Why are emails from my .is (Icelandic) domain using Gsuite landing in spam even with proper authentication?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 29 Jun 2025
Updated 19 Aug 2025
7 min read
Dealing with emails landing in spam is a frustrating experience, especially when you've diligently set up your authentication records. It's even more perplexing when it happens with a seemingly standard setup like Gsuite, and from a less common Top-Level Domain (TLD) like .is (Icelandic). You might assume that with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC in place, your emails should sail smoothly into inboxes, but unfortunately, deliverability is a complex puzzle with many pieces.
My experience, and that of many others, shows that even perfect authentication is just one part of the solution. While essential, it doesn't guarantee your emails will bypass spam filters. Various other factors, ranging from domain reputation to the content of your emails and even the historical sending patterns associated with your Gsuite account, play a significant role.
It's common for personal or operational emails, even if low volume, to fall victim to these hidden traps. The internet is full of discussions about G Suite emails landing in spam despite proper setup. Let's delve into why this might be happening with your .is domain and what steps you can take to diagnose and fix the issue.
While having SPF, DKIM, and DMARC correctly configured is the first crucial step, it doesn't automatically mean your emails will always reach the inbox. These protocols primarily verify that an email originated from an authorized sender and hasn't been tampered with. However, mailbox providers like Google also consider a range of other signals when deciding whether to place an email in the inbox or the spam folder.
Think of authentication as your passport for email, proving your identity. But just because you have a valid passport doesn't mean you can bypass all customs checks or that your past travel history won't be considered. Email deliverability operates similarly, with reputation being a critical factor built over time based on your sending practices.
If you're confident that your authentication records are correctly set up and resolving, the next step is to look beyond them. Sometimes, even emails passing all authentication can still struggle with inbox placement. This often points to issues related to sender reputation, content, or recipient engagement, which are equally important as technical authentication.
Deeper insights with DMARC reports
While you may have DMARC set up, are you actively monitoring its reports? DMARC reports provide invaluable data on who is sending email on behalf of your domain, whether those emails pass or fail authentication, and how mailbox providers are handling them. This can reveal legitimate sending sources you weren't aware of or highlight subtle configuration issues that lead to failures.
Even with a p=none DMARC policy, you should be receiving aggregate and forensic reports that offer a detailed view of your email ecosystem. Analyzing these reports is a proactive step in identifying the root cause of deliverability issues.
Unseen reputation impacts
Your domain's reputation is arguably the most critical factor in email deliverability, even for a domain that's been registered for a long time like your .is domain. Reputation is built over time based on sending volume, bounce rates, spam complaint rates, and recipient engagement. A low or questionable reputation can send emails straight to spam, regardless of authentication.
Even for personal communication, if your domain has ever been associated with problematic sending in the past, or if you're experiencing a sudden spike in activity (even if legitimate), it can trigger spam filters. Gsuite leverages its extensive network data, and any red flags associated with your domain or the IP addresses Google uses to send your emails can impact deliverability. You can gain valuable insights by checking your domain's health in Google Postmaster Tools.
Positive indicators
High engagement: Recipients consistently open and click your emails, and mark them as 'not spam'.
Low bounce rates: Minimal hard or soft bounces, indicating a clean mailing list.
Consistent sending: Stable sending volume and frequency over time.
Proper authentication: Valid SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records that pass checks.
Negative indicators
Spam complaints: Recipients mark your emails as spam, even a few can be damaging.
Low engagement: Lack of opens, clicks, or recipients deleting emails without opening.
Inconsistent sending: Sporadic high volumes followed by inactivity, which can look suspicious.
Blacklisting (blocklisting): Your domain or associated IP address appears on a public blacklist.
Understanding these factors and continuously monitoring your domain's performance through tools like Google Postmaster Tools is essential for maintaining good deliverability.
Technical considerations and account context
Beyond the standard SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, other technical configurations can influence deliverability. One often overlooked aspect is the PTR record (Pointer Record), also known as a reverse DNS record. While not always strictly required for outbound mail, a correctly configured PTR record that resolves your IP address back to your domain adds an extra layer of trust for recipient servers. If your Gsuite-assigned IP doesn't have a proper PTR record, some stricter spam filters might flag your mail. This is more common with self-hosted mail servers, but can sometimes play a subtle role even with services like Gsuite.
Checking PTR record for an IP addressBASH
dig -x 192.0.2.1 +short
Another critical area is blacklisting (or blocklisting). Even if your domain is old and primarily used for personal, low-volume communication, it could still end up on an email blacklist (or blocklist). This can happen if an email account associated with your domain was compromised and used to send spam, or if a shared IP address used by Gsuite was listed due to another user's malicious activity. While Gsuite actively manages its IPs, issues can still arise.
Don't overlook blacklisting (blocklisting)
A domain's age (like your 2014 .is domain) doesn't make it immune to blacklists. Even low-volume senders can get blocklisted if their emails trigger spam traps or generate complaints. Check if your domain or any associated IP addresses are on major blacklists. You can use a blocklist checker to quickly see your status. Learn more about how blacklists work and how they affect deliverability.
Finally, consider the broader context of your Gsuite account. If it's used for multiple domains, especially if some of those domains have poor sending practices or are used for bulk sending, it could negatively impact the reputation of all domains under that account, including your .is domain. Shared resources can lead to shared reputation problems. Ensure your account's overall health is good.
Content, engagement, and recipient behavior
The actual content of your emails plays a significant role, even for personal communications. Spam filters analyze everything from keywords and phrases to link structures and attachments. Using overly promotional language, suspicious links (even if legitimate, if they resemble phishing attempts), or certain file types can trigger filters. Ensure your emails are clear, concise, and free of anything that might appear suspicious.
Recipient engagement is another major signal for mailbox providers. If your emails are consistently ignored, deleted without being opened, or worse, marked as spam by recipients, it tells the receiving server that your messages are not valued. This lack of engagement can quickly degrade your sender reputation, making it harder for future emails to reach the inbox, even with perfect authentication.
Encourage recipients to add you to their contacts or mark your emails as 'not spam.' While difficult for personal emails, positive interactions directly improve your sender reputation. Conversely, if you send to old, inactive, or invalid email addresses, it can lead to high bounce rates or hits on spam traps, both of which severely harm your deliverability.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Actively monitor your DMARC reports to identify all sending sources and authentication failures.
Regularly check your domain and associated IPs for listings on common email blacklists and blocklists.
Ensure consistency in sending patterns and volumes, even for personal communication.
Common pitfalls
Assuming perfect authentication is sufficient for inbox placement.
Neglecting domain and IP reputation, which build over time from sending behavior.
Not checking for blocklistings (blacklistings) even for low-volume domains.
Expert tips
Pay attention to any warnings or alerts in Google Postmaster Tools for your domain.
Review your email content for anything that might inadvertently trigger spam filters.
Consider if multiple domains under the same Gsuite account could be impacting each other's reputation.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that while authentication records like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are foundational, deliverability issues often stem from other factors, so verifying that these are resolving correctly is just the first step.
2020-03-12 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says that it's important to investigate if the problematic domain is the only one associated with that Gsuite account, as other domains could be affecting its reputation.
2020-03-12 - Email Geeks
Navigating deliverability challenges
The challenge of emails from your .is domain using Gsuite landing in spam, despite proper authentication, highlights the multi-layered nature of email deliverability. It's rarely one single factor, but rather a combination of reputation, technical nuances, and recipient behavior.
To effectively troubleshoot, systematically investigate your domain's reputation with Google Postmaster Tools, check for blacklistings (blocklistings), ensure no hidden sending sources are impacting your DMARC reports, and consider the overall health of your Gsuite account if it manages multiple domains. Also, pay close attention to your email content and how recipients interact with your messages.
Resolving deliverability issues requires patience and a holistic approach. By addressing these often overlooked areas, you can significantly improve the chances of your Gsuite emails reaching the inbox, no matter the TLD.
Google also consider a range of other signals when deciding whether to place an email in the inbox or the spam folder.
