Summary
A Mailchimp client experiencing sudden Gmail spam placement issues could stem from various interconnected factors. A potential Gmail-specific issue affecting multiple Mailchimp users might be recurring. More generally, the problem often arises from issues impacting sender reputation (influenced by shared IPs and other users' behavior), inadequate email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC misconfiguration or absence), problematic email content (spam trigger words, poor HTML), poor list hygiene (inactive subscribers, spam traps), and decreased email engagement. External factors like AdWords strikes, potential IP pool changes, and even separate Outlook placements need investigation. Using Google Postmaster Tools to monitor metrics is crucial, and directly contacting Mailchimp support for platform-related problems is advised.
Key findings
- Gmail Recurring Issue: There might be a recurring Gmail-specific issue affecting Mailchimp senders.
- Shared IP Risk: Using shared IPs (common in Mailchimp) makes your reputation dependent on other users' practices.
- Authentication is Key: Properly configured SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are critical for email authentication and deliverability.
- List Hygiene Matters: Regularly cleaning your email list is crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation.
- Engagement Counts: High engagement rates (opens, clicks) signal to ISPs that your emails are valuable.
- Content is Important: Carefully review email content for spam triggers, high image-to-text ratios, and coding issues.
- Outlook Issues Possible: Spam folder placement can affect Outlook too.
Key considerations
- Investigate Gmail Issue: Determine if the problem is isolated to one client or a more widespread issue with Mailchimp and Gmail (reach out to Mailchimp Support).
- Monitor Sender Reputation: Regularly monitor IP and domain reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
- Check Authentication Setup: Verify the proper configuration of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
- Clean Email List: Implement a rigorous process to remove inactive subscribers and spam traps.
- Enhance Engagement: Focus on strategies to improve email engagement (personalization, segmentation, relevant offers).
- Review Email Content: Carefully examine email content for spam triggers and formatting issues.
- Check Search Console/AdWords: Check for any strikes or errors with Google Search Console and AdWords for deliverability issues.
- Investigate IP Pools: Determine if the client was moved into a different IP pool within Mailchimp.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
A Mailchimp client experiencing sudden Gmail spam placement issues could be facing a multitude of factors. These include issues with sender reputation (affected by shared IP addresses and the sending habits of others on those IPs), authentication problems (SPF, DKIM, DMARC setup), changes in email content triggering spam filters (suspicious words, poor HTML), list hygiene issues (inactive subscribers, spam traps), and a drop in email engagement. It's also worth checking Google Search Console for errors, recent AdWords strikes, and potentially contacting Mailchimp support if a platform issue is suspected. Deliverability issues can also arise from Outlook placements.
Key opinions
- Sender Reputation: A poor sender reputation, whether due to shared IP issues or internal sending habits, is a primary cause of spam placement.
- Authentication: Incorrect or missing email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) can lead to deliverability problems.
- Content Triggers: Changes in email content, like the use of spam trigger words or poor HTML coding, can activate spam filters.
- List Hygiene: Inactive subscribers and spam traps on the email list can negatively impact sender reputation and deliverability.
- Engagement: Low email engagement rates signal to ISPs that emails are not valuable, contributing to spam placement.
- Shared IPs: Mailchimp relies on shared IPs therefore other users can affect overall deliverability.
Key considerations
- IP Type: Determine whether the client is using dedicated or shared IPs, as shared IPs are more susceptible to reputation issues caused by other users.
- Authentication Setup: Verify the correct setup and configuration of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for the sending domain.
- Content Review: Review email content for spam trigger words, excessive images, and poor HTML coding practices.
- List Cleaning: Implement a regular list cleaning process to remove inactive subscribers and spam traps.
- Engagement Strategy: Focus on strategies to improve email engagement, such as personalization, segmentation, and relevant offers.
- Google Postmaster Tools: Utilize Google Postmaster Tools to monitor sender reputation and identify potential deliverability issues with Gmail.
- Contact Mailchimp Support: Reach out to Mailchimp support to investigate potential platform-wide issues.
- Search Console & AdWords: Check Google Search Console errors and AdWords for issues with Gmail.
Marketer view
Email marketer from SendPulse responds that improving email deliverability involves warming up your IP address, using double opt-in, segmenting your list, cleaning your list regularly, avoiding spam trigger words, and monitoring your sender reputation.
1 Feb 2025 - SendPulse
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that regularly cleaning your email list removes inactive subscribers and reduces the risk of sending to spam traps. This helps maintain a good sender reputation and improves deliverability.
3 Jun 2024 - Email on Acid
What the experts say
4 expert opinions
A Mailchimp client experiencing sudden Gmail spam placement issues could be due to a recurrence of a past Gmail-specific problem affecting multiple Mailchimp users. However, several other factors influence Gmail's spam filters, including sender reputation (IP and domain), user engagement (opens, clicks, spam complaints), and email content. Shared IP addresses within Mailchimp mean your sending reputation can be affected by the actions of other users, and maintaining a good sender reputation through consistent volume, low complaint rates, and proper authentication is critical for avoiding spam filters.
Key opinions
- Gmail-Specific Issue: There's a possibility of a recurring Gmail-specific problem affecting Mailchimp senders.
- Sender Reputation Matters: A good sender reputation (IP and domain) is critical for deliverability.
- User Engagement is Key: User engagement metrics like opens, clicks, and spam complaints directly influence spam placement.
- Content Matters: Email content influences spam filtering; avoid problematic content to improve deliverability.
- Shared IPs Can Hurt: Shared IP addresses (common in Mailchimp) mean that other users' actions impact your deliverability.
Key considerations
- Investigate Gmail Issue: Determine if the Gmail spam placement is isolated to one client or a more widespread issue with Mailchimp and Gmail.
- Monitor Sender Reputation: Check IP and domain reputation using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
- Analyze Engagement: Assess user engagement metrics (opens, clicks, complaints) for recent changes.
- Review Email Content: Carefully examine email content for spam triggers and ensure proper formatting.
- Consider Dedicated IP: If deliverability issues persist, consider using a dedicated IP address (if possible with Mailchimp's plan) to isolate sender reputation.
- Authentication is Vital: Ensure correct SPF, DKIM and DMARC setup.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that Gmail's spam filters are influenced by numerous factors, including sender reputation (IP and domain), user engagement (opens, clicks, spam complaints), and the content of the email. A sudden drop in engagement or a spike in complaints can quickly lead to spam placement.
13 Dec 2024 - Spam Resource
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource shares that when using shared IP addresses through services like Mailchimp, your sending reputation is intertwined with other users on that IP. The bad behavior of others can negatively affect your deliverability. A sudden shift could indicate a neighbor on your shared IP is triggering spam filters.
6 Oct 2021 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Sudden Gmail spam placement issues for a Mailchimp client can be investigated using Google Postmaster Tools to monitor sending reputation, spam rate, and feedback loops. Crucial to preventing these issues is ensuring proper email authentication through SPF and DMARC. SPF prevents spammers from forging 'From' addresses, while DMARC builds on SPF and DKIM to provide a policy for handling messages failing authentication checks, thus improving deliverability and protecting against spoofing. Properly authenticating your domain with SPF and DKIM in Mailchimp is essential to verify your identity to email providers.
Key findings
- Postmaster Tools: Google Postmaster Tools are useful for monitoring sender reputation and identifying deliverability issues.
- SPF Authentication: SPF is crucial for preventing spammers from using forged 'From' addresses and improving deliverability.
- DMARC Authentication: DMARC builds upon SPF and DKIM to specify how receivers should handle authentication failures, enhancing deliverability and security.
- Authentication is Key: Properly authenticating your domain with SPF and DKIM in Mailchimp is essential for verifying your identity.
Key considerations
- Implement Postmaster Tools Monitoring: Regularly monitor Google Postmaster Tools for any changes in sending reputation, spam rate, or feedback loops.
- Verify SPF Configuration: Ensure that the SPF record is correctly configured for Mailchimp to authorize its servers to send emails on behalf of your domain.
- Implement DMARC Policy: Implement a DMARC policy to instruct email receivers on how to handle messages that fail SPF and DKIM checks, helping to prevent spoofing.
- Authenticate Domain: Follow Mailchimp's instructions to authenticate your sending domain using SPF and DKIM to improve deliverability.
Technical article
Documentation from Google explains that Google Postmaster Tools provides data about your sending reputation, spam rate, and feedback loop. Monitoring these metrics can help identify deliverability issues, including sudden Gmail spam placement problems.
29 Apr 2022 - Google
Technical article
Documentation from RFC Editor explains that SPF is an email authentication method that helps prevent spammers from sending messages with forged 'From' addresses at your domain. Ensuring your SPF record is correctly configured for Mailchimp is crucial for deliverability.
15 Jan 2022 - RFC Editor
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