What are the potential reasons for recurring Proofpoint listings and how can they be resolved?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Email marketer from ZeroBounce shares that regularly validating your email list is an important step in improving deliverability. They explain that email validation helps identify and remove invalid, risky, and inactive email addresses, reducing the risk of bounces and spam complaints.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum explains that hitting spam traps can definitely cause recurring Proofpoint listings. He suggests that you make sure you implement double opt-in for new subscribers and regularly clean your email list to remove inactive or invalid addresses.
Email marketer from EmailVendorSelection shares that Implementing email authentication methods like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for establishing trust and improving email deliverability. She goes on to explain that these methods help verify that emails are actually sent from the domain they claim to be from, reducing the likelihood of being flagged as spam.
Email marketer from Stack Overflow explains that recurring Proofpoint listings can often be attributed to a poor sender reputation. They shares that factors contributing to this can include high complaint rates, sending to invalid email addresses, and inconsistent sending volumes. They recommend consistently monitoring sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and addressing any identified issues promptly.
Email marketer from Mailjet suggests that a high bounce rate can negatively impact sender reputation and lead to Proofpoint listings. He explains that it's important to regularly clean your email list to remove invalid or inactive addresses and ensure that you're only sending to engaged recipients.
Email marketer from Litmus recommends previewing emails before sending them to ensure they render correctly across different email clients and devices. This can help avoid issues that might trigger spam filters or lead to poor engagement.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that one potential cause of Proofpoint listings is a lack of engagement from recipients. They explain that if Proofpoint users consistently ignore or delete emails from a particular sender, Proofpoint may start filtering those emails. They advise implementing strategies to improve engagement, such as sending more relevant content and segmenting email lists based on user preferences.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains a strategy used with a B2B mailer who experienced similar Proofpoint listings. They identified all the Proofpoint hosted domains and suppressed them, then slowly added them back in to find the culprit.
Email marketer from HubSpot says segmenting your email list and sending targeted, personalized content can greatly improve engagement and deliverability. When you send relevant emails to the right people, you reduce the likelihood of spam complaints and improve your sender reputation.
Email marketer from SendGrid explains that Proofpoint uses content filters to identify and block spam. He goes on to say that ensure email content is relevant, engaging, and avoids spam trigger words. Regularly review and update email templates to optimize content for deliverability.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that she has seen Proofpoint block emails for attachments.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Spamresource.com suggests ensuring your domain reputation is good to avoid Proofpoint listings. Spamresource.com recommends ensuring your domain is not on any major blocklists, your domain is correctly configured with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and you monitor your domain reputation through tools like Google Postmaster Tools to maintain a good reputation.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that any complaints are going to be from people who bother to send you a complaint manually and that 0.03% is incredibly high.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that Proofpoint utilizes a complex system of reputation and filtering, considering factors beyond just IP address. They emphasize the importance of understanding Proofpoint's specific filtering criteria and tailoring email sending practices accordingly, including content, sending frequency, and recipient engagement.
Expert from Email Geeks shares that recipients might be reporting the emails directly to Proofpoint because they don’t want the mail and that postmaster@proofpoint can be helpful.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from Spamhaus explains the importance of maintaining a clean email list to avoid being listed on their blocklists, which can affect deliverability with Proofpoint. The documentation recommends removing invalid email addresses, unsubscribing inactive users, and implementing a double opt-in process for new subscribers.
Documentation from Proofpoint Knowledge Base states that Proofpoint utilizes IP reputation as one factor in determining email filtering. They explains that if an IP address is associated with spam or malicious activity, Proofpoint may block or filter emails from that IP address. To resolve this, they suggest monitoring IP reputation using reputable blacklists and taking steps to improve it if it's found to be poor.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains that sender reputation is a critical factor in determining email deliverability to Gmail users, which can provide information to improve Proofpoint delivery. They suggests using Google Postmaster Tools to monitor sender reputation metrics and identify any potential issues that may be impacting deliverability.
Documentation from RFC Editor states that strict adherence to SMTP standards is crucial for email deliverability. Violations of these standards can lead to emails being flagged as spam or being blocked. They advise reviewing email sending practices and ensuring they comply with all relevant SMTP standards, including proper header formatting and authentication.
Documentation from Microsoft explains that email limits, such as sending limits and recipient limits, are in place to prevent spam and abuse. Exceeding these limits can result in emails being blocked or flagged as spam. Understanding and adhering to these limits is essential for maintaining deliverability.