Why did my domain reputation suddenly drop?
Summary
What email marketers say12Marketer opinions
Email marketer from SenderPulse Blog suggests that a sudden drop in sender reputation could be due to an increase in spam complaints, a sudden surge in email volume, or changes in recipient engagement.
Email marketer from StackExchange suggests checking for any recent changes to SPF, DKIM, or DMARC records, as incorrect configurations can negatively impact sender reputation.
Email marketer from Litmus explains that changes in the content of your emails, such as the use of certain keywords or links, can trigger spam filters and lower your reputation.
Email marketer from MailerQ Blog shares that a sudden decrease may be because of a sudden surge in email volume. Throttling your sending rate may help.
Email marketer from Gmass advises monitoring feedback loops to identify and address any issues causing recipients to mark your emails as spam.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum recommends auditing your email list to remove inactive or unengaged subscribers, as sending to these recipients can harm your reputation.
Marketer from Email Geeks asks for clarification on the engagement rate and spam complaint rate, also asking if reputation dropped from high to low or medium to low.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that a sudden drop could be due to a sudden spike in bounces. Check for invalid email addresses or deliverability issues.
Email marketer from Reddit says it's important to check if your domain has been blacklisted. Use tools to check against various blacklists.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that unexpected volume or inadequate targeting criteria could be a reason for sudden domain reputation drop.
Email marketer from Woodpecker points out that sudden changes in sending IP address can cause reputation issues. Check if the IP has been changed recently.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests that something must have changed to cause the drop, questioning if there was a change to list or volume abruptly and suggesting to investigate what Google saw that indicated spam.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource explains that a sudden drop in reputation could be caused by a compromised account, leading to a surge in spam being sent from your domain. It's important to check for any unauthorized access and secure your sending infrastructure.
Expert from Email Geeks asks if the domain being used elsewhere could be a cause.
Expert from Email Geeks asks for more details about the rDNS issue.
Expert from Word to the Wise, Laura Atkins, responds that a drop in reputation can be attributed to a sudden increase in spam complaints, possibly due to a change in email content, sending frequency, or targeting. Investigate recent changes in your email practices.
What the documentation says3Technical articles
Documentation from SparkPost explains that a sudden reputation drop can be caused by a compromised account sending spam, or a sudden increase in invalid email addresses on your list.
Documentation from Microsoft Docs explains that factors affecting sender reputation include complaint rates, bounce rates, and the quality of the sending infrastructure. Significant changes in any of these areas can negatively impact reputation.
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help explains that sudden drops in domain reputation can occur if there are significant increases in spam complaints, sending unwanted mail, or changes in sending practices.