Summary
DNS server reputation significantly affects email deliverability. A negative reputation, often stemming from compromised name servers, registrars associated with spam, or hosting malicious activities, results in blocked or spammed emails. Properly configured SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are crucial for authentication and sender reputation, as is maintaining a clean DNS and promptly addressing issues. Poor PTR records, shared hosting with bad reputation, and hitting spam traps all negatively impact deliverability. Actively monitoring sender reputation is essential, and startups especially should seek expert consultation before in-house DNS setup. Senders come to the attention of blocklists via unsolicited, high-volume mailings. If your ESP DNS is blacklisted, mail will be blocked.
Key findings
- DNS Records & Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are crucial for email authentication and improving deliverability.
- Reputation Impact: Poor DNS reputation leads to emails being marked as spam or blocked.
- Security Risks: Compromised name servers or registrars associated with spam result in blacklisting.
- PTR Records Importance: Incorrect PTR records lead to reverse DNS lookup failures and potential email rejection.
- Shared Hosting Risks: Shared hosting DNS with a bad reputation impacts the deliverability of all domains using it.
- Monitoring: Actively monitoring sender reputation is crucial for maintaining deliverability.
- Blocklist Trigger: Sending unsolicited mail to blocklist maintainers can get you listed.
- Importance of Clean DNS: Maintaining a clean DNS is crucial for sending bulk emails
Key considerations
- Authentication Implementation: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for enhanced email authentication.
- DNS Reputation Monitoring: Regularly monitor your DNS reputation.
- PTR Record Configuration: Ensure PTR records are correctly configured.
- DNS Provider Selection: Use reputable DNS services.
- Blocklist Avoidance: Obtain consent from recipients.
- Professional Consultation: Consult professionals before setting up DNS.
- Cleanliness: Keep the DNS clean
- ESP Deliverability: Monitor the deliverability of your ESP's DNS.
What email marketers say
7 marketer opinions
DNS server reputation significantly impacts email deliverability. Proper DNS configuration, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, is crucial for authenticating email and building a positive sender reputation. A poor DNS reputation, stemming from factors like association with spammers, incorrect PTR records, or using shared hosting with a bad reputation, can lead to emails being marked as spam or blocked entirely. Consistent and accurate DNS records are essential, and actively monitoring and managing sender reputation is vital for ensuring successful email delivery.
Key opinions
- DNS Configuration: Correctly setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records authenticates email and improves deliverability.
- Sender Reputation: Poor DNS reputation harms sender reputation, leading to spam folder placement or email blocking.
- PTR Records: Incorrect PTR records cause reverse DNS lookup failures, potentially resulting in email rejection.
- Shared Hosting: Shared hosting DNS with a bad reputation impacts the deliverability of all domains using that server.
- Consistency: Consistent and accurate DNS records are essential for building a good sender reputation.
- Monitoring: Actively monitoring and managing sender reputation is crucial for ensuring deliverability.
Key considerations
- Authentication: Implement and maintain SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to authenticate your email.
- DNS Reputation: Regularly check your DNS reputation using tools like MXToolbox or Talos Intelligence.
- PTR Records: Ensure PTR records are correctly configured and resolve to the same hostname as the A record.
- DNS Provider: Consider using reputable DNS services or a dedicated DNS server instead of relying on shared hosting DNS.
- Monitoring: Implement a system for monitoring your sender reputation and promptly address any issues.
- Blacklists: Check your DNS records against common email blacklists.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Mailjet shares that DNS configuration directly impacts email deliverability. Correctly setting up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records tells receiving servers that you are authorized to send email on behalf of your domain, increasing the likelihood that your emails will reach the inbox.
23 Mar 2025 - Mailjet
Marketer view
Email marketer from StackOverflow explains that PTR records being incorrect can affect email reputation as it means reverse DNS lookups will fail, potentially causing emails to be rejected by receiving mail servers. PTR records should resolve to the same hostname as the A record.
31 Dec 2024 - StackOverflow
What the experts say
8 expert opinions
A DNS server's reputation significantly impacts email deliverability. Negative reputation can stem from various factors, including compromised name servers, registrars associated with spam, or hosting domains engaged in malicious activities. Such a reputation can result in emails being blocked or directed to the spam folder. Moreover, using in-house setups to hide bad mail behavior is more likely to be detected and blocked. Sending mail without permission in high volumes to blocklist maintainers will get you on the list. Effective monitoring and maintenance of DNS reputation are essential. It's important to recognise that most startups lack the expertise to handle in-house DNS setup and implementation. Blocklist maintainers are key players who recommend traffic blocking based on IP/Domain/ASN, and senders come to their attention through unsolicited, high-volume mailings.
Key opinions
- Compromised DNS: Domains can be blacklisted if their name servers are hijacked by criminals or the registrar is run by spammers.
- Spam Hallmarks: Running a DNS server that exhibits hallmarks of being controlled by someone sending spam can lead to blocking.
- In-house vs Large Provider: Moving bad mail behavior from a large provider to an in-house setup increases the likelihood of being blocked.
- Startup Expertise: Most startup companies lack the expertise to set up DNS and email in-house.
- Blocklist Trigger: Senders come to the attention of a blocklist by sending mail to blocklist maintainers without real permission and in high enough volume.
- Blocklist Maintainers: Blocklist maintainers recommend traffic blocking based on IP/Domain/ASN and can be employees of spam filtering providers or others.
- Negative Reputation Impact: A negative DNS server reputation can directly lead to emails being blocked or directed to the spam folder.
- ESP DNS Blacklist: If your ESP DNS is blacklisted, then your mail will be blocked.
Key considerations
- Security Measures: Implement robust security measures to prevent DNS hijacking and maintain control over your DNS infrastructure.
- Reputable Registrar: Choose a reputable registrar with strong security practices to avoid association with spam activities.
- Expert Consultation: Seek expert consultation before setting up DNS and email infrastructure in-house, especially for startups.
- Permission-Based Sending: Ensure all email sending practices are permission-based to avoid triggering blocklist maintainers.
- Blocklist Awareness: Understand the role of blocklist maintainers and the criteria they use for blocking traffic.
- DNS Monitoring: Continuously monitor your DNS server's reputation and take immediate action to address any negative indicators.
- ESP Reputation: Keep an eye on the deliverability of the DNS you are using with your ESP.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that a negative DNS server reputation, often resulting from hosting domains associated with spam or malicious activities, can directly lead to emails being blocked or directed to the spam folder by receiving mail servers. Monitoring and maintaining DNS reputation is critical for deliverability.
12 Feb 2025 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks shares that DNS servers can be a common factor for snowshoe spammers, making it easier to mechanically recognize and block them. He also notes that reputation providers are responsible to their customers (those curating inboxes) and optimize for their happiness, and that focusing on sending mail customers want to receive can mitigate reputation and spam filtering issues.
8 Mar 2022 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
DNS server reputation profoundly affects email deliverability, with correctly configured DNS records being essential. SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are crucial for authenticating email and preventing address forgery, which in turn improves sender reputation. Maintaining a clean DNS and promptly addressing DNS-related issues are necessary for successful bulk email delivery. Poorly configured or missing DNS records can negatively impact sender reputation and lead to emails being marked as spam or rejected.
Key findings
- DNS Records Authentication: DNS records like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are crucial for authenticating email.
- SPF Prevention of Forgery: SPF records prevent sender address forgery by verifying that email originates from authorized IP addresses.
- Bulk Email Clean DNS: Maintaining a clean DNS is crucial for sending bulk email successfully.
- Sender Reputation Impact: Poorly configured or missing DNS records negatively impact sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Implement Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for enhanced email authentication.
- Authorize IP Addresses: Ensure SPF records authorize the IP addresses from which your email is sent.
- Maintain Clean DNS: Actively maintain a clean DNS with a good reputation to ensure successful bulk email delivery.
- Address DNS Issues: Promptly address any DNS-related issues to prevent damage to sender reputation.
Technical article
Documentation from RFC specifies that SPF records help prevent sender address forgery. Receiving mail servers can check the SPF record of the sending domain to verify that the email originated from an authorized IP address. If the IP address is not authorized, the email may be rejected or marked as spam.
14 Sep 2023 - RFC 4408
Technical article
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that DNS records like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are crucial for authenticating email and improving deliverability. Poorly configured or missing records can negatively impact sender reputation and lead to emails being marked as spam.
13 Sep 2021 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Can a domain with poor reputation negatively affect other domains in Google Workspace?
Do all email service providers support DMARC, and what does 'support' mean in this context?
Do PTR records and HELOs impact email deliverability?
How can I fix my Gmail email deliverability issues?
How do MX records impact email bounces and sender reputation?
How does domain reputation affect email deliverability compared to IP reputation?
