Why do my first emails to new Gmail recipients go to spam?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 27 Jun 2025
Updated 19 Aug 2025
8 min read
It can be incredibly frustrating when your initial emails to new Gmail recipients consistently land in their spam folder, even if subsequent emails to the same recipient go directly to the inbox. This behavior, sometimes referred to as a first email to spam phenomenon, is a common deliverability challenge that many senders experience.
The core of the issue often lies with how Gmail, like other mailbox providers, assesses the trustworthiness of a sender, especially when encountering a domain or IP address for the first time in a new recipient's context. Gmail's sophisticated spam filters are designed to protect users from unwanted messages, and they err on the side of caution when a sender's reputation is not yet fully established or recognized by a specific recipient's inbox.
This guide explores the key factors contributing to this problem and outlines actionable steps to improve your email deliverability, ensuring your messages reliably reach the primary inbox of new Gmail contacts. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for maintaining a strong sender reputation.
Sender reputation and warming up
One of the most significant factors is your sender reputation, which is like a credit score for your email sending. Gmail assigns a reputation to your sending IP address and domain based on various signals, including past sending behavior, spam complaint rates, bounce rates, and engagement metrics. When you send to a new recipient, especially if your sending volume to Gmail has been low or inconsistent, your domain might still be in a warm-up phase. During this period, Gmail is still assessing your legitimacy.
New domains or those with limited sending history are particularly susceptible to this. Without a history of positive engagement and adherence to best practices, Gmail's filters will treat incoming mail with more suspicion. This can result in initial emails being routed to the spam folder, a protective measure to shield users from potential junk mail. If you're encountering this with a new sending domain, it might be beneficial to review why emails from new domains go to spam.
Once a recipient opens, clicks, or replies to your first email from the spam folder, or moves it to the inbox, Gmail records this positive interaction. This helps build a positive sending reputation specifically for that recipient and improves future deliverability. Over time, consistent positive engagement across many new recipients will strengthen your overall sender reputation with Gmail's spam filters, making it less likely for your initial emails to new contacts to be flagged.
Understanding sender reputation
Email authentication protocols
Proper email authentication is non-negotiable for email deliverability, especially with new Gmail recipients. Authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC prove to Gmail that your emails are legitimately coming from your domain and have not been tampered with. Without these in place, or if they are misconfigured, your emails are far more likely to be flagged as suspicious, even if your sender reputation is otherwise good. This is a common reason Gmail sends mail to spam folders.
Gmail relies heavily on these authentication records to verify sender identity. If you're setting up a new domain or IP, ensuring these records are correctly configured from day one is paramount. This foundational step helps Gmail trust your sending origin, which is particularly important for initial interactions with new contacts.
A robust DMARC policy, especially one set to quarantine or reject, signals to Gmail that you are serious about preventing email spoofing and phishing. Even if your initial emails go to spam, proper authentication provides a strong signal of legitimacy that can help in future deliveries to the same recipient. You can learn more about SPF, DKIM, and DMARC in our comprehensive guide.
The role of authentication
Common authentication issues
Missing records: No SPF, DKIM, or DMARC records published for your sending domain.
Incorrect configuration: Typos in records, wrong IP addresses in SPF, or incorrect DKIM selectors.
Alignment failures: DMARC requires SPF and/or DKIM to align with the From domain. Without this, DMARC will fail.
The impact of engagement
Even with perfect technical setup, your email content and how recipients interact with it play a huge role. Gmail's filters analyze the content for spam triggers, such as excessive use of all caps, too many exclamation marks, suspicious links, or certain keywords commonly associated with spam. If your first email to a new contact contains these elements, it's more likely to be filtered.
More importantly, Gmail tracks engagement. If a new recipient does not open your email, or worse, marks it as spam, this negatively impacts your sender reputation with Gmail. Subsequent positive engagement is what tells Gmail that your emails are desired. Conversely, a lack of engagement, especially on initial emails, can lead Gmail to continue routing your messages to the spam (or promotions) folder for that recipient and potentially for others. This is why a sudden drop in Gmail deliverability can be a sign of trouble.
To combat this, focus on sending highly personalized and relevant emails, especially for initial outreach. Encourage recipients to add you to their contacts or move your email to their primary inbox. Explicitly asking for this positive action can significantly improve future inbox placement for that specific recipient, and cumulatively, for your overall Gmail sender reputation. You can also monitor your domain reputation using Google Postmaster Tools.
Content and recipient engagement
Before engagement
When a new recipient receives your first email, Gmail's filters have minimal historical data to evaluate your sender reputation specific to that user. The system relies heavily on broader signals like domain age, overall sending volume, generic spam triggers in content, and the presence of basic authentication records. If any of these are weak, the email might initially land in spam or promotions.
After engagement
Once a recipient opens your email, marks it as not spam, replies, or moves it to their primary inbox, Gmail's algorithms learn that this specific user desires your emails. This positive signal significantly boosts your sender reputation for that individual, ensuring subsequent emails are more likely to reach the inbox directly.
Technical aspects and list quality
Beyond reputation and content, certain technical configurations and practices can inadvertently trigger spam filters for new recipients. For instance, being listed on an email blocklist (or blacklist) can severely impact your deliverability, regardless of whether you're sending to a new or existing contact. While a blocklist entry might not always be the primary reason for initial spam placement for new recipients, it certainly exacerbates any existing deliverability issues. Knowing what happens when your domain is on an email blacklist is critical.
Email volume, frequency, and consistency also play a role. Sending a large volume of emails to a completely new list, especially from a fresh IP or domain, without proper warm-up can overwhelm Gmail's filters, leading to spam folder placement. Even if your emails are legitimate, this sudden spike can resemble typical spamming behavior.
Lastly, the quality of your recipient list is paramount. Sending to old, unengaged, or purchased lists can introduce spam traps and high bounce rates, which are major red flags for Gmail. A clean, opt-in list is the foundation of good deliverability and will significantly reduce the chances of your first emails going to spam. If you're struggling with cold email deliverability, check out why cold emails go to spam.
The phenomenon of initial emails to new Gmail recipients landing in spam, only for subsequent emails to reach the inbox, highlights the dynamic and adaptive nature of Gmail's spam filters. It's a clear indication that a positive sender reputation is built over time through consistent, authentic engagement and adherence to best practices.
While there isn't a single switch to flip, a multi-faceted approach focusing on robust authentication, thoughtful content, and strategic list management is key. By proactively managing these elements, you can significantly improve your chances of consistently landing in the primary inbox for all your Gmail recipients, old and new alike.
Maintaining vigilance over your email deliverability is an ongoing process. Regularly monitoring your sender reputation, analyzing engagement metrics, and adapting your sending strategies will help you navigate the complexities of modern email filtering and ensure your messages reach their intended audience.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Implement a gradual warm-up strategy for new domains or IPs to build trust with Gmail's filters over time, starting with small volumes and increasing steadily.
Always ensure your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured and aligned for your sending domain.
Prioritize sending relevant, personalized content that encourages positive engagement from recipients, such as opens and replies.
Actively encourage new recipients to move your email from spam/promotions to their primary inbox.
Maintain a clean email list by regularly removing unengaged subscribers and bounced addresses to improve overall list hygiene.
Common pitfalls
Sending large volumes of emails from a brand new domain or IP without a proper warm-up schedule can trigger spam filters.
Neglecting email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) or having misconfigured records will severely impact deliverability.
Using generic, templated content or excessive spam trigger words in your initial emails to new contacts.
Acquiring email lists through non-opt-in methods, which often leads to poor engagement and high spam complaints.
Ignoring low open rates or high spam complaint rates on initial sends, as this negatively impacts your sender reputation.
Expert tips
Leverage Google Postmaster Tools to gain insights into your domain's reputation, spam rates, and authentication status with Gmail.
Segment your new subscribers and send them specific, highly engaging welcome emails designed to encourage initial positive interaction.
Consider using a double opt-in process to ensure that all new subscribers genuinely want to receive your emails, improving engagement from the start.
Regularly test your email deliverability to various email providers, including Gmail, using dedicated tools to identify issues early.
Educate your new recipients about whitelisting your email address or moving your emails to their primary inbox.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says they observed initial emails going to spam, then subsequent identical emails landing in the inbox a few days later.
2022-02-10 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says this behavior is expected with new domains, low-volume senders, or those without established reputations.
