Summary
Link redirects can significantly impact email deliverability and sender reputation, primarily through association with spam tactics and technical SEO considerations. While redirects themselves aren't inherently harmful, excessive use, especially with URL shorteners or domains with poor reputations, raises red flags for spam filters. Email providers check the reputation of linked domains, and if a redirect leads to a site with malware or phishing, the email is more likely to be flagged. Furthermore, excessive redirects can dilute 'link juice' (PageRank), making it harder for search engines to understand a site's structure, indirectly affecting how trustworthy the content appears. Performance also suffers from long redirect chains, leading to slower loading times and diminished user engagement. Therefore, minimizing redirects, using reputable domains, avoiding URL shorteners, and ensuring proper implementation are critical for maintaining good email deliverability.
Key findings
- Reputation Matters: The reputation of both the redirecting and final destination domains is crucial. Poor domain reputation can trigger spam filters.
- Excessive Redirects = Suspicion: Too many redirects are often seen as a hallmark of spam, negatively impacting deliverability.
- URL Shorteners are Risky: URL shorteners are frequently used by spammers, increasing the likelihood of being flagged as spam.
- Performance Impacts: Long redirect chains can slow down page loading times, leading to a poorer user experience and potentially triggering spam filters.
- SEO and Deliverability Linked: Excessive redirects can dilute link equity and hinder site understanding by search engines, indirectly harming deliverability.
- Context is Important: The very act of redirecting by itself may not influence deliverability but the context of how its performed and domains used have an impact.
Key considerations
- Use Direct Links When Possible: Opt for direct links to reputable domains whenever feasible to minimize potential issues.
- Avoid URL Shorteners: Refrain from using URL shorteners, as they are often associated with spam.
- Limit Redirects: Keep the number of redirects to a minimum to avoid triggering spam filters and improve performance.
- Monitor Domain Reputation: Regularly monitor your domain's reputation to proactively address any potential deliverability problems.
- Ensure Proper Implementation: Properly implement redirects to avoid canonicalization issues and maintain a positive user experience.
- Check destination URLs: Ensure that destination URLs lead to safe content and has a good reputation.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
Link redirects can significantly impact email reputation and deliverability. While redirects are useful for tracking and other purposes, several factors can lead to deliverability issues. These include the number of redirects, the reputation of the domains involved (both redirecting and destination), the use of link shorteners, and whether the redirects are used to obfuscate the final destination. Email providers often flag emails with excessive redirects or redirects to suspicious domains as spam. Using direct links to reputable domains and avoiding URL shorteners can improve deliverability.
Key opinions
- Domain Reputation: The reputation of both the redirecting domain and the final destination domain significantly influences email deliverability. Poorly rated domains can trigger spam filters.
- Excessive Redirects: Using too many redirects increases the likelihood of emails being flagged as spam. Spam filters may interpret multiple redirects as a sign of suspicious activity.
- Link Shorteners: Link shorteners are often used by spammers to hide malicious links. Their use can negatively impact sender reputation and deliverability.
- Obfuscation: Redirects that hide the true destination of a link are viewed suspiciously by spam filters and can harm deliverability.
- Tracking Links: While tracking links are essential for email marketing, they also involve redirects. Using a reputable email marketing service that handles redirects properly is crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Use Direct Links: Whenever possible, use direct links to the final destination instead of redirects to minimize potential deliverability issues.
- Reputable Domains: Ensure that both the redirecting and destination domains have good reputations to avoid being flagged as spam.
- Avoid Link Shorteners: Avoid using generic link shorteners. If you must use one, opt for a branded or custom domain.
- Limit Redirects: Keep the number of redirects to a minimum to avoid triggering spam filters.
- Monitor Reputation: Regularly monitor your domain and IP reputation to identify and address any deliverability issues promptly.
- Reputable ESP: Use a reputable email service provider that handles redirects in a way that is compliant with email best practices.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks explains that links are typically followed to ensure the destination website isn't a security or fraud risk. Therefore, the reputation of landing pages could influence how an email is treated by filters, and stealth redirecting should be avoided.
27 Aug 2023 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from GMass explains that avoiding link shorteners and always using the final destination URL can help with deliverability. Link shorteners are often abused and may be seen as suspicious, leading to deliverability issues.
15 Jan 2025 - GMass
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Experts agree that link redirects can impact email reputation and deliverability, particularly when used excessively or suspiciously. Google considers website reputation in email deliverability, checking clickthroughs when abuse is suspected. URL shorteners, often used to hide malicious links, can damage sender reputation if used in high volumes. Long redirect chains introduce latency and invite closer scrutiny from spam filters. Direct links are generally preferred to minimize these risks.
Key opinions
- Website Reputation Matters: Google considers website reputation as a factor in email deliverability.
- URL Shorteners Are Suspect: URL shorteners are commonly used by spammers, leading to increased scrutiny.
- Redirect Chains are Problematic: Long chains of redirects add latency and attract closer examination by spam filters.
- Suspicious Activity Triggers Checks: Email systems check clickthroughs, especially when an email is already flagged as suspicious.
Key considerations
- Use Direct Links When Possible: Prioritize direct links to minimize deliverability risks.
- Avoid URL Shorteners: Limit or avoid using URL shorteners due to their association with spam.
- Minimize Redirects: Keep the number of redirects low to reduce latency and suspicion.
- Monitor click through rates: Monitor click through rates to ensure you are within expected range.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that while a single redirect isn't inherently bad, long chains of redirects can negatively impact deliverability. Each redirect adds latency and can cause filters to scrutinize the email more closely. It's better to use direct links whenever possible to avoid potential issues with email delivery.
20 Mar 2025 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that website reputation does affect email reputation at Google, as Google rank affects domain reputation. While they don’t always follow redirects and reputation is mostly built on the actual domain in the email, they will check clickthroughs, particularly if the email is suspicious or has hallmarks of abuse. One redirect is generally not a problem, but multiple redirects can be.
23 May 2023 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
Technical documentation highlights several ways link redirects can negatively impact email reputation and deliverability. Excessive redirects can dilute link equity and hinder site understanding by search engines, indirectly affecting how email content is perceived. Email filtering systems, like those from Microsoft, check the reputation of URLs, and redirects to sites with poor reputations (e.g., due to malware or phishing) are more likely to be filtered as spam. Spamhaus blocklists can also negatively impact deliverability if a redirected domain is listed due to malicious activity. Improperly handled redirects can lead to canonicalization issues, confusing email clients. Finally, long redirect chains can slow down page loading times, affecting user engagement and potentially triggering spam filters.
Key findings
- Reputation Checks: Email filtering systems check the reputation of URLs within emails, and redirects to sites with poor reputations increase the likelihood of being filtered as spam.
- Blocklist Impact: If a domain used in a redirect is listed on blocklists (like Spamhaus), it can negatively impact email deliverability.
- SEO Dilution: Excessive redirects can dilute "link juice" and make it harder for search engines to understand a site, which indirectly affects deliverability.
- Canonicalization Issues: Improperly handled redirects can lead to canonicalization issues, potentially damaging reputation.
- Performance Impact: Long redirect chains can slow down page loading times, affecting user engagement and potentially triggering spam filters.
Key considerations
- Minimize Redirects: Reduce the number of redirects to avoid diluting link equity and triggering spam filters.
- Check URL Reputation: Ensure that redirected URLs lead to sites with good reputations to avoid filtering.
- Monitor Blocklists: Regularly check that domains used in redirects are not listed on blocklists.
- Implement Redirects Correctly: Handle redirects properly to avoid canonicalization issues.
- Optimize for Performance: Avoid long redirect chains to maintain fast page loading times and user engagement.
Technical article
Documentation from Spamhaus shares that if a domain used in a redirect is listed on their blocklists (due to spam activity, malware, etc.), it can negatively impact the deliverability of emails that link to it. This is because Spamhaus is used by many ISPs and email providers to filter spam.
5 Jul 2021 - Spamhaus
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft Learn explains that their email filtering systems check the reputation of URLs within emails. If a redirected URL leads to a site with a poor reputation (due to malware, phishing, etc.), the email is more likely to be filtered as spam, affecting deliverability.
10 Apr 2023 - Microsoft Learn
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