Avoiding Blacklists with Dedicated IPs

Email deliverability problems? Blacklists might be the cause. Here's how dedicated IPs can help you avoid them:

• Blacklists block spam: Email blacklists flag IPs and domains sending spam. If you're on one, your emails go to spam or are rejected.
• Shared IPs vs. Dedicated IPs: Shared IPs are riskier because your reputation depends on others' actions. Dedicated IPs give you full control over your email reputation.
• Cold outreach needs dedicated IPs: For cold emails, a dedicated IP ensures better deliverability and lets you manage your sender reputation effectively.
• Key risks to avoid: Spammy practices, poor email list hygiene, and non-compliance with regulations can get you blacklisted - even with a dedicated IP.
• Protect your IP: Use SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication, warm up new IPs gradually, and monitor your email metrics to prevent blacklisting.

Quick Comparison: Shared vs. Dedicated IPs

Feature	Shared IP	Dedicated IP
Usage	Shared among multiple senders	Exclusive to one sender
Reputation Control	Depends on others	Fully under your control
Cost	Lower	Higher
Warm-up Needed	No	Yes
Best For	Low-volume senders	High-volume, cold outreach

Takeaway: Dedicated IPs are ideal for high-volume or cold email campaigns, but they require careful setup and maintenance to avoid blacklisting.

Common Causes of Blacklisting

To avoid blacklisting, it’s crucial to understand the behaviors and practices that can trigger it. Even if you’re using a dedicated IP, ignoring these factors can seriously harm your email deliverability. Consider this: one in five emails never makes it to the inbox due to poor engagement and reputation. By identifying these causes, you can take the necessary steps to protect your sender reputation.

Sending Spam or Unsolicited Emails

Sending emails without the recipient’s consent is one of the fastest ways to end up blacklisted. No matter how legitimate your business is, unsolicited emails are a red flag for spam filters.

The distinction between effective outreach and spam lies in how well your emails are targeted and personalized, as well as whether they offer clear value to the recipient. Sending generic, mass emails - especially to purchased or scraped lists - is a surefire way to trigger spam filters.

Modern email providers are highly sophisticated in combating spam. Ninety percent of major providers use algorithms that assess engagement and domain reputation. These systems analyze everything from the content of your emails to how recipients interact with them. High bounce rates and low engagement, such as recipients ignoring, deleting, or marking emails as spam, are major warning signs. Once flagged, your emails are less likely to reach inboxes, creating a vicious cycle of declining engagement and worsening deliverability.

Poor Email List Hygiene

The quality of your email list has a direct impact on whether you’ll face blacklisting issues. Poor list maintenance - like continuing to send emails to outdated or invalid addresses - can tarnish even a well-managed dedicated IP.

Inactive email addresses are a major issue. If someone hasn’t engaged with your emails in months (or even years), continuing to email them signals poor list management. Even worse are spam traps - email addresses designed to catch senders who don’t follow proper opt-in practices. These traps often end up on purchased lists or are collected through scraping, and sending emails to them raises serious questions about your list’s legitimacy.

Invalid addresses also lead to high bounce rates, which is another red flag for email providers. To put the issue into perspective: in December 2021, 45.37% of all emails sent were classified as spam.

Maintaining a clean list isn’t just about avoiding spam traps or bounces - it’s also essential for complying with legal standards.

Non-Compliance with Email Regulations

Violating email regulations is one of the quickest ways to land on a blacklist, and the consequences can extend far beyond poor deliverability. In the United States, the CAN-SPAM Act outlines strict rules for commercial email communications.

The Federal Trade Commission highlights the importance of compliance: "The CAN-SPAM Act...sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have you stop emailing them, and spells out tough penalties for violations."

Non-compliance can be costly. For example, the CAN-SPAM Act imposes fines of up to $53,088 per email. A recent case involving Verkada resulted in a $2.95 million penalty for violations.

Spam reports also play a significant role in blacklisting. Fifty-four percent of users mark emails as spam if they never gave permission to receive them, while 49% do the same if the email lacks an unsubscribe option. These reports feed into blacklist databases and prompt Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to filter out your emails.

Failing to include clear unsubscribe options, misleading subject lines, or a physical address violates regulations and damages your reputation. These compliance lapses not only lead to hefty fines but also worsen your IP’s standing, making it even harder to reach your audience.

Each of these issues - poor list hygiene, non-compliance, and spammy practices - can compound the others. For example, a poorly maintained list can lead to compliance violations, which in turn generate spam complaints, ultimately resulting in blacklisting. This is why relying on a dedicated IP alone isn’t enough; it requires careful, ongoing management.

Understanding these risks is the first step toward ensuring your emails reach their intended audience and maintaining your sender reputation.

Technical Methods to Prevent Blacklisting

Once you’ve identified the factors that lead to blacklisting, the next step is to put technical safeguards in place to protect your dedicated IP. These methods work hand in hand with your email strategy to ensure your messages consistently reach inboxes.

Setting Up Authentication Protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

Authentication protocols are essential for stopping email spoofing and establishing trust with receiving servers. Implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC verifies that emails sent from your domain are legitimate, which helps prevent spammers from impersonating you.

• SPF (Sender Policy Framework): This protocol specifies which IP addresses are authorized to send emails on behalf of your domain. By creating an SPF record, you essentially whitelist trusted sending sources, reducing the risk of spoofing.
• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): DKIM adds a digital signature to your outgoing emails, confirming that the message originates from your approved sending system.
• DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): This protocol tells receiving servers how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks. Start with a monitoring policy ('none') to gather data before enforcing stricter rules.

To set these up, publish the necessary DNS records on your server. As noted in Woodpecker.co’s January 21, 2025 guide, properly configuring SPF and DKIM is “a necessary step towards the security of your domain and high deliverability of your messages”. Tools like Infraforge can automate DNS setup, minimizing the risk of errors.

Failing to configure these protocols correctly can lead to serious deliverability problems. Beyond authentication, managing how and when you send emails is just as important.

IP Warming and Consistent Sending Patterns

If you’re using a new or reactivated IP, warming it up is critical to building trust with ISPs. This involves gradually increasing your email volume over 4–8 weeks to establish a positive sending reputation. Sudden spikes in email traffic can trigger spam filters, so maintaining a steady sending pattern is key.

Different providers have varying tolerance levels for new IPs. For example, Gmail tends to require a more cautious approach compared to others. Here’s an example of a warmup schedule for major ISPs:

ISP/Domain	Day 1–3	Day 4–5	Day 6–7	Day 8–14	Day 15–21	Day 22–28	Day 29+
Gmail	5,000	10,000	20,000	40,000	80,000	160,000	320,000
AOL/Yahoo	20,000	20,000	20,000	40,000	80,000	160,000	320,000
Microsoft	20,000	20,000	20,000	40,000	80,000	160,000	320,000
Comcast	20,000	20,000	20,000	40,000	80,000	160,000	320,000

Segmenting your email list during the warmup phase can help boost engagement rates. Focus on sending personalized messages with clear subject lines and relevant content to reinforce positive signals with email providers.

Monitoring Metrics and IP Reputation

Regular monitoring is crucial to catch potential issues before they escalate into blacklisting. Studies show that over 20% of emails fail to reach the inbox, with blacklisting being a common cause. A single blacklisting event can reduce deliverability rates by 10–15%, which directly impacts campaign ROI, especially when email marketing delivers an average return of $42 for every $1 spent.

Key metrics to monitor include bounce rates, open rates, spam complaints, and engagement levels. Low engagement, for instance, can signal problems that might lead to blacklisting. Several tools can help you keep an eye on your IP reputation:

Tool	Purpose
Google Postmaster Tools	Provides Gmail-specific IP and domain metrics
Talos Intelligence	Offers IP reputation data from Cisco
MXToolbox	Checks IPs against multiple RBLs (real-time blocklists)
Spamhaus	Tracks blocklist status and processes delisting requests

For example, Google Postmaster Tools offers insights into domain reputation, spam rates, and delivery errors. Meanwhile, Talos Intelligence provides a broader view, correlating web reputation with email delivery across multiple IPs. Free tools like MXToolbox can give you a quick snapshot of your domain’s health, while paid services offer advanced diagnostics like inbox placement testing and historical trend analysis.

Best Practices for Managing Dedicated IPs

Managing dedicated IPs effectively requires a well-thought-out strategy. By following these practices, you can protect your sender reputation and optimize deliverability, ensuring your dedicated IP performs at its best.

Custom IP Warming Schedules

A tailored warming schedule is essential for building trust with ISPs. While generic schedules exist, aligning your plan with your email volume and audience engagement patterns is more effective. Typically, the warming process takes around 30 days, but this can vary depending on your sending frequency, list quality, and overall volume.

Here’s an example of an hourly warming schedule:

Warmup Age (Days)	Hourly Email Limit	Daily Approximate
0-2	20-39	480-936
3-5	55-108	1,320-2,592
6-8	151-295	3,624-7,080
9-12	413-1,000	9,912-24,000
13-15	1,587-3,111	38,088-74,664
16-20	4,356-16,734	104,544-401,616
21-30	23,427-484,029	562,248-11,616,696

Consistency during the warm-up phase is crucial. Stick to a steady volume and frequency while keeping complaint rates and bounces low. Start by emailing your most engaged subscribers, then gradually expand to less engaged segments. Once the warm-up is complete, maintain a steady flow - around 1,000 emails daily per major email provider - to sustain your positive reputation. Avoid sudden volume spikes, as they can trigger spam filters.

After warming up, focus on managing send volumes and audience segments to maintain reliable deliverability.

Segmentation and Throttling for Large Campaigns

When handling large campaigns, segmentation and throttling are your best tools to avoid sudden volume spikes that could harm your sender reputation. These techniques are especially important for lists exceeding 100,000 subscribers.

• Segmentation: Divide your audience into smaller groups based on factors like demographics, purchase history, and engagement levels. This approach not only improves relevance and engagement but also reduces spam complaints. Use data from signup forms, purchase behaviors, and website analytics to fine-tune your segments.
• Throttling: Control your send rate to avoid overwhelming recipient servers or triggering spam filters. As email expert Joshua Michaels explains:

"By sending emails in measured batches, you reduce the risk of spam complaints and bounces... This ensures smoother delivery, better engagement, and ESP compliance."

Prioritize sending to your most engaged segments first, and email less active subscribers less frequently. During high-traffic periods or when reaching new subscribers, adopt a more conservative throttling approach to safeguard your reputation. If your email service provider doesn’t offer built-in throttling, break large lists into smaller batches and spread sends over multiple days or times. This method is especially effective for lists with over 1 million contacts.

Maintaining Proper DNS Records

Proper DNS configuration is a cornerstone of email authentication. Beyond the standard SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols, additional DNS settings play a vital role in protecting your dedicated IP’s reputation.

• Reverse DNS (PTR) records: Ensure your PTR record maps your IP address back to your domain. This helps receiving servers verify that your IP is authorized to send emails for your domain.
• Forward DNS records: Verify that your sending domains have accurate A records pointing to your dedicated IPs. This creates a complete DNS chain for ISP verification.
• TLS connections: Enable TLS for all email transmissions to meet modern security standards. Most ISPs now expect encrypted connections, and failing to use TLS can hurt your deliverability.

Monitoring DNS changes is essential to avoid authentication errors. Marcel Becker, Senior Director of Product at Yahoo, highlights the importance of these fundamentals:

"All of these requirements have been well documented best practices for years. A lot of senders have already implemented them. Authenticating your email traffic should be something that you're already doing if you care about the health of your email traffic as well as your infrastructure."

For DMARC, aim for a strict policy. Becker explains:

"The end goal is ideally a policy of p=reject. That's what DMARC is for. Ensuring that your domain cannot be spoofed and protecting our mutual customers from abuse."

Platforms like Infraforge can simplify DNS setup, reducing the risk of errors that might damage your sender reputation. Regularly reviewing DMARC reports can provide valuable insights into your authentication performance and help you address issues before they escalate.

sbb-itb-b73f58f

Comparing Infraforge to Alternative Platforms

Managing dedicated IPs for cold email outreach requires a platform that not only prevents blacklisting but also ensures reliable email deliverability. While technical elements like IP warming and DNS management are essential, the choice of a platform specifically tailored for cold outreach can make a significant difference.

Infraforge is purpose-built for cold outreach, offering an infrastructure designed to maximize deliverability and safeguard against blacklisting. It goes beyond the basics, providing specialized features that distinguish it from standard email providers.

Infraforge Features and Benefits

Infraforge simplifies the complexities of email setup by automating DNS configuration and managing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC protocols. It also provides pre-warmed domains and mailboxes, ensuring a strong sender reputation from the outset. Additional features like domain masking with SSL and proxies add a layer of security by concealing the sending infrastructure. With built-in sender rotation and intelligent sending limits, Infraforge ensures consistent deliverability as your campaigns grow.

Rahul Lakhaney, Former VP at Gartner, shared his endorsement:

"During my time at a Fortune 500 company and now across all our products, Infraforge has been my go-to solution for Email Infrastructure. Its deliverability is proven. If you're serious about outreach and want the best tool in the market, Infraforge is the only choice."

Comparison of Infraforge vs. Alternatives

The table below illustrates how Infraforge outperforms other platforms in key areas critical for cold email outreach:

Feature	Infraforge	Google Workspace	MS365	Mailforge
Dedicated IPs	Yes	No	No	No (Shared)
Automated DNS Setup	Yes	No	No	Limited
Made for Cold Outreach	Yes	No	No	Yes
Pre-warmed Infrastructure	Yes	No	No	No
Setup Time	5 minutes	Hours/Days	Hours/Days	Variable
Cost per 200 Mailboxes	$651/month	$1,680/month	$1,200/month	~$600/month

Traditional email providers like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are designed for general business communication. Their shared infrastructures can negatively impact your sender reputation due to the behavior of other users. Moreover, they lack the dedicated IPs and specialized tools necessary for effective cold outreach.

Mailforge, another platform developed by the same company behind Infraforge, operates on shared IP networks. While it’s more affordable at around $3 per mailbox monthly, its shared infrastructure poses risks - if one user is blacklisted, the entire network can suffer.

Other options like Mailscale and Maildoso also rely on shared IP networks. Mailscale’s pricing ranges from $79 to $249 per month, while Maildoso offers plans from $99 to $2,199 quarterly. These shared models inherently carry reputation risks that Infraforge’s dedicated IP solutions are designed to mitigate.

Anton L, a founder and Infraforge user, highlighted his experience:

"I'm really glad I came across Infraforge... The ease of use and simplicity make managing email infrastructure a breeze, and the pricing is spot on - far more reasonable than some of the other options... One of my favorite features has to be the ability to create separate workspaces... And let me not forget the support - it's been phenomenal with quick response times. Honestly, I wish I'd found Infraforge before its competitors!"

Conclusion

Steering clear of blacklists when using dedicated IPs requires a well-planned approach that blends technical know-how with disciplined email practices. A dedicated IP gives you full control over your sender reputation, which is especially important for cold email campaigns where a clean reputation can make or break your results. This control forms the backbone of the technical measures needed to protect your deliverability.

Key steps include implementing strong authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and maintaining rigorous email hygiene through practices such as regular list cleaning, audience segmentation, and using double opt-in methods. Consistent sending patterns also play a vital role in keeping your reputation intact. Monitoring engagement metrics - like open rates, click-through rates, and bounce rates - helps you catch and address potential problems early on. It’s worth noting that getting blacklisted can have serious consequences, including reduced deliverability, harm to your reputation, lost revenue, and a decline in customer trust.

In addition to these practices, utilizing specialized tools can simplify the process of managing dedicated IPs and maintaining compliance. Platforms like Infraforge make it easier by automating DNS configurations, providing pre-warmed IP infrastructure, and offering built-in reputation monitoring. Their focus on automating essential tasks while following industry standards highlights how technology can enhance email management.

Ultimately, success with dedicated IPs hinges on combining a solid technical foundation with disciplined email protocols. By taking charge of your IP reputation and sticking to proven methods for email hygiene and authentication, you set the stage for consistent deliverability and long-term campaign success.

FAQs

What are the benefits of using dedicated IPs for email deliverability?

Using dedicated IPs for email campaigns gives you full control over your sender reputation, which plays a major role in getting your emails into recipients' inboxes. Unlike shared IPs, where your reputation can suffer due to other senders' poor practices, a dedicated IP ensures that your reputation is entirely in your hands.

With this setup, you can better refine your email strategy by segmenting campaigns, closely monitoring performance, and addressing issues like spam complaints or bounce rates more efficiently. This not only minimizes the chance of being blacklisted but also boosts your chances of consistent inbox delivery. Platforms like Infraforge simplify the process with tools like automated DNS setup, pre-warmed domains, and multi-IP provisioning - making it easier to maintain strong deliverability even as your campaigns grow.

How do I warm up a new dedicated IP for email campaigns effectively?

To successfully warm up a new dedicated IP, it’s important to gradually ramp up the number of emails you send over a period of 4 to 8 weeks. Start small by targeting your most engaged recipients - those who regularly open or interact with your emails. This approach helps establish a strong sender reputation from the outset.

As you move forward, slowly increase your daily email volume while keeping a close eye on critical metrics like deliverability rates, open rates, and bounce rates. Consistency is key here - avoid any sudden spikes in email traffic, as they can trigger spam filters and harm your reputation. With patience and steady effort, you’ll build trust with email providers and improve your overall deliverability.

For a smoother process, Infraforge offers advanced tools like pre-warmed domains, dedicated IPs, and multi-IP provisioning, making it easier to manage and optimize your email warm-up strategy.

How can I stay compliant with email regulations and avoid blacklisting when using a dedicated IP?

To stay on the right side of email regulations and avoid blacklisting when using a dedicated IP, start with email authentication. This includes setting up protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Only send emails to people who’ve clearly opted in, and keep your email list clean by removing invalid or inactive addresses. Another key step? Gradually warm up your IP to build trust and steer clear of spammy language in your emails.

It’s also important to follow global email laws, like the CAN-SPAM Act in the U.S., and regularly track your IP’s reputation. Tools like Infraforge can make this process much easier. They offer features such as dedicated IPs, automated DNS setup, pre-warmed domains, and deliverability optimization tools - perfect for managing large-scale email campaigns effectively.