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Who consults on cold email deliverability from harvested LinkedIn addresses?

Summary

Finding a deliverability consultant who actively encourages or specializes in practices like sending cold emails to addresses harvested from LinkedIn is exceptionally challenging. The email deliverability industry, including experts and reputable marketers, strongly advises against such methods due to their detrimental impact on sender reputation and overall deliverability. While some may claim short-term success with these tactics, the long-term consequences often include severe blocklisting, low inbox placement, and damaged domain credibility. Consultants in this field typically work to rehabilitate sender reputation by promoting ethical practices and adherence to anti-spam regulations. They focus on building engaged lists and optimizing campaigns for sustainable deliverability, rather than supporting methods that are likely to lead to issues like spam traps and domain blacklisting. Most experienced professionals will instead help clients transition away from these risky strategies to adopt more sustainable and effective outreach.

What email marketers say

Email marketers often approach cold email from LinkedIn with a focus on immediate lead generation, sometimes overlooking the potential long-term damage to their sender reputation and overall email program health. While some report perceived success in securing meetings or conversions from harvested lists, these anecdotes often do not account for hidden costs like emails landing in spam folders, damage to domain authority, or the risk of being blacklisted. The prevailing sentiment among experienced marketers leans towards caution, advocating for practices that align with deliverability best practices even in cold outreach scenarios. The risk-reward balance for harvested LinkedIn addresses is heavily skewed towards risk for sustained email marketing efforts.

Marketer view

Email marketer from Email Geeks notes that they have seen some level of success with cold outreach from harvested LinkedIn addresses, specifically mentioning a case where a client managed to gather 100 people for a conference using this method. This suggests that in certain niches or for particular goals, marketers might perceive these tactics as effective, at least in the short term.

12 Dec 2018 - Email Geeks

Marketer view

Email marketer from Quora highlights that finding information on people for cold email often involves utilizing prospect databases or email lookup tools. They recommend platforms like SignalHire for gathering data, implying that the challenge for marketers is often in efficient data acquisition for outreach.

15 Mar 2023 - Quora

What the experts say

Deliverability experts universally condemn the practice of harvesting email addresses from sources like LinkedIn for cold email campaigns. Their perspective is rooted in the fundamental principles of permission-based marketing, sender reputation management, and anti-spam compliance. Experts consistently warn that such methods lead to rapid deterioration of sender authority, high rates of emails being diverted to spam folders or rejected entirely, and often result in IP or domain blocklisting. They emphasize that while a single successful campaign might seem to yield results, the damage inflicted on long-term deliverability outweighs any perceived short-term gains. Consultants in this space prioritize helping clients move away from these risky tactics towards sustainable, compliant, and ultimately more effective email strategies.

Expert view

Deliverability expert from SpamResource emphasizes that legitimate email marketing is built on permission. Sending emails to addresses harvested without explicit consent is a direct violation of this principle and fundamentally undermines trust in the email ecosystem, leading to significant deliverability challenges.

10 Mar 2023 - SpamResource

Expert view

Deliverability expert from Word to the Wise notes that ISPs actively monitor sender behavior, and patterns associated with harvested lists, such as high bounce rates or spam complaints, are quickly detected. These signals lead to automated filtering and blocklisting, irrespective of sender intent.

15 Sep 2023 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says

Official documentation from major Email Service Providers (ESPs), Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and regulatory bodies consistently outlines clear guidelines that discourage or outright prohibit the harvesting of email addresses and the sending of unsolicited commercial emails. These guidelines form the backbone of email deliverability best practices and are often enforced through technical measures like spam filters, blocklists, and rate limits. The documentation emphasizes the importance of consent, transparent unsubscribe mechanisms, and maintaining positive sender reputation to ensure messages reach the inbox. Any practice deviating from these standards, such as using harvested LinkedIn addresses for cold outreach, is explicitly or implicitly deemed non-compliant and risky, leading to deliverability failures and potential legal repercussions.

Technical article

The CAN-SPAM Act outlines strict rules for commercial email, including the requirement for clear identification of the sender and a visible unsubscribe mechanism. It also prohibits the use of deceptive subject lines and false header information, which are often tactics used by those sending to harvested lists.

16 Dec 2003 - CAN-SPAM Act

Technical article

RFC 5322 and other internet standards define the format of email messages and implicitly assume a sender-recipient relationship built on legitimate communication. While not explicitly forbidding harvesting, the structure supports an environment where unsolicited bulk email is an anomaly rather than a norm.

01 Oct 2008 - RFC 5322

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