Why is my IP blacklisted by Outlook after introducing a new email template?
Summary
What email marketers say9Marketer opinions
Email marketer from ZeroBounce explains that reasons for low email deliverability can include poor sender reputation, high bounce rates, and spam complaints. A new template that isn't optimized can exacerbate these issues. Check your bounce rates.
Email marketer from EmailOctopus explains that the content of your emails, including the new template, can affect deliverability. Using spam trigger words, broken HTML, or a high image-to-text ratio can cause emails to be flagged as spam, potentially leading to blacklisting if the volume is high enough.
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that while the code of a new template is unlikely to get you blacklisted, a sudden change in sending habits (volume, engagement) when using a new template can negatively impact your sender reputation, which can lead to blacklisting.
Email marketer from Postmark answers that improving email deliverability involves ensuring proper authentication, monitoring bounce and complaint rates, and segmenting your email lists. A new template may expose unsegmented lists, leading to high bounce/complaint rates.
Email marketer from Reddit answers that a sudden blacklisting after introducing a new template could be due to increased spam complaints because of the content, or the template triggering spam filters. Also, check your sending volume hasn't suddenly increased.
Email marketer from Stackoverflow answers that to fix a blacklisted IP, identify the blacklist, determine the cause, resolve any underlying issues (e.g., spam complaints), and then request removal from the blacklist. Introducing a new template might have highlighted an existing issue. Check that you are not on any blocklists like Spamhaus, Barracuda or similar.
Email marketer from GlockApps emphasizes the importance of deliverability testing, particularly when introducing a new email template. Testing helps identify potential deliverability issues before sending to a larger audience, preventing blacklisting.
Email marketer from Sender Score explains that maintaining a good sender reputation is crucial. A new template leading to a spike in bounces, spam complaints, or low engagement can damage your reputation and potentially lead to blacklisting by services like Outlook.
Email marketer from Litmus explains that factors like authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), engagement, and complaint rates all impact deliverability. While a new template isn't directly responsible, issues arising from its deployment can indirectly cause deliverability problems.
What the experts say5Expert opinions
Expert from Spam Resource, Laura Atkins, explains that a new template, while seemingly innocuous, can impact your email reputation if it contains elements that trigger spam filters or if it leads to a sudden increase in engagement or complaints. She suggests reviewing the template for anything that might negatively affect reputation.
Expert from Email Geeks says Microsoft had issues recently with their blocking engine. If it happened in the last week, it might be a Microsoft issue. Microsoft told the press they’re trying to roll back changes and release mail from quarantine.
Expert from Word to the Wise, Steve Jones, shares that while a new template might not be the direct cause of blacklisting, the content within the template can significantly impact deliverability. If the template uses spam-triggering words or phrases, or if it drastically changes the user experience, it can lead to increased spam complaints, potentially resulting in blacklisting. Additionally, he states that IP blacklisting can sometimes be caused by failing to have appropriate authentication setup.
Expert from Email Geeks explains potential reasons why the IP was blacklisted: If Microsoft blocked immediately on first use, it’s likely nothing to do with the template. Alternatively it could be due to changes recipients don't like or reused code blocks that have a bad reputation, or mail being code-similar to mail sent by spammers.
Expert from Email Geeks shared links to news articles and tweets from Microsoft regarding issues with Office 365 blocking emails from various domains, advising to fill out the sender.office.com link to help them identify affected users.
What the documentation says4Technical articles
Documentation from AWS details handling email bounces and complaints. High bounce rates and complaints can lead to blacklisting. If a new template causes increased bounces or complaints, this can negatively impact your sender reputation.
Documentation from Spamhaus explains that IP addresses are listed on their blocklists for sending spam or supporting spam operations. If a new template is associated with a sudden increase in spam complaints, the IP may be listed. The source also explains that compromised accounts can lead to spam being sent from your IP, and you should check for this.
Documentation from Cisco Talos explains that their blocklist identifies IP addresses with a history of sending spam or malicious traffic. A new email template, if poorly designed or used to send unwanted email, could contribute to an IP's negative reputation and lead to its listing.
Documentation from Microsoft explains that an IP address might be blocked if it has been used to send spam, phishing attempts, or other malicious email. Introducing a new email template itself doesn't directly cause blacklisting but if the new template leads to higher spam complaints or triggers spam filters due to content, it can indirectly contribute to IP blacklisting.