Why are my dedicated IPs blocked and how can I fix it?
Summary
What email marketers say16Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Reddit shares that sudden spikes in sending volume can trigger spam filters and lead to IP blocking, especially with new dedicated IPs. They recommend gradually increasing sending volume over time and monitoring deliverability metrics closely.
Marketer from Email Geeks responds to the user mentioning the possibility of a compromised account or irregular sending pattern based on the bold text provided, and asks about sending frequency and typical volume.
Email marketer from Litmus answers that improper configuration of email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC can lead to IP blocking. They recommend setting up these protocols correctly to verify your identity and improve deliverability.
Email marketer from an Email Marketing Forum responds that sending to old, unengaged email lists can result in high bounce rates and spam complaints, leading to IP blocking. They suggest cleaning your email list regularly by removing inactive subscribers and using double opt-in for new sign-ups.
Email marketer from GlockApps explains that being blacklisted by multiple email service providers can lead to IP blocking. They recommend using their tool to monitor your IP's blacklist status and identify specific blacklists to address.
Email marketer from Stack Overflow responds that a missing or incorrect reverse DNS (PTR) record can negatively impact IP reputation and lead to blocking. They advise ensuring that your IP address has a properly configured PTR record that matches your domain name.
Marketer from Email Geeks advises to look at the RCPT/DATA columns in SNDS and check if they roughly align with sending volume.
Email marketer from Sender Score explains that a low sender score indicates poor IP reputation and can lead to blocking. They recommend using their tool to check your IP's reputation and identify issues like spam complaints, blacklisting, or poor sending practices that need to be addressed.
Email marketer from Neil Patel shares that consistently sending valuable content, segmenting your audience, and removing inactive subscribers can improve your IP reputation and prevent blocking. He also emphasizes the importance of warming up your IP address gradually when starting with a new dedicated IP.
Email marketer from Mailjet Support shares that not properly warming up your dedicated IP address is a common cause of blocking. They recommend starting with a small volume of emails to your most engaged subscribers and gradually increasing the volume over several weeks to build a positive sending reputation.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests throttling sends and mentions that Returnpath certification is becoming a necessity to avoid issues with Microsoft on dedicated IPs.
Email marketer from SparkPost explains that not actively monitoring feedback loops (FBLs) from ISPs can lead to IP blocking. They recommend setting up FBLs to identify and remove subscribers who mark your emails as spam.
Marketer from Email Geeks asks if the user launched a new high volume campaign and whether the IPs are sufficiently warmed.
Marketer from Email Geeks asks if the user has access to SNDS and whether the volumes seen align with what they are sending to MS domains.
Marketer from Email Geeks, Pablo Martín, recommends checking ReturnPath certification for dedicated IPs and implementing ReturnPath customization on the domain. Dale Langley points out the client's industry (clairvoyance) is unlikely to be eligible for RP certification due to poor data practices and suggests focusing on well-acquired, recently engaged data and reducing the number of IPs.
Marketer from Email Geeks asks about the type of email/data sourcing and suggests specifying individual IPs in support requests, also asks to check what is says under SNDS when you look at "view IP status".
What the experts say2Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource, John Levine, explains that assigning IPs correctly and ensuring that you have valid reverse DNS is important. He highlights the need to make sure the IP block is properly registered and the rDNS set correctly to point to your sending domain.
Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, answers that domain reputation and domain age is important and can indirectly cause IP deliverability issues. She explains that setting up subdomain delegation with reputation defense can solve the domain issues.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools explains that exceeding spam thresholds, sending unsolicited emails, and having poor authentication practices (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) can lead to IP blocking. They suggest using Postmaster Tools to monitor your IP's reputation and adhere to their bulk sender guidelines to improve deliverability.
Documentation from Microsoft explains that poor IP reputation due to spam complaints or sending to invalid addresses can lead to blocking. To fix it, they recommend joining their Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) program to monitor your IP's reputation and user complaints, ensuring you comply with their sending policies.
Documentation from Spamhaus answers that being listed on their blacklist indicates that your IP has been associated with spam activity. They explain the removal process and provide resources to identify and address the underlying issues causing the blacklisting.