What TLDs should be avoided for email domains due to spam or reputation issues?
Summary
What email marketers say9Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Mailjet responds that the TLD can play a role in how recipients and spam filters perceive your emails. Choosing a reputable and recognizable TLD can improve trust and increase open rates, while lesser-known TLDs might face deliverability challenges.
Email marketer from EmailToolTester explains that while the TLD itself might not be a primary factor, some are disproportionately used by spammers. They advise researching the reputation of a TLD before committing to it, emphasizing that content and sending practices are more important.
Email marketer from StackExchange shares that TLDs like .tk, .ga, .cf, and .gq (often associated with free domain services) have a poor reputation due to widespread abuse by spammers. Using these TLDs can significantly harm your email deliverability.
Email marketer from Quora explains that while not all emails from certain TLDs are spam, some TLDs attract a higher proportion of spammers due to lax registration policies or other factors. This can lead to increased scrutiny from spam filters.
Email marketer from Reddit shares that using less common TLDs like .xyz or .top can sometimes raise red flags with spam filters, leading to lower deliverability rates. Sticking to more reputable TLDs such as .com, .net, or .org is generally safer.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that the vast majority of .io email they receive is spam, but enough legit organizations use it that they can't block it outright, though it receives a high score in their filters.
Email marketer from Neil Patel's Blog explains that some TLDs are associated with higher spam rates, negatively impacting deliverability. It's crucial to research a TLD's reputation before using it for email marketing.
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that startups using TLDs other than .com face an uphill battle regarding reputation, making it a harder sell to reputation systems.
Email marketer from Web Hosting Forum says to avoid TLDs offered for free or at extremely low costs, as they are frequently used for malicious purposes. Building a positive sending reputation is much harder with these TLDs.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks advises clients to avoid .org domains due to potential threats or suspension of registration based on individual spam reports, highlighting issues with excessive compliance.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that it's crucial to monitor the reputation of the TLD you choose, as some TLDs may attract spammers. She suggests tools and resources for tracking domain and TLD reputation to avoid deliverability issues.
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that when considering new TLDs, assess their registration policies, monitoring practices, and history of abuse. A TLD with weak enforcement or a history of spam is more likely to cause deliverability problems.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from ICANN highlights the importance of reporting TLDs with high rates of abuse. While ICANN doesn't explicitly block TLDs, it encourages responsible management and offers resources for reporting abuse, which can indirectly impact TLD reputation.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools shares that domain and IP reputation directly affect deliverability to Gmail users. Google doesn't specifically blacklist TLDs but monitors sending behavior, so using a TLD associated with spam may indirectly affect reputation.
Documentation from Microsoft explains that while they don't specifically block by TLD, they advise senders to use reputable domains. Maintaining a clean sending reputation is key to reaching Outlook.com and Hotmail inboxes.
Documentation from Spamhaus maintains lists of TLDs frequently exploited by spammers. These lists are used by email providers to filter out spam and improve deliverability. Checking these lists can help avoid using problematic TLDs.