If your mail server IP or domain is on one or more anti-spam databases, you’ll have trouble with email deliverability. That means many of the emails you send out may not be delivered to the recipients. Naturally, it hurts your business because many of your prospects and customers won’t receive your email.

Even if you are not a spammer, there is a chance you looked like one. One of the main reasons is a compromised server: your IP is being used to send spammy messages. The next reason: you are getting many hard bounces because you are sending emails to invalid addresses. The result: you’re on a spam blacklist database. A third reason is a misconfigured email server or missing DNS records.

You'll know that only once you check domain blacklist, because how you can get delisted from an RBL depends upon the processes each RBL follows. You need to approach the individual RBL, ask for their directions on how to have the IP ban removed, and follow them. It will not always be swift or easy but for the sake of your business the efforts are worth it.

While on an average, the process can take upto eight to ten days, there is no one single answer. That’s because you may have alerted the IP filter for any number of reasons. While the basic requirements are very similar, individual RBLs may require you to meet additional conditions. This may make the process a little time-consuming.

Email IP blacklist characterized by email bounces, not by unopened email. Low open rates may be entirely due to different reasons (e.g. poor email subject lines). Or perhaps your emails are landing in the spam folder, because your email copy has some content that was red-flagged. Only email bounces are indicative of IP blocking, which is where you should use the IP address blacklist checker.

Make sure you follow email marketing best practices. Never send spammy messages and avoid using purchased lists (because they often contain spamtraps). Protect your IP from malware and viruses. If sharing an IP, take extra precautions. In case someone has used the IP before you, you want to check if the IP is on the blacklist.