Email blacklists

Blacklists help keep the Internet clear of unsolicited email by giving mail providers a list of naughty email senders they can automatically block and keep away from inboxes. But sometimes legitimate senders get caught up in the crossfire. What is a blacklist? And what can you do if your emails are affected?

Tools to check if you're on a blacklist

These are online services where you enter your mail server IP address and/or domain name and check it against various lists of blocked senders. The ones below are free or offer a free trial. There are a growing number of commercial delivery audit services that incorporate blacklist checks too. I list these for your information, but I can give no personal endorsement through a lack of experience with these services.

Delivery Watch
MXToolBox
DNS Stuff (see if you're on a spam database, plus a whole lot more tools.)
EmailReach
RepCheck
Blacklistedip
Blacklist.ie
Blacklist Check

Selected blacklists

The more common blocking lists, plus the look-up tools they make available to check if you're on them...

Advice:

Al Iverson's DNSBL resource
Expert blog keeping tabs on the state of blacklists.

Here are some articles explaining more about how blacklists work and how you can get off them (assuming you were put on undeservedly!) Note that the above sites also provide details of removal procedures for their own lists.

Kind of a crazy thing
Looks at one legitimate emailer's experiences with blacklists and his views on how to stay off them.

Eight Quick Ways to Get Your Site Blacklisted
Outlines a few traps to avoid, with more than the usual focus on IT and related issues.

What to do if...
Overview of the actions you should take if you find yourself blocked by a list.

How to stay off email blacklists
Another set of recommendations on how to keep your nose clean when it comes to email.

How to get off blacklists
Lists the top blocking lists in use, with instructions on how to set about getting your IP address removed from each database.

Avoid email blacklists
Looks at how your recipients can get you added to a blacklist and suggests various ways you can avoid this happening through appropriate list management and email marketing practices.

How to Avoid Those Blacklist Blues
An overview of how to keep off them and how to get off them if you do end up on them.