Why are my emails going to the promotions tab in Gmail? - Knowledge Base

Summary

To resolve Gmail blocking emails from a WooCommerce WordPress site, experts, marketers, and documentation sources offer consistent advice. Key issues include sender IP problems, authentication failures (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), spam issues from forms, and mail generation software reputation. Solutions involve using a consistent IP address, authenticating emails, employing a dedicated SMTP service or plugin, maintaining a clean email list, ensuring the 'From' address matches the domain, configuring the Return-Path, monitoring domain reputation via Google Postmaster Tools, and checking email spam scores. Good list hygiene, segmentation, personalized content, and proactive bounce management are also essential.

Key findings

Authentication: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for proving your emails are legitimate and avoiding spam filters.
SMTP Service: Using a dedicated SMTP service or plugin improves deliverability by bypassing WordPress's default email sending limitations.
Sender Reputation: Maintaining a good sender reputation is essential for avoiding Gmail blocking. Monitor through Google Postmaster Tools.
Return-Path: Correctly setting up the Return-Path is important for managing bounce messages and improving trust.
Email List Hygiene: Clean and segmented email lists improve engagement and reduce the likelihood of being marked as spam.
IP Consistency: Using a consistent IP address for sending emails helps maintain a positive reputation.
'From' Address: Ensure that the 'From' address used in WooCommerce email settings matches the sending domain.
Spam Score: Checking your email's spam score with tools like Mail Tester can help identify and fix issues before sending.

Key considerations

Authentication Setup: Validate and regularly update your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
Service Selection: Choose a reliable SMTP service or plugin with robust sending capabilities.
Monitoring Tools: Utilize Google Postmaster Tools and other email testing tools to proactively identify deliverability issues.
List Management: Implement strategies for list hygiene, segmentation, and personalized content to enhance engagement and reduce spam complaints.
Address Consistency: Maintain consistency in the 'From' address to align with your domain's identity.
IP Monitoring: Monitor your sending IP for potential reputation issues that may lead to blocking.
Bounce Management: Implement effective bounce management practices to improve deliverability metrics.
Software Reputation: Be aware of the reputation of the mail generation software or service you are using.
Form Security: Ensure that other forms on your website are not contributing to spam problems that could affect your domain's reputation.

What email marketers say

9 marketer opinions

To fix Gmail blocking emails from a WooCommerce WordPress site, several solutions are recommended. The most frequent recommendations are to properly configure email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), use a dedicated SMTP service or plugin to bypass WordPress's default email sending, ensure the 'From' address matches your domain, and monitor your sender reputation and bounce rates. Setting up the Return-Path correctly is also crucial. Finally, using tools to check your email's spam score before sending can help identify and resolve issues.

Key opinions

Authentication: Proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is crucial for proving your emails are legitimate.
SMTP Service: Using a dedicated SMTP service or plugin improves deliverability by bypassing WordPress's default email sending limitations.
Sender Reputation: Maintaining a good sender reputation is essential for avoiding Gmail blocking.
Return-Path: Correctly setting up the Return-Path is important for managing bounce messages and improving trust.
Email Address: The 'From' address in WooCommerce should match the domain you're sending from for consistency.
Spam Score: Checking your email's spam score with tools like Mail Tester can help identify and fix issues before sending.

Key considerations

SMTP Configuration: Choose a reliable SMTP service or plugin that allows you to configure the necessary email settings.
DNS Records: Ensure your domain has proper DNS records, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, to validate your emails.
Monitoring: Regularly monitor your sender reputation, bounce rates, and spam reports to identify and address any deliverability issues.
Email Testing: Always test your emails using tools like Mail Tester to identify and resolve potential spam triggers before sending them to your audience.
From Address Consistency: Ensure that the 'From' address used in WooCommerce email settings matches the sending domain to avoid being flagged as potentially harmful.

Marketer view

Email marketer from Neil Patel explains that improving sender reputation, authenticating emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and consistently monitoring bounce rates are essential for avoiding Gmail blocking.

8 Feb 2025 - Neil Patel

Marketer view

Email marketer from SendLayer shares to use a tool like Mail Tester to check your emails' spam score before sending them to Gmail users. This allows you to identify and fix any issues that may cause Gmail to block your emails.

13 Dec 2022 - SendLayer

What the experts say

4 expert opinions

Experts suggest that Gmail blocking issues often stem from several key areas. These include problems with the sending IP address, spam issues originating from other forms on the same site, authentication failures (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and the reputation of the mail generation software. Implementing good list hygiene practices, such as removing old emails and using double opt-in, and monitoring for spam traps are also vital for improving deliverability. Checking for custom return paths is another consideration.

Key opinions

IP Reputation: Issues with the sending IP address can cause emails to be blocked.
Authentication: Authentication failures, specifically with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, are a primary cause of delivery problems.
List Hygiene: Good list hygiene practices and spam trap monitoring are essential for maintaining deliverability.
Software Reputation: The reputation of the mail generation software can affect whether emails are blocked.
Return Path: Checking if a custom return path is in use is important.

Key considerations

IP Address Monitoring: Regularly monitor your sending IP address for any reputation issues.
Authentication Setup: Ensure that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured and validated.
List Maintenance: Implement and maintain good list hygiene practices to remove invalid or inactive email addresses.
Software Evaluation: Evaluate the reputation of your email sending software or service.
Form Security: Ensure that other forms on your website are not contributing to spam problems that could affect your domain's reputation.

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks asks if a custom return path was used to resolve the issue.

20 Jun 2023 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that a very high percentage of email delivery problems are the result of authentication failures. Check SPF, DKIM and DMARC records.

25 Oct 2021 - Word to the Wise

What the documentation says

4 technical articles

To prevent Gmail from blocking emails from a WooCommerce WordPress site, documentation suggests several key actions. Use a consistent IP address, keep SPF records current, and monitor your domain's reputation via Google Postmaster Tools. Employ a transactional email service and configure WooCommerce to use SMTP, potentially utilizing plugins like 'WP Mail SMTP'. Maintain a clean email list by segmenting audiences and personalizing content to boost engagement and avoid spam flags. Ensure the Return-Path is correctly set up for proper bounce management.

Key findings

Consistent IP: Using a consistent IP address for sending emails helps maintain a positive reputation.
Updated SPF: Keeping SPF records up to date ensures that authorized servers are sending emails on your behalf.
Domain Reputation: Monitoring your domain's reputation through Google Postmaster Tools provides insights into deliverability issues.
Transactional Email Service: Utilizing a transactional email service and SMTP configuration improves email delivery.
Clean Email List: Maintaining a clean, segmented, and personalized email list enhances engagement and reduces spam flags.
Return-Path Setup: Properly configuring the Return-Path ensures effective management of bounce messages.

Key considerations

Google Postmaster Tools: Regularly review Google Postmaster Tools for feedback on your domain's email performance.
SMTP Configuration: Carefully configure SMTP settings and choose a reliable transactional email service.
List Segmentation: Segment your email list to send targeted and relevant content to specific audiences.
Content Personalization: Personalize email content to increase engagement and reduce the likelihood of being marked as spam.
Bounce Management: Monitor and manage bounce messages by correctly setting up the Return-Path to identify and resolve delivery issues.

Technical article

Documentation from RFC-Editor explains the Return-Path (also known as the envelope sender), is the email address that bounce messages should be sent to. Setting this up correctly ensures bounces are managed.

10 Sep 2021 - RFC-Editor

Technical article

Documentation from Mailjet explains the importance of maintaining a clean email list, segmenting audiences, and personalizing content to improve engagement and reduce the chances of being flagged as spam by Gmail.

16 Nov 2021 - Mailjet