Summary
Improving email delivery rates to corporations blocked by Symantec requires a comprehensive strategy that addresses sender reputation, email authentication, list management, content optimization, technical compliance, and corporate policies. Key actions include warming up IP addresses, implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, monitoring feedback loops, segmenting lists, avoiding spam trigger words, ensuring valid HTML, checking blacklists, and testing email rendering. Understanding blocklist behavior and exploring Symantec whitelisting options are also important, as is adhering to stricter corporate email policies and avoiding aggressive cold emailing which can lead to domain-level blocking.
Key findings
- IP-Based Blocking: Corporate blocking is often IP-based, but domain-level blocking is increasing due to aggressive cold emailing.
- Sender Reputation: Improving sender reputation is crucial through consistent sending volume, engaging content, and warming up IP addresses.
- Email Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for verifying email authenticity and preventing spoofing.
- List Management: Actively managing subscriber lists by removing inactive or complaining users, and segmenting lists for relevant content, improves deliverability.
- Content Optimization: Avoiding spam trigger words, ensuring valid HTML, and tailoring content to specific audience segments reduces the likelihood of being flagged as spam.
- Technical Compliance: Checking blacklists, testing email rendering across various clients, and monitoring feedback loops helps identify and address technical issues affecting deliverability.
- Corporate Policies: Adhering to stricter corporate email policies, including professional writing and minimal links/images, is essential.
- Blocklist Understanding: Understanding the behavior of specific blocklists used by Symantec and their listing/delisting criteria is crucial.
- Whitelisting Options: Exploring whitelisting options with Symantec can improve delivery rates.
Key considerations
- Cold Emailing: Avoid aggressive cold emailing practices, which can lead to domain-level blocking.
- IP vs. Domain Blocking: Determine whether blocking is IP-based or domain-based to tailor your strategies accordingly.
- Corporate Email Policies: Research and comply with the specific email policies of the target corporations.
- Symantec Whitelisting: Explore whitelisting options with Symantec or the corporate IT departments.
- HTML Coding: Ensure valid HTML in your email design to prevent triggering spam filters and maintain a positive sender reputation.
- Blocklist Monitoring: Continuously monitor and take steps to delist if necessary.
What email marketers say
10 marketer opinions
Improving email delivery rates to corporations blocked by Symantec requires a multi-faceted approach focused on sender reputation, authentication, list management, content optimization, and adherence to corporate policies. Key strategies include warming up IP addresses, using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, monitoring feedback loops, segmenting email lists, avoiding spam trigger words, and ensuring emails are professionally written. Regularly checking blacklists and testing email rendering across different clients is also crucial. Permission-based email marketing builds trust and minimizes spam complaints.
Key opinions
- Sender Reputation: A strong sender reputation is critical, achieved through consistent sending volume and engaging content.
- Email Authentication: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC helps verify email authenticity and prevents spoofing.
- List Management: Actively managing subscriber lists by removing inactive or complaining users improves deliverability.
- Content Optimization: Avoiding spam trigger words and tailoring content to specific audience segments reduces the likelihood of being flagged as spam.
- Corporate Policies: Adhering to stricter corporate email policies, including professional writing and minimal links/images, is essential.
- Blacklist Monitoring: Regularly checking if your IP or domain is blacklisted and taking steps to delist if necessary is crucial.
- Email Testing: Thoroughly testing emails across various clients, like Outlook, identifies potential issues triggering spam filters.
- Warming IP Addresses: Gradually increasing sending volume, especially for new IPs, builds a positive sender reputation with ISPs.
- Feedback Loops: Monitoring feedback loops enables you to remove complainers and prevent future deliverability problems.
- Permission Based Marketing: Sending email to subscribers who have explicity opted in will build trust with your email domain.
Key considerations
- IP vs. Domain Blocking: Determine whether blocking is IP-based or domain-based to tailor your strategies accordingly.
- Corporate Email Policies: Research and comply with specific email policies of the target corporations.
- Symantec Whitelisting: Explore whitelisting options with Symantec or the corporate IT departments.
- Sender Reputation: Continuously monitor and improve your sender reputation to maintain high deliverability.
- Professional Communication: Ensure that all email communications are professional, well-written, and avoid using excessive links or images to avoid triggers.
Marketer view
Email marketer from GMass shares the concept of warming up IP addresses, especially new ones, by gradually increasing sending volume to build a positive reputation with ISPs. This helps avoid being flagged as a spammer.
22 Oct 2024 - GMass
Marketer view
Email marketer from Campaign Monitor highlights the importance of permission-based email marketing. Only send emails to people who have explicitly opted in to receive them. This builds trust and reduces spam complaints.
18 Nov 2021 - Campaign Monitor
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Improving email delivery rates to corporations blocked by Symantec involves understanding the nuances of blocklist behavior, especially in the context of current business email filters, and maintaining a long-term perspective on email practices. Avoid aggressive cold emailing, ensure valid HTML in emails, and familiarize yourself with the specific blocklists Symantec uses.
Key opinions
- Cold Emailing Impact: Aggressive cold emailing leads to domain-level blocking, affecting all company emails.
- Blocklist Understanding: Understanding the specific blocklists used by Symantec is essential for tailoring sending practices.
- Valid HTML Importance: Valid HTML contributes to a positive sender reputation and reduces the likelihood of triggering spam filters.
Key considerations
- Sending Practices: Avoid aggressive cold emailing strategies to protect your domain's reputation.
- Blocklist Criteria: Research the listing and delisting criteria for Symantec's blocklists to proactively manage your sender reputation.
- Email Coding: Prioritize valid HTML in your email designs to prevent triggering spam filters and maintain a positive sender reputation over time.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that understanding the behavior of specific blocklists used by Symantec is crucial. Some blocklists are more sensitive than others, and knowing the criteria for listing and delisting can help you tailor your sending practices to avoid being blocked.
13 Jun 2023 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks shares that business filters have cracked down on domains aggressively sending cold emails, blocking all company emails, not just spam. Sees less IP based blocking and more domain level blocking.
7 May 2024 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Improving email delivery rates to corporations blocked by Symantec requires implementing email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and exploring whitelisting options. SPF validates authorized IP addresses for your domain, DKIM adds a digital signature to verify email integrity, and DMARC instructs email providers on handling unauthenticated emails. Furthermore, Symantec, offers whitelisting procedures for trusted senders, which can improve delivery rates.
Key findings
- DMARC Implementation: DMARC helps email providers identify legitimate senders and block spoofed emails by publishing a DNS record.
- SPF Configuration: SPF prevents spammers from forging your email address by listing authorized IP addresses in a DNS record.
- DKIM Signature: DKIM verifies that an email was sent from an authorized server and hasn't been altered during transit using a digital signature.
- Symantec Whitelisting: Exploring whitelisting options with Symantec can improve delivery rates to corporations using their products.
Key considerations
- DNS Records: Correctly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC DNS records to authenticate your emails.
- Authentication Failures: Understand how DMARC instructs email providers to handle emails that fail authentication checks.
- Whitelisting Process: Research and follow Symantec's whitelisting process to be recognized as a trusted sender.
Technical article
Documentation from Broadcom, (formally Symantec) explains exploring whitelisting options with Symantec. Corporates using Symantec products may have whitelisting procedures for trusted senders. Contacting them directly or researching their whitelisting process could improve delivery rates.
12 Jan 2022 - Broadcom
Technical article
Documentation from RFC explains that DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) adds a digital signature to your emails, verifying that the email was sent from an authorized server and that the content hasn't been altered during transit.
20 Mar 2024 - RFC-Editor.org
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