What should I do if Apple blocks my emails due to a local policy issue?
Summary
What email marketers say10Marketer opinions
Email marketer from EmailGeek.org shares that it’s possible to be delisted and suggests checking the bounce string for a URL and contacting Apple's postmaster for help.
Email marketer from emailonacid.com explains the need to check sender reputation is good and to maintain consistent sending volumes to avoid triggering security.
Email marketer from Stack Overflow explains the need to ensure your IP address isn't on any blacklists as this could be causing the issue.
Email marketer from postmarkapp.com advises segmenting your email list and gradually increasing sending volume to Apple domains to establish a positive sending reputation.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that they experienced a similar issue and contacting Apple's postmaster with detailed information about email practices resolved the problem within hours.
Email marketer from Litmus explains that you should review recent email content for any potentially problematic keywords or phrases that might trigger Apple's filters.
Email marketer from SendGrid shares to check your email list hygiene and remove inactive or unengaged subscribers to improve your sender reputation with Apple.
Email marketer from Mailgun recommends ensuring your sending domain is properly authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve deliverability to Apple domains.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that Apple postmaster has been very helpful recently, providing human responses.
Email marketer from Woodpecker.co shares to ensure your follow ups are not too frequent, or aggressive which may make you get blocked.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks explains that it’s possible to be delisted and suggests checking the bounce string for a URL and contacting Apple's postmaster for help.
Expert from Email Geeks shares his experience of contacting Apple postmaster, explaining the error, email types, acquisition methods, and unsubscribe processes, which led to a resolution within a few hours.
Expert from Spam Resource shares that a 'local policy' bounce could mean Apple's filters have flagged your content or sending patterns. Review your email content for spam triggers and ensure your sending infrastructure is properly configured and authenticated. Contacting Apple's postmaster is crucial to understanding the specific reason for the block.
Expert from Word to the Wise emphasizes the importance of understanding and adhering to Apple's specific email policies and guidelines, particularly regarding consent and list management. Apple heavily penalizes senders who do not follow best practices for acquiring and maintaining subscriber lists, including explicit opt-in and easy unsubscribe mechanisms.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from RFC explains that SMTP error codes, including those related to 'local policy,' are often implementation-specific and require direct communication with the recipient's mail server administrator (Apple in this case) for clarification.
Documentation from SparkPost explains that 'Message rejected due to local policy' often indicates content filtering or policy violations on the recipient's (Apple's) side and advises reviewing your email content and sending practices.
Documentation from Apple Support suggests checking the bounce message for specific reasons for rejection, ensuring your sending practices comply with Apple's guidelines, and verifying the recipient's email address is valid and active.