Aastha Shaw / Updated: April 29, 2025

How To Check and Fix Email IP Reputation (2025 Guide)

Here's the hard truth…🚩

You could craft the perfect cold email, with sharp personalization, a killer subject line, and a compelling CTA.

But if your IP address is on a blacklist, your masterpiece won't even hit the inbox.

And inbox providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo rely heavily on IP reputation to decide where your email goes or if it gets delivered at all.

Let’s explore what IP reputation really means, how to check it correctly, and actionable ways to fix it…

Table of Content

● What is IP Reputation
● Why IP Reputation Can Make or Break Your Email Marketing
● Signs Your IP Reputation Might Be in Trouble
● Trusted Tools to Check Your IP Reputation
● Reasons Why Your IP Reputation Tanks (Based on Experience)
● Fixing a Bad IP Reputation (What Actually Works)
● Preventing Future IP Address Reputation Issues
● Final Thoughts: It’s Not Just About Fixing IP Reputation

What is IP Reputation

Think of IP reputation as the trust score attached to the IP address you're sending emails from.

It’s based on:

How many recipients mark your emails as spam
Your bounce rate
Sending consistency
Engagement signals (opens, replies, clicks)
Whether your emails are being delivered to valid, consenting recipients

This reputation is monitored by ISPs (Internet Service Providers) and third-party security networks. A high score means better inbox placement.

A low score? You're headed straight to spam—or blocked entirely.

Why IP Reputation Can Make or Break Your Email Marketing

Whether you’re a marketer, founder, or SEO expert, here’s why your IP health needs attention:

Your recipients’ experience is top priority for ISPs.
They use your IP reputation to determine if your emails are trustworthy or if they look spammy. A poor reputation can send your emails straight to the spam folder.
Behavior-based blacklists are now the norm.
If your email engagement drops or complaints start rising, your IP reputation will suffer, and your emails won’t reach the inbox.
Shared IPs (like those on Mailchimp or Brevo) put you at risk.
When you share an IP, someone else’s bad behavior can damage your reputation—without you even knowing it.
Dedicated IPs need careful management.
If you’re using a dedicated IP, it’s not enough to just have one. You need to warm it up gradually and monitor it consistently. If neglected, it can hurt your deliverability.

Bottom line? If your IP reputation is poor, your emails won’t get delivered.

Keep a check on your IP reputation regularly, fix your IP health, and your emails will have a much better chance of landing where they should.

Signs Your IP Reputation Might Be in Trouble

Here’s a brief list of metrics that indicate poor IP reputation:

Open Rates below 10%: Suggests emails are being filtered to spam or ignored.
Bounce Rates above 2%: Indicates list quality or sending issues; a major red flag.
Spam Complaint Rate over 0.1%: Shows recipients find your emails irrelevant or unwanted.
High Unsubscribe Rates: Points to poor targeting or messaging fatigue.
Low Click-Through Rates (CTR): Signals low engagement, affecting future inbox placement.
Spike in Soft Bounces: Often a sign your IP/domain is being temporarily rejected or throttled.
Drop in Inbox Placement Rate: More emails landing in spam, not inboxes.

By keeping a close eye on these metrics you can catch and fix deliverability issues before they escalate.

But how do you confirm if these sudden metrics changes are in fact a result of a bad IP reputation? With the right tools!

Let’s have a look at some of the best tools that can help you with this…

Trusted Tools to Check Your IP Reputation

Below are five expert-trusted tools that help you stay ahead of issues before they impact your inbox placement—plus what each tool does best (and where it falls short).

1. Google Postmaster Tools

Best for: Gmail sender insights (reputation, spam rate, domain alignment)
Limitation: Doesn’t show data unless you send a decent volume to Gmail.

2. Cisco Talos Intelligence

Best for: Quick, no-login IP status lookup (Good, Neutral, Poor)
Limitation: Doesn’t provide in-depth reasoning behind the score.

3. MxToolbox

Best for: Checking blacklist status and email DNS configuration (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
Limitation: Doesn’t track engagement or domain-level reputation.

4. SenderScore (by Validity)

Best for: Getting a score (0–100) that reflects IP trustworthiness
Limitation: Not updated in real-time; no domain insights.

5. MultiRBL.valli.org

Best for: Deep blacklist scans across 100+ blocklists
Limitation: Overwhelming UI, no beginner guidance.

Also, don’t rely on one tool, cross-verify your results.

If your score is low and you don't seem to understand why?

Here are some potential causes of it…

Reasons Why Your IP Reputation Tanks (Based on Experience)

Here’s where most people go wrong:

Sending to bad lists – Old, purchased, or scraped emails = instant problems.
Skipping the warm-up process – New IP or domain? You need to build trust slowly.
Cold blasting too early – Sudden volume jumps alert ISPs.
Low engagement – Emails with low opens or replies look suspicious.
Spam complaints – One Gmail user hitting "Report Spam" can impact your sender rep.

Bonus: Sometimes, it’s not even your fault.

You might be on a shared IP that someone else ruined. Or worse—your account could be compromised and sending junk without you knowing.

Fixing a Bad IP Reputation (What Actually Works)

It’s not easy – but it’s absolutely fixable.

Here's the recovery roadmap seasoned email pros use (yes, it's worked across SaaS, ecom, and B2B outreach):

1. Stop All Sends From the Flagged IP

The biggest mistake marketers make?

Continuing to send while their IP is already on thin ice.

Every email you send from a flagged IP reinforces the negative signals inbox providers are already seeing—high bounces, low opens, spam complaints.

Stop immediately!

Give your IP a break and stop digging the hole deeper. This reset is crucial for everything that follows.

2. Conduct a Full Audit of Your Sending Behavior

Before you start fixing anything, you need to identify what went wrong.

Look into:

List sources: Using purchased, outdated, or unverified lists? That’s your first red flag.
Send volumes: Sudden spikes in sending volume = suspicion from inbox providers.
Complaint data: Even 0.1% complaint rate can get you flagged, especially by Gmail.
Bounce rate patterns: More than 2%? You're signaling poor hygiene.
Content: Check for pammy phrases, too many links, or misleading subject lines.
Engagement drops: Low opens or CTRs in the last few campaigns?

💡Compare the last 5–10 campaigns to spot the deviation point.

3. Submit Delisting Requests (If Blacklisted)

If your IP appears on any blocklists (Spamhaus, Barracuda, SORBS, etc.), submit a removal request immediately.

Each service has its own protocol—follow it closely, provide accurate info, and explain the changes you’ve made to prevent repeat issues.

While some delists are automatic when your IP shows improvement over time, others require direct appeal.

In your removal request be honest and concise. Blocklist maintainers want to see that you’ve identified the problem and taken corrective action.

Here’s a detailed guide on how you request for email blacklist removal and delisting.

4. Warm Up Your IP All Over Again

Once your IP is cleared (or you're using a new one), don’t just jump back in.

Re-warming is a gradual process:

Start with low daily volumes
Email only your most engaged, responsive users
Increase volume week by week, watching performance metrics carefully

Here’s an example warm up routine:

Rushing this step can put you right back where you started.

Think of it like building credit – you have to prove you’re trustworthy again.

5. Segment Smarter

When your reputation is at risk, it’s not about blasting your full list—it’s about precision.

Focus on:

Engaged subscribers: Only email those who’ve opened or clicked in the last 30–60 days.
Exclude cold contacts: Don’t include dormant or unengaged leads until your reputation stabilizes.
Use intent signals: Send based on actions (visits to pricing page, form fills, etc.) not just list membership.

Here’s an example warm up routine:

This selective approach keeps engagement high, which inbox providers love—and it speeds up your recovery.

6. Clean Your List Like Your Reputation Depends on It (Because It Does)

Bad emails = bounces. And bounces kill reputation.

Use email verification tools like Clearout.io to maintain a clean email list:

The tool helps you:

Remove invalid, catch-all, and disposable emails
Filter risky or unengaged contacts
Regularly validate new leads before adding them to your CRM

Email hygiene is not a one-time fix – it should become part of your weekly workflow.

7. Switch to a Dedicated IP If Needed

If you’re on a shared IP and suffering despite doing everything right, it might not be you – it might be someone else.

Why is it better to switch to a dedicated IP?

Full control over your sending behavior
Easier to troubleshoot and isolate issues
Less risk of collateral damage

But dedicated IPs require careful warm-up and regular monitoring.

It’s freedom, but also responsibility. Failing to do so might cause deliverability issues in future.

💡 Read: Dedicated IP vs Shared IP: Which is better?

8. Expect Recovery to Take 30–45 Days

This isn’t a quick fix.

Reputation is based on consistency and trust over time.

If you follow this recovery path consistently, expect results in about 30–45 days.

Treat it like a credit score rebuild—every positive send helps.

Preventing Future IP Address Reputation Issues

If you are someone who wants to stay safe or not wanting to land in IP reputation trouble again, then here are a few must dos…

1. Follow a thorough email hygiene routine

Email hygiene isn’t a one-time fix. It’s an ongoing effort to keep your IP reputation strong.

Make email list cleaning a regular activity and ensure the contacts you’re sending to are valid and engaged.

How to do it:

Verify new leads: Use tools like Clearout for email verification for regularly verifying new leads and ensure they are deliverable.
Or implement real-time email verification on your subscription forms or landing pages to accept only valid emails from the start. This reduces bounce rates and helps you avoid sending to non-existent or disposable emails.

Clean your existing database regularly: Emails tend to decay over time especially in the b2b industry. Make sure to clean your lists by removing any outdated,invalid or risky emails from damaging your campaign performance.
Remove inactive subscribers: People who haven’t engaged with your emails in a few months may be doing more harm than good. Make sure you regularly remove or re-engage these contacts to avoid them negatively affecting your reputation.

2. No More Scraping – Focus on Intent-Based Leads

No more blind data scraping or purchasing unverified lead lists.

Instead of purchased and generic email lists try to build your own email list from scratch.

Focus on leads who have actively shown interest in your services or products.

These could be people who have filled out a form, clicked on a link, or engaged with your content on social media platforms.

Their actions indicate genuine interest, which results in higher engagement and a better reputation.

Also, try building an ICP before you begin your search for quality leads(when building lists for scratch or looking for new leads.

Then use trusted databases, LinkedIn, Wellfound, etc to filter and find leads that match.

Here’s a detailed guide on how you can build a high-intent email list through LinkedIn.

3. Monitor Reputation Weekly (Create Alerts)

IP reputation isn’t something you can set and forget. It’s essential to actively monitor how your emails are being received. The earlier you spot a drop in your reputation, the faster you can act to correct it.

How to do it:

Set up monitoring tools: Use services like Google Postmaster Tools or SenderScore to track your IP’s performance. These platforms offer real-time data about how your emails are being delivered and if your IP is in any risk zones.
Create reputation alerts: Many monitoring tools allow you to set alerts. This way, if your engagement metrics drop or your IP starts showing signs of poor reputation, you can address the issue before it snowballs.

4. Always Warm Up New Sending Infrastructure

Whether you’re using a new dedicated IP or switching email service providers, you need to do a thorough "IP warm up" for better deliverability and avoid reputation problems.

How to do it:

Gradual sending ramp-up: If you’re using a new IP or server, don’t start sending large volumes of emails immediately. Slowly increase your sending volume over a period of weeks, gradually increasing as your reputation improves and engagement rates stay consistent.
Create reputation alerts: Many monitoring tools allow you to set alerts. This way, if your engagement metrics drop or your IP starts showing signs of poor reputation, you can address the issue before it snowballs.

Monitor engagement carefully: During this warm-up period, closely monitor your open rates, bounce rates, and complaints. Adjust your strategy as needed to ensure you’re building trust with inbox providers.

5. Avoid Spammy Tactics & Shortcuts That Can Hurt Long-Term Deliverability

Don’t be tempted to use shortcuts to boost engagement or grow your email list quickly. These tactics can hurt your long-term deliverability and damage your IP reputation.

How to do it:

Steer clear of spammy tactics: Avoid practices and content that triggers email spam filters such as misleading subject lines, excessive use of links or images, or including too many promotional/spammy terms (like “free” or “urgent”).

Stay compliant with best practices: Always follow email marketing best practices. Ensure that your emails have a clear unsubscribe option, respect opt-out requests, and don’t send overly frequent emails to the same people.

Final Thoughts: It’s Not Just About Fixing IP Reputation

Fixing a bad IP reputation is only the beginning.

If you depend on email, protecting your sender reputation must become a regular habit.

Inbox providers reward consistency and real engagement, not shortcuts. Every email you send either strengthens or weakens their trust in you. Focus on quality sends, keep your lists clean, and monitor your reputation like you would monitor a critical business asset.

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