What is a blacklist in the context of email marketing? In today’s article, we will explain everything you need to know about blacklists and the best ways to avoid them.

Isn’t it frustrating how some of your emails never make it to their recipients?

Now and again, even a solitary little issue will adversely influence your email deliverability. 

Perhaps it is a full inbox, a terrible email address, a grammatical mistake… And at that point, obviously, you may finish up on a boycott, which keeps your messages from consistently achieving their beneficiary. 

What's more, certain, a basic composition mix-up or awful email address is a little time bargain and can be fixed all around effectively. 

In any case, with boycotts… it's an alternate story. 

These rundowns can do some genuine harm to your business so you should ensure you don't finish up on one! 

Presently, in the event that you are utilizing a trustworthy Email Service Provider (ESP), and you pursue solid email promoting rehearses, you probably have nothing to stress over. 

In any case, even for this situation, it is imperative to find out about boycotts so you can all the more likely comprehend email promoting.

So, what is a blacklist and how does it affect your campaigns?

What is a blacklist?

A blacklist is a list that contains IP addresses and domains known to send spam.

These lists are mostly used by internet service providers and free mailbox providers to prevent themselves from spam.

Landing a spot in a list like this will depend on the quality and amount of emails you send to your list.

And while you may think that blacklists are frustrating, the truth is different.

In fact, blacklists are very helpful for individuals and companies alike.

This is because nearly 90% of all emails sent, on a daily basis, are spam and it is thanks to these lists that your inbox looks clean and empty.

How companies get on blacklists

Organizations and people will have their IP blacklisted when their email promoting campaigns receive high spam objections or when they are sent to bad email records.

Here is a more detailed overview of what leads to blacklisting:

• Spam content – 

If your readers mark your emails as spam, the ISPs will assume that your content is bad. The more complaints you receive, the more likely your IP address will be added to a blacklist.

• Bad lists or addresses – 

A high volume of bounced email addresses indicates that your list may not be built up in a natural way (e.g. a bought list). A few blacklists also use what is known as a “spamtrap” to locate spamming IP addresses. A spam trap is an email address that has no owner but can be publicly found and used to grow one’s list. Any emails sent to that address will suffer blacklisting.

• A sudden increase in list size – 

A natural email list develops gradually after some time. On the off chance that a list appears to detonate in development in a generally brief timeframe, most web access suppliers will accept that your list is unnatural.

• No unsubscribe button – 

As indicated by GDPR, it is compulsory to have a unsubscribe button in every email you send. Not doing as such may make individuals mark your emails as spam since you don't regard their decision on whether they’d like to follow you or not.

• Low Open Rates – 

A very low amount of open rates may also be an indication of a bought (or rented) email list. In both cases, you stand a chance of getting blacklisted since some ESPs may think of your emails as spam.

What to do in case of blacklisting

You now know what a blacklist is, so the next step is to take precautions to avoid ending up on one.

In general, if your IP address is blacklisted, there is most likely an issue with your email marketing strategy.

After all, what is a blacklist, if not a direct result of miscommunication?

1) Large scale blacklists

The huge scale blacklists that are utilized by ISPs can have an immediate, negative effect on your email deliverability and, subsequently, your business. 

On the off chance that your IP address is added to a blacklist of that scale, the best thing you can do is contact the rundown and request to be expelled. 

Most significant blacklists have a well-ordered guide on their sites on how you can expel yourself from that rundown. 

Most occasions, the procedure is basic and simple to pursue. Essentially experience the procedure and you will be alright.

2) Small scale blacklists

For littler records, in the event that you essentially change your mailing conduct and lower your spam rate you should be removed from the list without any additional work.

On the off chance that you need to check whether your IP address is on a blacklist, you can use MX Toolbox. 

They will tell you how you can fix the issue and contact the blacklists to have you removed.

How do you avoid blacklisting?

As we already mentioned, the primary reason for blacklisting lies with the quality of your mailing list and your content.

The best thing you can do for your email marketing campaigns is to avoid becoming part of such a list in the first place. And here’s how you can do that:

• Email content – 

Send emails that are relevant and engaging to your audience. To do so, it is important to initially break your list into segments. Not everyone will enjoy reading the same email as they have different interests and needs. So make sure your subscribers receive what actually helps them in one way or another. If you don’t, you may soon be looking at spam complaints. Aside from the content you send, pay attention to the frequency as well. If you start sending daily emails after a long time of weekly newsletters, expect to get some delivery trouble.

• Check the metrics –

 You’re most likely observing important metrics, for example, opens and clicks. To be sure, ensure you check area opens also. So as to do that, you should add UTM parameters to your space and investigate the traffic, through Google Analytics. If a large drop in traffic occurs for one or more of your domains, you may be blacklisted.

• Build your list, don’t buy it– 

Try not to purchase email records. The email tends to incorporated into these rundowns are non-connecting with and, sometimes, spamtraps. The outcomes might pulverize for your deliverability rates and your business objectives. 

What's more, regardless of whether you are utilizing a natural mailing list, ensure you evacuate dormant or bobbed email addresses.

• Create segments –

Create targeted sub-lists by dividing your main list into smaller segments. These could be founded on area, buy conduct, or general interests. Sending customized emails is in every case better with regards to supporters' commitment and fulfillment.

And that’s all you need to know!

Now you have a better understanding of blacklists and what you can do to avoid them. Make sure to send great substance and just utilize natural email records that you have worked after some time. 

Likewise, watch out for the measurements of your campaigns to see where you can improve as well as to improve your deliverability. 

All things considered, with a decent understanding and use of essential email promoting, you don't have anything to stress over.