How to recover a burned domain?

A burned domain has accumulated negative reputation that causes widespread filtering. Recovery is possible but challenging.

Assessment first:

• Check Gmail Postmaster Tools for reputation status
• Check major blocklists (Spamhaus, Barracuda, Spamcop)
• Review Microsoft SNDS data if available
• Identify what caused the damage

Immediate actions:

• Stop all problematic sending immediately
• Request delisting from any blocklists (follow their processes)
• Review and clean your sending lists
• Fix any technical issues (authentication, content problems)

Recovery process:

• Pause cold campaigns entirely
• Send only to highly engaged, opted-in recipients
• Rebuild reputation slowly over weeks
• Monitor metrics closely for improvement
• Gradually reintroduce cold sending only when metrics recover

When to start fresh:

• Severe blocklisting (especially Spamhaus DBL)
• Recovery taking longer than acquiring new domain
• Permanent damage from long-term abuse

Sometimes retiring a burned domain and starting fresh with better practices is more practical than recovery. A badly damaged ship may be beyond repair.