When Senator McCarthy blacklisted hundreds of famous people in 1950, it was one of the most unsettling periods in American history. Nobody wanted to be blacklisted by McCarthy and accused of Communism or Socialism. It could ruin one's career back then.
Fast forward almost seventy years. Now, you can be blacklisted on the internet. The scary part is that it can be absolutely random. Operating a business online often triggers "spamification" of your business email, causing potential customers to think that you are a spammer, a phisher, or a scammer. When that happens, it only takes a couple of people to blacklist your IP address and business email. Once blacklisted, you cannot conduct any business online, which could seriously ruin your success. Here is how to fix this common problem.
IP Blacklist Removal Steps
First, confirm from an IP blacklist search that you are indeed blacklisted. These sites work in conjunction with, or provide their own, blacklist removal services. You will need to fill out a form and submit the required fee. Sometimes it takes several days to remove your IP address from the lists of blacklisted addresses. Other times, you may be removed instantly. Keep checking your IP address against the online list checkers.
Avoid Getting Back on the Lists
Once you have gotten your IP address "un-blacklisted," you will have to be much more careful with who you send business emails to. Some blacklist checkers will allow you to see who blacklisted you. This is especially useful in avoiding these companies and/or individuals going forward. If you suspect certain individuals or businesses, avoid sending any more emails to them. It is easy to remove yourself from an IP blacklist the first time, but definitely not so easy successive times. You want to avoid that as much as possible.
Send Really Small-Batch Emails
The fastest way to get flagged and blacklisted is to send out random, mass emails. The internet's regulators immediately pick up on that, and watch what happens next. When potential customers flag your email, and/or blacklist you, the regulators check these consumer actions against the type and amount of emails you have been sending. Several particularly large mass emails is indicative of a scam, which tells the regulators that blacklisting your IP address is a good idea to avoid hurting thousands of would-be victims, despite the fact that you are not a criminal in the least. Send much smaller email batches to avoid this problem.
Contact an IP blacklist removal service for more help.