Why Emails Get Marked as Spam and How to Fix It?

Even if your business has good email delivery, some emails might still end up in spam folders. On average, approx. 10.5% of your emails go to the spam folder of your recipient without knowing why. Spam filters are tricky and block emails for many reasons like a poor sender reputation, messy email content, or missing technical protections.

However, emails marketers don't have to just hope your emails get through. You can fix these issues directly. Here we will explain why emails get marked as spam and share easy tips to avoid your email delivery rate issues. Also, email marketers can learn how to make sure your emails reach the inbox, not the junk folder.

Unwanted bulk emails, messages that people didn't ask for or that come in large amounts and get flagged by spam filters. Email providers often see these as irrelevant or risky.

How spam filters decide?

Spam filters don't just count how many emails you send. They also check your sender reputation, how people react to your emails like opens, unsubscribes, or complaints, and the email content itself. Good filters look at the trust level of your domain, if your emails are properly verified, and whether readers regularly engage with your messages.

By understanding these factors, you can send emails that more people actually see by bypassing spam filters.

Approx. 45.6% of emails are identified as spam worldwide. This is because email providers see some emails differently. There are multiple reasons behind this.

Here are the main reasons why even real emails can end up in the spam folder before learning spam prevention tactics:

• Low Sender Reputation
  If your domain or IP has many bounced emails, lots of spam complaints, or sudden big spikes in sending, email providers may see you as untrustworthy.
• Missing Email Authentication
  If you don't set up SPF, DKIM, or DMARC records correctly, your emails can look fake or unverified to spam filters.
• Spam-Like Content
  Using too many spam trigger words like free, guarantee, or urgent, too many images, or misleading subject lines is not right. These things can make your email look like spam.
• Low Engagement
  If people rarely open your emails or delete them without reading, email providers think your messages are not wanted. This can hurt your chances of reaching the inbox over time.

You can help your emails reach inboxes of more people by fixing these issues.

About 61% of email marketers believe that email deliverability is becoming harder.

This section shares simple steps to help your emails avoid the spam folder. The goal is to build trust, set up your emails right, and send messages that both people and spam filters see as safe and useful.

So, here is your guide to spam prevention.

Get Clear Permission First

Make sure people say it is okay to email them before you send any emails. This is the best way to show email providers your messages are wanted.

• Use Double Opt-In
  Ask new subscribers to confirm their signup by clicking a link in a confirmation email. This proves they really want your emails and cuts down on fake or wrong email addresses. A cleaner list means better email delivery and happier readers.
• Be Honest and Clear
  Tell people exactly what kind of emails they'll get and how often when they sign up. When expectations are clear, fewer people mark your emails as spam. This helps build a good, long-lasting relationship with your subscribers.
• Mistakes to Avoid
  Never buy email lists or use pre-checked boxes that sign people up without their clear permission. These often lead to complaints and hurt your ability to reach inboxes. Bought lists usually have old or wrong emails and can include spam traps that damage your reputation.

The Technical Basics: Verify Your Domain

Email providers need proof that your emails are real and safe. This is called authentication. Even good emails might get blocked without it.

• SPF
  This tells which servers are allowed to send emails for your domain. It stops others from pretending to be you. Having SPF set up correctly lowers the chance of fake or harmful emails using your name and builds trust with email services.
• DKIM
  This adds a digital signature to your emails to show they have not been changed in transit. It helps email filters check that your message is genuine and keeps the reputation of your domain strong.
• DMARC
  This lets you tell email providers what to do if an email fails SPF or DKIM checks. It also reports you any suspicious activity. A fine DMARC environment will make it more difficult to use your domain in an abusive way by the hackers.

What to Do?

Ask your IT team or email provider to set up and check these settings in your domain's DNS records. Checking frequently will stop an error that may place your emails in the spam. Minor set-up issues often result in the problem of email delivery without you realizing.

Write Emails for People and Spam Filters

Your email should be useful and easy to read for people, and also look safe and relevant to spam filters.

• Subject Lines
  Avoid writing in ALL CAPS, using too many exclamation marks, or using words that trigger spam filters. Keep your subject short, clear, and honest. Good subject lines help more people open your emails and build trust. They also lower the chance of your email being flagged as spam.
• Email Content
  Keep a good balance between text and images. Don't hide links behind strange or suspicious web addresses. Spam filters like clean layouts with easy-to-read text and clear information. Put your main message near the top so readers know right away what the email is about.
• Follow the Rules
  Always include an unsubscribe link in every email. This helps you follow laws about email marketing. Making it easy to unsubscribe reduces complaints from people who don't want your emails. Following these rules also shows email providers that you send emails responsibly.

Keep a Good Sender Reputation

Your sender reputation decides if your emails reach the inbox or get sent to spam. Good habits protect your domain and help your emails get delivered.

• Clean Your Email List
  Remove people who don't open your emails and fix bounced addresses quickly. Inactive contacts lower how often your emails get opened, which hurts your reputation. Keeping your list fresh helps maintain a strong reputation.
• Warm Up Slowly
  If you use a new domain or IP address, start by sending emails slowly. This shows email providers that you are sending naturally and not spamming. Begin with your most engaged contacts to get better open and click rates.
• Watch Your Results
  Keep bounce rates low and spam complaints under control. Track how people interact with your emails to see if providers view your messages as useful. Good performance means your emails are trusted and wanted.

Check Your Emails before Sending

Testing your emails before you send them helps catch problems early so your messages don't get stuck in the spam filters.

• Use Spam Testing Tools
  Tools like GlockApps or Mail-Tester show how spam filters see your email. They point out risky words or missing setup steps. Testing every campaign helps you fix issues before sending.
• Watch Blacklists
  Regularly check if your domain or IP is on any email blacklists. Getting listed even by mistake can send all your emails to spam right away. Keeping an eye on this helps you solve problems fast.
• Look at Email Headers
  Check your email headers to make sure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are passing correctly. Headers can show hidden problems that tools might miss. Understanding them gives you a better idea of how healthy your email delivery is.

Following these tips helps your emails reach more inboxes and keeps your audience happy.

• Buying Email Lists
  These lists usually have people who don't want your emails or have wrong addresses. This leads to fewer opens and more complaints.
• Hiding or Skipping the Unsubscribe Link
  If you don't let people easily unsubscribe, they get annoyed and might mark your emails as spam.
• Using No-Reply Addresses
  Emails from no-reply addresses feel cold and make people less likely to engage with you.
• Ignoring Personalization
  Sending the same message to everyone ignores that people have different interests. Tailoring emails works much better.
• Sending Too Much, Too Soon
  Sending large campaigns without starting slowly can alert spam filters and cause problems.
• Not Monitoring Metrics
  If you don't keep an eye on things like spam complaints and bounced emails, your reputation can slowly get worse without you knowing.

When your emails do not get delivered well, it is not normally about technical stuff only. Spam filters block your mail due to bad reputation, absence of authentication, or poor content. This however can be fixed by observing the most important factors highlighted above.

When you are having an email marked as Spam problem or get less emails to inboxes, begin by examining how you are sending emails and your configuration. You can make efforts to bypass spam filters and build trust to get your email marketing going again. If nothing is working right for you, you can get in touch with experts at Aurora SendCloud to get your email delivery working fine.