New "Kickbox" Email Validation module

I've just uploaded a new module that I think Ning users are going to be interested in - especially if you have imported a large number of Ning users from your existing Ning 2.0 site - the new "Kickbox Email Validation" module:

https://www.jamroom.net/the-jamroom-network/networkmarket/237/kickbox-email-validation

The Kickbox module will "validate" email addresses by actually checking if the email address is "alive and accepting email". We know that Ning does not provide any type of indication for email addresses that are now bouncing, and after import to a new Jamroom site a large percentage of your user base may no longer have valid email addresses. For some of you on Mailgun this has led to your account being suspended for a short period of time (since sending email to a large number of "bad" addresses is common amongst spammers).

This new Kickbox module will validate email addresses on a daily basis, and automatically "unsubscribe" users that fail validation from all system email. It can optionally move the user to a different quota as well.

A Kickbox account is required, and is free - you can validate up to 100 email addresses per day for free - more if you're willing to pay for more:

http://kickbox.io/

So if you recently imported a Ning site to Jamroom, I would recommend running this new module on a nightly basis until it has had a chance to go through your entire user base before sending out any "bulk" announcements or newsletters - that gives the module a chance to clean up the email addresses in your Jamroom and prevent you from sending to bad email addresses.

I hope you enjoy the new module and let us know if you have any feedback or questions.

Thanks!


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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net
updated by @brian: 06/22/17 12:40:09PM

What is done with the accounts associated with the emails that are determined to be bad?

Ideally, they accounts are left in the system, but they are set to unsubscribed with all notifications turned off.

That way the content (if any) the member contributed is still visible, and I can re-activate the account in the future if the member surfaces with a valid email address.

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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net

Sorry. Missed that.

No problem - I'm just too lazy to type it out again


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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net

It will only do 100 per night on the free plan - just an FYI


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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net

I will test it out now with 15,000 emails ( looks like we need to upload a csv file of all our email addresses?- or if I buy 15,000 will it work through my site automatically checking them?-What was your take on this Brian?

Yeah if you purchase support for more, then yes - you can validate more. It does not work with a CSV - you need to cut and paste the email addresses into the "Email Addresses" textarea in the tool - no quotes, commas or anything.


--
Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net

Can you please tell me in SIMPLE terms how to get the text list of member emails and names from Jamroom into a spreadsheet like excel...or how to get the email list at least into a text form you describe above in order to paste it into the module tool?
I'm used to Ning where you just download a memberdata csv file that opens in excel.

I have not migrated from Ning yet, so I took my current ning csv and loaded it directly into kickbox which it works with fine (was happy to find a mere 2.5% invalid rate from 4800members).
But after I migrate live to JR and leave ning, I will no longer have those database csv files for my members. I see I can 'browse' certain profile/user info on JR, but how can I download it in order to sort and use the info in a spreadsheet or database form on my own computer? (like for instance using excel to search for duplicate names)

Thanks!


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Just an FYI as I may not have explained it very well, but you don't need to do this - the module will "automatically" run during the nightly maintenance and keep your user account email addresses clean. The "tool" is just designed for those that already have a list and want to run it all in "one shot" (and have likely paid for more checks at Kickbox to do so).

Let me know if that helps.


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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net
updated by @brian: 02/25/15 06:40:46PM

Oh, ok, that'll be good once I'm live.

I ran everything through over on Kickbox for now and got my results for all my current members, so I'll be good for a couple months now.
But I still have had this question in mind for a while, can you enlighten me please?:

After I migrate live to JR and leave ning, I will no longer have those ning database csv files for my members that I could download any time I wanted. I see I can 'browse' certain profile/user info on JR, but how can I download it in order to sort and use the info in a spreadsheet or database form on my own computer? (like for instance using excel to search for duplicate names) ?




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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
updated by @strumelia: 02/25/15 07:22:46PM

There currently is no tool to export your database into a .csv file. When the time arises that you need it, I'm sure we can get something put together to get it done. Just need to know what format you're after.

Ok Michael, that sounds very reassuring. I won't need it for a while yet, but good to know it will be do-able. Thank you!


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Just an FYI that this is doable right now:

- go to ACP -> Tools -> Developer Tools
- click on the "tools" tab and launch the "Database Admin"
- click on "Dump" in the upper left corner of the Database Admin
- Select the "jr_jruser_item_key" table and "CSV" as the format

That will work for any JR table, so it's pretty handy.

If our users find they really need a "general" CSV exporter then like Michael says it's something we can look at.


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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net

Ok, I got the csv file- it's definitely not laid out in an easy format, despite my trying various settings for the export....BUT it's workable for now and maybe we can get it a bit more ning-user-friendly later down the road. THANK YOU!


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

I am in no hurry to validate my list, so I noticed that I can purchase a 500/day monthly subscription for $30 that will process 15,000 names - or purchase 10,000 for $70.

So - something to consider is that tradeoff. Might be cheaper to go with a monthly subscription and take a couple of days to process the list rather than buy them outright.

This is great. I plan to use it when we are close to launch. That way, will only be emailing accounts to join who can see the traffic.

Well that tool will sure hurt your feelings!
out of 14,772 email addresses
only 11,970 are deliverable

I hear you

What I have found is that if you allow ANY user modifiable text to be shown on a profile after a user has signed up (say you show the "biography" of the profile, etc.) then you will become a target for spammers, and they frequently use disposable emails that are gone with a day or two.


--
Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net

According to Jupiter Research, more than 20 percent of email registrations contain typos, syntax, domain and other errors. And, the average email marketing list loses about 15% of its efficacy every year, due to people abandoning their addresses.

Even if your list is entirely built on valid opt-ins, you are at risk of being branded a “spammer” if you don’t practice proper email hygiene. Here's an article that outlines the risks, from the ISP's perspective: https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/27111/3-Reasons-to-Practice-Good-Email-List-Hygiene.aspx

MarketingSherpa has a good case study on how cNET increased engagement by cleaning their lists and changing how they used email. http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/case-study/cnet-win-back-email-campaign

This is a good thing. When I want to lose the endless crap sent to me by idiots I really appreciate the ability to do so. The "customers" haven't all "forgotten" the email marketer's email address, they just clicked on their "spam" button: proactive.


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¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Education, learning resources, TEL, AR/VR/MR, CC licensed content, panoramas, interactive narrative, sectional modules (like jrDocs), lunch at Uni of Bristol. Get in touch if you share my current interests or can suggest better :)
updated by @ultrajam: 03/23/15 04:25:01PM

@ultrajam Email addresses go dormant for all kinds of reasons; the owner abandoning it because of spam is one.

From our perspective, as admins of sites that send email, understanding how to keep our lists up-to-date and reaching people who actively want the the content is the purpose of the "Kickbox" Email Validation module. I'm happy JamRoom is offering it; it will save me the trouble of having to use a third-party tool and then re-import my lists.

Thanks, JamRoom!

That's fairly lucid. 15% isn't bad then.


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¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Education, learning resources, TEL, AR/VR/MR, CC licensed content, panoramas, interactive narrative, sectional modules (like jrDocs), lunch at Uni of Bristol. Get in touch if you share my current interests or can suggest better :)

I agree 15% is not bad...I guess...but I have been more active myself against spammers than most sites for years
If you are a girl in mid 20s, single with a busty photo and your profile says you are a recovering nymphomanaic who has turned to social networking as a means to deal with her affliction...I mean many are easy to spot if you just look before approving- why would a girl in New York be interested in my site?
Don't flatter yourself- just deny them
Same for spammer profile photos that often use images like Gravitars- just deny them
Total number of members has never been more importanst than total QUALITY members

Agree 100% !


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Brian Johnson
Founder and Lead Developer - Jamroom
https://www.jamroom.net

Yeah female in her 20s from big city = 3 automatic spam 'red flags' when those factors are together


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

hahaha recovering nymphomanaic was the red flag for me ( we never recover )