Summary
Nonprofit email deliverability is challenged by inconsistent sending, poor list hygiene, lack of resources, and technical implementation gaps. Solutions include: using Spamhaus's ticketing system for contact, implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, maintaining consistent sending volumes from IPs not on blacklists, practicing permission-based marketing with double opt-in, engaging subscribers with valuable content, and carefully monitoring bounce rates. Spamhaus combats spam and cybercrime and provides data feeds for spam detection.
Key findings
- Deliverability Hurdles: Nonprofits face deliverability issues stemming from sporadic sending habits and inadequate list management.
- Technical Fixes: Implementing email authentication protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is essential for establishing trust.
- List Management Tactics: Regularly cleansing email lists and securing explicit subscriber consent can lower spam complaints.
- Content Strategy: Subscriber engagement using valuable, mobile-friendly content can reduce spam flags.
- Spamhaus Role: Spamhaus combats cybercrime, providing data on threat sources. Contact them via their ticketing system.
Key considerations
- Resource Constraints: Address the limitations of resources (time, money, people) available to Nonprofits.
- Data Practices: Implement and monitor authentication protocols to proactively resolve delivery issues.
- Audience Engagement: Offer relevant, targeted content to foster relationships and engagement among subscribers.
- Performance Monitoring: Constantly monitor bounce rates and sender reputation to detect anomalies and prevent deliverability issues.
- Legal Compliance: Adhere to anti-spam laws and regulations, respecting subscriber choices and opt-out preferences.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
Nonprofit email deliverability faces significant challenges, including inconsistent sending patterns tied to campaigns, poor list hygiene, lack of dedicated resources and expertise, and difficulties implementing necessary technical changes. Solutions include implementing strong email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), using segmentation, regularly cleaning email lists, warming up IPs, engaging subscribers with valuable, mobile-friendly content and clear subject lines, monitoring sender reputation and bounce rates, and using double opt-in. To contact Spamhaus, use the ticketing system on their website.
Key opinions
- Deliverability Challenges: Nonprofits struggle with deliverability due to inconsistent sending, poor list management, and limited resources.
- Authentication Importance: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is critical for improving sender reputation and deliverability.
- List Hygiene: Regularly cleaning email lists and using double opt-in reduces bounces and spam complaints.
- Engagement Matters: Engaging subscribers with valuable content improves deliverability and reduces spam reports.
- Contacting Spamhaus: Spamhaus prefers communication through their ticketing system.
Key considerations
- Resource Allocation: Nonprofits need to allocate resources for dedicated email marketing expertise and list management.
- Data Management: Implement robust data management practices to segment and clean email lists effectively.
- Mobile Optimization: Ensure emails are mobile-friendly and provide valuable content to keep subscribers engaged.
- Reputation Monitoring: Continuously monitor sender reputation and bounce rates to identify and address deliverability issues promptly.
- Compliance: Adhere to anti-spam laws and best practices to maintain a positive sender reputation.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that many Spamhaus employees are in European timezones and suggests waiting for a ticket response, as they are typically quick.
19 Oct 2021 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Community Boost suggests ensuring emails are mobile-friendly, using clear and concise subject lines, and providing valuable content to keep subscribers engaged and reduce the likelihood of being marked as spam. They highlight the importance of A/B testing to optimize email performance.
27 Dec 2023 - Community Boost
What the experts say
4 expert opinions
Experts recommend using official channels to contact Spamhaus, properly authenticating emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and avoiding practices that trigger spam filters, such as blacklisted IPs, inconsistent sending volumes, and URL shorteners. Spamhaus focuses on combating spam and cybercrime by identifying and listing spam sources.
Key opinions
- Spamhaus Contact: Contact Spamhaus via official channels (ticketing system).
- Email Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to ensure deliverability.
- Avoid Spam Triggers: Maintain clean sending practices to avoid spam filters (e.g., avoid blacklists and URL shorteners).
- Spamhaus Mission: Spamhaus combats spam and cybercrime by identifying and listing spam sources.
Key considerations
- Authentication Monitoring: Regularly monitor authentication reports to identify and resolve issues.
- Sender Reputation: Maintain a consistent sending volume to preserve a positive sender reputation.
- Spam Prevention: Implement best practices to avoid being flagged as a spam source.
- Respect Spamhaus: Understand Spamhaus's role in combating spam and cooperate with their policies.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise emphasizes that nonprofits, like all senders, must implement proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to ensure their messages are trusted by mailbox providers. She also recommends regularly monitoring authentication reports to identify and address any issues.
10 Feb 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks advises against attempting to contact someone at Spamhaus outside of the official channels due to the high volume of requests they receive.
1 Apr 2025 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Spamhaus prefers contact via their ticketing system. Their documentation outlines the listing/delisting process, requiring review of NDRs, issue resolution, and a delisting request. They offer various data feeds and DNSBL zones for querying spam data. Proper configuration of SPF records, as detailed in RFC documentation, is critical for authorizing sending servers and improving email deliverability.
Key findings
- Spamhaus Contact Method: Use Spamhaus's ticketing system for contact; direct emails are discouraged.
- Delisting Process: Review NDR, resolve issues, then request delisting from Spamhaus.
- Spamhaus Data: Spamhaus offers data feeds and DNSBL zones for spam-related information.
- SPF Importance: Proper SPF configuration is crucial for authorizing sending servers and improving deliverability.
Key considerations
- Urgency of Issues: Spamhaus prioritizes responses based on the issue and its urgency.
- Compliance with Delisting: Strictly follow Spamhaus's delisting process to ensure successful removal.
- Data Utilization: Utilize Spamhaus's data feeds to enhance spam detection and prevention.
- SPF Accuracy: Ensure SPF records are accurate and up-to-date to prevent deliverability issues.
Technical article
Documentation from Spamhaus describes the different data feed and DNSBL zones that are available to query including the details on which zones are free vs paid, and what data they provide.
7 May 2022 - Spamhaus
Technical article
Documentation from Spamhaus details their listing and delisting process, advising users to review the specific listing details provided in the non-delivery report (NDR) or bounce message, address the identified issues (e.g., malware, spamming practices), and then request delisting through their website after confirming the problem is resolved.
25 Dec 2022 - Spamhaus
Besides Spamhaus, what blocklists are important for email marketers to monitor?
How can I get delisted from Spamhaus?
How can I get help with a Spamhaus listing delisting?
How can I report fraudulent emails and domains to Spamhaus and other relevant organizations?
How do I check Spamhaus for my IP address and understand the listings?
What are the common reactions and stages of dealing with a Spamhaus listing, and how can you get delisted?
