Summary
Google Workspace email suspensions for sales reps using tools like Outreach and Yesware stem from several interconnected factors. These include direct violations of Google's policies like sending unsolicited emails and exceeding sending limits, issues stemming from poor email practices such as high bounce rates, low engagement, and spam complaints, and technical configuration problems like improper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC). The use of sales tools, particularly for cold outreach, amplifies these risks if not managed carefully. Addressing these concerns through improved list hygiene, adherence to sending limits, obtaining explicit consent, and implementing proper email authentication is crucial for preventing suspensions and maintaining a positive sender reputation.
Key findings
- Unsolicited Email: Sending emails to recipients without their consent is a direct violation of Google's policies and leads to account suspensions.
- Exceeding Limits: Exceeding daily sending limits, especially with automated tools, can trigger suspensions.
- Poor List Hygiene: High bounce rates from sending to invalid or outdated addresses negatively impact sender reputation and lead to suspensions.
- Low Engagement: Consistently low engagement rates (opens, clicks) signal spam-like behavior and can result in account suspensions.
- Spam Complaints: High spam complaint rates are a strong indicator of unwanted email and trigger account suspensions.
- Authentication Failures: Incorrect or missing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records increase the likelihood of emails being marked as spam and suspended.
- Tool Misuse: Using sales tools in a way that mimics spam, such as sending mass, unpersonalized emails, increases the risk of suspension.
Key considerations
- Obtain Consent: Always obtain explicit consent from recipients before sending emails.
- Respect Limits: Adhere to Google Workspace's sending limits and consider gradual email warm-up for new accounts.
- Clean Lists: Regularly clean and validate email lists to minimize bounce rates.
- Improve Engagement: Focus on improving email engagement through personalization, segmentation, and relevant content.
- Authenticate Emails: Properly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to authenticate emails and improve deliverability.
- Monitor Reputation: Use Google Postmaster Tools to monitor domain reputation and identify potential issues.
- Tool Configuration: Configure sales tools carefully to avoid spam-like sending patterns and comply with Google Workspace policies.
- Audit Practices: Regularly audit sales reps' email practices to ensure compliance and prevent policy violations.
What email marketers say
9 marketer opinions
Sales reps' Google Workspace accounts are often suspended when using tools like Outreach or Yesware due to practices that violate Google's terms of service and anti-spam policies. These violations include sending unsolicited emails, exceeding sending limits, having poor list hygiene (high bounce rates), low engagement (low open/click rates), and high spam complaints. Technical issues like incorrect SPF/DKIM settings can also impact deliverability and lead to suspensions.
Key opinions
- Unsolicited Emails: Sending cold emails through sales tools often violates Google's anti-spam policies, resulting in account suspensions.
- Exceeding Limits: Exceeding Google Workspace's sending limits, particularly with automated tools, can trigger suspensions.
- Poor List Hygiene: High bounce rates from sending to invalid or outdated email addresses negatively impact sender reputation and lead to suspensions.
- Low Engagement: Consistently low engagement rates (opens, clicks) signal spam-like behavior and can result in account suspensions.
- Technical Setup: Incorrect SPF/DKIM settings can harm email deliverability and increase the risk of Google Workspace suspensions.
- Spam Complaints: High spam complaint rates are a strong indicator of unwanted email and trigger account suspensions.
Key considerations
- Compliance: Ensure all email practices comply with Google Workspace's terms of service and anti-spam policies.
- Sending Limits: Adhere to Google Workspace's sending limits and consider gradual email warm-up for new accounts.
- List Hygiene: Regularly clean and validate email lists to minimize bounce rates.
- Engagement: Focus on improving email engagement through personalization, segmentation, and relevant content.
- Authentication: Verify SPF, DKIM, and DMARC settings to authenticate emails and improve deliverability.
- Reputation: Implement strategies to protect and build sender reputation, such as using a dedicated sending domain and monitoring Postmaster Tools.
- Consent: Ensure that you have explicit consent before sending emails to people.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reply.io suggests using a dedicated sending domain. This separates sales outreach efforts from main business communications, helping protect the primary domain reputation and reducing the risk of Google Workspace suspensions.
17 May 2024 - Reply.io
Marketer view
Email marketer from Mailchimp explains that low engagement and high spam complaints can trigger Google Workspace suspensions. They recommend warming up new IPs, segmenting email lists, and personalizing emails to improve engagement and reduce spam complaints.
19 Jun 2023 - Mailchimp
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Sales reps' Google Workspace accounts face suspension when using tools like Outreach or Yesware due to practices violating Google's policies on unsolicited email and spam. These practices often include sending emails to individuals who haven't explicitly requested them, indicating a disregard for proper permission practices. Additionally, the very nature and marketing of some tools, like Yesware, can promote spam-like behavior, further increasing the risk of suspension if not carefully managed.
Key opinions
- Unsolicited Email: Sending emails through sales tools to individuals who have not requested them is a direct violation of Google Workspace rules and leads to suspension.
- Tool Design and Marketing: Some sales tools are designed or marketed in ways that encourage spam-like behavior, contributing to the risk of account suspension.
- Permission Practices: Lack of proper permission practices and compliance with recipient expectations are key factors leading to filtering and account suspension.
Key considerations
- Explicit Consent: Ensure all recipients have explicitly consented to receive emails before sending any communication through sales tools.
- Tool Configuration: Carefully configure sales tools to avoid spam-like sending patterns and comply with Google Workspace policies.
- Auditing Practices: Regularly audit sales reps' permission practices to ensure compliance and prevent violations that could lead to account suspensions.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that sending behavior mimicking spam or violating recipient expectations results in filtering and potential account suspension. Using sales tools without proper configuration and consent can lead to these issues.
25 Dec 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that if any emails sent by sales tools are to people who did not ask to be mailed, then the sender is not playing by the rules of Google Workspace.
6 Jul 2022 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
6 technical articles
Google Workspace email suspensions for sales reps using tools like Outreach or Yesware are primarily due to violations of Google's sending policies, including exceeding sending limits, sending unsolicited emails, and having a poor sender reputation caused by high spam complaints and bounce rates. Proper email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is crucial for verifying sender identity and preventing emails from being marked as spam, ultimately reducing the risk of suspension. Maintaining a clean email list is also essential for preventing high bounce rates and protecting sender reputation.
Key findings
- Sending Limits: Exceeding daily sending limits and recipient limits in Google Workspace leads to temporary restrictions or suspensions.
- Unsolicited Emails: Sending unsolicited emails, even when using sales tools, is a direct violation of Google's policies and results in account suspension.
- Poor Sender Reputation: High spam complaints negatively impact sender reputation, leading to deliverability issues and potential account suspensions.
- High Bounce Rates: Sending to invalid or outdated email addresses leads to high bounce rates, damaging sender reputation and triggering suspensions.
- Email Authentication: Lack of proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) increases the chance of emails being marked as spam, resulting in account suspensions.
Key considerations
- Monitor Limits: Monitor and adhere to Google Workspace's sending limits to avoid exceeding them.
- Obtain Consent: Ensure all recipients have explicitly opted-in to receive emails to avoid sending unsolicited messages.
- Track Reputation: Use Google Postmaster Tools to monitor domain reputation and identify potential issues.
- List Maintenance: Regularly clean and validate email lists to remove invalid or outdated addresses.
- Authentication Setup: Properly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to authenticate emails and improve deliverability.
- Policy Enforcement: Implement DMARC policies to protect domains from email spoofing and phishing attacks.
Technical article
Documentation from Google explains that Google Postmaster Tools helps monitor domain reputation. A poor reputation, stemming from high spam complaints, can lead to deliverability issues and potential account suspensions when sending emails through Google Workspace.
7 Mar 2025 - Google
Technical article
Documentation from Google states that exceeding sending limits can result in temporary restrictions or suspensions, which includes limits on the number of recipients and messages sent per day. It also states this is to combat spam and prevent abuse.
7 Jan 2024 - Google
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