How to resolve blocked CRM emails after importing old lead list?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Reddit shares that NEVER import old lists without proper cleaning and consent. Old lists are a surefire way to get your IP blacklisted. Verify all emails before sending, and consider using a double opt-in process to regain consent.
Email marketer from Sender Score shares that regularly check your sender reputation using tools such as Sender Score or Reputation Authority. A low sender score indicates potential issues with your sending practices that may be causing blocks. Analyze the results and address any identified problems.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that you should stop mailing to the list you think caused the issue. If this goes through SendGrid or other ESP, they should be able to open a ticket the ISP/MBP who blocked you. If this is home grown and not through an ESP, find out the IPs in question and check them for blocks.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that you need to get the bounce reports with error messages and bounce codes as those specific codes and errors can be helpful sometimes providing a URL right in the error message to dig a bit deeper. Pause sending while you gather info and get that old list out of there. Also consider tighter controls on who can just upload a list at will.
Email marketer from Litmus shares that proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for improving deliverability. Implement these protocols to verify that your emails are legitimate and not spoofed. Monitor DMARC reports to identify and address any authentication issues.
Email marketer from Neil Patel shares that to improve email deliverability, clean your email list regularly to remove inactive or invalid addresses. Segment your list to send targeted emails, which can improve engagement and reduce spam complaints. Also focus on providing valuable content to your subscribers.
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that aside from using a deliverability service, they would look into open rates by domain (gmail, hotmail, yahoo, etc). If you see certain domains have a very low open rate then you know you have a problem with them.
Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that ensure your emails pass spam filter checks by testing them before sending. Use tools to simulate different spam filters and identify potential issues with your content or code that may trigger spam filters.
Email marketer from StackOverflow shares that to resolve blocked CRM emails, check the SMTP logs for specific error messages or bounce codes. These logs often provide valuable insights into why emails are being blocked, such as specific recipient rejections or spam filter triggers.
Email marketer from GMass shares that remove unengaged contacts regularly. If a subscriber hasn't opened or clicked on your emails in a while, it's time to remove them from your list. This will improve your engagement metrics and sender reputation.
Email marketer from HubSpot shares that implement a double opt-in process for new subscribers to ensure they genuinely want to receive your emails. This helps to reduce spam complaints and improves the quality of your email list.
Email marketer from Mailchimp shares that after importing an old list, segment and run a re-engagement campaign. Sending a targeted campaign to users who haven't engaged recently will allow you to remove users who are no longer interested, lowering the risk of spam complaints. Removing unengaged users is a key part of list cleaning.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise, Dennis Dayman, explains to establish feedback loops with mailbox providers to manage complaints. Set up and monitor these loops to identify recipients who mark emails as spam and promptly remove them from the mailing list.
Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, explains that cleaning the list is crucial. Segment the list and suppress unengaged subscribers before sending any campaigns. Verify the age of the list and purge addresses older than a certain period to ensure relevance and minimize spam complaints.
Expert from Spam Resource emphasizes the importance of clear permission. Just because an email was once valid, doesn't mean permission to send is still there. Ensure the lead agent has clear permission to email the old email list.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from SendGrid explains that warming up your IP address is important. When starting with a new IP, start with low volumes and gradually increase the amount of email sent. Monitor your reputation and engagement metrics to ensure you maintain positive sender reputation.
Documentation from SparkPost explains that understand and analyze the SMTP bounce codes. Certain codes indicate permanent failures (hard bounces), while others might be temporary. Address the causes of hard bounces immediately to prevent further damage to your sender reputation.
Documentation from Microsoft Support explains that if your emails are blocked by Outlook.com, check your sender reputation, ensure your sending practices comply with Microsoft's policies, and use the Sender Reputation Data service to monitor your IP address reputation. They also suggest using the Junk Email Reporting program (JMRP) to understand if recipients are marking your emails as junk.
Documentation from Google explains that to ensure deliverability to Gmail users, follow Gmail's bulk sender guidelines. This includes authenticating your email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC; keeping your spam rate low; and making it easy for recipients to unsubscribe.
Documentation from RFC explains that implement Sender Policy Framework (SPF) records to specify which mail servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. Ensure your SPF records are correctly configured to prevent unauthorized use of your domain for sending spam.