MindComet

As Simple As Black and White

Somehow, the unthinkable has happened, you have been blacklisted.

Now What?

Most public blacklists will have their de-listing criteria and process described on their website. Often it is a matter of contacting the administrators of the list and complying with their requirements. Note that the easiest way to stay off blacklists is to never get on one in the first place. By following email best practices your risk of ending up on a blacklist is significantly reduced.

On the flipside…

As badly as you want to stay off a blacklist, you want to be on a whitelist. But how?

Some ISPs publish their whitelist on the Web. AOL’s current whitelist criteria can be found at http://postmaster.info.aol.com/. If you meet AOL’s guidelines, you can apply. Some Internet Service Providers have internal whitelists. To find out more information, send email to abuse@ or postmaster@ addresses. These addresses usually go to mail administrators.

Another option is to partner with a company that manages compliance legwork for you. These companies also provide outsourced whitelists for other ISPs. By using these companies, you will automatically be whitelisted at all ISPs that subscriber for their service.

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Posted by MindComet on Apr. 24, 2006

You Have How Many?

A January 2006 poll shows that a large volume of opt-in commercial email communications are delivered to Web-based email services such as Hotmail and Yahoo!.

The survey finds 26% of Internet users in the United States receive their marketing messages in their Yahoo! account, 21% through Hotmail and 13% receive opt-in email marketing messages through AOL. Only 8% of those surveyed had commercial marketing messages sent to their work email address.

The segmenting of opt-in communications to web-based accounts can be credited to quick adoption of high-speed internet access at home and as consumers have become more comfortable managing multiple email accounts, each for a separate purpose.

Maintaining multiple email accounts is becoming commonplace among American Internet users. Currently, 30% of American Internet users have one email account, 37% keep two accounts, 19% maintain three accounts and 13% manage four or more email accounts.

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Posted by MindComet on Apr. 11, 2006

Double Opting-In: Getting Expressed Permission

Requiring subscribers to double opt-in is quickly becoming the standard for email marketing campaigns.  However many great email marketers are still not requiring this action.  Why is double opting in so important?  And why if you are not doing it now, should you?

The double opt-in process ensures your list members are who they say they are and that they have joined your list of their own initiative.  While the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 only speaks to complying with opt-out requests, opting-in is an absolute way to demonstrate “expressed permission” instead of “implied consent” between you and your list members. If any list member ever has a question as to how they were added to your list, your double opt-in records give you the ability to locate and confirm their sign up date.

The double opt-in procedure will also protect your database against Spam Traps.  Spam Traps are dropped into your database by ISPs if your signup process is weak.  Every time you send an email to a Spam Trap it is a mark against you in the eyes of the ISP.  Some ISPs will even refrain from whitelisting you if there is not a double opt-in procedure in place.

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Posted by MindComet on Apr. 04, 2006