What actions can be taken to fix a low IP and domain reputation with a high spam rate?

Summary

Fixing a low IP and domain reputation with a high spam rate requires a comprehensive strategy encompassing authentication, list hygiene, engagement, spam complaint management, and technical security. This involves implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication; cleaning email lists to remove unengaged subscribers and invalid addresses; improving engagement through relevant and wanted content; analyzing and addressing spam complaints; deploying CAPTCHAs and email verification to combat botnet activity; and continuously monitoring sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS. Consistency and adherence to best practices are essential for long-term improvement, focusing on domain reputation, maintaining a spam rate below 0.1%, and addressing potential issues such as bought lists and domain spoofing.

Key findings

  • Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for verifying email legitimacy and improving sender reputation.
  • List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning email lists by removing unengaged subscribers and invalid addresses improves engagement metrics and sender reputation.
  • Engagement: Focusing on engagement by sending relevant, personalized content improves reputation with mailbox providers.
  • Spam Management: Analyzing spam complaints, implementing easy unsubscribe processes, and avoiding spam trigger words reduces spam rates and enhances sender reputation.
  • Security: Implementing security measures like CAPTCHAs and email verification prevents botnet activity and malicious signups.
  • Monitoring: Monitoring sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS helps identify and address issues promptly.
  • Domain Focus: Prioritizing domain reputation is essential, as it significantly impacts IP reputation.
  • Spam Rate Threshold: Maintaining a spam rate below 0.1% is critical for a positive sender reputation.
  • Long-term effort: Repairing reputation takes consistent effort and may not have instant fixes; long term strategies are key.
  • Compliance and best practices: A variety of things may be at play from compliance not being setup to bad sending practices.

Key considerations

  • Holistic Strategy: A comprehensive approach involving authentication, list hygiene, engagement, and security measures is necessary for effective reputation management.
  • Root Cause Analysis: Addressing the root causes of low reputation, such as purchased lists, poor sending practices, and lack of authentication, is crucial.
  • Implementation Complexity: Implementing DMARC and other authentication protocols requires technical expertise and careful configuration.
  • Ongoing Maintenance: Email authentication, list hygiene, and reputation management require continuous monitoring and adjustments.
  • Compliance: DMARC needs to be properly set up to avoid domain spoofing and spam.
  • Engagement: Ensuring content is wanted and valued by subscribers is vital for engagement metrics.
  • Email Volume: Maintaining consistent email sending volumes is important for sender reputation.

What email marketers say
19Marketer opinions

Fixing a low IP and domain reputation with a high spam rate requires a multifaceted approach focused on improving authentication, engagement, and list hygiene. Key steps include implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication, cleaning email lists to remove unengaged subscribers, warming up IP addresses gradually, and monitoring sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS. It's crucial to analyze spam complaints, avoid spam trigger words, segment email lists based on engagement, and use email verification services to minimize bounce rates. Consistent action and adherence to best practices are essential for long-term improvement.

Key opinions

  • Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication is crucial for verifying email legitimacy and reducing the likelihood of being marked as spam.
  • List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning email lists to remove unengaged subscribers and invalid addresses improves engagement metrics and sender reputation.
  • IP Warm-up: Gradually warming up new IP addresses by increasing sending volume helps establish a positive sending history.
  • Monitoring: Monitoring sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS is essential for identifying and addressing issues early.
  • Spam Analysis: Analyzing spam complaints and addressing the underlying reasons can reduce future complaints and improve reputation.
  • Content Optimization: Avoiding spam trigger words and phrases in email content helps prevent emails from being flagged as spam.
  • Segmentation: Segmenting email lists based on engagement and sending targeted content improves engagement rates and reduces spam complaints.
  • Email Verification: Using email verification services to remove invalid addresses minimizes bounce rates and improves sender reputation.
  • Engagement is Key: Engagement metrics such as opens, clicks, and positive interactions significantly impact your reputation.
  • Holistic Approach: Addressing root causes, implementing best practices, and continuous monitoring are crucial for improving domain reputation over time.

Key considerations

  • Consistency: Repairing reputation takes consistent effort and may not result in instant fixes. Long-term strategies are key.
  • Spam Rate Thresholds: Maintaining a spam rate below 0.1% is essential, as rates above 0.3% are considered detrimental.
  • Potential Issues: Consider potential issues like unconsented lists, bought lists, bad sending practices, botnet activity, and domain spoofing.
  • DMARC setup: Ensure DMARC is properly set up to avoid the risk of domain spoofing and spamming.
  • Domain Focus: Focus on improving domain reputation, as it significantly influences IP reputation.
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that a high spam rate coupled with a bad domain reputation indicates issues such as a list that is not opted-in or bought lists. He recommends tightening the segment and asking about purchased lists.

January 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Litmus recommends avoiding spam trigger words and phrases in your email content. Use a spam checker tool to identify and remove potential triggers before sending to avoid spam filters.

June 2022 - Litmus
Marketer view

Email marketer from SendPulse advises segmenting your email list based on engagement, using double opt-in to confirm subscriptions, avoiding spam trigger words, and testing your emails before sending to a large audience to improve sender reputation and avoid spam filters.

April 2024 - SendPulse
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks mentions that if DMARC is not set up, there is a risk of domain spoofing and spamming.

March 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Gmass emphasises the importance of having SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records set up correctly. This helps mail servers verify that your emails are legitimate and reduces the likelihood of being marked as spam.

November 2021 - Gmass
Marketer view

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign recommends cleaning your email list regularly to remove unengaged subscribers. This will help improve your engagement metrics and overall sender reputation.

November 2024 - ActiveCampaign
Marketer view

Email marketer from SparkPost advises segmenting your email list based on subscriber activity and preferences. Send targeted content to each segment to increase engagement and reduce the chances of being marked as spam.

July 2021 - SparkPost
Marketer view

Email marketer from Reddit suggests warming up your IP by gradually increasing the volume of emails sent. Start with small batches to highly engaged users, then expand over time. This helps establish a positive sending history and reputation.

October 2024 - Reddit
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Hippo suggests focusing on improving email engagement by sending relevant and personalized content. Higher engagement rates (opens, clicks) signal to ISPs that your emails are valuable and can improve your reputation.

September 2024 - Email Hippo
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks points out that a spam rate of 2.3% is significantly higher than Google's guideline of 0.1% and considers 0.3% as bad.

February 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks shares that there are no instant fixes to repair domain (and IP) reputation, but there are proven strategies that require consistent action over time. He suggests focusing on the domain reputation as the core concern, as it likely influences IP issues.

June 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum recommends analyzing your spam complaints to understand the reasons behind them. Are users not recognizing your brand? Is your content misleading? Addressing these issues can reduce future spam complaints.

July 2021 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks recommends whitelisting campaigns with a CTA to manually 'add to contacts' or a reply-to campaign, sending these weekly, as helpful.

August 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests the issue can be a variety of things: 1. compliance not setup 2. bought lists 3. bad sending practices (that have been going on for a while) 4. malicious folks signing up their botnet then marking emails as spam, or something to that effect 5. spoofing He recommends to cover all your bases, double check for bought emails, and just rebuild from scratch.

April 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks suggests improving domain reputation through authentication, alignment, and DMARC setup.

January 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from Mailjet recommends several actions: authenticate your emails (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), clean your email list to remove inactive subscribers, warm up your IP address gradually, and monitor your sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.

August 2023 - Mailjet
Marketer view

Email marketer from ZeroBounce mentions using email verification services to remove invalid or risky email addresses from your list. This reduces bounce rates and spam complaints, leading to a better sender reputation.

December 2023 - ZeroBounce
Marketer view

Marketer from Email Geeks explains that sending engagement campaigns is best done when you don't have a reputation issue, since the higher reputation results in more emails landing in inboxes.

January 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view

Email marketer from GlockApps explains that monitoring your sender reputation is crucial. Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS to track your IP and domain reputation, identify issues early, and take corrective actions.

May 2024 - GlockApps

What the experts say
5Expert opinions

Fixing a low IP and domain reputation with a high spam rate involves focusing on engagement, addressing root causes, reducing spam complaints, and preventing botnet activity. Key strategies include improving engagement metrics by sending relevant content, implementing robust list hygiene practices by removing inactive subscribers and invalid addresses, ensuring easy unsubscribe processes, and deploying CAPTCHAs and email verification to combat malicious signups. Continuous monitoring and adherence to best practices are crucial for long-term improvement.

Key opinions

  • Engagement Focus: Prioritizing engagement by sending relevant and wanted content improves reputation with mailbox providers.
  • Root Cause Analysis: Addressing the root causes of low reputation, such as poor list hygiene, lack of authentication, and unwanted content, is essential.
  • Spam Complaint Reduction: Implementing easy unsubscribe processes and relevant content reduces spam complaints and improves sender reputation.
  • Botnet Prevention: Deploying CAPTCHAs and email verification helps prevent botnet activity and malicious signups, reducing spam rates.
  • List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning email lists to remove inactive subscribers and invalid addresses is critical for maintaining high deliverability.

Key considerations

  • Content Relevance: Ensuring content is highly relevant and wanted by subscribers is vital for improving engagement metrics.
  • Unsubscribe Ease: Providing a clear and easy unsubscribe process is essential to minimize spam complaints.
  • Monitoring Metrics: Continuously monitoring sending metrics is crucial for identifying and addressing reputation issues proactively.
  • Security Measures: Implementing security measures like CAPTCHAs is important to protect against botnet activity and malicious signups.
  • Long-Term Improvement: Long-term adherence to best practices is necessary to achieve sustained improvements in IP and domain reputation.
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource recommends cleaning your email list regularly to remove inactive subscribers and invalid email addresses. Good list hygiene helps maintain high deliverability rates and avoids sending to potentially harmful or inactive accounts.

June 2022 - Spam Resource
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise Staff advises that fixing a low domain reputation involves addressing the root causes of the problem, such as poor list hygiene, lack of authentication, or sending unwanted content. They recommend implementing best practices and continuously monitoring your sending metrics to improve your reputation over time.

November 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise, Dennis Dayman, explains that reducing spam complaints is essential for improving sender reputation. He advises implementing a clear and easy unsubscribe process and ensuring that your emails are relevant and valuable to your subscribers to minimize spam complaints.

February 2024 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, suggests focusing on engagement metrics. Aim to increase opens, clicks, and positive interactions by sending relevant and wanted content. Good engagement improves your reputation with mailbox providers.

November 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view

Expert from Spam Resource explains that botnet activity and malicious signups can significantly impact spam rates and IP reputation. Implementing measures like CAPTCHAs and email verification can help reduce bot-driven spam and improve sender metrics.

October 2022 - Spam Resource

What the documentation says
3Technical articles

To fix a low IP and domain reputation with a high spam rate, documentation emphasizes authentication, monitoring, and adherence to best practices. Google recommends authenticating email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, using TLS encryption, maintaining spam rates below 0.1%, and keeping consistent sending volumes. Microsoft suggests monitoring IP and domain reputation with tools like Sender Reputation Data (SRD) and implementing best practices for authentication, list hygiene, and feedback loops. The RFC Editor documentation explains that DMARC helps prevent email abuse by allowing domain owners to specify how receivers should handle authentication failures and providing reporting mechanisms.

Key findings

  • Authentication Protocols: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are crucial for authenticating email and improving sender reputation.
  • Spam Rate Threshold: Maintaining a spam rate below 0.1% is essential for positive sender reputation.
  • Reputation Monitoring: Regular monitoring of IP and domain reputation using tools like SRD helps identify and address issues promptly.
  • DMARC Enforcement: DMARC allows domain owners to control how email receivers handle authentication failures.
  • TLS Encryption: Using TLS encryption is recommended for secure email transmission.

Key considerations

  • Consistent Sending: Maintaining consistent email sending volumes can positively impact sender reputation.
  • Holistic Approach: Combining authentication, list hygiene, and feedback loops is necessary for effective reputation management.
  • Implementation Complexity: Implementing DMARC and related authentication protocols requires technical expertise and careful configuration.
  • Data Interpretation: Effectively interpreting data from reputation monitoring tools like SRD is vital for taking corrective actions.
  • Ongoing Maintenance: Email authentication and reputation management require continuous monitoring and adjustments.
Technical article

Documentation from Microsoft suggests monitoring your sending IP and domain reputation using tools like Sender Reputation Data (SRD). They also advise implementing best practices for email authentication, list hygiene, and feedback loops to improve deliverability and sender reputation.

December 2024 - Microsoft
Technical article

Documentation from RFC Editor explains that DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) helps prevent email abuse by allowing domain owners to specify how email receivers should handle messages that fail authentication checks (SPF and DKIM). It also provides reporting mechanisms to monitor authentication results.

March 2023 - RFC Editor
Technical article

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that to fix low sender reputation, you should ensure that you're authenticating your email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. They recommend using TLS encryption and keeping spam rates below 0.1%. Also, maintain consistent sending volumes.

November 2021 - Google Workspace Admin Help