HOW TO: Improve AOL
delivery
Email delivery is the No. 1 challenge for many
email marketing professionals. Each Internet Service
Provider (ISP) has their own rules and regulations
for delivery of emails to the addresses they provide
to their customers. Fortunately, the postmaster
for one of the largest ISPs on the Internet, AOL,
provides clear guidelines and comprehensive tools
to assist with the delivery of commercial opt-in
emails.
AOL whitelisting guidelines
Bulk email marketers who want to send solicited
email messages to AOL email addresses can be whitelisted
by following these guidelines.
Technical requirements include:
- RFC compliant
emails
- Valid reverse
DNS records
- Closed relaying
to prevent anonymous access
- Static, non-residential
IP address
- Must not hard
code AOL's mx records into their configuration,
but allow AOL to distribute the email as it
comes in
- Must send 100
emails per month to maintain whitelist status.
Email formatting requirements are:
- Comply with federal
CAN-SPAM act
- Refrain from
phishing or deceptive marketing
- Provide subscriber
information to AOL upon request
- Easy to use opt-out
or unsubscribe features included in every email
message
- Company information
including phone number and physical address
included in each email message.
Bulk email marketers must also fill out a form
requesting whitelist status after agreeing to
AOL's terms and conditions.
AOL feedback loop
One of the key features of getting whitelisted
is setting up an AOL feedback loop. The feedback
loop sends a notice of each complaint generated
by a user clicking the spam-reporting tool AOL
offers its clients.
The email address is not provided, but increases
in spam complaints indicate other problems with
bulk email campaigns that should be addressed.
It is best to use a dedicated email address for
each mail server through which email messages
are being delivered.
AOL is currently testing a new abuse report
format called ARF or Abuse Reporting Format, with
full implementation expected in the near future.
When signing up for the feedback loop service,
ARF can be requested in lieu of the traditional
MIME report.
AOL enhanced whitelisting
The Enhanced Whitelist is available to whitelisted
providers with a proven track record of excellence.
There is no way to get on the list; it is automatic,
and email marketers are eligible after 30 days
of exemplary activity. Behavior is evaluated by
individual sending IP address, not by domain.
The standards are evaluated using complaint
rates relative to other bulk email senders. The
criteria are not fully disclosed on AOL's website.
If complaints rise above a certain level, it is
possible to be removed from the Enhanced Whitelist
until the IP reaches 30 days of compliance. Everything
is determined automatically.
CertifiedEmail designation
Since February 2006 AOL inboxes began receiving
messages approved by the CertifiedEmail process,
a new service offered by AOL and GoodMail Systems
to help with delivery of legitimate emails.
Email marketers can sign up through GoodMail
Systems for a per message fee to ensure that email
messages are delivered to the AOL inbox and not
to a bulk or spam folder.
Summary
Bulk email marketers need to be aware of how
to send legitimate email messages to those who
subscribe to receive them. Absolving message issues
with AOL standards usually results in improved
delivery to other ISPs.
More information on the latest policies and
procedural guidelines can be found on the AOL
whitlelisting page
-- Arial Software
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