How to resolve email blocking issues with Microsoft domains?
Summary
What email marketers say8Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Neil Patel shares that improving email deliverability requires building a clean email list, segmenting your audience, using a reputable email service provider (ESP), and consistently monitoring your sender reputation.
Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that troubleshooting email deliverability issues involves checking your IP reputation, analyzing bounce codes, reviewing your email content for spam triggers, and testing your email rendering across different email clients.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that if you are being blocked by Microsoft then you have problems which need to be addressed as they will start to show up with other providers too.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that warming up your IP address, monitoring your sender reputation through Microsoft's SNDS, and actively managing your subscriber list can help in resolving email blocking issues with Microsoft domains.
Email marketer from Reddit suggests checking your domain and IP reputation using online tools like MXToolbox and ensuring your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured to improve deliverability with Microsoft.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that to stay off email blocklists, ensure you have explicit consent from subscribers, regularly clean your email list, avoid sending spam-like content, and monitor your IP address reputation.
Email marketer from GlockApps shares that improve sender reputation monitor your IP addresses and domain reputation, and clean your email list to remove unengaged subscribers to improve your sending score.
Email marketer from SparkPost explains that understanding Microsoft's filtering involves adhering to their best practices, monitoring your reputation with SNDS, and engaging with Microsoft's support channels to address specific blocking issues.
What the experts say5Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks suggests that if you're getting blocked by Microsoft, the underlying problem is likely not Microsoft itself, and recommends fixing acquisition or mailing practices for a long-term solution.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that, to improve deliverability with Microsoft, focus on engaging content, obtain explicit consent, manage bounces and complaints, authenticate your emails, monitor your sender reputation, and actively participate in feedback loops like JMRP.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that Microsoft's JMRP allows senders to receive reports about recipients who mark their emails as junk, which helps identify and address issues leading to negative feedback and potential blocking.
Expert from Email Geeks says that if it's B2C mail, suspending mailing to the "obvious" Microsoft domains won't hurt too much. If it's O365, then you'll need to either filter by recipient MX IP range (easy enough to do on the MTA, a PITA to do anywhere else) or just suspend when you see each rejection.
Expert from Email Geeks shares an experience of directly contacting Microsoft with details about mailing practices, subscriber acquisition, and suppression methods, which led to a resolution of the blocking issue and improved email performance.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from Microsoft Support explains that to resolve email delivery issues, ensure your sending IP address is not on any blocklists, configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records correctly, and monitor your sender reputation using Microsoft's SNDS program.
Documentation from DMARC.org explains that implementing DMARC involves creating a DMARC record in your DNS, monitoring DMARC reports to identify authentication failures, and gradually increasing your DMARC policy to quarantine or reject to protect your domain from spoofing and improve deliverability.
Documentation from Microsoft SNDS explains that to use SNDS effectively, regularly monitor your IP reputation, investigate and address any complaints, and adhere to Microsoft's sending guidelines to maintain a positive reputation.