Summary
Being relisted on Spamhaus SBL due to an old email list signals persistent issues related to list hygiene, permission practices, and system security. Immediate actions include reviewing sending practices, securing systems, identifying and eliminating spam sources, and aggressively cleaning the email list to remove spam traps, invalid emails, and unengaged users. Ongoing efforts should focus on obtaining explicit user consent (double opt-in), making unsubscribing easy, validating email addresses, and segmenting lists based on engagement levels. Consistent monitoring of sender reputation and IP blacklists is crucial for maintaining email deliverability and preventing future listings. Focusing on engaged subscribers and avoiding sending to those who haven't actively opted in is paramount. Relisting indicates the previous attempts to resolve the issue were insufficient, necessitating a more comprehensive and proactive approach.
Key findings
- Persistent Permission Issues: Relisting signifies that previous attempts to address permission issues were inadequate. Stricter subscriber acquisition and maintenance strategies are required.
- List Hygiene is Paramount: Poor list hygiene practices, including the presence of spam traps and inactive addresses, are major contributors to SBL listings.
- Security Vulnerabilities: Compromised accounts and system vulnerabilities often lead to unauthorized spam sending, resulting in blacklisting.
- Engagement Matters: Sending emails primarily to engaged subscribers improves sender reputation and reduces the risk of hitting spam traps.
- Delisting Process: After addressing all identified issues, requesting delisting from Spamhaus is a necessary step for restoring email deliverability.
Key considerations
- Sending Practice Review: Conduct a thorough audit of all email sending practices to identify and rectify non-compliant activities.
- Enhanced Security: Implement robust security measures to protect against compromised accounts and unauthorized email sending.
- Aggressive List Cleaning: Employ stringent list cleaning procedures to remove inactive subscribers, spam traps, invalid addresses, and unengaged users.
- Double Opt-in Implementation: Require double opt-in for all new subscribers to ensure genuine interest and prevent the addition of low-quality or bot-generated emails.
- Segmentation Strategy: Segment email lists based on user engagement to target active subscribers and avoid sending to unengaged recipients.
- Sender Reputation Monitoring: Continuously monitor sender reputation and IP blacklists to proactively detect and address deliverability issues.
- Easy Unsubscribe Process: Ensure that the unsubscribe process is clear, easily accessible, and honored promptly.
- Email Validation Services: Use an email validation service to verify the deliverability of email addresses.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
Being relisted on Spamhaus SBL due to an old email list requires immediate attention to list hygiene. Key actions include aggressively cleaning the email list to remove spam traps and unengaged users, focusing on engaged subscribers, and implementing double opt-in for new subscribers. It's essential to identify and fix the root cause of the listing, such as sending to spam traps or having compromised accounts, and to monitor sender reputation and IP blacklists. Segmentation by engagement levels (30-90 days) is recommended, as re-engagement after 122 days is unlikely. Maintaining a positive sender reputation through valuable content and adherence to email best practices is also critical.
Key opinions
- List Hygiene is Critical: Aggressively clean the email list by removing spam traps, invalid emails, and unengaged users to prevent future listings.
- Focus on Engaged Subscribers: Prioritize sending emails to active and engaged subscribers to improve sender reputation and reduce the risk of hitting spam traps.
- Implement Double Opt-in: Use double opt-in for new subscribers to ensure genuine interest and prevent the addition of low-quality or bot-generated emails.
- Address the Root Cause: Identify and fix the underlying issues that led to the listing, such as compromised accounts or sending to spam traps.
- Monitor Sender Reputation: Continuously monitor sender reputation and IP blacklists to detect and address deliverability issues promptly.
Key considerations
- Segmentation Strategy: Segment email lists based on user engagement levels (e.g., 30, 60, 90 days) to target active subscribers and avoid sending to unengaged users.
- Re-engagement Efforts: Recognize that re-engagement efforts are unlikely to succeed after 122 days, and focus on acquiring and retaining engaged subscribers.
- Sender Reputation Maintenance: Maintain a positive sender reputation by consistently sending valuable and engaging content and adhering to email best practices.
- IP Address Monitoring: Regularly check if your IP address is listed on any blacklists and take necessary actions to remove it if found.
- Email Validation: Consider using an email validation service to verify the authenticity and deliverability of email addresses on your list.
Marketer view
Email marketer from WebHostingTalk.com suggests that you need to find out if your IP address is listed on a blacklist. They suggest checking with sites like MultiRBL or MXToolbox.
29 Dec 2023 - webhostingtalk.com
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reddit shares that cleaning your list and implementing a double opt-in policy is key. They explain that scrubbing the list for invalid emails reduces bounce rates and using double opt-in prevents the addition of low-quality or bot generated emails.
13 Aug 2022 - Reddit
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Being relisted on Spamhaus SBL signifies unresolved issues with email sending practices, particularly concerning permission and list hygiene. Key factors include sending to Spamhaus-controlled addresses, indicating continued mailings to unengaged or non-permissioned recipients. This often stems from spam traps, high complaint rates, or compromised accounts. Remedial steps necessitate a thorough review of sending practices, security, and list hygiene, focusing on removing inactive subscribers and validating email addresses.
Key opinions
- Unresolved Permission Issues: Relisting indicates a failure to address previous permission-related problems, requiring a stricter approach to acquiring and maintaining subscriber consent.
- Importance of List Hygiene: Inadequate list hygiene, including the presence of spam traps and inactive addresses, significantly contributes to Spamhaus SBL listings.
- Underlying Causes: Spamhaus listings are often triggered by spam traps, high complaint rates, or compromised accounts, necessitating a comprehensive investigation and remediation.
Key considerations
- Review Sending Practices: Conduct a thorough audit of email sending practices to identify and rectify any non-compliant activities.
- Enhance Security Measures: Implement robust security measures to prevent compromised accounts from sending spam.
- Implement Rigorous List Cleaning: Employ stringent list cleaning procedures to remove inactive subscribers, spam traps, and invalid addresses.
- Email Validation Practices: Implement email validation practices to ensure that you are only sending to valid emails.
Expert view
Expert from Spamresource.com explains that being listed on Spamhaus is often due to spam traps, high complaint rates, or compromised accounts sending spam. This means reviewing your sending practices, list hygiene, and security measures is crucial.
28 Aug 2023 - Spamresource.com
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that removing spam traps and cleaning your email lists is important. It suggests regular list hygiene practices, including removing inactive subscribers and validating email addresses, to minimize the risk of hitting spam traps and being blacklisted.
31 May 2025 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Relisting on Spamhaus SBL requires addressing underlying issues that led to the initial listing. This involves securing systems, stopping spam abuse, and identifying the source of the problem. Preventing future issues involves sending only wanted email, ensuring easy unsubscribing, obtaining explicit user consent, and validating email addresses. Continued listings suggest the original problem was not fully resolved, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive security and permission practices.
Key findings
- Address System Vulnerabilities: Review and secure systems to prevent spam abuse and identify the source of spam.
- Prioritize User Consent: Obtain explicit user consent to ensure recipients are genuinely interested in receiving emails.
- Ensure Easy Unsubscribing: Provide a straightforward and easily accessible unsubscribe process.
- Email Validation is Beneficial: Employ an email validation service to improve email deliverability.
Key considerations
- Request Delisting: After addressing the issues, request delisting from Spamhaus via their website.
- Send only wanted email: Improving sender reputation can be improved by only sending emails that the recipient wants.
- Improve Email Deliverability: Improve deliverability by making sure only valid emails are on your mailing list.
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost shares that using a email validation service is beneficial. This involves integrating a service or tool that verifies the authenticity and deliverability of email addresses on your list. By validating email addresses, you can identify and remove invalid, inactive, or potentially harmful addresses, reducing bounce rates and improving overall email deliverability.
20 Mar 2025 - SparkPost
Technical article
Documentation from support.google.com explains that you should only send wanted email, this improves sender reputation. They share you should give users the ability to unsubscribe and to make it easy to unsubscribe.
6 Sep 2021 - support.google.com
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