When sending out emails from your website you always put yourself at risk of spam complaints. Even if all your email subscribers have opted-in to receive your messages someone may still complain. If you get several spam complaints it’s possible that your website could get placed on a blacklist.

A blacklist is a list of IP addresses or websites that have been flagged as spam threats. Depending on what blacklists an email provider uses your email could be blocked and never delivered to the intended recipients.

Now I know you’re thinking “I don’t ever send spam and no one ever complains so I am fine”. Well, think again. Sometimes other websites on your server could be the cause of your site being placed on a blacklist. If other websites that share the same IP address as you have been spamming then unfortunately your site may be found guilty by association.

Another possibility that can place you at risk is of being blacklisted is if the server your website is hosted on is unprotected, if that is the case then a hacker can use your site to send out mass spam. As if that’s not enough, it’s also possible that your computer could have a virus and be sending out spam email through your email account without you ever knowing it.

Before you freak out however you can check to see if you are even on any blacklists. To see if your domain or ip address has been blacklisted you can visit a site called MX Toolbox. This site checks over 140 various blacklists and will show you if your IP address has been listed.

What to do if your site is on a blacklist?

The best way to get removed from a blacklist is to contact the blacklist directly. Each blacklisting service has their own procedures and criteria for adding and removing IP addresses. You may also want to contact your webhost to see if someone that shares the IP address or server your site is on could be the cause of your site being blacklisted.

How can you avoid being placed on a blacklist?

I have been sending out emails for several years now and have not been blacklisted or had any real spam complaints, I also follow basic email etiquette, process all removal requests, and update the protection on my server regularly.

Follow these simple guidelines to help safeguard your site from being blacklisted.

• Use a professional Anti-Virus program and scan your PC for viruses.
• Make sure that you are using a professional web hosting company and don’t be afraid to ask how many other people will share the same IP address as you and ask how often they update their server security. If possible get a dedicated IP address.
• Don’t spam. We can’t overlook the obvious.
• Honor all removal requests from your newsletter list.
• Follow the Can-Spam Act guidelines by including proper information in your emails.
• Include an unsubscribe link in all your emails.

Don’t worry, if for some reason you get blacklisted it’s NOT the end of the world. If you are sending out legitimate emails to subscribers and you take the proper precautions then chances are you can rebound fairly quickly.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Stay updated on future posts by subscribing to my RSS Feed.

No Comments on “Has Your Website Been Blacklisted?”

No comments yet, why not post one?.

RSS feed for comments on this post.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.