In this article, we'll explain why your emails might end up in Gmail's spam folder and how you can solve it. Although you may have set up all DNS records such as SPF, DKIM and DMARC correctly, and have a valid SSL certificate, it may happen that emails still do not arrive in your recipient's inbox. Here are some reasons and solutions for this problem.
Building domain reputation
When your domain is new, Gmail and other email providers may not yet have enough data about it. This may cause your emails to be temporarily classified as spam. To build a positive reputation for your domain:
- Gradually increase the sending of emails: Do not send a large number of emails at once (mass email is definitely prohibited from our hosting as well). Start with a smaller number and gradually increase it.
- Drive user engagement: Encourage recipients to open your emails, click on links and reply to messages. A high level of engagement has a positive impact on reputation.
- Maintain consistency.: Send quality and relevant emails regularly to build trust with recipients and the email service.
Using Google Postmaster Tools
Google Postmaster Tools is a free tool that allows you to monitor the performance of your email campaigns and domain reputation. Through this tool you can:
- Monitor domain reputation: See how Google evaluates your domain's reputation.
- Bounce rate tracking: Identify and correct problems that lead to bounced emails.
- Analyze spam complaint rate: Find out if users are marking your emails as spam and take steps to reduce it.
In order to use this tool, you need to:
- Register your domain on Google Postmaster Tools.
- Verifying ownership over the domain by adding a TXT record to the DNS configuration.
Email content analysis
The content of your emails plays a key role in whether they end up in the inbox or the spam folder. Here's what you should pay attention to:
- Avoid "spammy" words and phrases: Words like "free", "earn now", "100% guaranteed" can trigger spam filters.
- Balance of text and images: Make sure there is a good ratio between the amount of text and images in the email.
- Clear "From" and "Subject" field: Use a recognizable sender name and a relevant message title.
- Quality formatting: Ensure that the email is properly formatted, with no broken links or HTML errors.
Feedback from users
Feedback from your recipients can significantly affect the deliverability of your emails. Here's how you can use customer feedback:
- Marking as "Not Spam"„: Ask recipients, if they find your email in their spam folder, to mark it as "Not Spam". This sends a signal to Gmail that your emails are welcome.
- Add to contacts: Encourage users to add your email address to their address book, which increases the chances of your emails arriving directly in their inbox.
- Encouraging interaction: Questions, surveys and calls to action can increase engagement and positively impact your reputation.
Conclusion
Delivering emails to your inbox can be a challenge, especially for new domains. It's important to be patient and follow email best practices. Monitor your domain's performance and reputation regularly, adjust your strategy based on data, and always provide value to your users through quality content.
If you have any questions or need help configuring your email service, our team at Web Hosting Serbia is here for you!
