Cold emailing is crucial to any business’s communication strategy, but it can be frustrating when your emails go to spam. It can result in a loss of valuable leads and a reduction in audience engagement.

We have compiled a list of 9 reasons your emails go to spam to help you avoid this problem. We’ll cover all the common mistakes that can cause your messages to appear as spam, from using trigger words in your subject line to not authenticating your emails. Understanding these reasons will help ensure that your emails reach your subscribers’ inboxes and receive the attention they deserve. This blog will be your go-to guide for dodging spam filters and ensuring that your email marketing strategies are successful.

One of the more common reasons emails go to spam is attachments; the more attachments there are, the more likely it is to get flagged. Email attachments are files that come with the message text. It can be an image, a document, an audio file, or anything else. Email attachments are common and can serve many purposes, including sharing photos, sending invoices, and transmitting essential documents. Attachments, however, can trigger spam filters; emails go to spam folders rather than inboxes.

The purpose of spam filters is to detect and block emails that contain malicious or unwanted content. Attachments may contain malware, viruses, or other harmful software, which can pose a security risk for the recipients. Some spam filters are programmed to block emails with attachments, as they are more likely to contain harmful content. Moreover, attachments that contain executable files, such as .exe or zip files, may also trigger spam filters, as these files often distribute malware.

Whenever sending attachments, it’s important to be cautious to avoid spam markings. Ensure to only attach files from trusted sources, and avoid sending attachments with executable files. Consider using a cloud-based file-sharing service or a secure file transfer protocol if you must send an executable file. In addition, it is a good idea to include a message explaining the attachment and why you are sending it in your email.

2. Unauthenticated sending domain

An unauthenticated domain refers to a domain or email address that does not have a proper authentication and validation procedure. Thus, the sender’s identity is not verifiable, and the recipient’s email service provider cannot verify that the email is legitimate. Therefore, emails from unauthenticated domains are often flagged as spam and sent to spam folders instead of inboxes.

Spam filters use different methods to identify and block unwanted emails, and unauthenticated sending domains are one of the main spam indicators. Email filters look for signs that an email originates from a trusted source, such as an authentication-enabled domain. If the emails come from an unauthenticated domain, chances are that these emails go to spam, as they may contain harmful content, such as malware, viruses, or phishing scams.

To ensure that your emails do not appear as spam, it’s essential to have proper authentication in place for your sending domain. It includes using a verified email address and a valid sending domain, such as your company’s website domain.

3. Keywords and phrases

The keywords and phrases in an email can determine whether an email will end up in the recipient’s inbox or the spam folder. Spam filters use machine learning models to analyze an email’s content and determine whether it is spam. The use of keywords and phrases generally associated with spam is one of the factors that spam filters consider.

It’s important to pay attention to the words and phrases you use when writing an email. Some common spam trigger words and phrases include “earn money fast,” “Once in a lifetime,” and “Earn extra cash.” Spammers often use these words and phrases to trick recipients into clicking on links or opening attachments that may contain malware or other harmful material.

A clear and well-written subject line that properly reflects the email’s content is equally important as avoiding spam trigger words and phrases. If your subject line is misleading or unclear, recipients may mark your email as spam, as it may appear to be a scam or phishing message. It’s also necessary to avoid using all caps or excessive punctuation in the subject line or body of the email. Emails with these formats may be flagged as spam by spam filters since they often indicate that the email is aggressively trying to grab the recipient’s attention.

Spam email

4. Bulk Sending

Sending Bulk is a very common practice in outbound prospecting; this could potentially be one of the reasons your emails go to spam. When you send a large number of emails in a short time, it can cause your subscribers to feel overwhelmed and start marking them as spam. Consequently, this can negatively affect your sender’s reputation and lower your deliverability rates.

When it comes to sending emails to your subscribers, it is important to consider the frequency. You should limit the number of emails you send per week or month if you are sending too many. Depending on your subscribers’ preferences, you can also segment your subscribers into different groups and send emails at a different frequency to each group.

Another method to avoid sending bulk emails is to set up an email schedule. It will help you plan and organize your emails so you only send a few emails in a short amount of time. Organize your calendar to include transactional emails like events, promotions and holidays. By planning your emails, you can ensure that you send them at the right time and frequency.

Furthermore, you can offer your subscribers the option of receiving emails on a different schedule. Allowing your subscribers to choose how often they receive emails from you can help reduce the number of emails going to spam. You can include a frequency preference option in your sign-up form or a preference center in your emails. If you limit the number of emails you send to your subscribers and allow them to select the frequency of their email communications, you can avoid sending too many emails and reduce the chances of your emails being marked as spam.

5. Lack of personalization

Lack of personalization is one of the main reasons why your emails go to spam. You can personalize your email by including a recipient’s name, location, or other details to enhance its relevance and engagement. Generic, impersonal emails can make your subscribers feel as if they are receiving mass-marketed content.

You can avoid this by making your emails more relevant to your subscribers by personalizing them. An email’s subject line or body can be personalized by including the recipient’s name, which can help improve engagement with your emails. You are more likely to get a response from your subscribers when your emails are appropriate to their interests. Additionally, personalized emails have the potential to improve your open rates and reduce the likelihood of your emails being marked as spam.

Moreover, you can use segmentation to personalize your emails further. In segmentation, you divide your email list based on common characteristics, such as location, preferences, or purchase history. It allows you to send more targeted and personalized emails to each segment, improving the chances of your emails being relevant to your subscribers.

6. Suspicious or illegitimate-looking sender address

Another reason your emails go to spam folder is if you have a suspicious or illegitimate-looking sender address. You receive a sender reputation score from your email provider and spam filter based on factors such as the content of your emails, the number of bounces, and the number of spam complaints. This score helps determine the likelihood of your emails being marked as spam. There are several factors that can lead to a low sender reputation, including using trigger words in emails, using purchased or rented email lists, and receiving a large number of spam complaints. These factors can all lead up to a lower sender reputation, which can result in your emails being more likely to be marked as spam.

Ensure your subscribers receive high-quality, relevant content to improve your sender reputation. Your email list should also be clean and contain only active and engaged subscribers. Additionally, you can utilize email authentication techniques, such as DKIM, SPF, and DMARC, to prove your identity and improve your reputation as a sender and prevent spam sign-ups.

7. Your Emails Contain Too Much Text

More text in emails can make them look like a lengthy sales pitch and can get them flagged as spam. It is because spam filters look out for emails containing too much text, as they are more likely to try to sell something or promote a product or service. The best way to avoid this is to keep emails as concise as possible. Limit the length of emails to around 250 words so they are easy to read and digest. It is also a good idea to break up the text into paragraphs and use headings and bullet points to make it easier to scan. When writing emails, you must focus on the value you are offering to the recipient. Ensure to include only relevant, valuable information to the recipient, and avoid using too much marketing language or sales-oriented words.

Additionally, it is important to pay attention to how to end an email and include a clear call-to-action in the email, so the recipient knows what you want them to do next. In this way, the recipient won’t feel overwhelmed by the email and is more likely to take action. These tips can make sure that your emails are not marked as spam, stopping emails from going to junk.

Email with too much text

8. Flagged domain or IP address

The other reason your emails go to the spam folder is if you have a flagged email address, but what does a flagged email mean? Domain reputation is a measure of how trustworthy your domain is perceived to be by email providers. If your domain reputation is low, then email providers are more likely to flag your emails as spam, and when the domain reputation is high, you receive good deliverability. Domain reputation is affected by factors such as the number of emails sent from the domain, the number of complaints from recipients, and the number of hard bounces or invalid addresses on the list.

Finding email addresses that are spam-free is essential, ensuring that only valid addresses are listed to maintain a good reputation for your domain. Also, monitor your emails’ performance and the number of complaints and hard bounces you receive. It can determine your domain reputation.

A low IP reputation can also be why your emails go to spam. IP reputation is a measure of how trustworthy your IP address is perceived to be by email providers. If the IP reputation of your IP address is low, then email providers are more likely to flag your emails as spam. IP reputation is affected by factors such as the number of emails sent from the IP address, the number of complaints from recipients, and the number of hard bounces or invalid addresses on the list.

Maintain a good IP reputation. There are postmaster tools that allow you to track IP reputations on Google & Hotmail. You must take care that if you have allotted a shared IP pool, only subscribers with good mailing practices share the IP pool so that the mailing by one brand doesn’t affect the other. In addition, it is a good idea to monitor the performance of your emails and the number of complaints and hard bounces you are getting. It can give you an indication of whether your IP reputation is good or not.

9. Sending from New Domain

If you are sending emails from a new domain and wondering why are my emails going to spam? This is because the domain has no reputation yet, so email providers may not be sure if it is a legitimate source.

You should follow best practices for email deliverability in order to prevent your emails from being flagged as spam. This involves using a double opt-in process, personalizing emails, using a good email service provider, and testing your emails. It is also important to build up a good domain reputation over time. This can be done by sending emails to people who have opted into your list, using an email template, and using an email validation service. These tips will help you ensure that your emails will not be flagged as spam when sent from a new domain by following them.

Conclusion

Sending emails that end up in spam can be frustrating, but it is a solvable problem. Many factors can lead to emails landing in spam, including poor email list quality, trigger words, and a low sender reputation. You need to understand these issues and address them to improve your email deliverability. Following best practices such as sending targeted and relevant content, avoiding spam trigger words, and maintaining a good sending reputation, you can increase the chances of your emails landing in the inbox. Furthermore, it’s advisable to find emails from LinkedIn if you are prospecting and don’t want your sales emails to land in the spam folder.

As email filters constantly evolve, staying on top of the latest guidelines and recommendations is essential to avoid getting your emails blocked by spam filters. In today’s digital age, email remains a crucial tool for communication and marketing, and it’s essential to ensure that your emails reach their intended recipients. Addressing why your emails might be spam can improve your email deliverability and prevent your email from going to spam.