Why Are Your Emails Going to Spam & How to Fix It?

Date: February 26, 2025 | Author: SolutionsHill AD-X

Learn why emails sent from your email marketing campaigns may be landing in spam and how to improve deliverability with best practices.

Understanding Email Deliverability Issues

Email marketing is a powerful tool, but if your emails are landing in spam folders instead of inboxes, it can hurt your engagement and business goals. Several factors influence email deliverability, including sender reputation, content quality, and authentication protocols.

1. Email Authentication & Domain Reputation

Email service providers (ESPs) rely on authentication protocols to verify whether an email is legitimate. Without proper authentication, emails are more likely to be marked as spam.

• SPF (Sender Policy Framework) - Prevents spammers from sending emails on behalf of your domain.
• DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) - Adds a digital signature to verify email authenticity.
• DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) - Aligns SPF and DKIM policies for added security.

Check your domain's authentication setup using tools like MXToolBox or Google Postmaster Tools.

2. Email Content Optimization

The way your email is structured affects its spam score. Avoiding common spam triggers can improve deliverability.

• Avoid Spammy Words: Words like "free," "win," and "urgent" can trigger spam filters.
• Personalize Your Emails: Emails that reference previous interactions feel more natural.
• Balanced Text-to-Image Ratio: Avoid sending emails that contain only images or excessive links.

3. List Hygiene & Sending Practices

Maintaining a clean email list and following responsible sending practices helps reduce spam complaints.

• Warm Up Your Email Sending: Gradually increase the number of emails sent from a new domain.
• Engagement-Based Sending: Send emails to active users who engage with previous emails.
• Remove Inactive Subscribers: Regularly clean your list to avoid sending to invalid addresses.

4. Technical Enhancements for Better Deliverability

Optimizing your email infrastructure can help reduce spam complaints.

• Use a Dedicated Sending IP: Shared IPs can affect your reputation.
• Throttling & Sending Cadence: Avoid sending too many emails at once.
• Provide an Unsubscribe Option: Allowing users to opt out reduces spam complaints.

5. Monitoring & Testing Your Emails

Regular testing helps identify and fix deliverability issues.

• Use Mail Tester to check spam scores.
• Send test emails to various inboxes (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo) to see where they land.
• Sign up for feedback loops to monitor spam complaints.

Final Thoughts

Ensuring your emails land in inboxes rather than spam requires a combination of authentication, high-quality content, responsible sending practices, and regular monitoring. Implementing these best practices will improve your email marketing success.