If you don't know if your content has a Cloudmark spammy fingerprint, follow the steps listed here.
It's important to know that the Cloudmark Global Threat Network is constantly receiving and updating data used to determine spammy fingerprints. It's possible that you may see content with a spammy fingerprint when looking at the seeds sent to the seed list in Everest, but new data received by Cloudmark later in the day or the following day may indicate that the content isn't spammy. So, monitor your messages consistently over time to see if spammy fingerprints recur.
Continue reading for tips on troubleshooting the cause of the spammy fingerprint as well as resetting your reputation with Cloudmark.
Troubleshoot the cause of the spammy fingerprint
- Determine if the spammy fingerprint is recurring by checking multiple campaigns over a period of days or weeks.
- Does it impact the same campaign every time or all campaigns?
- Does it occur on campaigns sent from a specific IP address or sending domain?
- Does it occur for a specific brand or all brands?
- Does it occur on a specific date or day of the week?
- Does it occur for a specific email type or mail stream? (marketing, transactional, newsletters, surveys, etc.)
- Does it occur for a specific list segment or all list segments?
Sometimes a Cloudmark spammy fingerprint occurs sporadically and has little to no impact to your long-term inbox placement. If you see a single instance of a Cloudmark spammy fingerprint, then keep monitoring your performance to see if it continues. It is a little easier to identify the cause if you monitor it when it first starts to occur.
Common causes for Cloudmark spammy fingerprints:
- Poor list acquisition practices: buying lists, e-appends, list harvesting, or not obtaining consent from subscribers
- Poor list hygiene practices: continually sending to unresponsive subscribers
- Complaint feedback loop processing is non-existent or broken. Be sure you are signed up with all available complaint feedback loops and suppress all complainers.
- Sending to a suppression list
- Outdated or broken trigger logic for transactional or triggered campaigns: renewal notices, birthdays, reminder emails, purchase confirmations, survey requests, and abandoned cart messages.
- An unexpected increase in the frequency of emails received. This usually occurs around special events and holidays.
- URLs in your content that point to known malware or phishing websites
- URL link shorteners in your content. URL link shorteners often appear on industry blocklists.
Fix the Cause
Cloudmark requires that you try to identify and fix the cause. Based on your troubleshooting efforts, make the necessary adjustments to your email program.
Request a reputation reset
Cloudmark gives senders the opportunity to reset their reputation and remove the spammy fingerprints. However, if you don't fix the cause, it is likely your content will continually receive spammy fingerprints. And, future attempts to reset your reputation with Cloudmark may be ignored. Requesting a reset does not guarantee one will be granted.
