What to do about blocked bounces on first send with a new IP?
Summary
What email marketers say13Marketer opinions
Email marketer from StackOverflow recommends thoroughly reviewing email content to ensure it does not contain spam triggers. Avoid using excessive exclamation points, spammy words, or broken links. Clean and relevant content helps improve deliverability.
Marketer from Email Geeks advises that if the one-off domains are tied to Proofpoint, the issue needs to be addressed there. Also, suggests checking the content for anything with a poor reputation, like third-party elements or link shorteners and to check the MX record to see if they are using proofpoint.
Email marketer from EmailOnAcid shares to avoid sudden spikes in email volume. Gradually increase the number of emails sent per day to avoid triggering spam filters. Monitor bounce rates and adjust sending volume accordingly.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests emailing icloudadmin@apple.com with details to get help with blocked bounces on Apple domains.
Email marketer from HubSpot explains that segmenting your email list based on subscriber engagement and demographics allows you to send more targeted and relevant emails. Targeted emails result in higher engagement and lower bounce rates.
Email marketer from MailerCheck emphasizes the significance of high-quality email content. Avoid using spam trigger words, excessive images, or misleading subject lines. Focus on providing valuable and relevant information to subscribers.
Email marketer from Litmus stresses the importance of implementing proper email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These protocols verify the sender's identity and help prevent email spoofing, improving deliverability.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that the blocked bounces could be a Proofpoint issue, as Apple domains and many smaller domains use it. Recommends running the new IP through Proofpoint's IP lookup tool to check if it's listed.
Email marketer from Reddit recommends segmenting your email list and only sending to your most engaged subscribers initially when warming up a new IP. Sending to highly engaged users demonstrates good sending behavior to ISPs and improves your IP's reputation.
Email marketer from ZeroBounce recommends regular list cleaning to remove invalid or inactive email addresses. Maintaining a clean and engaged email list improves deliverability and reduces bounce rates.
Email marketer from GlockApps advises to carefully monitor and manage bounce rates. Implement a feedback loop to automatically remove invalid or inactive email addresses from your list. High bounce rates negatively impact sender reputation.
Email marketer from SendGrid recommends monitoring sending reputation closely when using a new IP. Track bounce rates, spam complaints, and engagement metrics to identify and address any issues promptly. High bounce rates, especially initially, indicate deliverability problems that need immediate attention.
Email marketer from Campaign Monitor recommends closely monitoring engagement metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and unsubscribe rates. Low engagement rates can indicate deliverability issues and negatively impact sender reputation.
What the experts say2Expert opinions
Expert from Spamresource.com responds that the most important step is to understand the bounce message, as the specific error codes provide crucial information for diagnosing and resolving the delivery issue. Different codes point to different problems, such as spam filtering, recipient issues, or technical errors.
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that when you see blocked bounces, it's important to be proactive and set up comprehensive monitoring to identify deliverability issues. Use tools and processes to track your sending reputation, analyze bounce rates, and understand spam complaints, as these are key indicators to address and mitigate deliverability problems.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from Mailjet explains that IP warming is crucial for new IPs. It involves gradually increasing sending volume to build a positive reputation with ISPs. Starting slow and increasing volume daily or weekly helps establish credibility and avoid being flagged as spam.
Documentation from Microsoft recommends checking if the new IP address is on any blocklists. If the IP is blocklisted, take steps to request removal. Being blocklisted can significantly impact deliverability and cause bounces.
Documentation from RFC outlines the importance of adhering to SMTP standards for email transmission. Conforming to these standards ensures proper email formatting and delivery, reducing the likelihood of bounces.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools emphasizes the importance of adhering to email authentication standards (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and following email best practices. Ensuring proper authentication and avoiding spam triggers helps improve deliverability and reduce bounce rates when using a new IP.