Summary
Salesforce Marketing Cloud's Custom List Detective (CLD) helps prevent sending to invalid, role-based, or spam-likely addresses, blocking both commercial and transactional emails. It can block specific domains and usernames, aiding deliverability. However, it's not fully effective against sophisticated bot signups, and third-party email validation services are often recommended as a more robust alternative. CLD incurs costs based on lookups, and requires proper configuration, regular rule updates, and monitoring to maximize effectiveness. Integrating CLD with other email marketing tools is recommended. There was a past UI bug, and maintaining overall email data quality remains crucial.
Key findings
- Blocking Behavior: CLD blocks both commercial and transactional emails for list-based sending and can be triggered by list imports or send-time checks.
- Bot Mitigation Ineffectiveness: While CLD blocks specific domains and usernames, it's not fully effective against bot signups using advanced techniques like 'drip dots'.
- Cost Implications: Using CLD incurs costs based on the number of lookups or validations performed, requiring budget consideration.
- UI Bug History: A past UI bug caused 'allow' entries to inadvertently block addresses, potentially requiring support intervention.
- Third-Party Alternatives: Third-party email validation services offer a potentially more robust alternative for comprehensive email hygiene.
Key considerations
- Configuration Requirements: Proper configuration, including defining blocked domains, usernames, and patterns, is key to maximizing CLD's effectiveness.
- Rule Maintenance Necessity: Regularly review and update CLD rules, monitor its impact on deliverability metrics, and adjust for evolving spam tactics.
- Integration Importance: Integrate CLD with other email marketing tools and processes, such as suppression lists and bounce management.
- Data Quality Emphasis: Maintaining overall email data quality through validation and hygiene practices is crucial; CLD is not a substitute.
- Reporting Utilization: Utilize CLD reports to understand its impact on email performance, identify patterns, and refine rules.
- Support Confirmation: If attempting to 'allow' users/domains, confirm with support whether the UI bug has been resolved or manual intervention is needed.
What email marketers say
8 marketer opinions
Experts and email marketers generally agree that Salesforce Marketing Cloud's Custom List Detective (CLD) provides a basic level of email hygiene by blocking specific domains and usernames. However, it's not fully effective against sophisticated bot signups. Many suggest considering third-party email validation services for more comprehensive hygiene. CLD can incur additional costs, and users should regularly review and update its rules. Integrating CLD with other email marketing tools, monitoring its impact, and leveraging its reporting features are also considered best practices. A past UI bug where 'allow' entries could inadvertently block addresses should be considered.
Key opinions
- Bot Mitigation: CLD is not entirely effective against bots using advanced tactics like 'drip dots' in email addresses.
- Third-Party Validation: Third-party email validation services are often recommended as a more robust alternative for comprehensive email hygiene.
- Cost Considerations: Using CLD can lead to extra costs based on the number of lookups or validations performed.
- UI Bug: A previous UI bug may have caused 'allow' entries to inadvertently block addresses.
Key considerations
- Rule Maintenance: Regularly review and update CLD rules to ensure continued effectiveness.
- Integration: Integrate CLD with other email marketing tools like suppression lists and bounce management.
- Performance Monitoring: Monitor CLD's impact on deliverability metrics to gauge its effectiveness.
- Reporting: Utilize CLD reports to understand its impact on email performance and refine rules.
- Double Opt-In: Combine CLD with other hygiene measures, such as double opt-in, for best results.
Marketer view
Email marketer from EmailGeeks points out a past UI bug in CLD where attempting to 'allow' a user or domain would inadvertently block it, and suggests confirming with support whether this issue has been resolved or if manual intervention is still required for allowlisting.
19 Mar 2023 - EmailGeeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Salesforce StackExchange suggests considering third-party email validation services as a potentially more robust alternative to CLD for comprehensive email hygiene, particularly for identifying and removing invalid or risky email addresses before they enter the system.
11 Dec 2024 - Salesforce StackExchange
What the experts say
4 expert opinions
Experts indicate that Salesforce Marketing Cloud's Custom List Detective (CLD) blocks both commercial and transactional messages. It can block specific domains and usernames but is not effective against bot signups using techniques like drip dots. A past UI bug caused 'allow' entries to block instead. Maintaining overall email data quality is crucial for deliverability; CLD is helpful but not a replacement for comprehensive data management.
Key opinions
- Blocking Scope: CLD blocks both commercial and transactional messages in list-based sends.
- Bot Signups: CLD isn't effective against bot signups using drip dot techniques; CAPTCHA is recommended.
- UI Bug: A historical UI bug caused intended 'allow' entries to instead block users/domains.
Key considerations
- Data Quality: CLD is a tool, not a comprehensive data management strategy; prioritize overall email data quality.
- Support Assistance: If allowlisting is required, confirm with support whether the UI bug has been resolved, or if manual intervention is still necessary.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks highlights a bug in the CLD UI where adding an entry, even as an 'allow' entry, would block the user or domain. While blocking works as expected, allowing entries might require support assistance due to the UI issue.
28 Oct 2021 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that SFMC Custom List Detective (CLD) blocks both commercial and transactional messages for list-based sending. For data-extension-based sending, it applies at send time but still affects both marketing and transactional sends.
31 May 2023 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Salesforce documentation describes Custom List Detective (CLD) as a tool to prevent sending to invalid, role-based, or spam-likely addresses, thus improving deliverability and protecting sender reputation. It blocks both commercial and transactional emails. Proper configuration is essential for maximizing effectiveness and minimizing false positives. However, CLD has limitations and requires ongoing maintenance to address evolving spam tactics; it is not a comprehensive solution for all email threats.
Key findings
- Primary Function: CLD prevents sending to invalid, role-based, and spam-likely addresses.
- Blocking Scope: CLD blocks both commercial and transactional emails.
- Configuration Impact: Proper configuration is crucial for CLD's effectiveness.
Key considerations
- Ongoing Maintenance: CLD requires regular maintenance and adjustments to remain effective against evolving spam tactics.
- Comprehensive Solution: CLD is not a comprehensive solution for all types of email threats.
Technical article
Documentation from Salesforce Help outlines the steps to configure CLD, including defining blocked domains, usernames, and patterns. It highlights that proper configuration is key to maximizing CLD's effectiveness and minimizing false positives.
5 Sep 2022 - Salesforce Help
Technical article
Documentation from Salesforce Help acknowledges that CLD has limitations, such as not being a comprehensive solution for all types of email threats and requiring ongoing maintenance and adjustments to remain effective against evolving spam tactics.
14 Aug 2024 - Salesforce Help
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