Definition
Email sender reputation recovery encompasses both domain-level and IP-level reputation restoration. While domain reputation recovery focuses on the sending domain, sender reputation recovery also addresses the IP address reputation, sending infrastructure configuration, and the sending patterns that ISPs use to evaluate trust. Recovery requires demonstrating to ISPs that the underlying problems have been resolved and that sending behaviour has permanently improved.
Key Differences from Domain Reputation Recovery
- IP reputation recovery may be faster if a new IP is available
- Sender reputation includes sending volume patterns, consistency, and engagement history
- ISP-specific recovery may require different approaches per provider
- Shared IP reputation is influenced by other senders on the same IP
Best Practices
- Investigate whether the reputation problem is domain-specific, IP-specific, or both
- Consider a new IP address if the existing IP reputation is severely damaged and irrecoverable
- Warm any new IP with gradual volume increases over 4-8 weeks
- Maintain consistent sending patterns during recovery — ISPs penalise erratic volume
- Monitor sender score and ISP-specific reputation tools throughout the recovery process
Related Glossary Terms
BIMI
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is an email standard that allows brands to display their logo next to their emails in supported email clients. It requires DMARC enforcement at quarantine or reject policy.
Bounce Classification
Bounce classification uses SMTP codes (550, 551, 552, 553, 554, 450, 451, 452) and enhanced status codes to categorise permanent and transient delivery failures.
Email Deliverability
Email deliverability is the ability to land in the recipient's inbox rather than the spam folder. It depends on sender reputation, authentication, list quality, and content practices.
DMARC Alignment
DMARC identifier alignment determines whether the domain in the From header matches the domains used in SPF and DKIM authentication. Strict or relaxed.
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate is the percentage of emails submitted for delivery that are accepted by the recipient's mail server, representing the first deliverability checkpoint before inbox placement is determined.
Email Account Health Score
A composite metric that evaluates the overall health of an email sending programme based on deliverability, engagement, list quality, and compliance factors.