Can a domain with poor reputation negatively affect other domains in Google Workspace?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 31 May 2025
Updated 19 Aug 2025
6 min read
Google Workspace account is a critical one for anyone managing their email deliverability. It's a valid concern, often compared to the proverb of one bad apple spoiling the barrel. While email reputation systems are designed to be quite granular, the interconnected nature of Google Workspace and the sophisticated algorithms used by major mailbox providers mean the answer isn't always a simple no.
Understanding this requires a look at how Google, and other mailbox providers, assess sender reputation. They don't just look at a single domain in isolation. Instead, they consider a multitude of signals, including IP reputation, domain reputation, authentication records, and user engagement.
Even if domains are configured as entirely separate entities rather than aliases within the same Google Workspace, there can still be underlying connections that algorithms might detect. These connections could range from shared infrastructure, common administrative contacts, or even similar sending patterns. The key is how closely Google perceives these domains to be related based on various data points.
The nuances of domain relationships in Google Workspace
When you operate multiple domains under a single Google Workspace account, Google has a unique vantage point to observe their collective behavior. While each domain ideally maintains its own distinct sender reputation, the reality is more complex. Google's systems are designed to detect patterns and relationships that might not be immediately obvious to an external observer. This means that if one domain starts engaging in practices that lead to a poor reputation, such as sending unsolicited mail or experiencing high spam complaint rates, it could potentially cast a shadow over others within the same administrative umbrella. You can learn more about what can cause domain reputation to decrease.
Separate domains
Each domain has its own DNS records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and is assessed individually by mailbox providers, including Gmail. This separation offers a degree of isolation, meaning reputation issues on one are less likely to directly impact another.
However, if these domains share common IP addresses (e.g., if you're sending through the same shared mail server or ESP) or exhibit similar sending patterns, then a poor reputation on one can still have a spillover effect. Algorithms are smart enough to connect these dots.
Domain aliases
An alias points back to the primary domain. Reputation is primarily tied to the root domain. If an alias is abused, it will directly affect the reputation of the primary domain.
For example, if yourprimarydomain.com has an alias secondary.yourprimarydomain.com, any negative activity from the secondary will impact the primary. This is why it's generally advised to segregate high-volume or risky sending to subdomains or separate domains.
When multiple domains share the same Google Workspace account, there's a level of commonality, especially in administrative and backend infrastructure, that Google's machine learning algorithms can detect. These algorithms are sophisticated and constantly evolving to identify patterns that indicate spamming behavior or compromised accounts. If one domain under the account starts exhibiting problematic sending patterns, the system might flag the entire associated group of domains, impacting their deliverability.
Factors influencing the spillover effect
Several factors can increase the likelihood of a negative reputation spreading from one domain to others within Google Workspace, even if they are technically separate domains.
Factor
Description
Impact on other domains
Shared IP address
If all domains send emails from the same dedicated or shared IP address pool, poor performance (spam complaints, bounces) on one domain can lower the IP reputation, affecting all domains using that IP.
High impact. Mailbox providers often assess IP reputation alongside domain reputation.
Common sending patterns
Similar email content, sending volume spikes, recipient engagement rates, or authentication configurations across domains can link them in the eyes of anti-spam filters.
Medium impact. Sophisticated filters can group seemingly unrelated domains if behavioral patterns align.
Shared infrastructure (beyond IP)
Using the same Google Workspace account, even for separate domains, indicates a common administrative entity. Google might leverage this internal knowledge.
Moderate impact. Google (and other ISPs) can see connections that external parties cannot.
Cross-domain linking/referrals
If emails from different domains frequently link to each other or to a common set of URLs, this can also establish a perceived connection.
Low to medium impact, especially if combined with other negative signals.
Even if your domains are not sharing IPs, issues like high spam complaints, bounces, or low engagement on one domain can signal broader issues within your Google Workspace setup. Yahoo's sender guidelines, for instance, mention that other domains could be negatively affecting your IP sending reputation. This principle extends to how Google might view interconnected domains, even if the connection isn't explicitly published via DNS records.
Maintaining a healthy sender reputation across Google Workspace
To prevent a 'bad apple' scenario, proactive management of all your domains within Google Workspace is crucial. Here are some key strategies:
Implement strong authentication: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are properly configured for all domains. This validates your emails and signals trustworthiness to mailbox providers. You can easily generate your DMARC record if needed. Gmail and Yahoo's new sender requirements heavily emphasize these. A simple guide to DMARC, SPF, and DKIM is a good starting point.
Maintain clean mailing lists: Remove inactive subscribers and hard bounces regularly to minimize spam complaints and maintain high engagement. High bounce rates can quickly land your domain on a blacklist (or blocklist).
Segment sending responsibilities: If you have a domain for marketing emails and another for transactional emails, consider using different subdomains or even entirely separate domains with distinct sending IPs. This isolates any potential reputation issues. For example, explore how much subdomain reputation affects core domain reputation.
The importance of email authentication
Robust email authentication via SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is foundational to email deliverability. It helps mailbox providers verify that emails purportedly from your domain are indeed authorized. Without proper authentication, even legitimate emails risk landing in spam folders, regardless of your domain's individual reputation score. This is particularly crucial for Google Workspace users who manage multiple domains, as it ensures consistent trust signals.
Even with these measures, if you find your emails consistently going to spam, it's essential to investigate. The root cause could be related to a multitude of factors, and why your emails are going to spam often reveals underlying issues that affect your overall sender reputation.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always maintain robust SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for every domain and subdomain in your Google Workspace.
Regularly monitor your domain's reputation using Google Postmaster Tools for each domain, even if they're grouped.
Segment your email sending by domain or subdomain for different types of mail, like transactional versus marketing.
Ensure consistent email practices across all domains to avoid triggering common negative behavioral patterns.
Common pitfalls
Assuming that separate domains within Google Workspace are entirely isolated in terms of reputation.
Neglecting to monitor secondary domains as closely as primary ones, leading to unnoticed reputation decay.
Using a poor-performing domain for important communications, risking the deliverability of other legitimate emails.
Sending high volumes of cold outreach from domains sharing infrastructure with critical business email.
Expert tips
Utilize Google Postmaster Tools for each domain individually to get granular insights into delivery issues.
If possible, use different sending IPs or ESPs for domains with vastly different sending profiles or risk levels.
Pay close attention to user complaints and bounce rates across all domains, as these are strong reputation signals.
Periodically review your Google Workspace settings to ensure no configurations unintentionally link domains in a reputation-damaging way.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says they expect Google to utilize any accessible data, meaning entities outside Google probably cannot easily determine if domains are related.
2022-01-07 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says they have observed anecdotal evidence that Google may be tightening restrictions on using Workspace for managing multiple outreach domains.
2022-01-07 - Email Geeks
Summary: safeguarding your Google Workspace email
The potential for a poor domain reputation to negatively affect other domains within the same Google Workspace account is a legitimate concern. While separate domains offer more isolation than aliases, sophisticated algorithms and shared underlying factors can still create a ripple effect. This emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach to email deliverability.
Maintaining consistent best practices across all your domains – strong authentication, diligent monitoring, and careful sending segmentation – is paramount. By doing so, you can minimize the risk of one domain's reputation issues impacting the deliverability and sender trustworthiness of your entire email ecosystem. Remember, a proactive stance is the best defense against email deliverability challenges.
Google Workspace account, there's a level of commonality, especially in administrative and backend infrastructure, that Google's machine learning algorithms can detect. These algorithms are sophisticated and constantly evolving to identify patterns that indicate spamming behavior or compromised accounts. If one domain under the account starts exhibiting problematic sending patterns, the system might flag the entire associated group of domains, impacting their deliverability.
