Spam filters assess incoming e-mails on the basis of diverse criteria. Some filters decide whether or not to let an e-mail pass on the basis of a point system (e.g. if the e-mail receives less than 100 points, it’s not spam). Thus, an e-mail might make it past the spam filter but still have spam points attributed to it owing to non-compliance with a specific standard. Thus, even if your e-mails pass the spam test, Delivery Watch shows you areas in which you can improve your campaign mailings, such as the following:

Some spam filters use trap mails, which are non-published test e-mail addresses. If any of these addresses appears in your recipients list, any ISP using this kind of spam filter will classify you as a spam sender since the spam filter provider has not added the trap mail to your list. If this occurs, you should verify the integrity of your recipients list, particularly if the list was rented from a list broker.

There are also community tools, so named because they reflect the opinion of specific internet communities. If enough members of one of these communities accuse you of spamming, your mail server IP or domain will probably be classified as a spammer. Hence community tools have essentially the same effect as blacklists, although sometimes direct contact with the community concerned can resolve the problem.

Evaluation of spam filter test results can be a complex process that can be realized by specialized auditing firms. Toward this end, Delivery Watch will be happy to recommend specialized partner auditors that are certified by Delivery Watch.

If the spam filter test indicates that there are problems with your e-mails, it is advisable to run the test two or three times (rather than just once) before dispatching your final e-mail campaign.  In conducting these tests, you should vary the aspects that caused problems and retest them. This will increase the likelihood of your e-mails being compatible with your recipients’ security settings.