Success in email marketing means finding the right leads. You send quality, tailored, and valuable content to the people who need it most. But what if your emails don’t go through?
High bounce rates kill email campaigns. Leads might not be validated, and new sending accounts might need to be warmed up longer. Worse, domains or IPs could be on the global block list.
Understanding the global block list and how to avoid it helps create campaigns where emails land in prospects’ inboxes. We’re here to guide you through everything you need to know.
What is the Global Block List?
Billions of emails are sent daily. A large majority of these are spam. That’s why global block lists exist. It’s a database of IP addresses and domains known for sending spam emails.
Block lists can be domain-based or IP-based. Emails from an IP address on the list result in that email landing in spam or bouncing. Domain-based blocking gatekeepers entire domains.
It doesn’t matter if you change your IP address or use a subdomain like [email protected]. Your emails are getting blocked. Needless to say, you don’t want to be included in both.
How to Check if You’re on a Global Block List?
High bounce rates don’t necessarily mean that you’ve been added to a global block list. The main factors to consider include lead quality, cold email strategy, and email infrastructure.
But if you’re confident that you’ve checked all the boxes, it’s best to check if your domain or IP has been added to a block list. The fastest way to do so is by using tools like MXToolbox.
These tools test your server IP address against 100 DNS-based black lists. All you have to do is enter your domain or server IP.
You can also use Spamhaus’ IP and Domain reputation checker. Spamhaus has one of the most comprehensive block list databases.
How to Prevent Being Added Global Block Lists
If you find yourself on a block list, you’re there for a reason. You have to fight tooth and nail to petition a removal. For email providers like Google, removal can even take up to four weeks.
After you’re removed from a block list, email providers will treat your domain and IP cautiously until proven as a non-spammer account. That could take another few weeks.
Instead of trying to get yourself out of email jail, it’s better to take measures that help you avoid being added to global block lists in the first place. So, for your next campaign, do the following:
Focus on Building Quality Email Lists
You won’t find success in email marketing if you’re only focusing on volume. It’s a numbers game but you can’t compromise on quality. Before using leads in a campaign, ensure they’re:
- Validated: Use validation tools to see if emails are real and active
- Fits your buyer persona: Only send emails to leads that gain value from your content
- Segmented: Segment leads via demographic, job positions, location, etc.
The process adds a significant amount of time to the lead generation process, but it’s more than worth it. If you want to streamline the process, use tools like Instantly B2B Lead Finder.
All leads are pre-validated. You don’t need to pay extra for third-party validation tools. Use advanced search filters, keywords, or lookalikes to find leads that fit your buyer persona. Segment leads into specific Instantly campaigns from Lead Finder without manual data transfers or complicated integrations.
Follow Email Warmup Best Practices
The best way to scale sending volume is by adding new domains and sending accounts. But new accounts that aren’t warmed up are likely to be flagged as spam.
You can easily avoid this by doing email warmups for at least 2-3 weeks before using a sending account in a campaign. This happens naturally over time as you send and receive emails.
But, you can automate the process using Instantly. With Instantly, you get to warmup unlimited sending accounts to help ensure the highest possible deliverability rates.
Use Rotating Inboxes
Even after setting up the perfect infrastructure, sending accounts are still privy to the negative effects of cold email. Rotating inboxes significantly lowers the chance of this happening.
Instantly lets you connect unlimited sending accounts, helping you scale without scaling costs. Each account can be added to a campaign—no need for separate campaigns for each account.
Rotating inboxes helps keep your sender reputation in pristine condition. As a rule of thumb, each sending account can safely send 30-50 emails daily, including warmups.
Leverage Alternate Domains
The last thing you want to happen is to have your main business domain added to a global block list. Alternate domains protect your main domain from this scenario.
Buying alternate domains, setting up the proper domain authentication, and forwarding lets you safely run cold outreach campaigns. The issue is that the setup takes time and can be confusing for people new to cold email.
That’s why Instantly created the DFY Automated Email Setup. You can set up alternate domains with just a few clicks without the need for all the hassle associated with authentications.
Using Global Blocklist to Improve Campaign Results
Email providers and leads can block your domain and IP address. You can do it too. In some cases, it’s the best thing you can do to improve email management.
Let’s say a lead isn’t interested in your offering. Instead of pushing your luck, it’s better to add them to your global block list. You can block a specific email account or domain.
When you import new leads, Instantly check them against the blocklist. If the lead is already in a campaign, Instantly will prevent emails from being sent to that lead.
The best part is Instantly can automate this process for you. For example, if leads unsubscribe to your email list or send a reply with a certain keyword, Instantly can add them to the block list.
Key Takeaways
Global block lists are essential for maximum deliverability. Remember, it’s easier to prevent your domains from being added to a block list than it is to get removed from one. To recap, here are actionable steps you can do to avoid being added to a global block list:
- Focus on building quality lead lists and segmentation
- Warmup new sending accounts
- Use rotating inboxes to mitigate the negative effects of cold outreach
- Leverage alternate domains to protect your main domain’s sending reputation
Ensure you’re never added to a block list by following email marketing best practices and using tools with features built for sustainable and scalable email outreach. Try Instantly for free today!
