Avoiding Blacklisting: Making Sure Your Email Gets Through

We all know that email is probably today's most popular way to advertise. Every day our inboxes are filled with messages from people who want our business--whether we asked for the contact or not. Email is today's biggest communication factor; but why shouldn't it be? It's all but free to use, and it's almost instantaneous.

But there is one problem with advertising via email that you may not think of very often: blacklisting. All it takes is one complaint, and your ISP or domain name can be put on someone's black list. If you're on the black list, your emails are not getting through--and neither is your advertising message.

So how big of a problem is this? Well, AOL, one of the world's biggest Internet service providers, winds up blocking a whopping 80% of messages to its subscribers due to blacklising. Your email could be the most legitimate message ever sent, but if one person forgets they signed up or decides to complain, you could be blacklisted. And for your business, the resulting slump in sales can be devastating.

What is a blacklist, exactly? A blacklist is a database of known Internet addresses (or IPs) used by individuals or companies sending spam. Various ISP's and bandwidth providers subscribe to these blacklist databases in order to filter out spam sent across their network or to their subscribers. Companies like AOL, MSN, and Yahoo all have very strict policies on spam, so many well-intended, legitimate emails never get through.

So how can you be sure you haven't been blacklisted? Unfortunately, you really can't be 100% sure. You may be on someone's black list and not even know it, and be added to and removed from black lists at the drop of a hat. The only way to prevent being blacklisted unfairly is to use today's technology to keep track of it all. There is cutting-edge software technology available that checks all the major black lists like Spamcop, MAPS, and SPAMHaus to ensure your domain or ISP hasn't been added.

Taking a few moments to understand and solve your potential blacklisting problem can mean a world of difference in your bottom line.

About The Author

Author Karen Fegarty is with MailWorkZ the creator of Black List Monitor-- advanced service that continuously checks all the major blacklists for you, and then some. Don't be treated unfairly! Keep a handle on who may have you blacklisted. Get a free trial and find out more at http://www.blacklistmonitor.com; karen@blacklistmonitor.com

Why Autoresponders are an Absolute Must

With autoresponders, you never have to lose money advertising again!... Read More

Using A Simple Idea to Target Your Audience

A wonderfully easy and free concept that many people seem... Read More

Why Your Email Distribution List is Your Best Source of New Sales

Don't overlook your current customers. After all, they're the ones... Read More

Wise Ways To Build Your Email List

Just about every successful Internet Marketer will tell you that,... Read More

Masterful E-mail Marketing

There are more than 100 million e-mail users in the... Read More

Dirty Secrets Of Co-Registration Email Lists

Years ago, I listened to Internet marketing "gurus" share that... Read More

The Importance of a Name in the Sent from Email Address

When using an email marketing tool such as Adestra's Message... Read More

Successful Advertising

Most folks starting out on the Internet have tried free... Read More

Seven Tips To A Perfect Email Ads

Everyone at some point in their Internet experience has received... Read More

A Guide To Using an Automatic Responder

It's unbelievable....that many people do not know, that an automatic... Read More