How to know if a person has downloaded an email attachment?
Determining whether a person has downloaded an email attachment is not a straightforward process due to the limitations of standard email protocols. Email clients and servers don’t typically provide direct feedback to the sender about actions taken by the recipient after an email is delivered. However, you can use certain techniques to track attachment activity to some extent:
Use Links to files instead of attachments
Instead of sending the attachment directly, you could upload the attachment to a file-sharing service (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox) and include a link to the file in the email. You can set up access permissions and notifications on these platforms to receive alerts when someone accesses the file. Or, reference is using a URL shortener.
Custom built-in link tracking
Some advanced email marketing platforms or tracking tools offer features that can help track attachments more effectively. These tools might allow you to generate special links for attachments that can provide insights into when and how often the attachment is accessed.
What do I do if my domain is blacklisted?
If you discover that your email domain is blacklisted, it’s important to take prompt action to identify the cause and rectify the situation.
Identify the Blacklists
Determine which blacklist(s) your domain is listed on. Use online blacklist checking tools, such as MX Toolbox, or reports from email service providers to identify the specific blacklists that have listed your domain.
Investigate the Cause
Determine the reason for the blacklisting. Common reasons include sending spam, compromised accounts, misconfigured email records (SPF, DKIM, etc. detailed below), or other suspicious activities. Investigate your email practices and server setup to find the root cause.
Address the Issue
Depending on the cause, take appropriate actions to address the issue:
- Spam Complaints: If spam complaints are the cause, review your email content, mailing practices, and subscriber lists. Implement best practices for email marketing and ensure that recipients have opted in to receive your emails.
- Compromised Accounts: If compromised accounts are the issue, reset passwords for affected accounts, conduct security audits, and implement stronger authentication measures.
- Misconfigured Servers: If misconfigured email servers are causing issues, review your DNS records, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC setups. Ensure that your email sending practices are compliant with industry standards.
Request Removal from Blacklists
Most blacklist providers offer a process to request removal. Visit the blacklist provider’s website and follow their instructions to submit a removal request. This process might involve providing information about the actions you’ve taken to address the issue.
Monitor and Prevent Recurrence
After taking corrective actions and requesting removal, closely monitor your email practices, server setup, and email deliverability. Implement ongoing monitoring and preventive measures to avoid future blacklisting.
Consider Email Deliverability Monitoring Services
Consider using email deliverability monitoring services or tools that provide ongoing monitoring of your email reputation. These tools can alert you if your domain gets blacklisted again and offer insights into maintaining a positive reputation.
Educate Your Team
If your organization is involved in email marketing or communication, educate your team about best practices for email deliverability, spam prevention, and security.
Remember that removal from blacklists might take time. Each blacklist provider has its own process and timeframe for removal. Be patient and ensure that you’ve addressed the underlying issues before requesting removal.
Prevention is key to maintaining a good email reputation. By following industry best practices, regularly monitoring your email practices, and promptly addressing any issues, you can reduce the risk of future blacklisting.
How do I check if my domain is blacklisted?
To check if your email domain is blacklisted, you can follow these steps:
Use Online Blacklist Checking Tools
There are several online tools and websites that allow you to check if your email domain is blacklisted on various spam and security blacklist databases. Some popular tools include:
These tools usually require you to enter your domain or IP address, and they will provide information about your domain’s blacklist status.
Check with Email Service Providers
Many email service providers offer built-in tools or dashboards that allow you to check the reputation of your email domain. These tools might provide information about your deliverability and whether your domain is blacklisted.
Receive Non-Delivery Reports (NDRs)
If your emails are consistently bouncing or not being delivered, you might receive Non-Delivery Reports (NDRs) from the recipient’s email server. These reports might indicate that your domain or IP address is on a blacklist. The NDRs often provide information about why the email was rejected.
Check with Blacklist Providers Directly
Some blacklist providers offer web interfaces where you can manually check your domain’s status on their blacklist. For example, if you suspect you’re listed on a specific blacklist, visit the blacklist provider’s website and look for a lookup or search tool.
Implement Email Deliverability Monitoring Tools
There are third-party tools and services that provide ongoing monitoring of your email deliverability and reputation. These tools can alert you if your domain gets blacklisted and offer insights into why it happened.
Remember that being blacklisted can have various causes, including sending spam, having compromised accounts, or misconfigurations in your email setup. If you find that your domain is blacklisted, you’ll need to identify and address the underlying issues before requesting removal from the blacklist.
It’s important to note that email blacklist status can change over time, so regular monitoring and proactive management of your email reputation are recommended.
How do I check if my domain’s DNS records are setup correctly?
To check if your domain’s email DNS records are set up correctly, you can follow these steps:
SPF Record Check
- Use an SPF record validation tool or online checker. There are several tools available online that can help you validate your SPF record. You can search for “SPF record checker” in your preferred search engine to find these tools.
- Enter your domain name and the hostname of your mail server to check if the SPF record is properly configured. The tool will provide information about the SPF record’s syntax and whether it’s correctly set up.
DKIM Record Check:
- If you have DKIM records set up, you can use a DKIM checker tool to validate them. Search for “DKIM record checker” in your search engine to find relevant tools.
- Enter your domain and the selector used for your DKIM records. The tool will verify the public key and provide information about its validity.
DMARC Record Check:
- To check your DMARC record, you can use a DMARC record checker tool. Search for “DMARC record checker” online.
- Enter your domain name to validate your DMARC record’s syntax and configuration.
BIMI Record Check:
- If you have implemented BIMI, you can use a BIMI record validation tool to ensure your record is properly configured.
- Enter your domain name to check the validity of your BIMI record.
Email Authentication Test:
- Some online email authentication testing tools provide a comprehensive analysis of your domain’s email authentication setup. These tools often check SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records all at once and provide detailed reports.
Check Email Deliverability:
You can also send test emails to email testing platforms like MailTester to check if your emails are passing SPF and DKIM checks. These platforms simulate email reception and provide feedback on your configuration.
Remember that DNS record propagation can take some time, so changes you make to your DNS records might not be immediately reflected in online checker tools. It’s also important to double-check the configuration syntax and values to ensure accuracy.
If you’re uncertain about your DNS records or are experiencing issues with email deliverability on DailyStory please check with our team.
Can I used custom fonts in my email?
Kind of. But we recommend using web safe fonts. Common web safe fonts include:
- Arial
- Helvetica
- Verdana
- Georgia
- Times New Roman
- Tahoma
These are fonts that all email clients support and the ones built into the DailyStory email designer.
Unfortunately, web fonts (such as Google fonts) aren’t supported by most email clients. Instead those email clients will revert to a web safe font. This can cause emails to render differently on each email client.
For more information, please see this article.
What email metrics are important?
There are several email metrics that are important to understand.
Email sent
The total number of emails sent.
Email delivered
The total of emails delivered. Calculated as the total number of emails sent minus undeliverable emails.
Email open rate
The total of unique email opens divided by the total number of emails delivered.
Increasing the email open rate requires optimizing the email subject line, optimizing preview text, and technical email settings.
Email click rate
The total number of unique clicks divided by the total number of emails delivered.
Increasing the email click rate requires optimizing the email and the target audience. In addition to the optimizations for email open rates.
Email click to open rate rate
The total number of unique clicks divided by the total number of emails opened.
Email opt-out rate
The total number of opt-outs divided by the total number of emails delivered.
Email undelivered or bounced
The total number of emails that were undeliverable or bounced.
