Is there a global email suppression list to block habitual complainers?
Summary
What email marketers say7Marketer opinions
Email marketer from StackExchange describes a concept of using honeypot email addresses, that if are emailed, would automatically add the user to a suppression list.
Email marketer from Litmus discusses how to combat email list fatigue and improve engagement. They talk about segmenting and personnalising emails better and to remove unengaged users from your email lists.
Email marketer from Email Hippo emphasizes the importance of email data quality, explaining that using an email verification tool helps identify and remove risky addresses (such as complainers) before sending, protecting sender reputation.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains the importance of maintaining a clean email list. They emphasize removing unengaged subscribers and those who mark emails as spam to improve sender reputation and deliverability.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that while a truly global list doesn't exist, some ESP's and vendors offer shared suppression lists, but participation and coverage varies. The poster also highlights list management and suppression as a more direct option.
Email marketer from Quora emphasizes the necessity of maintaining clean lists for successful email campaigns, explaining that by focusing on engaged subscribers and removing inactive or problematic emails, businesses can improve deliverability and ROI.
Email marketer from Sendinblue discusses the need to regularly clean email lists to remove invalid or inactive email addresses. This improves engagement metrics and reduces the risk of being flagged as spam.
What the experts say6Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks shares that Kickbox does not currently have a global suppression list, but he has blocked a tiny handful of domains. He notes the risk of blocking too broadly, as people may miss important emails.
Expert from Spam Resource explains complaint feedback loops (FBLs) and how they allow you to identify users that flag emails as spam. By utilizing FBLs you are able to maintain your email lists and improve deliverability.
Expert from Email Geeks advises that adding an email address to an ESP-wide suppression list should be a last resort. He explains broader lists could prevent wanted email from other ESPs.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that people get frustrated with email marketing and act negatively when too many senders fail to confirm email addresses or when unsubscribing is ineffective. She emphases the importance of responsible mailing practices.
Expert from Word to the Wise discusses the importance of Feedback Loops (FBLs) provided by ISPs, allowing senders to identify and remove complainers from their lists automatically. She highlights that participating in FBLs is crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation.
Expert from Email Geeks suggests that if a user has been suppressed from a company's emails, it becomes someone else's problem if the user receives emails from other senders. He cautions against adding more 'magic invisible boxes' that could cause blocking.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from RFC Editor describes the mechanism for dealing with bounced email, it explains that senders should be prepared to receive hard and soft bounce notifications, these mechanisms are often used in email hygiene.
Documentation from ReturnPath describes the use of feedback loops and how they can be used to track, analyze and act on complainers. By integrating into feedback loops email marketing lists will automatically remove complainer emails.
Documentation from Spamhaus discusses their different blocklists, and how they help email providers block spam. They state that their blocklists help block over 80% of spam.
Documentation from Google details its spam policies and guidelines for bulk email senders, explaining that senders should respect recipient preferences and remove addresses from their lists when users complain or unsubscribe. They recommend using feedback loops to identify and manage complainers.
Documentation from Microsoft outlines best practices for email senders, explaining that maintaining a clean email list and promptly processing unsubscribe requests are crucial for avoiding spam filters. It recommends monitoring complaint rates and adjusting sending practices accordingly.