Email Blacklist: How to Check If You’re Listed (And How to Get Off)

Imagine getting your emails blocked—it’s not quite “email jail,” but it sure feels like being stuck.

When your email address lands on a blacklist, it’s a big deal. It won’t send you to prison, but it can definitely slam the brakes on your marketing efforts.

But hey, don’t freak out. I’m here to break down what email blacklists are, how they work, how to find out if you’ve been flagged, and, most importantly, how to get off that dreaded list if you do end up on one.

Sound good? Let’s dive in!

What’s an Email Blacklist?

Let’s make it simple.

Think of an email blacklist as a big list that tracks IP addresses and domains known for sending spam. These lists are kept by groups called blacklist operators, usually third-party companies that collect data about who’s sending emails.

Who uses these blacklists? Lots of people, like:

– Internet service providers (ISPs)
– Email services
– Companies that fight spam
– And others

If your IP address or domain gets on one of these blacklists, things can get tough. Your emails might be blocked completely or sent straight to the spam folder.

That’s bad news, especially if you rely on email marketing or sending cold emails.

How to Check If You’re on an Email Blacklist

Wondering if your email address has ended up on a blacklist?

The fastest way to check is by looking at the most well-known blacklist operators.

Some of the big names are:

– Spamhaus
– Spamcop
– Invalument
– Barracuda

If you want to save time, you can use tools like Debouncer, Zerobounce, or Mail-tester.com to check all of these at once. Just visit one of these sites, send a test email from the address you’re worried about, and in about a minute, you’ll get a report showing if any blacklists have flagged your address.

Prefer to check each blacklist one by one? You can do that too. Most of these sites have a lookup feature where you can enter your IP address or domain to see if it’s been flagged. This way, you can directly check each platform to see if you’re on a blacklist.

You can also check your email sending reputation, which gives you an idea of how your emails are being received. Different tools use different methods—some use a scale from 0 to 100, while others might rate you as good, bad, or neutral.

By trying out a few of these tools, you can get a clear picture of where you stand. If your rating is consistently “good,” you probably don’t need to worry about being blacklisted.

Here are some tools you can use:

– SenderScore
– TalosIntelligence
– Mail-tester.com

What to Do If You’re on an Email Blacklist

So, let’s say you’ve checked, and the results aren’t what you hoped for—you’re on an email blacklist. What should you do next?

First, figure out why you got blacklisted. The most common reason? Spam.

That’s right—email blacklists are there to catch senders who are sending spammy emails. If you’re on one, it’s probably because of something that looks like spam.

Spam usually means sending a lot of unwanted emails that aren’t relevant to the people getting them. These messages are often sent in large numbers and are not welcome by the recipients.

Several things can get you blacklisted:

Complaints: If people keep marking your emails as spam, it can become a big problem. A few complaints here and there might not do much harm, but if it keeps happening, your reputation can take a serious hit.

Bad Email Lists: Using poor-quality email lists can also get you into trouble. Sending emails to old or irrelevant addresses, or buying lists, can trigger spam filters. It’s better to create a list of targeted, high-quality contacts to avoid this issue.

Deliverability Issues: If your emails aren’t getting delivered properly, it could signal a problem. Whether it’s something you can control or not, these issues can draw attention from those monitoring for spam and increase the chance of blacklisting.

Unusual Activity: Email services like to see consistent, natural behavior. If your email volume suddenly jumps—from sending 10 emails a day to 10,000, for example—it can look suspicious. Quick or unexpected changes in how you send emails might put you on a blacklist.

How to Get Removed From an Email Blacklist

So, you’ve confirmed that you’re on a blacklist. Whether it’s a mistake or your emails were flagged for spam, one thing’s clear—you need to get off that list.

Step 1: Clean Up Your Email Practices

First, figure out why you got blacklisted and fix the problem. If your emails were flagged as spam, it’s time to stop any questionable practices. You might even need to pause your email campaigns for a while.

For the next few weeks, use your email account like a regular user—send and receive emails, reply to messages, and make sure others are engaging with you too. Using tools like Lemlist’s Lemwarm can help automate this process and restore your email reputation.

Step 2: Request Removal from the Blacklist

Once you’ve cleaned up your act, it’s time to request removal from the blacklist. You’ll need to contact the blacklist operator that flagged you and show that you’ve fixed the issue or explain any misunderstanding.

Most blacklist websites have a “delist” or “removal request” section. When you go there, you’ll usually need to fill out a form with details like:

– Your email server IP
– Your domain name
– Your email address
– Your phone number
– And most importantly, your reason for requesting removal

In the form, explain clearly and truthfully what you’ve done to fix the problem, or why you think the blacklisting was a mistake. Keep it brief and stick to the facts—no need to plead or offer bribes.

Most requests are reviewed within 24 hours, though it might take a few days to get a response. Be patient, and don’t bombard them with multiple requests if you don’t hear back right away—sending too many could reinforce the spammy behavior they flagged you for.

Remember, patience is key. You’ll get an answer soon enough, one way or another.

What If My Removal Request Is Denied?

If your request to be removed from a blacklist is denied, it’s disappointing, but it’s not the end of the road. You might get advice on what to do next, but sometimes you may have to face the reality that your domain or IP address is compromised. In such cases, you might need to consider starting fresh with a new domain or IP address.

How to Avoid Getting Blacklisted Again

Now, let’s talk about how to stay off blacklists in the future.

Step 1: Don’t Spam

The easiest way to avoid blacklists is simple—don’t spam.

Spamming can happen in a few ways:

Too Many Emails: Sending too many emails too often can set off alarms. For most campaigns, try to limit your emails to once or twice a week. Also, be cautious about quickly growing your list, especially by buying email addresses.

Targeting the Wrong Audience: If you send emails to people who aren’t interested, you might get flagged. For example, sending retirement plan offers to teenagers is poor targeting. It might not break the rules, but it’s a fast way to get marked as spam.

Low-Quality Emails: This includes everything from pushy sales pitches to emails with broken links or sketchy content. If your emails feel spammy, they’re more likely to get flagged. Steer clear of words and phrases that commonly trigger spam filters—check out our list of spam trigger words to avoid.

It’s also smart to know the basics of the CAN-SPAM Act. While you won’t go to “email jail” for violating it, you could face fines up to $43,280. Here are the key rules:

– Be honest—don’t trick people.
– Use clear and truthful subject lines.
– Make sure ads are clearly labeled as advertisements.
– Include your contact details.
– Make it easy for people to unsubscribe.
– Quickly honor any unsubscribe requests.
– Don’t let others spam on your behalf.

By following these guidelines, you can help keep your email practices clean and avoid getting blacklisted again.

Step 2: Keep Your Email List Clean

Your email list is the heart of your campaign, so keeping it clean is crucial to avoiding spam problems.

Check out our guide on building a targeted prospect list, and use tools like these to clean and validate your existing list:

– VoilaNorbert
– EmailListVerify.com
– Bouncer
– NeverBounce
– Zerobounce

Or, dive into our full list of the best email validation tools!

Step 3: Improve Your Email Deliverability

Even when you’re following best practices, there’s always room to boost your email deliverability.

Use a Different Domain for Cold Emails: Protect your main business domain by using a similar but separate one, like emailanalytics.co (instead of .com), for cold outreach.

Set Up a Google Workspace Account: A paid Google Workspace account (formerly G Suite) is well-regarded and can enhance your deliverability rates.

Encourage Two-Way Communication: Accounts that both send and receive emails are viewed as more reliable. Tools like Lemlist’s Lemwarm can help create natural send/receive activity, and subscribing to newsletters adds credibility.

Steer Clear of Spam Triggers: Learn about common spam triggers that can get your emails flagged. Our guide on avoiding spam offers detailed advice.

Increase Email Volume Gradually: When scaling up, start with a small number of emails and slowly increase over time to maintain a strong sender reputation.