Summary
Troubleshooting blocked images and warnings in promotional emails on Google Workspace requires a comprehensive approach, as these issues typically signal broader deliverability challenges. The core reasons often revolve around a sender's reputation, inadequate email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and insecure or poorly optimized image hosting. Google's stringent security measures, designed to protect users from tracking and malicious content, will block images from unknown or suspicious senders, issue warnings for untrustworthy sources, or flag domains listed in Google Webrisk. Solutions involve a combination of technical configurations, such as ensuring HTTPS for all image URLs and verifying authentication records, alongside strategic content and sending practices, including maintaining a strong sender reputation through engaged lists and balanced email designs. Both individual user settings and organization-wide Google Workspace administrator controls can also play a role in image display and warning mitigation.
Key findings
- Sender Reputation is Key: Blocked images and warnings are frequently symptoms of a poor sender reputation, influenced by factors such as spam complaints, bounces, and low recipient engagement.
- Authentication Deficiencies: A lack of proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) significantly contributes to Gmail perceiving senders as untrustworthy, leading to image blocking and warnings.
- Insecure Image Hosting: Images hosted insecurely (e.g., using HTTP instead of HTTPS) or on unreliable servers are often blocked or trigger security warnings by Gmail's rigorous security protocols.
- Google Webrisk Listings: Domains, including the sending domain, link domains, or shared tracking domains, being listed in Google Webrisk can cause content suppression, including blocked images and warnings.
- Google's Security Features: Gmail's image blocking and warnings are primarily security features designed to protect users from tracking pixels, malware, privacy breaches, and suspicious content, leading to stricter filtering.
- Workspace Admin Settings: Overly strict organization-wide email security settings or custom content compliance rules within Google Workspace can inadvertently block images from legitimate promotional emails.
- Content Design Flaws: Email designs that are excessively image-heavy, or 'deep links' directly to login pages without other content, can be flagged as suspicious and contribute to warnings or blocked images.
Key considerations
- Strengthen Sender Reputation: Consistently send relevant content to engaged audiences, manage sending frequency, and maintain list hygiene. A strong sender reputation, built through low spam complaints and good engagement, is crucial for images to display and warnings to be avoided.
- Implement Email Authentication: Properly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. These authentication protocols verify sender legitimacy, significantly improving sender reputation and reducing the likelihood of images being blocked as suspicious.
- Secure Image Hosting: Always use HTTPS for all image URLs and host images on reliable Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). Insecure links can trigger security warnings and prevent images from displaying.
- Optimize Image Content: Compress images for faster loading, use appropriate dimensions, implement responsive design, and always provide descriptive ALT text as a fallback. Use widely supported formats like JPG, PNG, or GIF.
- Review Google Workspace Settings: Administrators should review organization-wide email security settings, spam filters, and custom content compliance rules that might be inadvertently blocking legitimate external content. Users can adjust individual settings to 'Always display external images' or manually approve senders.
- Balance Image to Text Ratio: Maintain a balanced image-to-text ratio in email designs. Excessively image-heavy emails can negatively impact deliverability and image display, and critical information should not be conveyed solely through images.
- Avoid Suspicious Linking Practices: Be cautious of domains included in the email, whether from, link, or tracking domains, being listed in Google Webrisk. Also, avoid linking directly to login pages without other content, as Google may treat such 'deep links' poorly and issue warnings.
- Educate Recipients: Instruct recipients to add the sender's email address to their contacts or safe sender list. This action signals trustworthiness to Gmail and can help images display correctly.
- Consult Workspace Administrator: If issues persist, especially for organization-wide problems, the most appropriate action is to consult the Google Workspace administrator, as internal settings might be the cause.
What email marketers say
14 marketer opinions
When promotional emails in Google Workspace display blocked images or warnings, it's often a clear indication of underlying deliverability challenges rather than simple glitches. Google's sophisticated filtering systems, driven by user security and privacy, are designed to scrutinize email content and sender legitimacy. This means issues can stem from a sender's poor reputation, inadequate email authentication, or even the inclusion of domains flagged on Google Webrisk. Effective resolution requires a layered strategy that addresses technical configurations, optimizes email content and design, and acknowledges the role of both sender and recipient-side settings.
Key opinions
- Sender Reputation Impact: A sender's reputation, influenced by engagement, spam complaints, and overall sending behavior, directly affects whether images are displayed and warnings are triggered.
- Authentication as a Prerequisite: Proper implementation of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is fundamental for establishing sender trustworthiness, without which images are prone to blocking.
- Domain Reputation Concerns: The inclusion of any domain within an email, sending, linking, or tracking, that is listed on Google Webrisk can lead to images being suppressed or security warnings appearing.
- Image Optimization and Hosting: Suboptimal image practices, such as large file sizes, lack of ALT text, unsupported formats, or insecure hosting, contribute to display issues on Google Workspace.
- Google's Evolving Security: Google Workspace's stringent and continuously updated security protocols actively filter content to protect users from tracking pixels, malware, and privacy breaches, making deliverability more challenging.
- Administrator Controls: Organizational email security settings and custom content compliance rules managed by Google Workspace administrators can inadvertently block legitimate marketing email images.
- Content and Engagement: Email content that is excessively image-heavy or fails to engage recipients adequately can negatively impact sender reputation and image display.
Key considerations
- Prioritize Sender Reputation: Consistently building and maintaining a strong sender reputation through sending relevant content to engaged audiences, managing list hygiene, and optimizing sending frequency is crucial.
- Ensure Robust Email Authentication: Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records correctly to verify sender legitimacy, which significantly improves trust signals to Google and reduces image blocking likelihood.
- Optimize and Secure Image Delivery: Compress images, use appropriate dimensions, implement responsive design, provide descriptive ALT text, and host images securely via HTTPS, preferably on a reliable CDN. Avoid conveying critical information solely through images.
- Proactively Monitor Domain Health: Regularly check that all domains associated with email content, including the sender's, link, and tracking domains, are not listed on Google Webrisk. Test emails thoroughly to isolate any domain-related issues.
- Review Google Workspace Settings: For persistent issues, Google Workspace administrators should examine organizational security settings, spam filters, and content compliance rules that might be overly restrictive.
- Educate Recipients on Whitelisting: Encourage recipients to add the sender's email address to their contacts or safe sender list, which can enhance deliverability and ensure images display correctly.
- Stay Updated on Google's Policies: Keep informed about the latest Google Workspace security updates and anti-spam standards to ensure email practices remain compliant and deliverability is maintained.
- Consult Workspace Administrators: If troubleshooting points to organization-wide settings or potential account compromise, engaging the Google Workspace administrator is the most appropriate next step.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that recipients might need to adjust some settings or allow-list the sender. They also ask clarifying questions about the sender and recipient domains and raise the possibility of the sender having been compromised.
28 Nov 2024 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that the most appropriate action for blocked images and warnings is to go to the workspace administrator, not Klaviyo.
18 Apr 2023 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
3 expert opinions
Building on the understanding that deliverability issues manifest as blocked images and warnings, it's clear that Google Workspace prioritizes user safety and sender credibility. These specific issues often arise from a sender's perceived trustworthiness, which is heavily influenced by robust email authentication, prudent linking strategies, and an overall positive sender reputation. Addressing these factors comprehensively is vital for ensuring promotional emails display correctly and avoid security alerts.
Key opinions
- Suspicious Link Behavior: Direct links to login pages without supporting content are flagged, as are other suspicious link patterns, contributing to warnings and content suppression.
- Sender Trust & Authentication: The absence of proper email authentication protocols-SPF, DKIM, and DMARC-significantly erodes sender trustworthiness in Gmail's eyes, leading to blocked images and security warnings.
- Reputation's Role in Display: A sender's reputation, built through consistent positive engagement and minimal complaints, directly dictates whether images load and if 'Beware of this message' warnings are displayed.
- Content Mimicking Phishing: Emails containing content that mimics phishing attempts, even unintentionally, are highly likely to trigger severe warnings from Google Workspace.
Key considerations
- Fortify Email Authentication: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly set up and maintained, as this is a foundational step for establishing sender legitimacy and improving image display.
- Cultivate a Strong Sender Reputation: Consistently practice good email hygiene, send wanted content to engaged subscribers, and manage spam complaints and bounces to build a positive sender score.
- Scrutinize Linking Practices: Avoid 'deep links' that go directly to login pages without other substantive content. All links within promotional emails should be clean, secure, and clearly lead to relevant, non-suspicious pages.
- Design for Trustworthiness: Review email content carefully to ensure it doesn't inadvertently mimic phishing or suspicious activity, thereby reducing the likelihood of security warnings.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that Google sometimes issues warnings if an email links directly to a login page without any other actual content, treating such 'deep links' poorly.
10 Jul 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that Gmail displays 'Beware of this message' warnings for various reasons, including suspicious links, unauthenticated senders, and content mimicking phishing. Troubleshooting such warnings and ensuring images load involves verifying proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), avoiding suspicious link practices, and building a strong sender reputation to be trusted by Gmail, as these issues can lead to content suppression like blocked images in promotional emails on Google Workspace.
29 Dec 2022 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Troubleshooting blocked images and warnings in promotional emails on Google Workspace involves addressing both technical configurations and user-side settings. Google's robust security measures, which include advanced content analysis by security gateways, will block images from perceived untrustworthy or suspicious senders. This can be due to insecure image hosting, a sender's low reputation, or even organizational security policies. Resolving these issues requires a multi-pronged approach, spanning secure image delivery and thoughtful adjustments to both administrator and individual user settings.
Key findings
- Admin-Level Image Blocking: Google Workspace administrators can configure organization-wide security settings to automatically block images from senders deemed unknown or suspicious, affecting promotional emails.
- User-Controlled Image Display: Individual Gmail users have options to manage image display, including manually approving images, setting them to 'Always display external images' for specific senders, or adding senders to contacts to bypass blocks.
- Insecure Image Links Trigger Blocks: Images linked via insecure HTTP protocols, rather than secure HTTPS, are frequently blocked or trigger security warnings by Gmail's filtering systems.
- Security Gateways Scrutinize Content: Advanced email security gateways, such as those integrated within Google Workspace, rigorously analyze email content and sender reputation. Images may be blocked if the sender is untrustworthy, the image URL is unsafe, or the email exhibits phishing or spam-like characteristics.
Key considerations
- Review Google Workspace Admin Settings: Administrators should examine organization-wide security settings that might automatically block images from unknown or suspicious senders. Adjusting these settings can allow images to display for legitimate promotional emails.
- Advise Users on Individual Gmail Settings: Encourage recipients to adjust their personal Gmail settings to 'Always display external images' or to manually click 'Display images below' for specific emails. Also, guide them to add your sending address to their contacts.
- Ensure Secure Image Hosting: Host all email images on secure servers using HTTPS for image URLs, not HTTP. Utilizing reliable Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) for image hosting can also enhance trust and display consistency.
- Prioritize Sender Reputation and Security: A strong sender reputation, built on consistent engagement and proper email authentication, is critical. Images are often blocked, and warnings issued, if the sender's reputation is low or if the email content (including images) is flagged by advanced security gateways for suspicious characteristics.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that blocked images in promotional emails on Google Workspace can be due to security settings where Gmail automatically blocks images from unknown or suspicious senders. Administrators can review and adjust organization-wide settings to allow images, or users might need to manually approve senders.
2 Apr 2024 - Google Workspace Admin Help
Technical article
Documentation from Gmail Help explains that users can troubleshoot blocked images by adjusting their individual Gmail settings to 'Always display external images' or by manually clicking 'Display images below' for specific emails. Warnings often appear if Gmail perceives the sender as untrustworthy or the image source is insecure, prompting users to add senders to their contacts.
2 Jun 2023 - Gmail Help
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