15 Reasons Why Your Email is Going to the Spam Folder (+ Solutions)

Need help with low open rates on your email campaigns? Your subscribers will never get a chance to open. Why? Because your emails are in the spam folder.

If your email open rates are low, your emails will likely not reach the user’s inbox and will be spam. So “why do my emails go to spam instead of the inbox?”. 

Spam filters don’t know your intent; they depend on how you follow email marketing guidelines. If your behavior is similar to spam, you will be identified as spam, and your emails will be sent to the spam directory.

Sometimes you can change things while solving your spam problems, worsening the situation. This happens if you don’t know what to look for and you know what is causing your emails to go to spam.

So today, in this guide, we will share 15 reasons why your email is going to the spam folder. We’ll also give you an easy solution to ensure they should be separate from one.

15 Reasons Why Your Email is Going to the Spam Folder

1. Poor email authentication

Proper email authentication is essential to help prevent email fraud and ensure your email is not marked as spam. SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) are three authentication methods that help verify the legitimacy of your email.

If your emails fail authentication checks, they may be flagged as spam or even rejected by email providers. To fix this issue, adequately set up SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for your domain.

2. Not using personalizing subject lines

Using a generic subject line that doesn’t accurately describe the content of your email can trigger spam filters. Avoid using subject lines that are overly salesy or clickbait-y. Instead, make sure your subject line accurately reflects the content of your email and is personalized to your audience.

To give it a personalized touch, it’s important to modify and personalize the subject lines for each recipient. Repeatedly using the same subject line across multiple emails can trigger spam filters. You can paraphrase your subject lines with a sentence rephraser tool. Using this online paraphrase tool, you can describe your subject differently without changing its meaning.

3. Using spammy words

Certain words are commonly associated with spam and can trigger spam filters. Words like “free,” “act now,” “limited time offer,” or “opportunity” are often used in spam emails. Avoid using these words in your email content and subject lines.

4. Large image-to-text ratio

Emails that are heavily image-based with minimal text can be seen as spam by email filters. To avoid this issue, balance images and text in your emails and provide alternative text for images.

5. Too many links

Including too many links in your email can trigger spam filters. Avoid adding too many links in your email content; make sure the links are relevant and lead to trusted websites.

6. The email content needs to be shorter

Long emails with dense paragraphs can be challenging to read and may be flagged as spam. To avoid this, make sure your email content is clear and concise, with short paragraphs and clear headings.

7. Sending from a new IP address

Email providers are wary of new senders, and sending from a new IP address can trigger spam filters. To avoid this issue, gradually warm up your IP address by sending smaller emails and gradually increasing the volume over time.

8. Not targeting the right audience

Sending emails to a non-targeted audience can lead to high bounce rates and spam complaints, damaging your sender’s reputation. Segment your email list and send targeted emails based on your audience’s interests and behaviors.

9. Sending too frequently

Sending too many emails can damage your sender’s reputation and lead to your emails being flagged as spam. Find the right frequency for your emails based on your audience’s preferences.

10. Not including an unsubscribe link

Not including an unsubscribe link in your emails can damage your sender’s reputation and increase the likelihood of your emails being marked as spam. Include a clear and prominent unsubscribe link in every email you send.

11. Not using a reputable email service provider

A disreputable email service provider can lead to delivery problems and spam complaints. Use a reputable email service provider that follows best practices for email marketing.

12. Using a free email service

Emails from free like Gmail or Yahoo are more likely to be flagged as spam. To avoid this issue, use a custom domain for your email addresses and use a reputable email service provider.

13. Poor email formatting

Poorly formatted emails can be challenging to read and may be flagged as spam. To avoid this, ensure your emails are formatted correctly and quickly read on different devices and email clients.

14. Misleading subject lines

Using misleading subject lines that trick recipients into opening your email can damage your sender’s reputation and increase the likelihood of your emails being marked as spam.

15. Not testing your emails

Not testing your emails can lead to formatting errors or other problems that can cause your emails to be flagged as spam.

Tips to Avoid Emails From Going to the Spam Folder

1. Use proper email authentication

SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are three authentication methods that help verify the legitimacy of your email. By properly setting up these authentication methods, you can prevent email fraud and ensure your email is not marked as spam.

2. Avoid using spammy words

Words like “free,” “act now,” “limited time offer,” or “opportunity” are often used in spam emails. Avoid using these words in your email content and subject lines to prevent your emails from being flagged as spam.

3. Balance images and text

Emails that are heavily image-based with minimal text can be seen as spam by email filters. To avoid this issue, balance images and text in your emails and provide alternative text for images.

4. Limit the number of links

Including too many links in your email can trigger spam filters. Only include relevant links in your email content, and make sure they lead to trusted websites.

5. Keep your email content concise

Long emails with dense paragraphs can be challenging to read and may be flagged as spam. To avoid this, make sure your email content is clear and concise, with short paragraphs and clear headings.

6. Segment your email list

Sending non-targeted emails can lead to high bounce rates and spam complaints, damaging your sender’s reputation. Segment your email list based on your audience’s interests and behaviors, and send targeted emails to each segment.

7. Find the right email frequency

Sending too many emails too frequently can damage your sender’s reputation and lead to your emails being flagged as spam. Find the right frequency for your emails based on your audience’s preferences.

8. Include an unsubscribe link

Including a clear and prominent link in every email you send can improve your sender’s reputation and prevent your emails from being marked as spam.

9. Use a reputable email service provider

Using a reputable email service provider that follows best practices for email marketing, and delivery can improve the deliverability of your emails and prevent them from being marked as spam. Therefore it is one of the reasons why your email is going to the spam folder.

Wrapping Up

The biggest problems that companies face is that their email is going to the spam folder. 

To avoid your email going to the spam folder, follow best practices for email marketing, such as adequately authenticating your emails, targeting the right audience, and including an unsubscribe link. Additionally, test your emails and avoid using spammy words or misleading subject lines.

For more help, schedule a demo with NotifyVisitors.

FAQs

1. Why are My Emails Going to Spam?

There could be several reasons why your emails are going to spam, such as using spammy words, having a poor sender reputation, not using proper email authentication, sending emails to unengaged recipients, or having a low open rate.

2. How Can I Check if My Emails are Going to Spam?

You can check if your emails are going to spam by sending test emails to your email address and checking your spam or junk folder. You can also use email deliverability tools to check your email sender’s reputation and the spam score of your emails.

3. What is a Spam Filter?

A spam filter is a software program that scans incoming emails and filters out spam and other unwanted messages. Spam filters use various criteria to determine whether an email is spam, such as a sender’s reputation, content, subject line, and recipient behavior.