Summary
Emails can still land in Gmail spam despite good authentication and high open rates due to a complex interplay of factors. Gmail's filtering considers user reports, content, sender reputation, engagement (replies, moving emails), and sending patterns. Open rates can be misleading if they only represent engaged users. Other factors include content triggering spam filters, poor rendering, high email frequency to unengaged users, and shared IP addresses. Technical aspects include DMARC policies not fully enforced (p=none) and SPF not guaranteeing delivery. Therefore, troubleshooting requires a holistic approach: monitor sender reputation, review email content, encourage engagement, implement robust authentication and DMARC policies, and consider dedicated IPs.
Key findings
- Engagement Over Open Rates: Gmail prioritizes engagement metrics (replies, marking as important) over simple open rates for deliverability.
- Sender Reputation is Paramount: A poor sender reputation, even with proper authentication, leads to spam placement.
- Content Matters More Than Ever: Even with a good reputation, spam-like content or formatting triggers spam filters.
- Multi-Layered Filtering: Gmail uses machine learning and individual user behavior for filtering, not just authentication.
- Volume & Unengaged Users: Sending high volumes to unengaged recipients results in spam complaints, hurting deliverability.
- Holistic Configuration: SPF, DKIM, and DMARC must be correctly configured and enforced (p=quarantine or p=reject) to be effective.
Key considerations
- Troubleshooting Approach: Test different content, sending systems, and list segments to pinpoint the problem.
- Monitoring Reputation: Use Google Postmaster Tools to monitor your domain and IP reputation closely.
- List Management: Regularly clean your email list to remove unengaged users and invalid addresses.
- Content Optimization: Review email content for spam trigger words, excessive links, and poor formatting.
- Engagement Strategy: Encourage recipients to engage with your emails (reply, mark as important) to improve deliverability.
- Authentication & DMARC: Implement and enforce SPF, DKIM, and DMARC properly (p=quarantine or p=reject).
- Consider Dedicated IP: Consider moving to a dedicated IP if on a shared IP to better manage your reputation.
- Consider Double Opt-in: Implement double opt-in to ensure subscribers genuinely want to receive your emails.
- Data Analysis Timing: Deliverability data has a lag; wait to see effects after fixing issues.
What email marketers say
10 marketer opinions
Even with good authentication and high open rates, emails can still land in Gmail's spam folder due to a combination of factors. These include poor sender reputation stemming from spam complaints or sending to invalid addresses, low engagement from recipients even if they open the emails, irrelevant content, high sending frequency, content triggering spam filters, rendering issues, shared IP addresses impacting reputation, and a lack of double opt-in. Testing different content, cleaning email lists, segmenting audience, and monitoring sender reputation are all important to consider when fixing email deliverability problems.
Key opinions
- Engagement Matters: Gmail considers how recipients interact with your emails after opening them. Deleting, not clicking links, or not marking as important negatively affects deliverability.
- Sender Reputation is Key: A poor sender reputation, even with authentication, can lead to spam placement. Monitor reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
- Content Quality: Spam trigger words, excessive links, or poor formatting can cause emails to be classified as spam, regardless of open rates.
- List Hygiene: Sending to unengaged users or invalid addresses hurts sender reputation and increases the likelihood of spam placement.
- Segmentation and Targeting: Irrelevant emails lead to low engagement and spam complaints. Proper segmentation ensures subscribers receive relevant content.
- Email Frequency: High sending frequency can lead to subscribers marking emails as spam, even with authentication.
- Rendering Issues: Poorly rendered emails increase the likelihood of being marked as spam. Test across various email clients.
- Double Opt-In: Using double opt-in can prevent spam complaints and improve sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Testing and Triangulation: Test different pieces of content and sending systems to identify the root cause of deliverability issues.
- Monitoring Sender Reputation: Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools to monitor your domain and IP reputation.
- Cleaning Email Lists: Regularly remove unengaged users and invalid addresses from your email lists.
- Segmenting Audience: Segment your audience to ensure subscribers receive relevant content.
- Adjusting Frequency: Consider reducing email frequency if subscribers are marking emails as spam.
- Optimizing Content: Avoid spam trigger words, excessive links, and poor formatting in your emails.
- Testing Rendering: Test your emails across various email clients to ensure proper rendering.
- Considering Dedicated IPs: If on a shared IP, consider switching to a dedicated IP address for more control over sender reputation.
- Implement Double Opt-in: Consider implementing double opt-in to ensure subscribers want to receive your emails and help prevent complaints.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reddit shares that the content of your emails might be triggering spam filters. Even if you have high open rates, if your content contains spam trigger words, excessive links, or poor formatting, Gmail may still classify it as spam.
23 Aug 2021 - Reddit
Marketer view
Email marketer from Litmus shares that if your email renders poorly in Gmail, recipients are more likely to mark it as spam. Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly and test them across various email clients to prevent rendering issues.
18 Dec 2022 - Litmus
What the experts say
5 expert opinions
Even with good authentication and high open rates, Gmail may filter emails to spam due to several factors. Gmail employs machine learning and individual user behavior in its filtering process. Open rates may be misleading if they only represent engaged users, while unengaged users receive spam. Content filters can flag emails based on phrases and formatting. Volume increases, when coupled with increased spam reports, negatively impact inbox placement. Finally, deliverability data sources are trailing indicators, showing results after changes take effect.
Key opinions
- Layered Filtering: Gmail uses machine learning and individual user behavior to filter emails.
- Misleading Open Rates: High open rates may not accurately reflect inbox placement for all users, especially unengaged ones.
- Content Matters: Gmail's content filters can flag emails as spam based on phrases, structure, or formatting, even with good authentication and reputation.
- Volume and Spam Reports: Increased email volume to users who don't want the mail and report it as spam can hurt inbox placement.
- GPT Data Lag: Deliverability metrics are trailing indicators; it takes time to see changes reflected in data.
Key considerations
- Testing with New Addresses: Use new email addresses to test deliverability and get global results rather than individual results.
- Monitor Spam Reports: Pay attention to spam reports and adjust sending practices accordingly.
- Evaluate Content: Review your email content for phrases or formatting that might trigger spam filters.
- Track Engagement: Focus on user engagement metrics beyond open rates, such as clicks and replies.
- Be Patient with Data: Recognize that data sources are trailing indicators and allow time for changes to be reflected in the data.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise shares the advice that even with proper authentication and a good reputation, Gmail's content filters can still flag emails as spam if they contain certain phrases or structures associated with spam, or if the email is formatted in a suspicious way.
12 Feb 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks clarifies that a simple volume increase doesn't cause emails to go to spam. However, a volume increase to recipients who don't want the mail and mark it as spam will negatively impact inbox placement.
11 Mar 2024 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Despite implementing email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, and achieving high open rates, emails can still land in Gmail's spam folder. This is because Gmail considers numerous factors beyond authentication, including sender reputation, content, user reports, and sending patterns. Additionally, certain DMARC policies (p=none) do not enforce actions against unauthenticated mail, and SPF alone does not guarantee delivery. Monitoring sender reputation is crucial to identify and address issues causing spam classification.
Key findings
- Multi-Factor Filtering: Gmail's spam filters use multiple factors beyond authentication, including sender reputation, content, user reports, and sending patterns.
- SPF Limitations: SPF alone doesn't guarantee delivery; receivers can still filter based on other factors.
- DMARC Policy Impact: A DMARC policy of 'p=none' doesn't enforce any action on unauthenticated emails.
- Reputation Monitoring: Monitoring domain and IP reputation is crucial for identifying issues affecting deliverability.
Key considerations
- Content Review: Ensure your email content doesn't contain elements that trigger spam filters.
- DMARC Enforcement: Implement a DMARC policy of 'p=quarantine' or 'p=reject' for better protection.
- Reputation Management: Actively manage and protect your sender reputation by adhering to best practices.
- Monitor Postmaster Tools: Regularly review Google Postmaster Tools for insights into deliverability issues.
Technical article
Documentation from DMARC.org indicates that while DMARC helps prevent domain spoofing, a policy of 'p=none' does not enforce any action on emails that fail authentication. To fully protect your domain, you need to implement 'p=quarantine' or 'p=reject'.
17 Apr 2024 - DMARC.org
Technical article
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools highlights the importance of monitoring your domain and IP reputation. A sudden drop in reputation can indicate issues that are causing your emails to be marked as spam, despite high open rates.
3 Jun 2022 - Google
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