This article will cover the following:
What Is a Suppression List?
A suppression list is a collection of email addresses, phone numbers, or IP addresses that must not receive your marketing messages or be counted as valid conversions. When a lead or conversion comes in, CAKE checks it against your suppression list before accepting it. If there's a match, the entry is flagged or rejected automatically.
Note:
Suppression is not the same as blocklisting a publisher or affiliate. It applies to end-user data (email, phone, IP) coming in through your campaigns, not to the traffic sources themselves.
Suppression is not the same as blocklisting a publisher or affiliate. It applies to end-user data (email, phone, IP) coming in through your campaigns, not to the traffic sources themselves.
Types of Suppression
| Type | What It Matches | Key Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Email Suppression | Email addresses | Opted-out contacts, known complainers, GDPR/CAN-SPAM right-to-be-forgotten requests |
| Phone Suppression | Phone numbers | TCPA compliance — DNC Registry numbers and internal do-not-call lists |
| IP Suppression | IP addresses | Blocking known fraud sources, internal test traffic, prohibited regions |
Caution:
IP suppression alone is not a complete fraud-prevention strategy. Use it alongside CAKE's traffic quality and fraud-detection settings for full coverage.
IP suppression alone is not a complete fraud-prevention strategy. Use it alongside CAKE's traffic quality and fraud-detection settings for full coverage.
How to Upload or Add Suppression Entries
Adding a Single Entry
1
Navigate to Compliance in the main menu, then select Suppression Lists.
2
Choose the suppression type — Email, Phone, or IP — from the tab along the top.
3
Click Add Entry and type or paste the value.
4
Optionally add a note explaining why this entry was suppressed (e.g. "TCPA opt-out 2024-06-01").
5
Click Save. The entry is active immediately.
Uploading a List in Bulk
1
Prepare a plain .txt or .csv file with one value per line and no header row.
2
Go to Compliance > Suppression Lists and select the correct type tab.
3
Click Import and select your file. CAKE shows a preview of the first few rows before importing.
4
Confirm the import. CAKE processes the file and adds all valid entries. Any rows it cannot parse are listed in an error summary.
Tip:
Remove duplicates from your file before uploading — CAKE will skip values already on the list, but a clean file speeds up processing.
Remove duplicates from your file before uploading — CAKE will skip values already on the list, but a clean file speeds up processing.
How to Check Whether a Value Is Suppressed
1
Go to Compliance > Suppression Lists and choose the relevant type tab.
2
Locate the Search field at the top of the list.
3
Type the value you want to check. CAKE returns a match (suppressed) or no result (not suppressed).
4
If a match is found, you can view the date it was added and any attached note.
You can also filter suppression lists by date range to see entries added within a specific window — useful for compliance audits.
Scrub Rates
A scrub rate is the percentage of conversions or leads rejected after review. Every lead that hits a suppressed value contributes to your scrub rate.
1
Go to Reports and open the Conversion Report.
2
Add the Scrub Rate column to your report view if not already visible.
3
Filter by offer, affiliate, or date range to narrow your analysis.
Caution:
A scrub rate above 10–15% on a single affiliate is typically worth investigating. Maintain a clear written suppression policy and share it with affiliates before campaigns launch. CAKE's suppression logs can serve as documentation if a dispute arises.
A scrub rate above 10–15% on a single affiliate is typically worth investigating. Maintain a clear written suppression policy and share it with affiliates before campaigns launch. CAKE's suppression logs can serve as documentation if a dispute arises.
Legal Considerations
| Regulation | Jurisdiction | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| CAN-SPAM | United States | Honor opt-out requests within 10 business days; maintain suppression list for those who unsubscribe. |
| TCPA | United States | Do not call or text numbers on the National DNC Registry or those who have revoked consent. |
| GDPR | European Union | Honor right-to-erasure requests; do not market to individuals who have withdrawn consent. |
| CASL | Canada | Obtain express or implied consent before sending commercial electronic messages. |
Caution:
Suppression lists are not just a best practice — in many cases they are a legal requirement. Sending messages to opted-out contacts can result in significant regulatory fines.
Suppression lists are not just a best practice — in many cases they are a legal requirement. Sending messages to opted-out contacts can result in significant regulatory fines.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your dedicated CAKE Client Success Manager/Account Manager or contact the CAKE Support Team at support@getCAKE.com.