You spend time crafting the perfect email campaign, hit send, and… crickets. If your open rates are below 15%, there’s a good chance your emails are going to spam. Here’s why it happens and what you can do about it.
Authentication is the foundation. SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are email authentication protocols that prove to inbox providers that you’re authorized to send email from your domain. Without them, your messages look suspicious. Most email platforms will walk you through setup — it’s a one-time configuration.
Your sending reputation matters. If you suddenly send 10,000 emails from a domain that normally sends 50, spam filters will flag it. Warm up your sending volume gradually and maintain consistent sending patterns.
Content triggers spam filters too. Excessive exclamation marks, all-caps subject lines, words like “free” and “act now,” and image-heavy emails with little text all increase your spam score.
Clean your list regularly. Sending to invalid addresses, inactive subscribers, or people who never opted in damages your sender reputation. Remove bounced addresses immediately and re-confirm subscribers who haven’t engaged in 6+ months.
Make unsubscribing easy. This sounds counterintuitive, but a visible unsubscribe link reduces spam complaints. When people can’t find the unsubscribe button, they hit the spam button instead — which is much worse for your reputation.
Monitor your deliverability. Tools like Google Postmaster Tools (free) give you visibility into how Gmail views your sending reputation. Check it monthly and address any issues early.
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