To start, let me welcome you to the new blog.  Same content, better format!

Today’s topic is about curating the blacklists we search and how our experts decide to select a blacklist to be included on our site.

First, our experts in email deliverability look at what blacklists are being used by actual mail service providers, internet service providers and medium and large companies as part of their anti-spam filters.  Chances are good that if we list it, someone is using it to block spam somewhere.

Second, we require that there is some form of free delisting.  While the blacklist may have an express delisting fee or some other fee or donation associated with it, all our blacklists have a method of freely delisting your IP address or domain.  This may be a painfully long automatic delisting, but it’s still free.

Note:  Automated delisting is becoming more popular as delisting requests require significant oversight.  The idea behind automated delisting is that repeated issues are a sign of a repeated problem.  Delisting occurs typically when the issue for which the IP or domain was listed has not occurred in a certain amount of time, often proportional to the time the issue did occur.  Protected Sky is an example of a blacklist with an automated delisting.  Patience is required with these.

Finally, we look at relevance to our customers.  There are many blacklists out there, but are they in use?  Are they active?  Do they overlap other blacklists?  Are they limited to regional email traffic?

While we look at relevance to our customers, and where are customers are, the biggest test of relevance for your email is this:  Are you experiencing bounced email and on a blacklist? If you are experiencing bounces and on a blacklist we don’t support, let us know.  We will work to get add the blacklist if it is publicly available.  If you are on a blacklist we curate and not experiencing bounces, congratulations!  That means none of your customers or partners are using that blacklist as a spam filter.

At any time, if you have questions or comments about our blacklist curation, please email feedback@mxtoolbox.com