Why Emails Go to Spam

Introduction

If you are wondering why emails go to spam, you’re not alone.

Email is still one of the most powerful tools online marketers have. It’s personal, direct, and owned traffic. But many beginners never see results because their emails never reach the inbox.

This problem affects new and experienced marketers alike. It can feel confusing and unfair at first.

But the truth is simple. Email providers follow rules, not intentions. They judge behavior, patterns, and “trust signals”.

As someone who has been using email marketing in the Make Money Online space for years, I’ve seen both good and bad practices. This post will help you avoid the bad and build the good, step by step.

A while back, when email authentication was still new,  I wrote a short post on The Importance of Email Deliverability. Because deliverability continues to challenge many people who use email in their marketing, I thought I would revisit the topic in more depth.

Let’s get started.

1. How Spam Filters Really Work

Spam filters are an integral part of our online experience, working tirelessly in the background to protect us from unwanted and potentially harmful emails.

It’s important to remember that these automated systems are not out to get marketers or make their lives more difficult; their sole purpose is to ensure that users have a positive and safe email experience.

One of the main functions of spam filters is that they analyze a multitude of signals to determine whether an email should be marked as spam. It’s not just one mistake that will land your email in the spam folder permanently; instead, it can be the repetition of certain patterns that can trigger the filter.

Your sender history is crucial when it comes to how spam filters perceive your emails.

New senders are under close scrutiny, while established senders are judged based on their past behavior.

In addition, email providers track how recipients interact with your messages, from opens and clicks to replies and deletes. Even silence can send a signal to the spam filters.

On top of all that, your sending habits play a significant role in how spam filters perceive your emails.

A sudden increase in the number of emails sent can raise red flags, while sending emails consistently over time can help build trust with the filters.

Understanding how spam filters operate can help ease some of the fear and uncertainty surrounding them. By being patient and focusing on making steady improvements to your email practices, you can work towards earning the trust and approval of spam filters.

Remember, spam filters are there to ensure a positive experience for email users, and by working with them rather than against them, you can increase the likelihood of your emails reaching their intended audience.

2. Bad List Building Habits

When it comes to email marketing, the quality of your subscriber list is super important.

The success of your email campaigns isn’t determined just by the number of subscribers you have, but also by the quality of those subscribers.

It’s essential to focus on building a list of engaged and interested individuals who have willingly opted in to receive email from you.

Purchasing email lists may seem like a quick fix to grow your subscriber base, but it often leads to more harm than good. These individuals didn’t request to receive emails from you, and as a result, they are more likely to either ignore them or report your messages as spam.

This can damage your sender reputation and ultimately impact the deliverability of your emails.

Similarly, using old or shared lists can also cause issues for your email campaigns. Many of the email addresses on these lists may be outdated, inactive, or no longer in use. 

Sending emails to these addresses can result in high bounce rates, which can negatively impact your sender reputation and decrease the effectiveness of your email marketing campaigns in the future.

It’s important to focus on building a high-quality email list organically, through methods such as opt-in forms, targeted lead generation campaigns, and engaging content. By prioritizing list quality over list quantity, you can improve the success of your email marketing efforts and avoid the pitfalls associated with poor list quality.

Common bad list habits include:

• Buying or renting email lists

• Adding people without clear permission

• Using fake giveaways with no real value

Building a successful email list takes time and effort. It’s not about trying to use sneaky tactics or shortcuts to grow your list quickly. Instead, it’s about building trust with your audience and providing them with valuable content that they actually want to receive.

One of the most effective ways to grow your list is by using opt-in forms, content upgrades, and lead magnets that are genuinely valuable to your audience. These tools can help you attract the right people to your list and encourage them to sign up because they see the value in what you have to offer.

It’s also important to focus on the quality of your list, rather than just the quantity.

A small, engaged list of subscribers who are genuinely interested in what you have to say will always outperform a large list of people who aren’t engaged or interested in your content.

Inbox providers can see the difference between a list of engaged subscribers and a list of cold contacts, and they are more likely to deliver your emails to the inbox of engaged subscribers.

In the end, building a successful email list is about building relationships with your subscribers and providing them with valuable content that keeps them coming back for more.

By focusing on trust and providing genuine value to your audience, you can build a list that will help you achieve your email marketing goals.

3. Content That Triggers Spam Filters

It’s important to be mindful of the words and language you use when communicating through email.

The way that you convey your message can affect how it is perceived by spam filters, which often look for patterns rather than the actual intent behind the message. Even if you are a genuine marketer with good intentions, you may accidentally trigger these filters if you are not careful.

One common mistake that marketers make is overusing sales language. This can include making too many promises, using pressure words to try to drive action, or making exaggerated claims about a product or service.

These tactics can raise red flags for spam filters and lead to your message being marked as spam. In addition to the language you use, the formatting of your message can also play a role in whether or not it is flagged as spam.

Writing in all capital letters, using too many links in your message, and using large or heavy images can all make your message look suspicious to spam filters.

It is important to be mindful of these formatting choices and try to strike a balance between providing valuable information and avoiding tactics that could trigger spam filters.

Content issues that increase spam risk include:

• Repeated hype phrases

• Misleading subject lines

• Poor text-to-link balance

When it comes to creating content, it’s important to keep it real and make it sound like you’re having a conversation with just one person.

Using clear and calm language is key to engaging your reader and getting your message across.

Remember, the most successful sales emails are the ones that focus on helping the reader before diving into the sales pitch. By providing value first, you’re more likely to capture their attention and build trust with them.

So, take the time to really think about how you can assist your reader and make their lives easier before jumping into any sales talk. At the end of the day, it’s all about building a connection and offering something of value to your audience.

So, keep it real, keep it helpful, and watch your sales emails perform better than ever.

4. Technical Setup Most Beginners Miss

A lot of beginners, in their eagerness to get started with email marketing, overlook the technical side of email. This can prove to be a costly mistake in the long run.

Email providers have strict guidelines and requirements when it comes to setting up and authenticating email accounts. Failing to meet these standards can result in your emails being marked as spam or not reaching your recipients’ inboxes at all.

One crucial aspect of email authentication is letting the inbox providers know who you are and that you are a legitimate sender.

Without proper authentication, your emails may appear suspicious or unsafe, leading to them being automatically filtered into spam folders or even blocked entirely.

This is a common reason why many people struggle with their emails ending up in spam folders instead of reaching their intended recipients.

 Important technical basics include:

• SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records

• A verified sending domain

• Consistent “From” names

Use the following link to test the status of your “domain security”. This will tell you what needs to be done in regard to your setup.

Remember, if this seems overwhelming or more than you care to deal with, the customer service from your email provider and hosting service should be ready to help.

You also have the option of paying someone else to do it. You can find people to do this on sites like Fiverr.com and Upwork.com.

SPF, DKIM, DMARC Security Tool – from Hosted Scan.

Run a free scan of your domain to find the weak points in your setup that need attention.

It’s not feasible for me to provide comprehensive instructions since each provider will be different. I still wanted to at least provide a substantive overview. I hope this will help you understand the changes that you are going to make, or that someone will be making on your behalf.

Here’s an example workflow for a generic setup of DKIM, SPF, and DMARC created with some help from Gemini.

5. Setting Up DKIM, SPF, and DMARC

Setting up DKIM, SPF, and DMARC involves a domain’s DNS provider (like GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap), often guided by your email service (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, etc.), which generates the keys and values you need to input into your DNS settings to authenticate your domain’s emails and prevent spoofing. 

The provider gives you the unique values (like CNAMEs for DKIM or SPF record strings), and you manually add them as TXT records in your domain’s DNS management panel. 

Here’s the general process:

1. Identify Your Email Sending Services: Know which platforms send email for your domain (e.g., Google Workspace, Mailchimp, your web host).

2. Enable in Your Email Platform: Go to the settings of each sending service (e.g., Google Workspace Admin, Salesforce) and find the section for custom email authentication or DKIM/SPF setup to generate the necessary DNS records.

3. Get the DNS Values: Your email platform will provide you with specific strings (for SPF/DMARC) or CNAME records (for DKIM).

4. Access Your DNS Provider: Log in to where your domain’s DNS records are managed (your registrar or DNS host).

5. Add TXT Records:

   • SPF (TXT Record): Add a TXT record listing authorized sending servers (e.g., v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all).

   • DKIM (TXT/CNAME): Add the TXT or CNAME record provided by your email platform, often under a specific host like default._domainkey.

   • DMARC (TXT Record): Add a TXT record with your policy (e.g., v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:your-email@yourdomain.com).

6. Verify: After a few hours (DNS propagation time), use online tools to check if the records are correctly published and working. 

Key Point: Your email provider tells you what to add, but your DNS provider is where you add it. 

Free vs. Custom Domain

Using free email domains to send your emails, such as Gmail or Yahoo, can hurt the credibility of your emails and make you appear unprofessional.

In contrast, using a custom domain for your email address can help to establish trust with your recipients.

When setting up your custom domain for email, it’s important to follow the setup guides provided by your email platform carefully. This is crucial if you want your emails to have the best chance of landing in your recipient’s inbox.

Skipping or neglecting this isn’t an option if you are serious about email deliverability.

Once your custom domain is set up, you should avoid making frequent changes. Keeping your email address stable and consistent over time can help to build a clean sender profile and improve the reputation of your emails. This can lead to better deliverability rates and higher engagement from your subscribers.

In summary, using a custom domain for your email address, following setup guides carefully, and maintaining the same email address are all important factors in building credibility and trust with your email recipients.

6. Engagement Signals That Matter

Inbox providers are constantly monitoring how subscribers interact with your emails. This behavior is a crucial factor in determining whether your content is considered valuable and relevant.

Positive actions like opens and clicks indicate a strong level of engagement. Receiving replies demonstrates authentic human interaction that inbox providers view favorably.

But, it’s just as important to pay attention to negative signals, like emails being deleted without being read, spam complaints, and unsubscribes. These actions can accumulate over time and have a negative impact on your email deliverability.

It’s crucial to strike a balance and maintain a healthy engagement rate with your subscribers. One effective way to boost engagement is by setting clear expectations from the start.

Let your subscribers know what type of content they can expect to receive and how often they’ll receive it. By being transparent and consistent in your communication, you can build trust with your audience.

Crafting subject lines that accurately reflect the content of your emails is another key strategy in boosting engagement. When subscribers receive content that aligns with their expectations, they’re more likely to engage with your emails and continue to open them in the future.

If you notice a decline in engagement from certain subscribers, it might be wise to adjust your email frequency or start a re-engagement campaign to win back their interest. Pushing out emails to disengaged subscribers can negatively impact your email performance metrics and ultimately harm your sender reputation. It’s crucial to prioritize quality engagement over sheer number of subscribers when it comes to email marketing strategies.

7. Scams vs Legit Email Marketing

The online world can be a tricky place, especially when it comes to making money.

The Make Money Online space is notorious for its trust issues, with many scams and fraudulent schemes trying to take advantage of unsuspecting individuals.

Sometimes these scams inundate email systems, bombarding users with crazy offers of instant results and false urgency. In response to the number of scam emails, email providers have had to tighten their filters to protect their users from falling victim to these schemes.

This means that legitimate email marketers who are genuinely trying to provide valuable information and opportunities to their audience have to work even harder to stand out from the noise.

One of the key telltale signs of a scam email is the promise of easy income with no effort or skills required.

These patterns are blatant red flags that shouldn’t be ignored.

Legitimate email marketing, on the other hand, looks very different. It focuses on educating the reader, guiding them through a process, and setting realistic expectations for the outcomes they can achieve.

Respecting the intelligence of the reader is critically important in legitimate email marketing. Instead of trying to trick or manipulate them into taking action, trustworthy marketers aim to build a relationship based on transparency and mutual benefit.

By providing valuable content and resources, email marketers aim to earn the trust and loyalty of their audience. This ultimately leads to long-term success for both parties.

 Key differences between scams and legit paths:

• Scams push speed, legit paths teach patience

• Scams hide details, legit paths explain steps

• Scams chase clicks, legit paths build skills

If your emails come across as suspicious or fraudulent in any way, email filters will likely flag them as potential scams. This, of course, will make it less likely that they will reach your intended recipients.

Even if the content of your email is legitimate and valuable, the way it’s presented and perceived by recipients plays a crucial role in its success.

So, it’s important to carefully craft your email messages to be sure they are well-written, professional, and clearly communicate the value of your offer.

Successful email marketers understand the importance of building trust with their audience over time.

Instead of focusing on short-term gains or quick wins, they prioritize cultivating a strong, long-lasting relationship with their subscribers.

By consistently delivering valuable content, engaging with their audience, and maintaining a level of authenticity and transparency in their communications, these marketers are able to earn the trust and loyalty of their subscribers.

This trust ultimately leads to higher open rates, click-through rates, and conversions, as well as a more positive overall perception of the brand.

8. How to Build Long-Term Inbox Trust

Inbox trust is crucial in email marketing and cannot be overlooked.

It’s something that must be earned through consistent effort, honesty in your communications, and providing value to your subscribers.

Trust isn’t something that can be given freely – it has to be cultivated over time.

One of the key ways to build inbox trust is by starting slow when sending emails. By gradually warming up your email list and domain, you create a natural progression that shows your dedication to building a strong relationship with your subscribers.

This gradual growth demonstrates to email service providers that you are a legitimate sender who values their audience.

Sending valuable content is another essential component of building inbox trust. By providing content that is helpful and informative, even when you’re not directly selling a product or service, you establish yourself as an authority in your field.

This authority not only builds engagement with your subscribers but also enhances your credibility as a sender.

Cleaning your email list regularly is also important for maintaining inbox trust. By removing inactive subscribers, you protect your sender reputation and ensure that your emails are being delivered to engaged and interested recipients.

This proactive approach demonstrates your commitment to respecting your audience and valuing their engagement.

Ultimately, the key to building inbox trust is to always respect your audience. Treat their inbox as a privilege and approach your email marketing with a mindset of serving and providing value.

When you prioritize building trust with your subscribers, you’ll see improvements in deliverability over time. Inbox placement will become easier, not harder, as your trust and credibility as a sender grows.

FAQ

Why do emails go to spam, even with permission?
Permission alone is not enough. Engagement, content, and technical setup still matter. All signals work together.

Do spam words still matter today?
Yes, but patterns matter more than single words. Overuse and context will trigger filters, not isolated terms.

How long does it take to fix spam issues?
It depends on the damage. Minor issues may improve in weeks. Larger problems can take months.

Is using images bad for email deliverability?
Images are fine in balance. Too many images with little text looks suspicious.

Should beginners email every day?
Usually no. Start with a manageable schedule. Increase frequency only if engagement stays strong.

Does unsubscribing hurt deliverability?
Unsubscribes are normal and healthy. Spam complaints are the real problem.

Can one bad email ruin my sender reputation?
Rarely. Damage comes from repeated behavior. Learn and adjust quickly.

Conclusion

Understanding why emails go to spam removes fear from email marketing and allows for a more strategic approach.

The system may seem strict, but it’s actually fair in its evaluation of emails. It rewards those who respect best practices and prioritize delivering value to their audience.

Achieving legitimate success in email marketing requires a combination of skills, patience, and the ability to consistently provide value to subscribers.

While there may be some quick tricks that can temporarily boost open rates or click-through rates, the real growth and sustainability come from a long-term commitment to quality communication.

By focusing on building trust with your audience first, you’re setting the foundation for long-term success in email marketing.

Inbox placement is not something that happens by luck – it’s earned through delivering relevant, valuable content that your subscribers want to engage with.

Each honest email you send helps to strengthen your reputation and improve your chances of reaching the inbox consistently.

‘Til next time!

Dave Hodges
DUH WEB Media Group
DUH WEB Marketing Insight
duhwebmediacontact@gmail.com

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Dave Hodges

Part time web designer and full time nerd. I was an internet marketing newbie for years until I finally started putting all the pieces together.
Owner/President of DUH Web Media Group
Sites:
DUHWebMediaGroup.com
DUHWebMarketingInsight.com
DUHWebMarketingReviews.com

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