Some folks create a domain name (dedicated to email campaigns) linked to a non-functional, non-existent website. A good example is when an individual clicks on mynewsletter.ext and it doesn’t take you to an actual website (yet the email address noreply@mynewsletter.ext is still used as a sender address), but the user arrives at a blank page (or a 404 error page, etc).
Good news, this practice is very bad for at least 3 strong reasons:
– a domain name without a website is a characteristic which portrays suspicious anomalous behaviour – normally used by spammers & phishers;
– this affects the legitimacy of your email, which makes it harder to be verified by a recipient’s servers
– anti-spam filters & the average internet user may perceive your email as phish
Solution
– Create an easy-to-understand website with clear information that explains more about you/your entity
– Ensure that the sending domain’s whois records are public, and identify your business. Stay away from publishing private whois information.
– Add an extra layer of “trust” by implementing at least SPF & DKIM email authentication techniques to validate your identity. SPF curbs domain spoofing, while DKIM prevents spammers from forging source addresses.
Conclusion: Always distinguish yourself from spammers by ensuring that the domain name you use in your emails allows user to verify your identity.
Photo Credit : Vagawi – Creative Commons
[ Posted Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:51:00 ]