What Is a Whitelist?
Definition
A whitelist is a list of approved email addresses or domains that are trusted. When a sender is on the whitelist, their emails bypass spam filters and go directly to the inbox. It’s a way to allow emails from specific sources to reach recipients without being blocked.
Example
Retailers and other businesses frequently ask customers to add their email address to their whitelist. This simple action helps the company’s emails reach the inbox of the customer without getting filtered. The result? More open rates and fewer chances of landing in the spam folder.
How Does Whitelisting Work?
Whitelisting works through either the recipient’s email provider or the user’s settings. When a sender is added to the whitelist, the email provider treats their messages as safe and skips most spam checks. This process makes it easier for trusted emails to reach the inbox.
At the user level, individuals can add specific email addresses to their contacts. The actual steps may vary depending on the email client or device. However, it’s often as simple as clicking the “add to contacts” button or adjusting their email settings.
On a larger scale, organizations might whitelist entire domains or IP addresses at the server level. This guarantees that any emails coming from these sources are delivered without issues. Both methods help trusted senders maintain good deliverability.
Why Whitelisting Is Important for Email Deliverability
Whitelisting boosts email deliverability. When your emails are whitelisted, they are more likely to bypass spam filters. This helps keep your messages out of the junk folder. For marketers, this means that more people get to see your emails, leading to higher open and click-through rates.
A sender with a whitelisted address builds a better reputation with email service providers (ESPs). Consistently delivering emails that are opened and clicked improves your sender score. A higher sender score makes it easier for future emails to land in inboxes. And when your emails get delivered, engagement rises. Whether you are sending a newsletter or promotional emails, whitelisting keeps the communication line open between you and your audience.
Marketers, organizations, and businesses of all sizes should aim to get whitelisted. It is a reliable way to increase email visibility and drive better results.
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