Why is Virgin Media bouncing emails with 'Header From domain is invalid' error, and how to fix it?
Summary
What email marketers say9Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Mailjet suggests cleaning email lists regularly to remove inactive or invalid email addresses. Sending emails to non-existent addresses can damage your sender reputation and lead to bounces.
Email marketer from Email on Acid provides a checklist for diagnosing deliverability problems, including ensuring proper authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), avoiding spam trigger words, and maintaining a good sender reputation.
Email marketer from Stack Overflow suggests checking the reverse DNS (PTR record) of the sending IP address. A missing or incorrect PTR record can cause some mail servers, including Virgin Media, to reject emails.
Email marketer from Litmus emphasizes that the 'From' field should accurately represent the sender and be consistent with the domain used for authentication. Inconsistencies or misleading information can trigger spam filters.
Email Marketer from Email Geeks confirms that the error message, while vague, points to an MX/A record issue as previously stated by Steve.
Email marketer from GlockApps describes that you should test your email placement to determine if your messages are landing in the inbox, spam folder, or being blocked. This helps identify issues with content, authentication, or sender reputation.
Email marketer from HubSpot emphasizes maintaining a consistent sending volume and avoiding sudden spikes, which can trigger spam filters and lead to deliverability problems.
Email marketer from SendGrid recommends closely monitoring your sender reputation and IP reputation. Poor reputation can lead to increased bounce rates and deliverability issues. Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools to track your reputation.
Email marketer from Reddit shares their experience noting that Virgin Media has become increasingly strict. They recommend ensuring that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are properly configured and valid. They also suggest warming up the IP address if it's new.
What the experts say6Expert opinions
Expert from Word to the Wise suggests actively working on improving your sender reputation. High bounce rates and spam complaints negatively impact reputation, so monitor and address issues promptly. Maintaining a clean email list and engaging content are crucial for a good sender reputation.
Expert from Email Geeks advises implementing both A and MX records to avoid future issues with ISPs that might require an A record. He added a default A record for both the visible from domain and return-path subdomain for their default DNS template when at Salesforce.
Expert from Email Geeks explains that the error is likely due to the absence of MX or A records for the domain `emails-purecollection.com`. Virgin Media likely doesn't like the cousin domain, which is generally a bad practice.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that Virgin Media, like other ISPs, is increasingly strict about email authentication. Ensuring correct SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records is vital to avoid rejections. Incorrect configurations in the 'From' header can be easily flagged, which is why Virgin Media may bounce such emails.
Expert from Email Geeks suggests that Virgin Media has changed its policy and might now be blocking senders without MX records. It could be a recent policy change specifically impacting the client.
Expert from Email Geeks hypothesizes that Virgin Media might not regularly check for A/MX records until they encounter an NXDomain error during mail sending, which then triggers filter updates and blocking.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from Microsoft provides detailed information on email authentication methods (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and explains how they help to verify the sender's identity and prevent email spoofing. Correct implementation of these methods is crucial for deliverability.
Documentation from Google details how to use Google Postmaster Tools to monitor sender reputation, spam rates, and other key deliverability metrics. This tool can help identify and address issues that may be causing bounces or filtering.
Documentation from RFC Editor specifies the correct format and requirements for the 'From' header in email messages. Non-compliance with these standards can lead to rejection by receiving servers.
Documentation from DMARC.org emphasizes the importance of implementing DMARC to protect your domain from email spoofing and phishing attacks. Proper DMARC configuration can improve email deliverability and prevent unauthorized use of your domain in the 'From' header.
Documentation from Virgin Media explains that emails can be rejected due to various reasons, including issues with the sender's domain configuration or spam-like content. They suggest checking the sender's domain records and email content for compliance.