Summary
IP listings on Proofpoint are primarily driven by factors influencing sender reputation, including spam complaints, spam trap hits, and overall sending behavior. Customer preferences significantly impact Proofpoint's filtering, as even legitimate senders can be blocked. Resolution involves enhancing list hygiene (removing inactive subscribers), implementing feedback loops, authenticating email using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, monitoring sender reputation, and ensuring correct PTR records. Since customer preferences influence Proofpoint's actions, engagement strategies and opt-in/opt-out policies are critical. After implementing these practices, contact Proofpoint's postmaster with remediation evidence. Shared IPs can be problematic, making dedicated IPs a consideration for high-volume senders. Smaller senders may face disproportionate challenges due to Proofpoint's aggressive filtering, necessitating continuous monitoring and communication. PTR/rDNS format is unlikely the root cause; focus on customer complaints and behavior.
Key findings
- Reputation Matters: Proofpoint's IP listings are primarily driven by factors impacting sender reputation such as spam complaints and spam trap hits.
- Customer Influence: Customer preferences and actions heavily influence Proofpoint's filtering decisions; legitimate mail can be blocked if customers don't want it.
- Authentication is Key: Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for email authentication is critical for improving deliverability and trust.
- List Hygiene is Essential: Maintaining a clean and engaged email list is vital for avoiding spam complaints and maintaining a positive sender reputation.
- Shared IP Risks: Using a shared IP address can negatively impact sender reputation if other users engage in poor sending practices.
Key considerations
- Proactive Monitoring: Continuously monitor your IP and domain reputation to identify and address potential issues before they lead to listings.
- Customer Engagement: Focus on understanding and addressing customer complaints and preferences to improve deliverability.
- PTR Records: Ensure that PTR records (reverse DNS) are correctly configured and match your sending domain to enhance trust.
- Remediation Evidence: When contacting Proofpoint, provide detailed evidence of the steps you've taken to address the issues and improve your sending practices.
- Smaller Senders: Smaller senders need to be particularly vigilant due to Proofpoint's aggressive filtering policies and the potential for disproportionate impact.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
IPs are listed on Proofpoint primarily due to issues affecting sender reputation, such as spam complaints, spam trap hits, or poor email marketing practices. Resolution involves improving list hygiene, implementing feedback loops, authenticating email (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), monitoring reputation, ensuring correct PTR records, and contacting Proofpoint's postmaster with remediation evidence. Shared IPs can be problematic; consider a dedicated IP if you have a high sending volume.
Key opinions
- Root Causes: IP listings on Proofpoint are usually due to spam complaints, spam trap hits, poor sending reputation, or blacklisting by other security vendors.
- List Hygiene: Maintaining a clean and engaged email list is crucial for avoiding IP listings.
- Authentication: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) helps improve deliverability and reduce the likelihood of IP listings.
- Reputation Monitoring: Monitoring IP and domain reputation is essential for identifying and addressing issues before they lead to listings.
- Feedback Loops: Setting up feedback loops helps identify and address spam complaints promptly.
- Shared IP Risks: On shared IPs, other users' poor practices can affect your reputation, suggesting dedicated IPs for high-volume senders.
Key considerations
- Proactive Measures: Implement proactive measures to maintain a good sending reputation and avoid IP listings in the first place.
- Evidence of Remediation: When contacting Proofpoint, provide detailed evidence of the steps you've taken to address the issues.
- PTR Records: Ensure PTR records are correctly configured to match your sending domain.
- Contacting Proofpoint: Contact Proofpoint's postmaster team after implementing best practices for delisting.
- Customer Perception: Proofpoint's filtering is heavily influenced by their customers' perception of received email.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Marketing Tips Blog shares maintaining a clean and engaged email list is essential. Regularly remove inactive subscribers and those who haven't engaged in a while to reduce the risk of spam complaints and improve your sending reputation, which can help avoid IP listings.
15 Apr 2024 - Email Marketing Tips Blog
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reddit advises ensuring your PTR records (reverse DNS) are correctly configured and match your sending domain. This helps establish trust with email providers and reduces the likelihood of IP listings.
22 Oct 2023 - Reddit
What the experts say
7 expert opinions
IPs are listed on Proofpoint due to factors like customer complaints, spam trap hits, and sender reputation, influencing their filtering decisions. Even legitimate senders can be blocked if Proofpoint's customers don't want their mail. PTR/rDNS format is likely not the cause. Resolution involves analyzing customer actions, improving list hygiene, implementing clear opt-in processes, honoring unsubscribe requests, constant monitoring, and proactive communication, especially for smaller senders who are disproportionately affected by Proofpoint's aggressive filtering. Waiting for a response from Proofpoint's postmaster is also important.
Key opinions
- Customer Influence: Proofpoint's filtering decisions are significantly influenced by customer complaints and classification.
- No Guarantees: Being a legitimate sender doesn't guarantee deliverability to Proofpoint-protected recipients.
- Key Factors: Factors influencing Proofpoint filtering include complaint rates, spam trap hits, sender reputation, and content analysis.
- PTR Irrelevance: PTR/rDNS format is unlikely to be the primary cause of IP listings.
- Disproportionate Impact: Proofpoint's aggressive filtering can disproportionately affect smaller senders.
Key considerations
- Customer Actions: Analyze customer actions and engagement to identify and address the root cause of deliverability issues.
- List Hygiene: Focus on improving list hygiene, implementing clear opt-in processes, and honoring unsubscribe requests to reduce false positives.
- Proactive Communication: Engage in constant monitoring and proactive communication with Proofpoint and customers.
- Remediation Efforts: Implement remediation efforts addressing complaint rates, spam traps, sender reputation, and content quality.
- Waiting for Response: Wait for a response from Proofpoint's postmaster after contacting them.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks suggests the problem might be caused by customer actions like complaints about spam or spamtrap hits.
6 Jan 2023 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says the PTR/rDNS format doesn't seem to be the problem.
25 Apr 2024 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
IPs are listed on Proofpoint based on factors like spam trap hits, complaint rates, and overall sending behavior. Resolution involves monitoring your reputation and proactively addressing negative trends. Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for email authentication to prevent spoofing, verify message authenticity, and establish a policy framework for handling unauthenticated emails, ultimately improving deliverability and reducing IP listing risks.
Key findings
- Reputation Factors: Proofpoint determines IP reputation based on spam trap hits, complaint rates, and overall sending behavior.
- SPF Benefits: SPF prevents email spoofing by allowing domain owners to specify authorized mail servers.
- DKIM Benefits: DKIM provides a method for senders to digitally sign messages, verifying authenticity and preventing alteration.
- DMARC Framework: DMARC builds upon SPF and DKIM, providing a policy framework for email authentication and reporting mechanisms.
Key considerations
- Proactive Monitoring: Proactively monitor your IP reputation and address negative trends to prevent listings.
- Implement SPF: Implement SPF records to specify authorized mail servers and prevent email spoofing.
- Implement DKIM: Implement DKIM signatures to digitally sign messages and verify authenticity.
- Implement DMARC: Implement DMARC to establish a policy for handling unauthenticated emails and gain reporting insights.
Technical article
Documentation from DMARC.org explains Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) builds upon SPF and DKIM to provide a policy framework for email authentication. DMARC allows domain owners to specify how email receivers should handle messages that fail authentication checks and provides reporting mechanisms for monitoring email authentication results, aiding in identifying and addressing deliverability issues.
29 Nov 2022 - DMARC.org
Technical article
Documentation from DKIM.org explains DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) provides a method for email senders to digitally sign their messages, allowing email receivers to verify the authenticity of the message and that it hasn't been altered in transit. Implementing DKIM can improve email deliverability and reduce the chances of IP listings.
20 Feb 2024 - DKIM.org
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