Subscribe to Inframail today and get a 100% Free Cold Email Toolkit!
Subscribe to Inframail today and
get a 100% Free Cold Email Toolkit!
Subscribe to Inframail today and get a 100% Free Cold Email Toolkit!
5 Key Steps to Remove a Domain From a Blacklist & Fix Email Issues
5 Key Steps to Remove a Domain From a Blacklist & Fix Email Issues
5 Key Steps to Remove a Domain From a Blacklist & Fix Email Issues
Deliverability
Deliverability
Deliverability
Mar 17, 2025
When you send an email, you expect it to reach your recipient’s inbox without a hitch. But what happens when your domain is blacklisted? Suddenly, your emails start disappearing, and you lose the ability to communicate with clients and other contacts. This can happen overnight with little warning and is a serious problem. If your domain is on a blacklist, there’s no telling how long it will take to remove it. Fortunately, you can speed up the process of removing your domain from blacklists, fix email reputation, restoring your email deliverability, and preventing future blacklisting to ensure uninterrupted communication and business operations. This article will share valuable insights to help you achieve these goals.
Inframail’s email infrastructure solution can help you reach these objectives quickly. With Inframail, you can remove your domain from blacklists, restore your email deliverability, and prevent future blacklisting to ensure your business communications run smoothly.
Table of Contents
What is Email Domain Blacklisting and Why is Delisting Important?
Start Buying Domains Now and Set Up Your Email Infrastructure Today
What is Email Domain Blacklisting and Why is Delisting Important?
Email blacklisting signals trouble for your domain reputation and email deliverability. When email senders get blacklisted, it means they’ve been flagged for sending spammy emails. Instead of blocking the specific emails causing the issues, email clients opt to blacklist the sender to prevent future spam. This can be detrimental to your email deliverability and business operations.
How Do Email Blacklists Work?
Email blacklists, also known as spam lists, operate similarly to a “Do Not Mail” list. It’s a record of email senders who send spam or harmful content. Blacklists exist to protect users from unwanted emails, and when a sender gets blacklisted, they can trigger alarms on these lists and disrupt their communication with clients and prospects.
Why Do Domains Get Blacklisted?
A domain is your digital storefront, and the IP address is its foundation. Your domain is your identity, and your IP address is the backbone. When either the domain or IP gets blacklisted, it’s like having a “Do not Enter” sign on your front door—and your messages are effectively blocked from reaching inboxes. Domain blacklisting happens when your domain is flagged for sending spam-like content, while IP blacklisting occurs when your specific internet address is marked as a potential threat. This usually happens due to:
High email volume: Sending too many emails too quickly can trigger spam filters
User complaints: If recipients frequently mark your emails as junk, your domain’s reputation suffers
Security breaches: Hackers may use your domain or IP to send spam without your knowledge.
The Impact of Email Blacklisting
Let’s talk about the impact. When blacklisted, your emails may land in spam folders or get blocked completely. This disrupts communication with clients, partners, and leads and can eventually smear your professional reputation. Over time, each email that doesn’t reach its target destination erodes your trust with your audience, which can have a tangible effect on your bottom line.
The Importance of Blacklist Removal
When your email domain or IP address is blacklisted, the digital pulse of your business communication begins to falter. That’s why the importance of removing yourself from such a list cannot be emphasized enough.
What Are the Implications of Remaining Blacklisted?
Your emails are routinely blocked or sent to spam, silently corroding your client relationships and communications.
Your trust and credibility with your audience start to fade, damaging your brand image.
Your marketing efficiency falls off a cliff, reducing engagement and the likelihood of conversions and growing missed opportunities.
The Necessity of Blacklist Removal
Getting your email deliverability back up and running is the most critical step in ensuring your messages reach the intended individuals. Blacklist removal is crucial so you can reestablish trust with email service providers, which will translate to trust with your clients and partners. Proactive delisting demonstrates good digital hygiene and your commitment to security and best practices.
Long-term Benefits of Delisting
It strengthens the reliability and integrity of your email campaigns, paving the way for consistent inbox placement.
A clean domain and IP reputation build trust with email providers and lead to better delivery rates.
Delisting contributes to a positive sender reputation and brand image, which are crucial for long-term business success.
Related Reading
• Blacklist Removal
• IP Address Reputation
• Blacklisted Email
5 Key Steps to Remove Domain from Blacklist
1. Check If Your Domain is Blacklisted and Get to the Bottom of It
Acting quickly can help you resolve spam issues before they escalate. The safest shortcut to take when trying to determine if you belong to the list of wrongfully blacklisted email domains would be to go to either MXToolbox or Blacklist Alert and perform a quick yet effective blacklist check. It is possible to carry out a manual check and go to every significant blacklist that pops up. Blacklist monitors will test your domain against all substantial and minor blacklists in seconds.
Check Blacklists with MXToolbox
MXToolbox – is a free blacklist checker that covers over 100 different backlinks. It is fast and effective, not to mention free of charge. You should take the following steps:
Go to the official service page
Enter your IP or domain address
Press Check Blacklist
Inspect the results
In case your IP address or domain is currently blacklisted, the blacklists will appear at the top of the list. Besides you can also discover why you are added to a specific blacklist. The service provides details on the reason, too.
Quick IP Check with BlacklistAlert
BlacklistAlert is slightly different from the previous service. The tool can automatically detect your IP when you visit the site, making it even faster to check it.
Press the Check button to see a list of all blacklists in a few seconds.
Should you be on any of the tested blacklists, there will be a Listed note next to a blacklist. You can further investigate why you’ve ended up on the list by opening the See Why tab.
It is also possible to type in your IP or domain address manually.
Expert Tip from the Folderly Email Deliverability Team
We recommend also checking your blacklist status with standard email deliverability services — Mail Tester, Mail Genius, and Glock Apps. Go through every checker and then compare and analyze your results.
If all the services show the same list of blacklists, then 99.9% you’ve got the correct results and can move to the next steps.
If only one of the mentioned services shows a particular blacklist, then you need to go to the blacklist website and check directly whether your domain and IP are blacklisted just by typing your IP.
Also, remember that sometimes the tools may not show an accurate picture. And if your email deliverability doesn't move from the dead end, no matter how hard you try, consider contacting blacklists directly.
Common Reasons for Your Email Domain Being Blacklisted (or how not to do what spammers do)
Incorrect DKIM & SPF settings: Emails haven’t been correctly authenticated with DKIM & SPF at a minimum. [(Learn more about setting up SPF correctly)]
Poor list hygiene: Even well-crafted emails will land in spam if sent to inactive addresses. A 3-5% bounce rate signals the need for list cleaning. Always get users' explicit consent and respect unsubscribe requests.
Hack attacks: Fraudulent impersonation is widespread. Phishing, the most common form of cybercrime, generates 3.4 billion spam emails daily.
High sending volumes: Spammers send massive amounts of emails. Monitoring your sending volumes helps prevent triggering blacklist suspicion.
Sudden sending volume increase: Jumping from 20 to 100+ emails daily raises red flags. IP warm-ups and gradual increases are essential.
Spam complaints: Some complaints are unavoidable, but a rising complaint rate requires investigation to identify and fix the root issue.
Low-quality/not optimized email content: Poorly written, spam-like, or suspicious emails get flagged by recipients and spam filters, increasing the risk of blacklisting. Use a spam word checker to identify problematic content.
2. Fix the Issues First Before Asking for Removal
As you carry the email domain blacklist check and learn that you’ve been added to one, you may want to rush and ask for delisting. You must look at the root of the problem before initiating the process.
Avoid Permanent Blacklisting
The more often you get on the blacklist, the more challenging it will be to improve sender reputation. If you don’t address the issue, your domain may be permanently blocked in the long run, and the only way out would be to get a new one. Besides, significant blacklists like Spamhaus require a detailed report of what action you took to solve the issue to delete you from the blacklist:
NOTE: Don’t skip this step before moving forward with delisting.
3. Ask Nicely for Removal or Look at Further Instructions
There are a few ways to remove a domain from the blacklist. Mainly, it depends on the type of blacklist you end up with and the severity of your initial problem. There are Major and Real-time blacklists to distinguish between.
Real-time Blacklists (RBLs)
Usually, remove the block after some time so the domain owner does not need to interfere.
More numerous than major blacklists and use different criteria to temporarily block a user from reaching the recipient’s inbox.
Once listed, you can interact with your user base as usual unless you qualify as a big-time spammer.
Most commonly blocks your domain.
Major Blacklists
Take more time and data to list you.
Rely on various RBLs and spam filter signals to add a sender to the list of suspicious users.
Once listed, you must contact them manually to request delisting.
Sometimes, you must wait 2–3 months to get delisted, or you may need to pay a fee to streamline the process.
Since Major Blacklists are trickier than regular RBLs, you may require a simple guide on how to act and what to do when you find your domain mentioned on one of the most popular blacklists. Use the table below for your benefit.
Blacklist name | Steps to take to delist your domain |
Barracuda |
|
Spamhaus |
|
SORBS |
Information from SORBS Support: by registering, you will be able to manage your own networks and listings (if eligible), including delisting yourself without having to wait for SORBS staff to assist you. |
Suomispam |
Suomispam Help Center underlines that users may request for their domains to be delisted only if the reason they are listed no longer applies to them. |
DroneBL |
|
Trend Micro | |
SPAMRATS |
|
WPBL |
|
0SPAM |
|
Spamcop | You will be automatically delisted in 24 hours should no further spam reports hit the surface. (Check Spamcop delist guide for more details) |
Microsoft | Send a personal email to Microsoft or fill out their delisting form to remove your domain from the internal blacklist. Check more in this Microsoft Guide. |
SURBL | Check our detailed SURBL multi-blacklist removal guide. |
A reminder that sending a manual request to delist your IP is often not as simple. If the situation of getting blacklisted was serious, you may wait for months and spend lots of sources to get delisted. In some cases, it makes sense to create a new domain and use another IP address.
4. Take Preventive Measures to Avoid Getting Blacklisted Again
After you initiate email blacklist removal and finalize the process, you may want to call it a day and carry on with your campaign routines. Make sure to add a few practices to your to-go-to list. Integrated approach to email deliverability: While you do everything you can to spike those deliverability rates, you are just a human. Opting for high-end professional assistance when locating and solving deliverability issues is never a waste.
Boost Deliverability with Expert Solutions
Platforms like Folderly have spent a lot of time researching the field so that you get the best practical and effective solutions for any pressing matter. For instance, Slash—a Venture Studio from Singapore—managed to bring its deliverability score to an impressive 85%, starting with only 15%, all due to the experience and thirst for perfection that the Folderly team is known for. If you adopt such an integrated approach and abide by all the presented rules and follow expert guidance, you won’t fear hitting a blacklist ever again.
Avoid Purchased Email Lists
Judicious email address collection Speeding things up a notch with a purchased email list may seem like a great idea at the time, but in the long run, it will send you off straight to the prominent blacklists. You can’t rely on anyone when it comes to email address collection. Such lists are often filled with inactive emails, not to mention spam traps. Sending messages to such addresses will spike your bounce rate and catch the blacklist’s eye quickly.
Use Double Opt-In for Better Deliverability
Double opt-in feature This precautionary step is closely intertwined with those mentioned above. The fact is that a two-step verification that a double opt-in is responsible for will filter out users who aren’t interested in your product. While this first step can result in approximately 20% fewer opt-ins than single opt-ins, double opt-ins are superior regarding ALL other statistics. And remember, when it comes to email deliverability, it’s always a long-term game.
Secure Your Server and Use VPNs Wisely
Protect the server Present-day hackers are getting more creative as we speak. Hijacking a domain or IP address is one of their favorite means of spreading bots and malware. Thus, ensuring that your sending server is clean of those and that your security means are intact and up-to-date is critical. Utilize virtual private networks (VPNs) carefully Some people mistakenly think that one of the best ways to combat blacklisting is through the use of Virtual Private Networks. As its name suggests, it gives you a virtual IP address. It enables you to send your emails without being tied to a specific IP address that can be blacklisted.
Here are the necessary points to remember from the Folderly team before using VPN:
You can use VPN to change location if you need it for client outreach.
A VPN might be a good alternative if you wait for your IP to be delisted. BUT it rarely works until your IP is delisted.
Never use VPN as a preventive measure. If your domain is associated with different locations, it may negatively affect your email deliverability and trigger spam filters in the long term.
5. Monitor After Removal and Ensure Compliance
The final phase in the delisting process focuses on vigilant monitoring and ensuring ongoing compliance. This stage is crucial because it solidifies the efforts made in the previous steps, ensuring that the fruits of your labor are sustained over time. Once you’ve successfully removed your domain from a blacklist, continuous monitoring becomes a cornerstone of your email strategy. Again, it’s not just avoiding being blacklisted, but it’s about building a strong sender reputation in the eyes of blacklist administrators and your customers.
Implement Regular Blacklist Monitoring
Some actionables you can add to your routine include:
Regularly check your domain and IP against major blacklists to ensure that no new listings occur.
Employ automated monitoring tools as they offer real-time alerts if your domain or IP is flagged again.
Post-removal, continuous monitoring becomes a cornerstone of your email strategy. This involves regularly checking your domain and IP against major blacklists, ensuring that no new listings occur.
Employing automated monitoring tools can be highly beneficial here. These tools offer real-time alerts if your domain or IP is flagged again. This proactive approach allows you to respond swiftly to potential issues before they escalate.
Related Reading
• How to Improve IP Reputation
• Google Blacklist Removal
• Blacklist Removal Tool
Start Buying Domains Now and Set Up Your Email Infrastructure Today
Inframail helps agencies, recruiters, and sales development representatives scale cold email outreach with unlimited inboxes at a flat rate. With automated technical setup, dedicated IP addresses, and Microsoft-backed deliverability, Inframail is revolutionizing cold email infrastructure so users can focus on reaching prospects instead of wrestling with email configurations.
How Can Inframail Help Me Achieve Better Email Deliverability?
Inframail provides automated SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setup to help you achieve better email deliverability and sender reputation. The higher your email deliverability rates, the more prospects you reach.
Related Reading
When you send an email, you expect it to reach your recipient’s inbox without a hitch. But what happens when your domain is blacklisted? Suddenly, your emails start disappearing, and you lose the ability to communicate with clients and other contacts. This can happen overnight with little warning and is a serious problem. If your domain is on a blacklist, there’s no telling how long it will take to remove it. Fortunately, you can speed up the process of removing your domain from blacklists, fix email reputation, restoring your email deliverability, and preventing future blacklisting to ensure uninterrupted communication and business operations. This article will share valuable insights to help you achieve these goals.
Inframail’s email infrastructure solution can help you reach these objectives quickly. With Inframail, you can remove your domain from blacklists, restore your email deliverability, and prevent future blacklisting to ensure your business communications run smoothly.
Table of Contents
What is Email Domain Blacklisting and Why is Delisting Important?
Start Buying Domains Now and Set Up Your Email Infrastructure Today
What is Email Domain Blacklisting and Why is Delisting Important?
Email blacklisting signals trouble for your domain reputation and email deliverability. When email senders get blacklisted, it means they’ve been flagged for sending spammy emails. Instead of blocking the specific emails causing the issues, email clients opt to blacklist the sender to prevent future spam. This can be detrimental to your email deliverability and business operations.
How Do Email Blacklists Work?
Email blacklists, also known as spam lists, operate similarly to a “Do Not Mail” list. It’s a record of email senders who send spam or harmful content. Blacklists exist to protect users from unwanted emails, and when a sender gets blacklisted, they can trigger alarms on these lists and disrupt their communication with clients and prospects.
Why Do Domains Get Blacklisted?
A domain is your digital storefront, and the IP address is its foundation. Your domain is your identity, and your IP address is the backbone. When either the domain or IP gets blacklisted, it’s like having a “Do not Enter” sign on your front door—and your messages are effectively blocked from reaching inboxes. Domain blacklisting happens when your domain is flagged for sending spam-like content, while IP blacklisting occurs when your specific internet address is marked as a potential threat. This usually happens due to:
High email volume: Sending too many emails too quickly can trigger spam filters
User complaints: If recipients frequently mark your emails as junk, your domain’s reputation suffers
Security breaches: Hackers may use your domain or IP to send spam without your knowledge.
The Impact of Email Blacklisting
Let’s talk about the impact. When blacklisted, your emails may land in spam folders or get blocked completely. This disrupts communication with clients, partners, and leads and can eventually smear your professional reputation. Over time, each email that doesn’t reach its target destination erodes your trust with your audience, which can have a tangible effect on your bottom line.
The Importance of Blacklist Removal
When your email domain or IP address is blacklisted, the digital pulse of your business communication begins to falter. That’s why the importance of removing yourself from such a list cannot be emphasized enough.
What Are the Implications of Remaining Blacklisted?
Your emails are routinely blocked or sent to spam, silently corroding your client relationships and communications.
Your trust and credibility with your audience start to fade, damaging your brand image.
Your marketing efficiency falls off a cliff, reducing engagement and the likelihood of conversions and growing missed opportunities.
The Necessity of Blacklist Removal
Getting your email deliverability back up and running is the most critical step in ensuring your messages reach the intended individuals. Blacklist removal is crucial so you can reestablish trust with email service providers, which will translate to trust with your clients and partners. Proactive delisting demonstrates good digital hygiene and your commitment to security and best practices.
Long-term Benefits of Delisting
It strengthens the reliability and integrity of your email campaigns, paving the way for consistent inbox placement.
A clean domain and IP reputation build trust with email providers and lead to better delivery rates.
Delisting contributes to a positive sender reputation and brand image, which are crucial for long-term business success.
Related Reading
• Blacklist Removal
• IP Address Reputation
• Blacklisted Email
5 Key Steps to Remove Domain from Blacklist
1. Check If Your Domain is Blacklisted and Get to the Bottom of It
Acting quickly can help you resolve spam issues before they escalate. The safest shortcut to take when trying to determine if you belong to the list of wrongfully blacklisted email domains would be to go to either MXToolbox or Blacklist Alert and perform a quick yet effective blacklist check. It is possible to carry out a manual check and go to every significant blacklist that pops up. Blacklist monitors will test your domain against all substantial and minor blacklists in seconds.
Check Blacklists with MXToolbox
MXToolbox – is a free blacklist checker that covers over 100 different backlinks. It is fast and effective, not to mention free of charge. You should take the following steps:
Go to the official service page
Enter your IP or domain address
Press Check Blacklist
Inspect the results
In case your IP address or domain is currently blacklisted, the blacklists will appear at the top of the list. Besides you can also discover why you are added to a specific blacklist. The service provides details on the reason, too.
Quick IP Check with BlacklistAlert
BlacklistAlert is slightly different from the previous service. The tool can automatically detect your IP when you visit the site, making it even faster to check it.
Press the Check button to see a list of all blacklists in a few seconds.
Should you be on any of the tested blacklists, there will be a Listed note next to a blacklist. You can further investigate why you’ve ended up on the list by opening the See Why tab.
It is also possible to type in your IP or domain address manually.
Expert Tip from the Folderly Email Deliverability Team
We recommend also checking your blacklist status with standard email deliverability services — Mail Tester, Mail Genius, and Glock Apps. Go through every checker and then compare and analyze your results.
If all the services show the same list of blacklists, then 99.9% you’ve got the correct results and can move to the next steps.
If only one of the mentioned services shows a particular blacklist, then you need to go to the blacklist website and check directly whether your domain and IP are blacklisted just by typing your IP.
Also, remember that sometimes the tools may not show an accurate picture. And if your email deliverability doesn't move from the dead end, no matter how hard you try, consider contacting blacklists directly.
Common Reasons for Your Email Domain Being Blacklisted (or how not to do what spammers do)
Incorrect DKIM & SPF settings: Emails haven’t been correctly authenticated with DKIM & SPF at a minimum. [(Learn more about setting up SPF correctly)]
Poor list hygiene: Even well-crafted emails will land in spam if sent to inactive addresses. A 3-5% bounce rate signals the need for list cleaning. Always get users' explicit consent and respect unsubscribe requests.
Hack attacks: Fraudulent impersonation is widespread. Phishing, the most common form of cybercrime, generates 3.4 billion spam emails daily.
High sending volumes: Spammers send massive amounts of emails. Monitoring your sending volumes helps prevent triggering blacklist suspicion.
Sudden sending volume increase: Jumping from 20 to 100+ emails daily raises red flags. IP warm-ups and gradual increases are essential.
Spam complaints: Some complaints are unavoidable, but a rising complaint rate requires investigation to identify and fix the root issue.
Low-quality/not optimized email content: Poorly written, spam-like, or suspicious emails get flagged by recipients and spam filters, increasing the risk of blacklisting. Use a spam word checker to identify problematic content.
2. Fix the Issues First Before Asking for Removal
As you carry the email domain blacklist check and learn that you’ve been added to one, you may want to rush and ask for delisting. You must look at the root of the problem before initiating the process.
Avoid Permanent Blacklisting
The more often you get on the blacklist, the more challenging it will be to improve sender reputation. If you don’t address the issue, your domain may be permanently blocked in the long run, and the only way out would be to get a new one. Besides, significant blacklists like Spamhaus require a detailed report of what action you took to solve the issue to delete you from the blacklist:
NOTE: Don’t skip this step before moving forward with delisting.
3. Ask Nicely for Removal or Look at Further Instructions
There are a few ways to remove a domain from the blacklist. Mainly, it depends on the type of blacklist you end up with and the severity of your initial problem. There are Major and Real-time blacklists to distinguish between.
Real-time Blacklists (RBLs)
Usually, remove the block after some time so the domain owner does not need to interfere.
More numerous than major blacklists and use different criteria to temporarily block a user from reaching the recipient’s inbox.
Once listed, you can interact with your user base as usual unless you qualify as a big-time spammer.
Most commonly blocks your domain.
Major Blacklists
Take more time and data to list you.
Rely on various RBLs and spam filter signals to add a sender to the list of suspicious users.
Once listed, you must contact them manually to request delisting.
Sometimes, you must wait 2–3 months to get delisted, or you may need to pay a fee to streamline the process.
Since Major Blacklists are trickier than regular RBLs, you may require a simple guide on how to act and what to do when you find your domain mentioned on one of the most popular blacklists. Use the table below for your benefit.
Blacklist name | Steps to take to delist your domain |
Barracuda |
|
Spamhaus |
|
SORBS |
Information from SORBS Support: by registering, you will be able to manage your own networks and listings (if eligible), including delisting yourself without having to wait for SORBS staff to assist you. |
Suomispam |
Suomispam Help Center underlines that users may request for their domains to be delisted only if the reason they are listed no longer applies to them. |
DroneBL |
|
Trend Micro | |
SPAMRATS |
|
WPBL |
|
0SPAM |
|
Spamcop | You will be automatically delisted in 24 hours should no further spam reports hit the surface. (Check Spamcop delist guide for more details) |
Microsoft | Send a personal email to Microsoft or fill out their delisting form to remove your domain from the internal blacklist. Check more in this Microsoft Guide. |
SURBL | Check our detailed SURBL multi-blacklist removal guide. |
A reminder that sending a manual request to delist your IP is often not as simple. If the situation of getting blacklisted was serious, you may wait for months and spend lots of sources to get delisted. In some cases, it makes sense to create a new domain and use another IP address.
4. Take Preventive Measures to Avoid Getting Blacklisted Again
After you initiate email blacklist removal and finalize the process, you may want to call it a day and carry on with your campaign routines. Make sure to add a few practices to your to-go-to list. Integrated approach to email deliverability: While you do everything you can to spike those deliverability rates, you are just a human. Opting for high-end professional assistance when locating and solving deliverability issues is never a waste.
Boost Deliverability with Expert Solutions
Platforms like Folderly have spent a lot of time researching the field so that you get the best practical and effective solutions for any pressing matter. For instance, Slash—a Venture Studio from Singapore—managed to bring its deliverability score to an impressive 85%, starting with only 15%, all due to the experience and thirst for perfection that the Folderly team is known for. If you adopt such an integrated approach and abide by all the presented rules and follow expert guidance, you won’t fear hitting a blacklist ever again.
Avoid Purchased Email Lists
Judicious email address collection Speeding things up a notch with a purchased email list may seem like a great idea at the time, but in the long run, it will send you off straight to the prominent blacklists. You can’t rely on anyone when it comes to email address collection. Such lists are often filled with inactive emails, not to mention spam traps. Sending messages to such addresses will spike your bounce rate and catch the blacklist’s eye quickly.
Use Double Opt-In for Better Deliverability
Double opt-in feature This precautionary step is closely intertwined with those mentioned above. The fact is that a two-step verification that a double opt-in is responsible for will filter out users who aren’t interested in your product. While this first step can result in approximately 20% fewer opt-ins than single opt-ins, double opt-ins are superior regarding ALL other statistics. And remember, when it comes to email deliverability, it’s always a long-term game.
Secure Your Server and Use VPNs Wisely
Protect the server Present-day hackers are getting more creative as we speak. Hijacking a domain or IP address is one of their favorite means of spreading bots and malware. Thus, ensuring that your sending server is clean of those and that your security means are intact and up-to-date is critical. Utilize virtual private networks (VPNs) carefully Some people mistakenly think that one of the best ways to combat blacklisting is through the use of Virtual Private Networks. As its name suggests, it gives you a virtual IP address. It enables you to send your emails without being tied to a specific IP address that can be blacklisted.
Here are the necessary points to remember from the Folderly team before using VPN:
You can use VPN to change location if you need it for client outreach.
A VPN might be a good alternative if you wait for your IP to be delisted. BUT it rarely works until your IP is delisted.
Never use VPN as a preventive measure. If your domain is associated with different locations, it may negatively affect your email deliverability and trigger spam filters in the long term.
5. Monitor After Removal and Ensure Compliance
The final phase in the delisting process focuses on vigilant monitoring and ensuring ongoing compliance. This stage is crucial because it solidifies the efforts made in the previous steps, ensuring that the fruits of your labor are sustained over time. Once you’ve successfully removed your domain from a blacklist, continuous monitoring becomes a cornerstone of your email strategy. Again, it’s not just avoiding being blacklisted, but it’s about building a strong sender reputation in the eyes of blacklist administrators and your customers.
Implement Regular Blacklist Monitoring
Some actionables you can add to your routine include:
Regularly check your domain and IP against major blacklists to ensure that no new listings occur.
Employ automated monitoring tools as they offer real-time alerts if your domain or IP is flagged again.
Post-removal, continuous monitoring becomes a cornerstone of your email strategy. This involves regularly checking your domain and IP against major blacklists, ensuring that no new listings occur.
Employing automated monitoring tools can be highly beneficial here. These tools offer real-time alerts if your domain or IP is flagged again. This proactive approach allows you to respond swiftly to potential issues before they escalate.
Related Reading
• How to Improve IP Reputation
• Google Blacklist Removal
• Blacklist Removal Tool
Start Buying Domains Now and Set Up Your Email Infrastructure Today
Inframail helps agencies, recruiters, and sales development representatives scale cold email outreach with unlimited inboxes at a flat rate. With automated technical setup, dedicated IP addresses, and Microsoft-backed deliverability, Inframail is revolutionizing cold email infrastructure so users can focus on reaching prospects instead of wrestling with email configurations.
How Can Inframail Help Me Achieve Better Email Deliverability?
Inframail provides automated SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setup to help you achieve better email deliverability and sender reputation. The higher your email deliverability rates, the more prospects you reach.
Related Reading
When you send an email, you expect it to reach your recipient’s inbox without a hitch. But what happens when your domain is blacklisted? Suddenly, your emails start disappearing, and you lose the ability to communicate with clients and other contacts. This can happen overnight with little warning and is a serious problem. If your domain is on a blacklist, there’s no telling how long it will take to remove it. Fortunately, you can speed up the process of removing your domain from blacklists, fix email reputation, restoring your email deliverability, and preventing future blacklisting to ensure uninterrupted communication and business operations. This article will share valuable insights to help you achieve these goals.
Inframail’s email infrastructure solution can help you reach these objectives quickly. With Inframail, you can remove your domain from blacklists, restore your email deliverability, and prevent future blacklisting to ensure your business communications run smoothly.
Table of Contents
What is Email Domain Blacklisting and Why is Delisting Important?
Start Buying Domains Now and Set Up Your Email Infrastructure Today
What is Email Domain Blacklisting and Why is Delisting Important?
Email blacklisting signals trouble for your domain reputation and email deliverability. When email senders get blacklisted, it means they’ve been flagged for sending spammy emails. Instead of blocking the specific emails causing the issues, email clients opt to blacklist the sender to prevent future spam. This can be detrimental to your email deliverability and business operations.
How Do Email Blacklists Work?
Email blacklists, also known as spam lists, operate similarly to a “Do Not Mail” list. It’s a record of email senders who send spam or harmful content. Blacklists exist to protect users from unwanted emails, and when a sender gets blacklisted, they can trigger alarms on these lists and disrupt their communication with clients and prospects.
Why Do Domains Get Blacklisted?
A domain is your digital storefront, and the IP address is its foundation. Your domain is your identity, and your IP address is the backbone. When either the domain or IP gets blacklisted, it’s like having a “Do not Enter” sign on your front door—and your messages are effectively blocked from reaching inboxes. Domain blacklisting happens when your domain is flagged for sending spam-like content, while IP blacklisting occurs when your specific internet address is marked as a potential threat. This usually happens due to:
High email volume: Sending too many emails too quickly can trigger spam filters
User complaints: If recipients frequently mark your emails as junk, your domain’s reputation suffers
Security breaches: Hackers may use your domain or IP to send spam without your knowledge.
The Impact of Email Blacklisting
Let’s talk about the impact. When blacklisted, your emails may land in spam folders or get blocked completely. This disrupts communication with clients, partners, and leads and can eventually smear your professional reputation. Over time, each email that doesn’t reach its target destination erodes your trust with your audience, which can have a tangible effect on your bottom line.
The Importance of Blacklist Removal
When your email domain or IP address is blacklisted, the digital pulse of your business communication begins to falter. That’s why the importance of removing yourself from such a list cannot be emphasized enough.
What Are the Implications of Remaining Blacklisted?
Your emails are routinely blocked or sent to spam, silently corroding your client relationships and communications.
Your trust and credibility with your audience start to fade, damaging your brand image.
Your marketing efficiency falls off a cliff, reducing engagement and the likelihood of conversions and growing missed opportunities.
The Necessity of Blacklist Removal
Getting your email deliverability back up and running is the most critical step in ensuring your messages reach the intended individuals. Blacklist removal is crucial so you can reestablish trust with email service providers, which will translate to trust with your clients and partners. Proactive delisting demonstrates good digital hygiene and your commitment to security and best practices.
Long-term Benefits of Delisting
It strengthens the reliability and integrity of your email campaigns, paving the way for consistent inbox placement.
A clean domain and IP reputation build trust with email providers and lead to better delivery rates.
Delisting contributes to a positive sender reputation and brand image, which are crucial for long-term business success.
Related Reading
• Blacklist Removal
• IP Address Reputation
• Blacklisted Email
5 Key Steps to Remove Domain from Blacklist
1. Check If Your Domain is Blacklisted and Get to the Bottom of It
Acting quickly can help you resolve spam issues before they escalate. The safest shortcut to take when trying to determine if you belong to the list of wrongfully blacklisted email domains would be to go to either MXToolbox or Blacklist Alert and perform a quick yet effective blacklist check. It is possible to carry out a manual check and go to every significant blacklist that pops up. Blacklist monitors will test your domain against all substantial and minor blacklists in seconds.
Check Blacklists with MXToolbox
MXToolbox – is a free blacklist checker that covers over 100 different backlinks. It is fast and effective, not to mention free of charge. You should take the following steps:
Go to the official service page
Enter your IP or domain address
Press Check Blacklist
Inspect the results
In case your IP address or domain is currently blacklisted, the blacklists will appear at the top of the list. Besides you can also discover why you are added to a specific blacklist. The service provides details on the reason, too.
Quick IP Check with BlacklistAlert
BlacklistAlert is slightly different from the previous service. The tool can automatically detect your IP when you visit the site, making it even faster to check it.
Press the Check button to see a list of all blacklists in a few seconds.
Should you be on any of the tested blacklists, there will be a Listed note next to a blacklist. You can further investigate why you’ve ended up on the list by opening the See Why tab.
It is also possible to type in your IP or domain address manually.
Expert Tip from the Folderly Email Deliverability Team
We recommend also checking your blacklist status with standard email deliverability services — Mail Tester, Mail Genius, and Glock Apps. Go through every checker and then compare and analyze your results.
If all the services show the same list of blacklists, then 99.9% you’ve got the correct results and can move to the next steps.
If only one of the mentioned services shows a particular blacklist, then you need to go to the blacklist website and check directly whether your domain and IP are blacklisted just by typing your IP.
Also, remember that sometimes the tools may not show an accurate picture. And if your email deliverability doesn't move from the dead end, no matter how hard you try, consider contacting blacklists directly.
Common Reasons for Your Email Domain Being Blacklisted (or how not to do what spammers do)
Incorrect DKIM & SPF settings: Emails haven’t been correctly authenticated with DKIM & SPF at a minimum. [(Learn more about setting up SPF correctly)]
Poor list hygiene: Even well-crafted emails will land in spam if sent to inactive addresses. A 3-5% bounce rate signals the need for list cleaning. Always get users' explicit consent and respect unsubscribe requests.
Hack attacks: Fraudulent impersonation is widespread. Phishing, the most common form of cybercrime, generates 3.4 billion spam emails daily.
High sending volumes: Spammers send massive amounts of emails. Monitoring your sending volumes helps prevent triggering blacklist suspicion.
Sudden sending volume increase: Jumping from 20 to 100+ emails daily raises red flags. IP warm-ups and gradual increases are essential.
Spam complaints: Some complaints are unavoidable, but a rising complaint rate requires investigation to identify and fix the root issue.
Low-quality/not optimized email content: Poorly written, spam-like, or suspicious emails get flagged by recipients and spam filters, increasing the risk of blacklisting. Use a spam word checker to identify problematic content.
2. Fix the Issues First Before Asking for Removal
As you carry the email domain blacklist check and learn that you’ve been added to one, you may want to rush and ask for delisting. You must look at the root of the problem before initiating the process.
Avoid Permanent Blacklisting
The more often you get on the blacklist, the more challenging it will be to improve sender reputation. If you don’t address the issue, your domain may be permanently blocked in the long run, and the only way out would be to get a new one. Besides, significant blacklists like Spamhaus require a detailed report of what action you took to solve the issue to delete you from the blacklist:
NOTE: Don’t skip this step before moving forward with delisting.
3. Ask Nicely for Removal or Look at Further Instructions
There are a few ways to remove a domain from the blacklist. Mainly, it depends on the type of blacklist you end up with and the severity of your initial problem. There are Major and Real-time blacklists to distinguish between.
Real-time Blacklists (RBLs)
Usually, remove the block after some time so the domain owner does not need to interfere.
More numerous than major blacklists and use different criteria to temporarily block a user from reaching the recipient’s inbox.
Once listed, you can interact with your user base as usual unless you qualify as a big-time spammer.
Most commonly blocks your domain.
Major Blacklists
Take more time and data to list you.
Rely on various RBLs and spam filter signals to add a sender to the list of suspicious users.
Once listed, you must contact them manually to request delisting.
Sometimes, you must wait 2–3 months to get delisted, or you may need to pay a fee to streamline the process.
Since Major Blacklists are trickier than regular RBLs, you may require a simple guide on how to act and what to do when you find your domain mentioned on one of the most popular blacklists. Use the table below for your benefit.
Blacklist name | Steps to take to delist your domain |
Barracuda |
|
Spamhaus |
|
SORBS |
Information from SORBS Support: by registering, you will be able to manage your own networks and listings (if eligible), including delisting yourself without having to wait for SORBS staff to assist you. |
Suomispam |
Suomispam Help Center underlines that users may request for their domains to be delisted only if the reason they are listed no longer applies to them. |
DroneBL |
|
Trend Micro | |
SPAMRATS |
|
WPBL |
|
0SPAM |
|
Spamcop | You will be automatically delisted in 24 hours should no further spam reports hit the surface. (Check Spamcop delist guide for more details) |
Microsoft | Send a personal email to Microsoft or fill out their delisting form to remove your domain from the internal blacklist. Check more in this Microsoft Guide. |
SURBL | Check our detailed SURBL multi-blacklist removal guide. |
A reminder that sending a manual request to delist your IP is often not as simple. If the situation of getting blacklisted was serious, you may wait for months and spend lots of sources to get delisted. In some cases, it makes sense to create a new domain and use another IP address.
4. Take Preventive Measures to Avoid Getting Blacklisted Again
After you initiate email blacklist removal and finalize the process, you may want to call it a day and carry on with your campaign routines. Make sure to add a few practices to your to-go-to list. Integrated approach to email deliverability: While you do everything you can to spike those deliverability rates, you are just a human. Opting for high-end professional assistance when locating and solving deliverability issues is never a waste.
Boost Deliverability with Expert Solutions
Platforms like Folderly have spent a lot of time researching the field so that you get the best practical and effective solutions for any pressing matter. For instance, Slash—a Venture Studio from Singapore—managed to bring its deliverability score to an impressive 85%, starting with only 15%, all due to the experience and thirst for perfection that the Folderly team is known for. If you adopt such an integrated approach and abide by all the presented rules and follow expert guidance, you won’t fear hitting a blacklist ever again.
Avoid Purchased Email Lists
Judicious email address collection Speeding things up a notch with a purchased email list may seem like a great idea at the time, but in the long run, it will send you off straight to the prominent blacklists. You can’t rely on anyone when it comes to email address collection. Such lists are often filled with inactive emails, not to mention spam traps. Sending messages to such addresses will spike your bounce rate and catch the blacklist’s eye quickly.
Use Double Opt-In for Better Deliverability
Double opt-in feature This precautionary step is closely intertwined with those mentioned above. The fact is that a two-step verification that a double opt-in is responsible for will filter out users who aren’t interested in your product. While this first step can result in approximately 20% fewer opt-ins than single opt-ins, double opt-ins are superior regarding ALL other statistics. And remember, when it comes to email deliverability, it’s always a long-term game.
Secure Your Server and Use VPNs Wisely
Protect the server Present-day hackers are getting more creative as we speak. Hijacking a domain or IP address is one of their favorite means of spreading bots and malware. Thus, ensuring that your sending server is clean of those and that your security means are intact and up-to-date is critical. Utilize virtual private networks (VPNs) carefully Some people mistakenly think that one of the best ways to combat blacklisting is through the use of Virtual Private Networks. As its name suggests, it gives you a virtual IP address. It enables you to send your emails without being tied to a specific IP address that can be blacklisted.
Here are the necessary points to remember from the Folderly team before using VPN:
You can use VPN to change location if you need it for client outreach.
A VPN might be a good alternative if you wait for your IP to be delisted. BUT it rarely works until your IP is delisted.
Never use VPN as a preventive measure. If your domain is associated with different locations, it may negatively affect your email deliverability and trigger spam filters in the long term.
5. Monitor After Removal and Ensure Compliance
The final phase in the delisting process focuses on vigilant monitoring and ensuring ongoing compliance. This stage is crucial because it solidifies the efforts made in the previous steps, ensuring that the fruits of your labor are sustained over time. Once you’ve successfully removed your domain from a blacklist, continuous monitoring becomes a cornerstone of your email strategy. Again, it’s not just avoiding being blacklisted, but it’s about building a strong sender reputation in the eyes of blacklist administrators and your customers.
Implement Regular Blacklist Monitoring
Some actionables you can add to your routine include:
Regularly check your domain and IP against major blacklists to ensure that no new listings occur.
Employ automated monitoring tools as they offer real-time alerts if your domain or IP is flagged again.
Post-removal, continuous monitoring becomes a cornerstone of your email strategy. This involves regularly checking your domain and IP against major blacklists, ensuring that no new listings occur.
Employing automated monitoring tools can be highly beneficial here. These tools offer real-time alerts if your domain or IP is flagged again. This proactive approach allows you to respond swiftly to potential issues before they escalate.
Related Reading
• How to Improve IP Reputation
• Google Blacklist Removal
• Blacklist Removal Tool
Start Buying Domains Now and Set Up Your Email Infrastructure Today
Inframail helps agencies, recruiters, and sales development representatives scale cold email outreach with unlimited inboxes at a flat rate. With automated technical setup, dedicated IP addresses, and Microsoft-backed deliverability, Inframail is revolutionizing cold email infrastructure so users can focus on reaching prospects instead of wrestling with email configurations.
How Can Inframail Help Me Achieve Better Email Deliverability?
Inframail provides automated SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setup to help you achieve better email deliverability and sender reputation. The higher your email deliverability rates, the more prospects you reach.
Related Reading
Address
© Inframail LLC. 2023
228 Park Ave S.
PMB 166934
New York, New York 10003-1502
© Inframail LLC. 2023
228 Park Ave S. PMB 166934
New York, New York 10003-1502
Social
Compliance
Compare
Compare
© 2023 Inframail. All Rights Reserved.