showing up in spam can lead to being listed in a URI DNSBL (SURBL). They explain that this can have negative consequences for email deliverability, causing messages containing the URL to be blocked or sent to the spam folder.
Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) discusses that landing on blocking lists is harmful to deliverability. The more lists that block you, the less mail gets delivered to the inbox.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from MultiRBL shares that being listed on a SURBL indicates that your website has been linked to spam. This can significantly harm your email deliverability, as email providers may block or filter emails containing links to listed websites.
Documentation from URIBL shares that its URI Block Lists can impact email deliverability. It states URIBLs are used to identify spam, phishing, malware, and other abusive content. Email marked with a URIBL hit may be dropped or sent to the junk folder.
Documentation from BarracudaCentral explains that if you're on the Barracuda Reputation Block List (BRBL) or other similar lists, your email may be blocked or sent to the spam folder by email providers using the BRBL. This highlights the potential impact of blocklists on deliverability.
Documentation from Spamhaus explains that SURBLs (Spamhaus URI Realtime Blocklist) are lists of websites that have appeared in spam messages. Email providers use these lists to filter out unwanted emails, and a listing can result in reduced deliverability to Gmail and other providers.