Summary
Yahoo and AOL block emails due to a combination of factors affecting sender reputation, recipient engagement, and authentication. These factors include poor list hygiene, unauthenticated emails, spammy content, low engagement, high complaint rates, and being blacklisted. Senders should adhere to best practices which include building lists organically, implementing email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), improving email content, monitoring sender reputation, and ensuring a compliant unsubscribe process. Addressing complaints, avoiding sudden spikes in volume, and using feedback loops also contribute to better deliverability. If you receive the generic 'follow best practices' message, you should scrutinize your permission and engagement practices as filters adapt to threats. Pausing sending and strategic assessment are crucial when deliverability issues arise. The overarching goal is to send wanted, relevant, and authenticated emails to engaged recipients.
Key findings
- Email Authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC): Authentication is critical for establishing trust with Yahoo and AOL.
- List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive or invalid addresses.
- Content is Key: Review email content and avoid spam trigger words and misleading subject lines.
- Sender Reputation: Monitoring Sender reputation is essential and tools should be used to check your sender score.
- Engagement is Vital: Low engagement can trigger blocks by Yahoo/AOL and high engagement is encouraged.
- Unsubscribe process: Provide clear unsubscribe link and handle requests properly.
- Complaint Rates: High complaint rates can negatively impact your sender reputation.
- Sending Volume: Avoid sudden increases in sending volume.
- Feedback Loops: Set up feedback loops to handle any complaints.
- Domain Reputation: Like IPs, you must monitor your domain reputation.
- List Acquisition: Build your list organically, buying email addresses is discouraged.
- TSS04: TSS04 messages signify the escalation of delivery problems, but Yahoo believe the filters are functioning correctly.
- Best Practices Feedback: Generic responses from Yahoo such as 'follow best practices' means you need to review your permission protocols.
Key considerations
- Constant Adaptation: Email filters adapt, and strategies need constant re-evaluation.
- Organic Focus: Focus on organically building your list, the value of purchased lists are low.
- IP Warming: Warming your IP is essential when sending any emails.
- Strategic Pausing: Temporarily reduce email frequency to re-evaluate your campaigns.
- DMARC Policy: Enforce a strict DMARC policy to avoid being blocked and potential spoofing.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
Yahoo and AOL block emails for various reasons, all revolving around sender reputation and recipient engagement. Key factors include poor list hygiene (sending to inactive or invalid addresses), spammy content, inadequate email authentication, low engagement rates (lack of opens and clicks), high complaint rates, and being blacklisted. To improve deliverability, senders should focus on cleaning their lists, improving email content, implementing email authentication, monitoring their sender reputation, and ensuring a compliant unsubscribe process.
Key opinions
- List Hygiene: Poor list hygiene significantly impacts deliverability. Regularly clean your email list to remove inactive or invalid email addresses.
- Email Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to verify your identity and improve your sender reputation.
- Content Matters: Avoid spam trigger words, excessive capitalization, and misleading subject lines. Provide valuable and relevant content.
- Monitor Reputation: Regularly check your sender score, domain reputation, and blacklist status to identify and address any issues promptly.
- Engagement is Key: Low engagement rates signal that recipients don't want your emails. Focus on sending to engaged subscribers and segmenting your lists.
- Unsubscribe Process: Provide a clear and accessible unsubscribe link in every email. Honor unsubscribe requests promptly to avoid complaints.
- IP Warming: Gradually increase your sending volume to Yahoo/AOL over time to build a positive reputation with the ISPs.
- Dedicated IP: Using a dedicated IP address can help you build a reputation that is not affected by other senders.
- Complaint Rates: High complaint rates can negatively impact your reputation and lead to blocks.
- Email Placement Testing: Email Placement testing tools can check how your emails are being delivered and identify problems.
- Email rendering: Render emails correctly to avoid negative impact on deliverability.
Key considerations
- Complaint Rates: Yahoo/AOL's calculations of complaint rates may differ from ESPs, so monitor carefully.
- Deferred Sending: Avoid continuously retrying to send deferred emails, as it can further degrade your reputation.
- Domain Reputation: Monitor your domain reputation as well as your IP address reputation.
- Tools: Use email placement testing tools to check how your emails are being delivered.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Marketing Forum shares that monitor your domain reputation. Just like an IP address, your sending domain has a reputation that affects deliverability. Use tools to track your domain reputation and address any issues promptly to avoid being blocked by Yahoo/AOL.
2 May 2023 - Email Marketing Forum
Marketer view
Email marketer from Sender Score responds that maintaining a good sender reputation is essential for deliverability. Check your sender score regularly to identify any issues that may be affecting your reputation with Yahoo/AOL. Address any problems promptly to avoid being blocked. Use tools such as their Sender Score to monitor your email sending reputation.
23 Jun 2021 - Sender Score
What the experts say
11 expert opinions
Yahoo and AOL block emails primarily due to issues with sender reputation, recipient engagement, permission practices, and content. Senders receiving the generic 'follow best practices' feedback should scrutinize their recipient interactions and permission protocols. Complaint rates can include complaints about URLs, necessitating content scanning. Filters adapt to threats, demanding continuous improvement of practices. Best practices are subjective, and buying addresses is discouraged. TSS04 errors indicate unresolved prior delivery issues. Pausing sending and reassessing strategies is crucial. Yahoo maintains its filters function correctly and advises reducing volume upon receiving TSS04 responses. Organic list building, strong email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and relevant content are key to avoiding blocks.
Key opinions
- Best Practices Feedback: Receiving only 'follow best practices' suggests deeper permission or engagement issues.
- Complaint Rate Nuances: Complaint rates may encompass complaints related to URLs within the emails.
- Evolving Filters: Email filters adapt, requiring ongoing refinement of sending strategies.
- Subjectivity of Best Practices: 'Best practices' are subjective, with address purchasing being a common deviation.
- TSS04 as Escalation: TSS04 signals unresolved, pre-existing delivery problems.
- Strategic Pausing: Pausing and reassessing sending practices is crucial when facing deliverability issues.
- Yahoo's Perspective: Yahoo believes its filters are functioning correctly and advises reducing volume upon TSS04.
- Organic List Building: Building your list organically through opt-in methods avoids many deliverability issues
- Relevance: Content must be relevant to avoid blocks.
Key considerations
- Content Scanning: Scrutinize email content for problematic URLs that may trigger blocks.
- Adaptability: Recognize the need to constantly adapt to evolving filter technologies.
- Permission Practices: Review and strengthen permission practices to ensure recipients genuinely want your emails.
- Authentication: Ensure proper email authentication, using SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
- Long-term view: Deliverability is an ongoing process and not a one off fix.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that filters do change and adapt to ongoing threats. And, sometimes, they adapt because the folks working the filters figure out a way to identify and block spam that they couldn’t before. Best practices evolve and get better over time. What we thought was OK a few years ago may not be OK now.
21 Apr 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that proper email authentication is crucial for establishing trust with Yahoo and AOL. Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to verify your identity as a legitimate sender. Ensure your authentication records are correctly configured and regularly monitored to prevent deliverability issues. Correct Authentication.
12 Jan 2024 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Yahoo and AOL block emails for several reasons that revolve around authentication and sender compliance. Email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is essential for proving legitimacy. Maintaining a low complaint rate and offering easy unsubscription mechanisms are vital. Avoiding sudden volume spikes and ensuring a good IP reputation are also crucial. Implementing DMARC correctly protects domains from spoofing and phishing. Adhering to SMTP standards guarantees compatibility and reduces deliverability risks. Utilizing feedback loops helps monitor and address recipient complaints, improving sender reputation.
Key findings
- Email Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are critical for verifying sender legitimacy.
- Complaint Rate: Maintaining a low complaint rate is essential for good deliverability.
- Unsubscribe Process: Providing an easy unsubscribe mechanism helps reduce complaints.
- Sending Volume: Avoid sudden spikes in sending volume to maintain IP reputation.
- DMARC Implementation: Correct DMARC implementation protects against spoofing and phishing.
- SMTP Standards: Adherence to SMTP standards ensures compatibility.
- Feedback Loops: Feedback loops help monitor and address recipient complaints.
Key considerations
- Configuration Accuracy: Ensure authentication records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are correctly configured and up-to-date.
- Proactive Monitoring: Monitor feedback loops and address complaints promptly to maintain a good reputation.
- Compliance: Ensure email infrastructure complies with SMTP standards for compatibility and reliability.
- Reputation Management: Proactively manage your IP and domain reputation to avoid blacklisting and blocks.
Technical article
Documentation from Yahoo Help Central explains that to ensure your bulk mailings are delivered, adhere to Yahoo's bulk sending guidelines. These include authenticating your email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC; maintaining a low complaint rate; and providing an easy way for recipients to unsubscribe. Avoid sudden spikes in sending volume and ensure your sending IP has a good reputation.
18 Oct 2022 - Yahoo Help Central
Technical article
Documentation from AOL Postmaster responds that AOL emphasizes the importance of email authentication. Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to verify the authenticity of your email. This helps AOL identify legitimate senders and reduces the likelihood of your emails being blocked. Ensure your authentication records are properly configured and up-to-date.
24 Dec 2021 - AOL Postmaster
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