Summary
Google Group emails often end up in spam due to several interconnected factors. The platform's association with spam activities has led ISPs to implement stricter filters. Technical issues, such as Yahoo's DMARC policy (p=reject) affecting Yahoo users and a lack of proper email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), contribute to deliverability problems. Poor sender reputation stemming from low engagement, sending to unengaged recipients, and spam complaints further exacerbate the issue. To improve deliverability, alternatives like discussion list servers (listservs), reputable email marketing services, or dedicated email servers should be considered. It's crucial to maintain good list hygiene by regularly removing inactive subscribers, personalize email content, avoid spam trigger words, monitor sender reputation, and ensure consistent sending IP addresses.
Key findings
- Spam Association & Fingerprinting: Google Groups are often used for spam, leading to fingerprinting and stricter filtering by ISPs.
- Yahoo DMARC Issues: Yahoo's DMARC policy (p=reject) can cause deliverability problems for Yahoo users in Google Groups.
- Authentication Deficiencies: Lack of proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication significantly impacts deliverability.
- Poor Sender Reputation: Low engagement, spam complaints, and sending to unengaged recipients contribute to a poor sender reputation.
- Hardened Filters: Free Google Groups on shared domains often face hardened filters due to years of spam abuse.
Key considerations
- Alternative Platforms: Consider dedicated email servers, reputable email marketing services, discussion list servers (listservs) like gaggle.email, groups.io, or checking for group email options with hosting providers.
- Email Authentication Setup: Properly configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records to authenticate your emails and verify sender identity.
- List Hygiene Practices: Regularly clean your email list by removing inactive subscribers and implement double opt-in processes.
- Sender Reputation Management: Monitor your sender reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools and take proactive steps to improve it.
- Content Optimization: Personalize email content, avoid spam trigger words, and use a consistent sending IP address.
- Engagement Improvement: Focus on delivering valuable content to engaged users and encourage recipients to vote emails out of spam or create rules for the sender.
What email marketers say
13 marketer opinions
Google Group emails often land in spam due to their association with spam activities, leading ISPs to implement stricter filters. Poor sender reputation, low engagement, and failure to authenticate emails using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC also contribute to deliverability issues. Alternatives include using dedicated email servers, reputable email marketing services, or other group communication platforms. Maintaining list hygiene by removing inactive subscribers, personalizing email content, avoiding spam trigger words, and monitoring sender reputation are crucial for improving email deliverability.
Key opinions
- Spam Association: Google Groups are frequently used for spam, causing ISPs to flag them.
- Hardened Filters: Free Google Groups on shared domains often have hardened filters due to spam abuse.
- Authentication Failure: Lack of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication negatively impacts deliverability.
- Poor Reputation: Low sender reputation and low engagement contribute to emails going to spam.
- Engagement is Key: Low engagement with subscribers hurts email deliverability.
Key considerations
- Alternative Platforms: Consider using dedicated email servers, email marketing services, or groups.io as alternatives.
- List Hygiene: Regularly clean your email list by removing inactive subscribers.
- Email Authentication: Implement SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate your emails.
- Personalization: Personalize emails to increase engagement and avoid spam filters.
- Spam Trigger Words: Avoid using spam trigger words in your email subject line and body.
- Sender Reputation: Monitor your sender reputation and take steps to improve it.
Marketer view
Email marketer from EmailGeek Forum shares that many ISPs have filters that specifically target emails originating from Google Groups because they are often used for spam. Suggests using a different platform for sending group emails to avoid these filters.
3 Sep 2023 - EmailGeek Forum
Marketer view
Email marketer from Mailjet explains that to avoid the spam folder, it's important to authenticate emails with SPF, DKIM and DMARC records. They also advise cleaning email lists regularly to remove inactive or invalid email addresses.
18 Sep 2023 - Mailjet
What the experts say
5 expert opinions
Google Group emails are often flagged as spam due to various factors. Yahoo's DMARC policy (p=reject) can cause deliverability issues when Yahoo users are part of the group. To avoid spam filters, maintaining high engagement and clean email lists by removing inactive users is crucial. Proper email authentication using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC helps verify email legitimacy. Alternatives to Google Groups include discussion list servers (listservs) like gaggle.email and exploring "group email" options offered by hosting providers.
Key opinions
- Yahoo DMARC Policy: Yahoo's DMARC policy (p=reject) can affect Google Group deliverability.
- List Hygiene: Maintaining high engagement and clean email lists is crucial for avoiding spam filters.
- Email Authentication: Proper SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configuration is essential for email legitimacy.
- Alternative Solutions: Discussion list servers and hosting provider "group email" options are alternatives to Google Groups.
Key considerations
- DMARC Compliance: Understand and address DMARC policies, especially Yahoo's, to ensure deliverability.
- Engagement Optimization: Implement strategies to improve email engagement and regularly remove inactive subscribers.
- Authentication Setup: Configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records correctly to authenticate your emails.
- Platform Evaluation: Explore discussion list servers (listservs) and hosting provider options to find the best alternative for group communication.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that properly configuring email authentication methods like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is essential for verifying the legitimacy of your email and improving deliverability. These records help ISPs confirm that your emails are not spoofed and should be delivered to the inbox.
25 Aug 2022 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that Yahoo publishes DMARC p=reject, forbidding their users from using their email addresses at third parties, including mailing lists, which might cause deliverability issues. ARC is intended to mitigate that.
29 Mar 2024 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Google Group emails often go to spam because of issues related to authentication and sender reputation. Google Workspace Admin Help emphasizes using a consistent sending IP, maintaining a low spam rate, and authenticating emails with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are email authentication protocols designed to verify the sender's identity and message integrity, preventing spammers from using your domain. DMARC also allows senders to specify how receivers should handle emails that fail authentication.
Key findings
- Consistent IP Address: Using a consistent sending IP address is crucial for avoiding spam classification.
- Low Spam Rate: Maintaining a spam rate below 0.10% in Postmaster Tools is essential.
- Email Authentication: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are vital for verifying sender identity and message integrity.
- Authentication Framework: DKIM provides a domain-level authentication framework using digital signatures.
- DMARC Policy Enforcement: DMARC allows senders to specify how receivers should handle authentication failures.
Key considerations
- Monitor IP Reputation: Ensure your sending IP address has a good reputation.
- Postmaster Tools: Regularly monitor your spam rate using Google Postmaster Tools.
- SPF Configuration: Configure SPF to specify authorized mail servers for your domain.
- DKIM Implementation: Implement DKIM to digitally sign your outgoing emails.
- DMARC Policy: Set a DMARC policy to instruct receivers on handling authentication failures.
Technical article
Documentation from DMARC.org explains that DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) is an email authentication protocol that allows senders to indicate that their emails are protected by SPF and DKIM, and tells receivers what to do if authentication fails, such as rejecting the message.
13 Dec 2021 - DMARC.org
Technical article
Documentation from IETF explains that Sender Policy Framework (SPF) is an email authentication method designed to prevent spammers from using your domain to send unauthorized emails. SPF allows domain owners to specify which mail servers are authorized to send email on behalf of their domain.
13 Jan 2025 - IETF
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