Based on your domain reputation your emails can reach destination in box, spam folder, quarantined or out rightly rejected.
We were approached by a new customer who had an unusual issue. They were experiencing problems with certain emails not being successfully delivered to the intended recipients, with no indication of delivery failure, not even to the spam folder. Upon investigation, we discovered that the recipient’s mail servers were deleting the emails due to the poor reputation of the sending domain.
What is domain reputation?
In today’s digital world, email is an essential tool for communication. Whether you’re sending a newsletter to your customers or a proposal to a potential client, email is an efficient and effective way to communicate. However, not all emails are created equal. If your email is flagged as spam or blocked by the recipient’s email provider, your message won’t reach the intended recipient. This is where domain reputation comes in. In this post, we’ll explore the importance of DMARC, DKIM, and SPF records, and other associated issues that could get a domain or IP address blacklisted.
Domain reputation refers to the reputation of a domain or IP address based on its email practices. Email providers use complex algorithms to analyze incoming emails and determine whether they are legitimate or spam. If a domain or IP address has a poor reputation, its emails are more likely to be flagged as spam or blocked altogether. This can lead to a decrease in email deliverability and a negative impact on the reputation of your business.
DMARC, DKIM and SPF Records
DMARC, DKIM, and SPF records are tools that can help improve your domain reputation and increase email deliverability. Let’s take a closer look at each of these tools.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is an email authentication protocol that helps prevent email spoofing. Spoofing is when a malicious sender sends an email that appears to be from a legitimate sender. DMARC helps prevent spoofing by allowing email providers to verify that an email is from an authorized sender. DMARC also provides reporting on email authentication failures, allowing senders to identify and address issues with their email practices.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is another email authentication protocol that helps prevent email spoofing. DKIM uses digital signatures to verify that an email is from an authorized sender. When an email is sent using DKIM, a digital signature is added to the email header. The recipient’s email provider can use this signature to verify that the email is from an authorized sender.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework) is an email authentication protocol that helps prevent email spoofing. SPF allows domain owners to specify which IP addresses are authorized to send email on their behalf. When an email is received, the recipient’s email provider can check the SPF record to verify that the email was sent from an authorized IP address.
Other Associated Issues
There are other issues that can impact domain reputation and email deliverability. Let’s take a look at some of the most common issues.
Blacklisting: If a domain or IP address has a poor reputation, it may be added to a blacklist. Email providers use these blacklists to block emails from known spammers and malicious senders. If your domain or IP address is on a blacklist, your emails are more likely to be blocked.
Low Engagement: Email providers also use engagement metrics to determine whether an email is spam or legitimate. If recipients aren’t opening or clicking on your emails, this can signal to email providers that your emails are spam. To improve engagement, make sure your emails are relevant, interesting, and valuable to your recipients.
Content Issues: Email providers also use content analysis to determine whether an email is spam or legitimate. Avoid using spammy language, excessive capitalization or punctuation, and too many images or links in your emails. Make sure your emails are well-written, easy to read, and provide value to your recipients.
Conclusion
In conclusion, domain reputation is essential for ensuring your emails reach their intended recipients. DMARC, DKIM, and SPF records are important tools that can help improve your domain reputation and increase email deliverability. However, there are other associated issues, such as blacklisting, low engagement, and content