How do top-level domains (TLDs) impact email deliverability and spam filtering?

Summary

The choice of top-level domain (TLD) has a significant impact on email deliverability and spam filtering due to its association with sender reputation. While TLDs themselves may not directly impact deliverability, their reputation can influence how email providers and spam filters treat incoming mail. Using less common, free, or new TLDs increases the risk of being flagged as spam due to their association with malicious activities. A positive sender reputation, using reputable TLDs, and proactive monitoring are crucial for successful email campaigns. Furthermore, following DNS practices helps prevent abuse, choosing appropriate TLDs during IP warm-up is vital, and overcoming deliverability challenges with new TLDs requires adhering to best practices. Ultimately, a TLD's reputation is a key component of overall email deliverability.

Key findings

  • Reputation Matters: A TLD's reputation plays a crucial role; those associated with spam negatively impact deliverability.
  • Filter Influence: Spam filters use TLDs as one factor to identify and filter spam.
  • Sender Score Impact: TLDs contribute to the sender score, which influences how mailbox providers view the sender.
  • New TLD Challenges: New TLDs may initially face deliverability issues due to lacking a well-established reputation.
  • Free TLDs Risk: Using free TLDs can severely damage inbox placement rates.
  • Abuse Impacts Delivery: TLD abuse can severely damage email deliverability.

Key considerations

  • Choose Wisely: Select reputable, well-established TLDs to build trust with mailbox providers.
  • Monitor Reputation: Continuously monitor your domain's reputation to ensure high deliverability rates.
  • IP Warmup Strategy: When warming up a new IP, use reputable TLDs to establish a strong sending reputation from the start.
  • Sending Practices: Follow email sending best practices to overcome deliverability challenges, especially with new TLDs.
  • Prevent Abuse: Adhere to DNS practices to reduce the chances of TLD abuse negatively impacting delivery.
  • Stay Informed: Monitor TLDs for malicious activities and adapt practices accordingly.

What email marketers say
9Marketer opinions

The choice of top-level domain (TLD) significantly impacts email deliverability and spam filtering. While TLDs themselves may not directly cause deliverability issues, their associated reputation greatly influences how email providers and spam filters treat incoming mail. Less common, free, or new TLDs are often linked to spam activity, leading to increased scrutiny and potentially lower deliverability rates. Maintaining a good sender reputation, choosing reputable TLDs, and being aware of how TLDs contribute to overall sender scores are critical for successful email marketing campaigns.

Key opinions

  • Reputation Matters: The reputation associated with a TLD influences deliverability. TLDs with a history of spam are more likely to be flagged.
  • Sender Score Impact: TLDs contribute to the overall sender score, affecting how mailbox providers view the sender's credibility.
  • New TLD Challenges: New TLDs may face initial deliverability challenges due to a lack of established reputation.
  • Free TLDs: Free TLDs can significantly damage your ability to reach the inbox.

Key considerations

  • Choose Wisely: Select well-established and reputable TLDs to build trust with mailbox providers.
  • Monitor Reputation: Regularly monitor your domain's reputation to ensure good deliverability.
  • IP Warmup: When warming up a new IP address, prioritize using a reputable TLD to establish a positive sending reputation from the start.
  • Sending Practices: Follow best practices for email sending to overcome any initial deliverability hurdles associated with new TLDs.
Marketer view

Email marketer from GMass explains that using a free domain TLD will damage your ability to get into the inbox.

April 2021 - GMass
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit mentions that some providers flag emails from .XYZ domains due to their low cost and association with spam, so deliverability can suffer.

July 2022 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from StackOverflow states that new TLDs can sometimes face initial deliverability challenges as they lack a long-established reputation, but with good sending practices, these challenges can be overcome.

March 2022 - StackOverflow
Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog shares that while TLDs themselves don't directly impact deliverability, the reputation associated with them does. Spam filters may be more suspicious of emails from less common or free TLDs due to their association with spam activity.

February 2023 - Neil Patel's Blog
Marketer view

Email marketer from EmailVendorForum.com explains that some spam filters are configured to assign higher spam scores to emails originating from certain TLDs known for high spam volume. This can impact deliverability even if the email is legitimate.

March 2023 - EmailVendorForum.com
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that sender reputation is key and your domain, including the TLD, is a part of that. They suggest using reputable TLDs and monitoring your domain's reputation to ensure good deliverability.

July 2022 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from DeliverabilityConsultants.com shares that while the TLD is one factor, it contributes to your overall sender score. Lower scores make your emails more likely to land in spam.

February 2022 - DeliverabilityConsultants.com
Marketer view

Email marketer from SendGrid suggests that when warming up a new IP address, choosing a reputable TLD is important to building a positive sending reputation.

May 2022 - SendGrid
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus shares that using a well-established and reputable domain, including the TLD, helps build trust with mailbox providers and improves deliverability.

April 2023 - Litmus

What the experts say
4Expert opinions

The choice of top-level domain (TLD) significantly influences email deliverability because spam filters correlate TLDs with spam activity. Cheap, unusual, or TLDs with a history of misuse by spammers are more likely to be flagged, which negatively impacts deliverability. This creates a cycle where wary mailers avoid these TLDs, further strengthening the negative correlation. Choosing a TLD not associated with spam can improve deliverability.

Key opinions

  • TLD Correlation with Spam: Spam filters use TLDs as a factor in identifying and filtering spam.
  • Reputation Impact: A TLD's reputation, based on its association with spam, directly affects email deliverability.
  • Cyclical Effect: Spammer use leads to filtering, which causes legitimate mailers to avoid, reinforcing the spam association.

Key considerations

  • Choose Reputable TLDs: Select TLDs with good reputations and avoid those known for spam activity.
  • Monitor TLD Associations: Stay informed about which TLDs are currently being targeted by spammers.
  • Avoid Problematic TLDs: Avoid using TLDs known to be frequently used for spam, such as .tk or .biz (though filters are improving).
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks explains that if a top-level domain (TLD) correlates with spam, it will be used by spam filters. Cheap or unusual TLDs are often used for throwaway domains by spammers, making sending mail from them a bad idea. While it was once recommended to avoid new TLDs for email and use a .com instead, filter vendors have improved, but concerns remain. He doesn’t recall getting legitimate mail from .biz

November 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that TLDs can influence how spam filters treat your email. Choosing a TLD that's not associated with spam can improve deliverability.

June 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks shares that there's a cycle where spammers use a TLD, causing spam filters to become wary, legitimate mailers avoid it, and the correlation between the TLD and spam strengthens. He references an article on why to avoid .biz in emails and notes that while filter vendors have improved, it's still a concern. Advises to never send mail from .tk.

February 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that the TLD's reputation plays a role in email deliverability. TLDs with a history of being used by spammers are more likely to be flagged by spam filters, negatively impacting deliverability.

July 2024 - Spam Resource

What the documentation says
4Technical articles

Email deliverability is influenced by a domain's reputation, including its TLD. Official documentation suggests that TLD abuse can severely damage deliverability, and it's best practice to use a reputable TLD, as domains with a history of abuse are more likely to be blocked. There are tools available to track TLDs commonly used for malicious behavior.

Key findings

  • Domain Reputation Matters: A domain's reputation, encompassing the TLD, is a significant factor in email deliverability.
  • Abuse Impacts Deliverability: TLD abuse can severely damage email deliverability.
  • TLD Blocking: Domains with a history of abuse, related to their TLD, are more likely to be blocked.
  • Tracking Available: Tools exist to track TLDs commonly associated with malicious behavior.

Key considerations

  • Choose Reputable TLDs: Use a reputable domain and TLD to improve email deliverability.
  • Prevent Abuse: Adhere to recommended DNS practices to prevent TLD abuse.
  • Monitor TLD Usage: Use available tools to track and monitor TLDs being used for malicious activities.
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft Support recommends using a reputable domain and TLD as a best practice for improving email deliverability, as domains with a history of abuse are more likely to be blocked.

September 2023 - Microsoft Support
Technical article

Documentation from Spamhaus has tools to track bad domains and which may affect deliverability by checking which TLDs are being used most commonly for malicious behaviour.

January 2024 - Spamhaus
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that a domain's reputation, which includes the TLD, is a factor in email deliverability. Domains with a history of spam or low engagement are more likely to be filtered.

August 2021 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article

Documentation from RFC Editor defines recommended practices of DNS that prevent abuse. Abuse of TLD can severely damage email deliverability.

August 2021 - RFC-Editor.org