There’s no denying that, as an email marketer, one of the most frustrating things that can happen to you is your perfectly crafted emails going to spam instead of an inbox.
And this is more common than you think. As a matter of fact, in 2022, almost49% of emails globally were categorized as spam. That’s a lot of emails going to the spam!
So the question becomes – why are emails going to spam instead of the inbox? What’s the reason behind this email epidemic? That’s exactly what we will investigate in this blog!
If you need answers, then we will give you answers. Stick around till the end, and we will also tell you ways to improve your email deliverability! So what are you waiting for? Jump right in!
Why Are Your Emails Going to Spam Instead of Inbox – Top 8 Reasons!
1. Poor Sender Reputation
One of the main reasons why your emails end up in spam is a poor sender reputation. This is because email providers utilize a reputation system to evaluate the trustworthiness of email senders. This system considers multiple factors, including the sender’s previous sending behavior, user feedback, and spam complaints.
Suppose your email address or domain has a track record of sending spam or participating in dubious activities like sending emails to non-existent addresses or utilizing IP addresses that are blacklisted for spamming. In that case, it can lead to a negative sender reputation.
When your sender’s reputation is poor, email providers become cautious about the emails you send. As a result, the providers are inclined to filter your emails into the spam folder rather than delivering them to recipients’ inboxes.
2. Absence of Authentication
Did you know that there are email authentication mechanisms like SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) that are used to verify the authenticity of email senders and prevent email spoofing and phishing attempts?
SPF allows domain owners to specify which email servers are authorized to send emails on behalf of their domain. When an email is received, the recipient’s email server checks the SPF record of the sender’s domain to ensure that the email originated from an authorized server. The email may be flagged as suspicious if the SPF check fails or the SPF record is missing.
DKIM adds a digital signature to the email headers, generated using the sender’s private key and verified using the public key published in the sender’s DNS records. The recipient’s email server checks the DKIM signature to confirm that the email was not tampered with during transit and that it originated from the claimed domain.
If your emails lack these authentication protocols or are misconfigured, the email providers may consider them suspicious and route them to the spam folder.
3. Content Triggering Spam Filters
Spam filters are designed to analyze the content of emails and identify patterns or characteristics commonly associated with spam. They look for specific keywords, phrases, or formatting styles that are often used in spam messages.
Certain phrases like “get rich quick,” “free,” or “urgent” are commonly used in spam emails and can trigger spam filters. Additionally, excessive use of capital letters, exclamation marks, or symbols in an email’s subject line or body can also raise red flags.
By scanning emails for these patterns and characteristics, spam filters can determine the likelihood of an email being spam and take appropriate actions, such as diverting it to the spam folder or blocking it altogether.
4. High Complaint Rate
When recipients mark your emails as spam, it signals to email providers that your messages are unwanted or unsolicited. This feedback is taken seriously and can affect your sender’s reputation.
If many recipients consistently label your emails as spam, it can negatively affect your sender’s reputation. Email providers may interpret this as a sign that your emails are not valuable or legitimate, so they may start filtering your emails as spam more frequently.
5. Misleading Subject Lines or Headers
Subject lines or headers are the first things that people see. So, using deceptive or misleading subject lines or headers to trick recipients into opening your emails is considered spammy behavior. It involves violating email etiquette and can have negative consequences.
Such practices can lead recipients to perceive your emails as spam and report them as such. When recipients report your emails as spam, it signals to email providers that your messages are unwanted or deceptive. Email providers are becoming more vigilant in detecting and filtering such practices to protect their users from deceptive tactics.
Read More: Best Email Subject Lines to Boost Your Open Rates!
6. Poor Formatting and Structure
Poor formatting and structure are another main reason your emails end up in spam. This is because emails with poorly formatted HTML, broken links, or excessive use of capital letters, exclamation marks, or symbols can trigger spam filters. These elements are commonly associated with spam and can make your emails appear unprofessional or suspicious.
Properly formatting your emails and ensuring all links are functional is crucial for avoiding spam filters. Broken links can raise red flags and indicate a potentially malicious or spammy email. Moreover, excessive use of capital letters, exclamation marks, or symbols in your email content can give the impression of aggressive or spam-like behavior.
7. Low Engagement or Interaction Rates
Email providers consider recipient engagement as a measure of email relevance and legitimacy. Factors such as low open rates, a lack of replies, or minimal link clicks suggest that your emails may not be valuable or desired by recipients.
When emails consistently show low engagement or interaction rates, email providers may interpret them as unwanted or uninteresting. This interpretation increases the likelihood of your emails being marked as spam. Providers prioritize delivering emails that recipients find relevant and engaging, so low engagement rates can negatively impact email deliverability.
8. No Unsubscribe Option
Spam regulations have become stricter regarding physical addresses and unsubscribe buttons. If you forget to include either of these, it will likely harm your email delivery rate.
Many small business owners often make the mistake of not including their addresses because they may not be aware of this requirement. If you’re concerned about sharing your personal address, you can get a PO box and use that instead. Similarly, your unsubscribe button should be easy to see and access. Tricky tactics like using small fonts, lengthy unsubscribe forms, or hiding the unsubscribe link will only cause problems.
If you don’t provide an easy way to unsubscribe, they may mark your emails as spam instead, which can hurt your reputation as a sender. Having too many spam complaints is one of the worst things to ensure your emails get delivered.
Clearly, there are many reasons why your perfectly crafted emails end up in the spam folder. So the question then becomes – how can you improve your email deliverability? Let’s discuss this further in the next section.
Improve Email Deliverability
First off, what is email deliverability? It refers to an email’s ability to reach the recipients’ inboxes without getting caught in the spam folders.
When you send an email, it goes through various stages before reaching the recipient’s inbox. The process involves passing through spam filters, authentication checks, and reputation assessments. If an email fails any of these checks or is flagged as spam, it may be filtered into the recipient’s spam folder or rejected altogether, resulting in poor email deliverability.
Although the above-mentioned tips provide a solid foundation for improving email deliverability, there are additional factors to consider. Fortunately, a trustworthy email service provider can assist you in preventing your emails from being flagged as spam. They offer essential features like authentication, IP warming, and metric tracking, taking care of the technical aspects and equipping you with the necessary tools and platform to ensure successful email delivery.
Now let’s briefly look at improving your email deliverability so that your emails don’t end up in the spam!
1. Build a Quality Email List
The first step is to ensure that you have a high-quality email list consisting of engaged and interested subscribers who have explicitly opted in to receive your emails. Avoid purchasing or using third-party lists, which often contain outdated or invalid email addresses. Focus on growing your list organically through opt-in forms, lead magnets, and clear subscription processes. Maintaining a healthy list can reduce the likelihood of spam complaints, bounces, and low engagement rates.
2. Use Double Opt-in
Another way to ensure email deliverability is by using double opt-ins. This means your subscribers must confirm their email addresses after signing up. This helps to ensure that the email address provided is valid and belongs to the intended recipient. Double opt-in reduces the chances of spam traps and invalid addresses and lowers the risk of sending unwanted emails.
3. Authenticate Your Emails
Email authentication is essential for establishing your domain’s credibility and proving to internet service providers (ISPs) that you are a legitimate sender. Implement two key authentication methods: Sender Policy Framework (SPF) and DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM). SPF verifies that the sender’s IP address is authorized to send emails on behalf of the domain. At the same time, DKIM adds a digital signature to authenticate the email’s content and the sender’s identity.
4. Manage Complaints and Unsubscribes
As difficult as it sounds, you must provide a clear and prominent unsubscribe link in every email to make it easy for recipients to opt out. Or else your email could end up in the spam folder. Honoring unsubscribe requests promptly helps build trust with ISPs and prevents recipients from marking your emails as spam. Additionally, promptly monitor and address any spam complaints, as excessive complaints can negatively impact your sender’s reputation.
5. Maintain a Good Sender Reputation
No denying that your sender’s reputation plays a crucial role in email deliverability. ISPs evaluate sender reputation based on factors such as engagement rates, spam complaints, bounces, and sending practices. To maintain a good reputation, send relevant and engaging content, monitor bounce rates, remove inactive subscribers periodically, and follow email best practices.
6. Optimize Email Content and Design
ISPs often analyze email content for potential spam indicators. So avoid using excessive capitalization, spam trigger words, misleading subject lines, and overly promotional language. Optimize your email design to ensure it is mobile-friendly, loads quickly, and includes a good balance of text and images. Test your emails across various email clients and devices to ensure a consistent experience.
7. Monitor and Analyze Metrics
Lastly, regularly monitor and analyze key email metrics to identify areas for improvement. Pay attention to metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, bounce rates, and spam complaints. Use this data to refine your email strategy, segment your audience, and tailor your content to increase engagement and deliverability.
Wrap Up
In a world where our inboxes are flooded with countless emails vying for attention, it’s disheartening to find your carefully crafted messages ending up in the dreaded spam folder.
But we hope our blog has helped you learn why your emails might end up in the spam and how to combat it and rise to the top!
Prioritizing these best practices will improve your chances of reaching your audience effectively and help build trust and engagement, leading to more successful email campaigns overall. Thanks for reading, and good luck!
Further Reads:
15 Email Marketing Best Practices For Your Next Campaign!
Email Spoofing: What is it and How to Prevent it? (+Tips)
Soft Bounce Vs Hard Bounce in The Email Marketing!
How To Keep Your Email Lists Squeaky Clean?
The 11 Best Email Tracking Tools & Software!
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