Summary
Spam complaints arise from a multitude of interconnected factors relating to email marketing practices. These include sending to outdated or purchased email lists, using deceptive subject lines, lacking clear unsubscribe options, and failing to properly authenticate emails using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Poor sender reputation, sending unsolicited emails, and not obtaining explicit consent from subscribers also significantly contribute to complaints. To mitigate these issues, it's crucial to focus on permission-based marketing, segment email lists, personalize content, and regularly clean subscriber lists. Implement double opt-in, set clear expectations, provide valuable content, and promptly handle bounces and complaints. Maintaining a reputable sender reputation through best practices, such as using a reliable ESP and continuously monitoring feedback loops, can significantly reduce the likelihood of spam complaints and improve overall email deliverability. Immediate unsubscription and investigation of complaints are essential for addressing underlying issues and maintaining a healthy email program.
Key findings
- List Hygiene: Sending to outdated or purchased lists is a primary cause of spam complaints. Regular list cleaning and validation are critical to avoid spam traps.
- Permission & Consent: Lack of explicit consent and failure to use double opt-in lead to higher spam complaint rates. Permission-based marketing is essential for ethical email practices.
- Content & Subject Lines: Deceptive subject lines and unengaging content increase the likelihood of spam complaints. Providing valuable and relevant content is vital.
- Authentication: Poor email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is a significant factor leading to spam complaints and deliverability issues.
- Sender Reputation: Spam complaints negatively impact sender reputation, potentially leading to blacklisting and reduced deliverability.
- Unsubscribe Process: Failing to provide a clear and easy unsubscribe option increases the likelihood of spam complaints.
- Feedback Loops: Feedback loops provide valuable information for identifying and addressing issues that lead to spam complaints.
Key considerations
- Implement Double Opt-In: Use double opt-in to ensure subscribers genuinely want to receive emails, reducing the risk of complaints.
- Segment Email Lists: Segment email lists to deliver personalized and relevant content, increasing engagement and reducing spam reports.
- Provide Valuable Content: Ensure the content you send is valuable and engaging to keep subscribers interested and less likely to mark your emails as spam.
- Reputable ESP: Use a reputable Email Service Provider (ESP) to ensure compliance with best practices and maintain optimal deliverability.
- Monitor Feedback Loops: Actively monitor feedback loops to identify and promptly address issues leading to spam complaints.
- Ensure Authentication: Correctly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate emails and improve deliverability.
- Easy Unsubscribe: Provide an easy and accessible unsubscribe process for all subscribers to avoid frustration and spam complaints.
- Regular List Cleaning: Implement a consistent list hygiene process to remove inactive or outdated email addresses and avoid spam traps.
- Complaint Handling: Establish a protocol for promptly addressing and resolving subscriber complaints to mitigate any potential damage to your sender reputation.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
Spam complaints in email marketing arise from various factors, including sending to outdated or purchased lists, using deceptive subject lines, lacking clear unsubscribe options, and poor email authentication. To mitigate these issues, marketers should focus on permission-based marketing, segmenting lists, personalizing content, and consistently cleaning their subscriber lists. Implementing double opt-in, setting clear expectations, and providing valuable content are also essential. Furthermore, maintaining a reputable sender reputation, following email marketing best practices with a reliable ESP, and using clear opt-in forms contribute to reducing spam complaints and improving overall email deliverability.
Key opinions
- List Hygiene: Sending to outdated or purchased lists is a primary cause of spam complaints. Regular list cleaning and validation are critical.
- Permission & Consent: Lack of explicit consent and failure to use double opt-in lead to higher spam complaint rates. Permission-based marketing is essential.
- Content & Subject Lines: Deceptive subject lines and unengaging content increase the likelihood of spam complaints. Providing value and setting clear expectations are important.
- Sender Reputation: Spam complaints negatively impact sender reputation, potentially leading to deliverability issues and blacklisting.
- Email Authentication: Poor email authentication is a significant factor in spam complaints. Proper authentication improves deliverability.
- Unsubscribe Process: Failing to offer easy unsubscribe options can lead to spam complaints as subscribers feel trapped. An easy unsubscribe process is important.
Key considerations
- Double Opt-In: Implement double opt-in to ensure subscribers genuinely want to receive emails.
- List Segmentation: Segment email lists to deliver personalized and relevant content.
- Content Value: Provide valuable and engaging content to keep subscribers interested.
- Reputable ESP: Use a reputable Email Service Provider (ESP) to ensure compliance with best practices and maintain deliverability.
- Monitor Feedback Loops: Actively monitor feedback loops to identify and address issues leading to spam complaints.
- Authentication Protocols: Ensure email authentication is properly configured (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
- Easy Unsubscribe: Make it as easy as possible for your subscribers to unsubscribe. You don't want to make people search for the unsubscribe link or they will just hit the 'report spam' button.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Sendinblue shares that to reduce spam complaints, businesses should focus on permission-based marketing, segmenting email lists, personalizing content, and cleaning inactive subscribers.
14 Aug 2022 - Sendinblue
Marketer view
Email marketer from Constant Contact explains that high spam rates often stem from sending to unengaged subscribers, using misleading subject lines, or not obtaining explicit consent. They recommend focusing on list hygiene and delivering relevant content.
18 Feb 2023 - Constant Contact
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Based on the provided expert opinions, spam complaints are often a consequence of poor email practices, particularly sending to outdated addresses. Maintaining list hygiene is crucial to avoid spam traps. Upon receiving a complaint, immediate unsubscription is necessary, followed by an investigation to identify and rectify underlying issues within the email program.
Key opinions
- Old Addresses = Spam: Sending emails to old or unengaged addresses significantly increases the risk of spam complaints due to potential spam traps.
- Respond to Complaints: When a subscriber complains, swift unsubscription is essential.
- Investigate Source: Complaints should trigger an investigation to uncover broader problems within the email strategy and practices.
- Hygiene is key: Consistently cleaning your list will help avoid people who no longer want to receive emails.
Key considerations
- Regular List Cleaning: Implement a consistent list hygiene process to remove inactive or outdated email addresses.
- Complaint Handling: Establish a protocol for promptly addressing and resolving subscriber complaints.
- Proactive Improvement: Use feedback from complaints to continuously improve email practices and prevent future issues.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise (Laura Atkins) explains that sending emails to old addresses can lead to spam complaints and deliverability issues, as these addresses might have been converted into spam traps. They advocate for consistent list hygiene practices.
8 Nov 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks responds saying that if you want spam complaints then this is how you get spam complaints.
5 Mar 2024 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
According to email documentation standards and best practices, spam complaints arise from factors such as failing to authenticate emails (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), sending unsolicited emails, lacking clear unsubscribe processes, and neglecting sender reputation. Mitigating these complaints involves adopting confirmed opt-in, providing valuable content, promptly addressing bounces and complaints, and implementing DMARC to protect against spoofing and phishing. Utilizing feedback loops is also vital for identifying and removing complainants from mailing lists, thereby improving overall email sending practices.
Key findings
- Authentication Matters: Lack of proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is a major cause of emails going to spam and generating complaints.
- Unsolicited Emails are Bad: Sending unsolicited emails leads to spam complaints.
- Unsubscribe is Key: Failure to provide a clear and easy unsubscribe process contributes to spam complaints.
- Sender Reputation is Important: Maintaining a good sender reputation is crucial for avoiding spam filters and complaints.
- Feedback Loops are Useful: Feedback loops allow senders to identify and remove users who mark emails as spam, improving sending practices.
- DMARC Protects: Implementing DMARC helps protect domains from spoofing and phishing attacks, reducing illegitimate spam complaints.
- Opt-In: Using confirmed opt-in is important for permission based marketing and reduces complaints.
Key considerations
- Implement Authentication: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are correctly configured.
- Obtain Consent: Adopt confirmed opt-in to verify subscriber consent.
- Provide Value: Consistently send valuable and relevant content to maintain subscriber engagement.
- Monitor Reputation: Regularly monitor sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
- Utilize Feedback Loops: Participate in feedback loops to promptly address and remove complainants.
- Clear Unsubscribe: Ensure an easy and accessible unsubscribe process is available to all subscribers.
- Handle Bounces: Handle bounces and complaints promptly to improve sending practices.
Technical article
Documentation from DMARC.org details that implementing DMARC helps protect your domain from email spoofing and phishing attacks, which can reduce the likelihood of spam complaints due to illegitimate emails being sent on your behalf.
20 May 2023 - DMARC.org
Technical article
Documentation from Google explains that to prevent emails from going to spam, you should authenticate your email with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, avoid sending unsolicited emails, and ensure a clear unsubscribe process. They also emphasize monitoring sender reputation through Google Postmaster Tools.
25 Apr 2025 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Are spam complaint rates siloed by provider affecting deliverability?
How can I accurately monitor complaint rates for email marketing using Google Postmaster Tools, Yahoo FBL, and my ESP?
How can I identify users generating spam complaints using Google Postmaster Tools?
How can I identify which users marked my emails as spam in Gmail?
How do DMARC, spam complaints, and IP reputation affect email deliverability and rejections?
How do spam complaints and user interaction affect domain reputation?
