Correcting a Black Hole Listing

Black hole lists are basically databases run by individuals or corporations concerned with fighting unsolicited bulk email. Mail servers identified as sending spam email messages are reported and listed, usually after a predetermined number of email recipients hit the ubiquitous "report as spam" button provided by email providers such as Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo!. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other corporations can then choose to subscribe to these "black" lists to help them reduce the spam coming from the listed servers. If a mail server appears on the black list, email messages coming from this server have a good chance of being blocked or quarantined.

There are many black lists available on the Internet and an ISP can elect to subscribe to all of them, if they desire. Realistically, a particular server will only appear on one list at a time, unless it truly is spamming, defined as sending incredible amounts of unsolicited and irrelevant emails out to as many email addresses as possible.

Getting listed on a black hole list is relatively easy in today's recipient-focused email client environment. If enough people make a complaint against a server, the typical reaction is to report the server to one of these black hole lists. Unlike the criminal justice system, with black hole lists you are guilty until proven innocent. If there is a sudden increase in bounced email, hard or soft, or a corresponding drop in the opened email and click through rates, it could be the result of the mail server being placed on a black hole list.

When a spike in bounced rates occurs it may be an indication that the server was listed somewhere. It's a good idea to try to capture a bounce message or two and make sure. An installed email marketing solution worth its weight has a debug feature available. With debug enabled, the conversation with the bounce account is recorded, and the reason for the bounce can be found in the tracepop.log. Another option is to copy all bounced email messages and forward them to a separate email account, just long enough to identify in more detail the reason they bounced. Quick references to black hole list check tools like DNSstuff.com or Email Tools Blacklist check might be in order too.

Typically, the email message from a bounced email relating to a black hole listing will provide you with a link to the originating list, and explain to why the server is listed. Most black hole listings have procedures to easily remove your server from their list. This usually involves providing proof that you really are not spamming. Subscription dates, email policies, and or other data may be required before a computer can be successfully removed. There is also an expectation (and maybe a requirement) that whatever in the email that caused the problem in the first place be addressed.

Some of the reasons email servers get reported are: poor bounce management, not honoring unsubscribe requests, and bad sending habits such as sending email blasts too frequently, or not sending what was promised. All of these issues can cause people to point their mouse to the "report as spam" button in their email client. If these underlying issues are never addressed, there will be an endless appeal to the black hole lists, with your server endlessly listed at one place or another.

Poor bounce management
This can cause problems with recipient ISPs that receive too many requests that are going to invalid addresses. If the email list contains a high percentage of invalid email addresses on a particular domain, that domain can cut off the mail server. Often times this occurs automatically, and not all recipient ISPs will provide a reason why something is not delivered. This is where a sudden drop in the opened email or click through rates could indicate a problem. To address this, email lists should be clean. When a bounce is discovered, it should no longer be attempted, and should eventually be removed from the list. Having a confirmed opt-in option during the subscription phase of gathering emails will also help eliminate rotten email addresses.

Not honoring unsubscribe requests
The federal CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 states that the email list manager has ten days to remove a person who makes an unsubscribe request from the list. Common sense, however, dictates that you do this as soon as possible. If somebody puts in an unsubscribe request, yet continues to receive emails that they no longer wish to receive, their next action will either be a complaint to the sender, or more frequently, reaching for the easily accessible "report as spam" button. An installed email marketing solution worth its space should be able to filter out unsubscribe requests of subsequent email campaigns almost immediately.

Bad sending habits
When people sign up for a newsletter or other serial type email message, they typically expect it at a certain rate, namely the one specified on the subscription page. If you fail to meet the stated schedule, people will lose interest. If your messages are too frequent they may unsubscribe and report you as a spammer. If email messages are not sent when promised, subscribers will forget who you are and, when they finally do get a message, may unsubscribe. They might also reach for that "report as spam" button again. Make sure that you send on the schedule that you specify. Let subscribers know if there is a change, or give them the option to sign up for various levels of your email newsletter schedule. If someone signs up for one newsletter, then they should not be inundated with other types of emails, or they will feel as through they are being taken advantage of, and again reach for their "report as spam" button.

Summary
Black hole lists actually help to raise the consciousness of legitimate bulk email marketers everywhere, encouraging them to higher standards. Black hole lists themselves are typically not the problem, but a result of some underlying problem in your mass email marketing campaign.

Often when a server is blocked, it affects other IP addresses in the same range. This is one of the main reasons ISPs are so restrictive. They cannot afford to have any of their servers blocked because of one person's bad behavior.

Spammers normally won't take the appropriate steps to get back in the good graces of a black hole server list. They simply set up a new domain in a new area until they are inexorably caught again. If you find that your server has made it on a list, don't panic. Examine your email behavior carefully and correct the underlying reasons that you were put there in the first place. Then contact the list managers and work with them to get the server de-listed. -- Arial Software

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