Why is Microsoft suddenly making negative changes to sender reputation?
Summary
What email marketers say11Marketer opinions
Marketer from Email Geeks shares their experience that Microsoft is making sudden, negative changes to reputation for some clients, but their support seems to be better at fixing issues for deserving clients.
Email marketer from SocketLabs answers Microsofts Junk Mail Filter may be blocking mail due to Spam Content within the emails, Low sender Scores and Sudden Spikes in volume.
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum suspects changes to Microsoft's email filtering algorithms are the reason behind sudden deliverability issues. The forum poster suggest Microsoft could be tightening its spam detection rules.
Email marketer from Gmass Blog explains that improper or missing email authentication records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) can negatively impact sender reputation, as Microsoft may view unauthenticated emails as suspicious.
Email marketer from SparkPost Blog explains that Microsoft uses its SmartScreen filter to evaluate incoming email, and sudden reputation changes could be due to changes in the filter's criteria or increased scrutiny of sender behavior.
Marketer from Email Geeks notes they've recently started seeing delays and blocks from Microsoft that weren't happening before.
Email marketer from Reddit mentions that sudden reputation dips can be caused by compromised accounts sending spam, leading to a rapid decline in sender trust with Microsoft.
Email marketer from Talos Intelligence shares the importance of monitoring deliverability and tracking IP addresses. It also details it may be due to sudden blacklists.
Marketer from Email Geeks confirms experiencing rolling issues for several weeks.
Email marketer from Mailjet Blog shares that new IP addresses often face deliverability challenges, including negative reputation, because they haven't built a sending history. Gradual IP warming can mitigate this, but sudden shifts in sending volume can negatively impact reputation.
Email marketer from Sender Score recommends using tools like Sender Score to actively monitor reputation and identify any sudden drops that could indicate problems with sending practices.
What the experts say3Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource explains that maintaining a consistent IP address reputation is key to email deliverability. If your IP address gets added to a block list, then your deliverability may be hindered.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that if your sending practices aren't clean, Microsoft seems less likely to offer mitigation.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that fluctuations in inbox placement can happen suddenly due to many factors, including changes in filtering algorithms and emerging blacklists. Monitoring trends and adapting to the signals should be prioritised.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from Microsoft Docs explains that sender reputation is based on factors like email volume, complaint rates, and authentication practices. Sudden negative changes may result from a spike in spam complaints or authentication failures.
Documentation from Google Admin explains authenticating mail helps prevent spammers from spoofing your organization. By setting up DMARC, SPF, and DKIM will enhance your sender domain reputation.
Documentation from Dmarc.org explains that DMARC policies need to be strictly followed, and any discrepancies can affect a sender's credibility. It also documents what can cause failures.
Documentation from RFC-Editor documents what SPF records are, explaining that SPF records help prevent email spoofing. Incorrect configuration can cause failed authentication, damaging reputation.
Documentation from Spamhaus explains that factors like spam traps, user complaints, and blacklisting can significantly impact a sender's reputation with ISPs like Microsoft. Being listed on a Spamhaus blacklist will cause reputation harm.