Summary
Convincing email network owners to whitelist IPs involves demonstrating good sending practices, maintaining a positive sender reputation, and building relationships. Direct whitelisting requests are often less effective than consistently engaging users and proactively addressing deliverability issues. A strong sender reputation is built through authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), low spam complaint rates, list hygiene, and engagement. Network owners prioritize user engagement signals and operational data over external whitelists. Monitoring sender reputation with tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS helps identify and resolve deliverability problems. It is crucial to fix the underlying issues that cause blocks rather than simply requesting whitelisting. Some providers, like AWS, closely monitor sending activity and have no ability to whitelist individual users.
Key findings
- Reputation over Whitelisting: Building a strong sender reputation is more effective than requesting whitelisting.
- Engagement is Key: User engagement is a critical signal for network owners.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Networks prioritize operational data and engagement over external whitelists.
- Fix Underlying Issues: Addressing the root cause of blocks is essential.
- Proactive Monitoring: Monitoring sender reputation helps identify and resolve deliverability issues.
- Modern Techniques Required: Whitelisting is becoming less common and techniques from 2010 are no longer relevant
Key considerations
- Implement Authentication: Use SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify your identity.
- Maintain List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list and remove invalid addresses.
- Minimize Complaints: Keep spam complaint rates low.
- Warm Up IPs: Gradually warm up new IPs to build a positive reputation.
- Monitor Reputation: Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS to track your sender reputation.
- Contact Network Owner: Contact the network owner and understand their spam policies.
- Focus on engagement: Create engaging content that users want to receive
What email marketers say
10 marketer opinions
Convincing email network owners to whitelist IPs involves demonstrating good sending practices and building relationships. Direct whitelisting requests are often less effective than consistently maintaining a positive sender reputation through authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), low spam complaint rates, list hygiene, and engagement. Email providers prioritize user engagement signals over external whitelists. Some providers, like Mailchimp, actively monitor IPs for blocks and automatically respond to issues.
Key opinions
- Reputation Matters: A strong sender reputation built through authentication, low bounce/complaint rates, and list hygiene is crucial.
- Relationships Matter: Building relationships with network owners can help, but demonstrating good practices is more important.
- Whitelisting is Rare: Direct IP whitelisting is becoming less common; engagement-based filtering is more prevalent.
- Engagement is Key: User engagement (opens, clicks) is a strong signal for network owners.
- Proactive Monitoring: Some ESPs (like Mailchimp) actively monitor IPs for blocks and take action automatically.
Key considerations
- Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify your identity to email providers.
- List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list to remove invalid addresses and reduce bounce rates.
- Complaint Rates: Monitor and minimize spam complaint rates.
- IP Warm-up: Gradually warm up new IPs to build a positive reputation.
- Engagement: Focus on sending relevant and engaging content that users want to receive.
- Communicate: Contact the network owner and work with them to understand their spam policies.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Mailjet explains the importance of authenticating your emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These measures verify your identity to email providers, improving deliverability and reducing bounces, making whitelisting less necessary.
29 May 2024 - Mailjet
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks (Mailchimp) shares that Mailchimp extensively monitors its IPs for blocks, especially from Spamhaus, and blocks trigger alerts and automatic IP disabling, followed by investigation.
11 Sep 2024 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
4 expert opinions
Experts suggest that direct whitelisting is becoming less relevant as email networks increasingly rely on operational data and engagement-based filtering. Building a positive sender reputation through user engagement and addressing underlying issues causing blocks are more effective strategies than seeking whitelisting. Furthermore, technical correctness of email authentication mechanisms such as DKIM is essential.
Key opinions
- Whitelisting Outdated: Direct whitelisting requests are less effective than in the past.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Networks prioritize operational data and user engagement over external whitelists.
- Engagement Matters Most: Getting users to want your mail is crucial due to engagement-based filtering.
- Fix Underlying Issues: Address the root cause of being blocked rather than just requesting whitelisting.
- Technical correctness matters: Correct set up of DKIM signature will help email deliverability
Key considerations
- Focus on Engagement: Create content that users find valuable and want to receive.
- Address Blocking Issues: Investigate and resolve the reasons for being blocked by email networks.
- DKIM check: Check DKIM is setup correctly
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks states that most networks determine whitelisting based on local operational data, not sender requests, as it's not 2010 anymore.
9 Sep 2022 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource shares that the rise of engagement-based spam filtering means that getting users to want your mail is far more important than trying to get whitelisted. Network owners are far more interested in signals from their users than external whitelists.
8 Nov 2021 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Email deliverability documentation emphasizes proactive monitoring and adhering to best practices as key to maintaining a good sender reputation and reducing the need for whitelisting. Tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS offer insights into sender reputation, while implementing RFC-recommended practices, such as authentication and list management, helps avoid blocks. Some providers, such as AWS, closely monitor sending activity and have no ability to whitelist individual users
Key findings
- Monitor Reputation: Regularly monitor your sender reputation using available tools.
- Best Practices Essential: Implementing email sending best practices avoids being blocked and maintains a good sender reputation.
- Proactive Approach: Proactively addressing deliverability issues reduces the need for whitelisting.
- Some Providers Don't Whitelist: Some email service providers do not offer whitelisting capabilities.
Key considerations
- Use Monitoring Tools: Utilize Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS to monitor your IP reputation.
- Implement Authentication: Ensure proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to verify your identity.
- Manage Email Lists: Practice good list management by removing inactive or invalid email addresses.
- Follow RFC Guidelines: Adhere to email sending best practices recommended by IETF RFC.
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft explains that using the Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) allows you to monitor your IP reputation with Microsoft and proactively address any issues affecting deliverability, reducing the need for whitelisting.
8 Jun 2023 - Microsoft
Technical article
Documentation from IETF RFC recommends implementing best practices for email sending, including proper authentication, feedback loops, and list management, to avoid being blocked and to maintain a good sender reputation. This proactively avoids the need for whitelisting.
26 Oct 2022 - ietf.org
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