How should an ESP handle Spamhaus blocking complete IP ranges with legitimate email?

Email marketer from Email Deliverability Blog advocates for implementing and actively monitoring feedback loops (FBLs). FBLs provide valuable insights into spam complaints, allowing ESPs to identify and address problematic senders or content quickly, thus preventing further reputation damage and potential blocklistings.

Email marketer from EmailGeeks warns against trying to circumvent the standard delisting process by contacting Spamhaus directly. They recommend working with the standard forms, as it's the most effective and scalable approach.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum emphasizes the importance of clear communication with clients about potential deliverability issues and blocklistings. She recommends providing clients with guidance on best practices to improve their sending reputation and avoid future problems.

Marketer from Email Geeks shares his experience with Spamhaus SBL listings, advising to use the form and be clear about problematic IPs, and ask for assistance. He explains the importance of communicating with Spamhaus, internal stakeholders, impacted clients, and the problem client.

Email marketer from Email Deliverability Solutions advises ESPs to work with their clients to make sure their sending IPs and domains are properly whitelisted by major ISPs and mailbox providers. Whitelisting can improve deliverability by establishing trust between the sender and the receiver.

Email marketer from Reddit recommends segmenting IP addresses based on sending volume and sender reputation. This helps isolate problems to specific IP ranges and prevents issues from affecting the entire ESP infrastructure, making it easier to address Spamhaus listings.

Email marketer from Email List Validation Service emphasizes that poor list hygiene (e.g., sending to old, unengaged, or invalid email addresses) can significantly damage sender reputation and increase the likelihood of being blocklisted. They recommend regular list cleaning and validation to remove problematic email addresses.

Email marketer from Stack Overflow advises on proactive reputation management through monitoring IP and domain reputation using tools like those from Talos Intelligence and Google Postmaster Tools. They also recommend setting up alerts for blocklisting events to identify and address issues promptly.

Marketer from Email Geeks clarifies that Spamhaus classifies IPs and domains and shares the information, but receivers determine if it results in a block or spam folder. Informational listings are warnings to make changes, and all senders are vulnerable to acquiring bad data.

Email marketer from Email Marketing Tips recommends regularly monitoring blocklist status using tools like MXToolbox or MultiRBL. Early detection of listings enables quick action to resolve the issue and minimize the impact on deliverability.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that Spamhaus might block whole ranges because it's a shared space with problems across many IPs and it's unclear which IPs are dedicated vs. shared.

Expert from Word to the Wise recommends immediately investigating the cause of the blocklisting. This includes checking for compromised accounts, reviewing recent sending patterns, and auditing email content for compliance with best practices. Understanding the root cause is essential for preventing future blocklistings.

Expert from Spam Resource explains that the first step is to determine *why* the block occurred. Look for evidence of spam being sent from your IPs. Then follow Spamhaus's procedures for delisting, which often involves identifying the source of the problem (e.g., compromised accounts) and correcting it before requesting delisting.

Expert from Email Geeks explains that getting direct contact information for Spamhaus is unlikely and recommends opening a ticket on their website. She also offers help in understanding the underlying issue if there's an SBL listing while waiting for a response from Spamhaus.

Expert from Email Geeks suggests the IP space has "informational listings" from Spamhaus, indicating they are trying to get attention.

Expert from Email Geeks advises to remain calm, acknowledging the situation is fixable by working through Spamhaus's process. He notes Spamhaus people are overwhelmed with out-of-band contact requests, making them unscalable.

Documentation from RFC-Editor describes the proper setup and maintenance of DNS records, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Correct configuration of these records is essential for email authentication, which helps improve deliverability and reduces the likelihood of being blocklisted by Spamhaus.

Documentation from Microsoft describes the Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) program, which provides data on IP reputation and spam complaints for senders sending to Outlook.com and Hotmail users. Monitoring SNDS helps identify issues affecting Microsoft delivery, which might also indicate broader deliverability problems.

Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help explains the importance of using Google Postmaster Tools to monitor sender reputation, spam rate, and feedback loops for Gmail users. It helps identify issues leading to deliverability problems, including potential Spamhaus listings impacting Gmail delivery.

Documentation from AWS explains maintaining IP reputation to reduce bounce rates and improve email delivery, particularly when using Amazon Simple Email Service (SES). It includes guidance on properly authenticating your emails, only sending high-quality content that recipients want, and following best practices for email sending.

Documentation from Spamhaus.org outlines the process for delisting, emphasizing identifying the cause of the listing, fixing the problem (e.g., compromised accounts, spamming), and then requesting delisting via their website. It also warns about using third parties promising guaranteed delisting.

Documentation from Validity explains the importance of sender reputation in email deliverability. It describes how factors such as spam complaints, sending volume, and authentication practices influence reputation, which, in turn, affects whether emails are delivered to the inbox or filtered as spam. Proactive management of sender reputation can help prevent blocklistings.