Restoring domain reputation after outreach emails land in junk folders is a multifaceted process that requires both immediate and long-term strategies. The first crucial step is to halt any ongoing campaigns contributing to the problem and prevent future spam-like activities. Identifying and addressing the root causes of deliverability issues, such as high bounce rates or spam complaints, is paramount. This involves meticulous email list cleaning, which includes removing invalid, bounced, and unengaged addresses. Implementing proper email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential to verify email legitimacy and prevent spoofing. Gradually warming up IP addresses by incrementally increasing sending volume to engaged users helps establish a positive sender reputation. Proactive monitoring of sender reputation through tools like Google Postmaster Tools, Microsoft SNDS, and monitoring blocklists is also vital. Setting up and closely monitoring feedback loops (FBLs) to address spam complaints efficiently minimizes damage. Furthermore, refining outreach strategies to focus on opt-in subscribers and delivering valuable, solicited content is key to long-term success.
10 marketer opinions
Restoring domain reputation after outreach emails land in junk folders involves several key steps. First, identify and fix the underlying issues causing the deliverability problems, such as high bounce rates or spam complaints. This includes cleaning email lists, improving content relevance, and properly authenticating emails (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). Implement IP warming strategies by gradually increasing sending volume to engaged users. Monitor domain blacklists and request delisting if necessary. Use tools to track deliverability and feedback loops to address spam complaints. Adjust outreach campaign strategies to focus on opt-in subscribers and sending valuable, solicited content.
Marketer view
Email marketer from SendGrid explains that gradually increasing your sending volume over time (IP warming) can help establish a positive sending reputation with ISPs. Start with small batches of highly engaged users and gradually increase the volume as your reputation improves.
19 Mar 2025 - SendGrid
Marketer view
Email marketer from Neil Patel explains that the first step in repairing a sender reputation is to identify and fix the problems that caused the reputation damage in the first place, such as spam complaints or high bounce rates. He recommends cleaning your email list, improving email content, and authenticating your email.
10 Jun 2024 - Neil Patel
9 expert opinions
Restoring a domain reputation after outreach emails land in junk folders involves several key steps. The immediate action is to cease any current campaigns that are causing the issue and prevent future campaigns that could be considered spam. Focus on rebuilding reputation by sending emails to engaged users who want to receive them. Assess sending practices, infrastructure, and content, and correct any problems. Cleaning up the email list by removing unengaged subscribers, authenticating emails using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and ensuring content relevance are important. It's important to monitor sender reputation proactively using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and Microsoft SNDS, and pay attention to blocklist listings and feedback loops. Monitoring feedback loops from ISPs is crucial, addressing complaints promptly to minimize damage. Ensure your list contains only valid emails and clean it regularly, removing bounced, invalid, and unengaged addresses.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks notes that if mail goes to the junk folder, it's important to know more about how it's known, as junk foldering at consumer mailbox providers is often somewhat specific to the recipient, rather than a broader decision.
5 Nov 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks states that spam ending up in the spam folder suggests everything is working correctly.
24 Sep 2024 - Email Geeks
4 technical articles
To restore domain reputation, technical documentation emphasizes the importance of email authentication and monitoring. Specifically, using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for verifying that emails originate from authorized servers and are not spoofed. Maintaining a low spam complaint rate is also essential. Microsoft's SNDS program is recommended for monitoring IP reputation and addressing deliverability issues to Outlook.com. Implementing DMARC provides instructions to receiving mail servers on how to handle emails that fail authentication, further preventing spoofing and phishing.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools Help advises to authenticate your email using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. This helps receiving mail servers verify that the email is actually from your domain and not a spammer. They also note maintaining a low spam complaint rate is critical.
15 Feb 2024 - Google Postmaster Tools Help
Technical article
Documentation from DMARC.org explains implementing DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) records to provide instructions to receiving mail servers on how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM authentication. This can help prevent email spoofing and phishing attacks.
20 Apr 2024 - DMARC.org
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