Ever Wondered Why Your Emails Keep Landing in Spam?
You spend time crafting the perfect email, hit send, and wait for a response—only to realize later that your email never made it to the inbox. Instead, it’s sitting in the spam folder, unseen and ignored. Frustrating, right?
If this keeps happening, your domain or IP might be blacklisted, or your email setup might be triggering spam filters. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you figure out why and how to fix it!
🔍 Step 1: Understand Why Emails Go to Spam
Emails get flagged as spam for various reasons, and here are the top culprits:
- Your Domain/IP is Blacklisted – Your email-sending reputation may have been compromised, landing you on a blacklist.
- No SPF, DKIM, or DMARC Authentication – These email security protocols verify your emails; without them, spam filters may reject your messages.
- Poor Email Content – Excessive links, spammy words ("free money," "limited offer"), and too many images can trigger filters.
- Low Sender Reputation – If people mark your emails as spam often, email providers will start filtering them automatically.
- High Bounce Rate – Sending emails to invalid addresses frequently lowers your sender score.
Now that you know what might be happening, let’s move on to diagnosing the problem.
🔎 Step 2: Check If Your Domain or IP is Blacklisted
A blacklist is a database used by email providers to filter out potentially harmful or spammy emails. If your domain or IP is on a blacklist, your emails will either be flagged as spam or rejected completely.
✅ How to Check for Blacklisting?
Use these online tools to check if your domain or IP is blacklisted:
Simply enter your domain or IP address, and these tools will show if you’re listed on any major blacklists.
🛠 Step 3: Fix Blacklist Issues and Improve Email Deliverability
If you find that your domain or IP is blacklisted, don’t panic! Here’s what you need to do:
1️⃣ Remove Your IP from the Blacklist
- Visit the blacklist provider’s website and follow their removal request process.
- Ensure your email practices comply with their policies before requesting removal.
2️⃣ Set Up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC Correctly
These authentication records help verify your emails and reduce the chances of being flagged as spam.
Example SPF Record (to authorize sending servers)
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
Example DKIM Record (to verify email integrity)
dkim._domainkey.yourdomain.com TXT "v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=your-public-key"
Example DMARC Record (to enforce email policies)
_dmarc.yourdomain.com TXT "v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:reports@yourdomain.com"
3️⃣ Warm Up Your Email Sending Reputation
- Start sending emails in small batches before scaling up.
- Engage with your recipients by encouraging replies.
- Avoid sending bulk emails to unverified lists.
4️⃣ Improve Email Content and Formatting
- Avoid spam trigger words and excessive links.
- Use a professional, personalized approach.
- Make sure your emails are properly formatted and mobile-friendly.
5️⃣ Monitor Your Email Deliverability Regularly
- Use tools like YourDMARC to check if your authentication records are working correctly.
- Regularly check your sender reputation using Google Postmaster Tools.
Stay Off the Blacklists and Out of Spam
Nobody wants their emails lost in spam or blocked due to blacklisting. By checking for blacklist issues, setting up email authentication, and following best practices, you can improve your email deliverability and ensure your messages reach the inbox.
💡 Need help managing your email security? Try YourDMARC today!
